How do you price jobs?

[scottishmaximus]

I do lawncare and most guys estimate around $30-$50 per man per hour for basic mow, trim, and edge with a $20 minimum. How do most of you charge jobs? Do you price lower if you get to keep the wood and mulch?

 

[Nickrosis]

I would shoot for learning about performing tree work first. Try connecting with a local company and work there part time or join them for jobs periodically if they're ok with that. Prices vary a lot locally, and you could learn a lot from them.

In the meantime, pick up the Tree Climber's Companion II and soak it up. You'll learn a lot about the how-to's through this forum, too.

Nickrosis

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

The rates are based on an hourly rate, like lawn care. If giving a fixed bid, you kinda think about how many hours it will take, and calculate the amount. The acutal rate varies from place to place.
As far as discounting for wood and chips, do you give a discount if they let you keep the grass clippings? Unless it's some high value saw logs, no.

 

[Greg]

The factors I use to price jobs are:
-Risk (how high, how dead, gonna risk hitting a house...)
-Ease of cleanup/wood removal
-Labor costs (need 1-2 groundies?)
-Time

The time factor is a fairly loose consideration. Many times you can look at a tree and say I could drop it to the ground, no climbing -no doubt. When things are not as clear I factor in doing things slow and easy, I still may end up doing the job fast by setting a pull line to the winch, and we can have the tree down in a flash, but I don't give a rebate cause it went quick. I think tree guys charging by the hour on most jobs just screw themselves, and send the wrong message to the crew. You can do things faster because you are good at it, and should be paid for it. I really look at jobs in these intervals: couple of hours, half day, full day. When I am really busy I line up 3 of those couple of hour jobs on the same day and end up kicking some butt.
--One of my part time ground guys does mostly lawns on his own and picks up 2-3 small tree jobs a month. When he tells me how cheap he does his tree work I want to smack him, low priced tree work hurts all tree guys! --I used to do the same things...
Greg

 

[TREETX]

Look at the the zip code, cars in the driveway, attitude of the customer, and adjust target manhour accordingly.

 

[scottishmaximus]

I know in the end costs have to be figured out and added on to your expected profit to get your price. I know that costs are different from guy to guy. In mowing lawns a guy can spend all day mowing with a $100 push mower what another guy could do in an hour with a $10,000 rider. Just curious as to what all factors in and how big of a role each factor plays. Difficulty of the job i forsee as the biggest factor.

 

[Stumper]

How do I price tree jobs? Too low, mostly!

 

[Abbershay]

sadly i am with you stumper... take a look at what it costs to rent a dumper if you wanted to get rid of the stuff.... around here its 225 other places its 500 and then you have to fill the thing yourself... these things should be considered.