how would you price this?

[superjunior]

got a call from one of our customers yesterday that a tree blew down and destroyed her playground set. I went over there and here's what I saw.

I told her over the summer this dead elm would go and land exactly where it did. Thank God her kids were not playing in it when it happened. Anyhow she wants the whole thing done as one job - tree and playset removed. Think I gave her a price of 400$ earlier in the year to remove the elm. I have no idea how to price this gig. Hard to tell from the pics but this thing is big and solid. The posts are concreted in the ground. One approach I guess would be to just tear into it with a chainsaw and chip all the wood, cutting around all the bolts (which are pretty big and rusty) and haul all the chunks of wood connected by the bolts along with the slide, swings and other hardware to the dump. Then there's the issue of the posts in the ground.. Just cut em off at ground level and call it a day or try digging them out? Maybe just grind them down below the surface? Guess that would be up to her on how she wants that dealt with.

It's an insurance job and she's got $$ so I don't think she's shopping around for prices. Told her I couldn't do anything till after the holidays so I have a little time to put together a proposal. I just have no idea of how to price this.
Thoughts?

 

[superjunior]

here's a couple more

 

[superjunior]

 

[Rudedog]

I know this is no help to you but why doesn't she just repair the play equipment? It does not look to be much more than cosmetic damage.

 

[superjunior]

I know this is no help to you but why doesn't she just repair the play equipment? It does not look to be much more than cosmetic damage.

most of the main 2x4's and 4x4's are cracked and the whole thing is pretty twisted and warped now. It's pretty much a gonner

 

[tree MDS]

most of the main 2x4's and 4x4's are cracked and the whole thing is pretty twisted and warped now. It's pretty much a gonner

Not sure how to price it, but tires and drain oil may be an option. lol.

 

[2treeornot2tree]

I would charge $700 to clean everything up if you can get pretty close to it with a truck or trailer. If she wanted the concrete removed, I would add another $100 if they werent to big. Maybe get a tractor like AA to haul it out to the driveway. Sorry just had to.

 

[superjunior]

Not sure how to price it, but tires and drain oil may be an option. lol.

lol, that would make a dandy campfire

 

[superjunior]

I would charge $700 to clean everything up if you can get pretty close to it with a truck or trailer. If she wanted the concrete removed, I would add another $100 if they werent to big. Maybe get a tractor like AA to haul it out to the driveway. Sorry just had to.

I was thinking like 4 for the tree and another 6 for the playset, but I could be way off base here. I have no idea how long dismantleing that thing is going to take or how I should deal with the posts. I think grinding them just below the surface would be the easiest solution. She's gonna have to pay the same deductable regardless. Her backyard is saturated and about 60-70 yards from the driveway. Even a ball cart and wheel barrel is gonna leave a trail. There's no access for anything bigger then that anyway.

 

[2treeornot2tree]

You probably got her in your hand anyway, because look what happen. she didnt listen and no its gonna cost them more. I think what you are thinking is far with the limited access. I would sub out that grinding though. Let someone else eat up there teeth.

 

[mattfr12]

I was thinking like 4 for the tree and another 6 for the playset, but I could be way off base here. I have no idea how long dismantleing that thing is going to take or how I should deal with the posts. I think grinding them just below the surface would be the easiest solution. She's gonna have to pay the same deductable regardless. Her backyard is saturated and about 60-70 yards from the driveway. Even a ball cart and wheel barrel is gonna leave a trail. There's no access for anything bigger then that anyway.

How long do you think it will take you? thats the way i always look at things man if you think its a 6 hour job and your gonna use your crane and a chipper. your looking at 160$ per hour. so say your minimum charge for removal is 3 hours thats 480$ right their for you to bring a crane and chipper minimum i set a minimum a while ago to weed out jobs that where not worth doing like 150$ stuff. i would bid it for half a day so 6-800 range in their could be fair or the 800 might be pushing it just charge them a fair price to where you would make money because if you get 800.00 you will only clear 650.00 with another ground man i always look at what ill clear other than gross also.

gotta say tho i would do it for the highest $$ i could get within reason the trees already cut down for you its a cake job now drop the trunk and just cleanup.

 

[mattfr12]

damn just read again and sounds like your hauling out the playlet the price you said sounds more like it close to 1g to get ridda the playlet also.

 

[flushcut]

How much does a gallon of gas and a book of matches cost? I think 700-1000 would be fair for both more of a pain in the ass fee than anything else.

 

[Bomber]

I would get a dumpster and a sledge hammer for the swingset. Probably take more time trying to cut around the bolts with a saw and the trip to the dump. I would also just throw the elm in the dumpster as well. I think the posts will come out pretty easily when you remove the support braces if the ground is not frozen yet and use the height as leverage.

 

[Toddppm]

I forgot you have a crane, that might be the easy way to remove the posts. If not we usually just bust them up in the ground and pull out the pieces. Don't know how you get rid of your chips but I wouldn't want to mix that PT wood in with regular chips.
I'd cut it all up and haul to the dump and be around $1500-1600.00 including the concrete.

 

[Huskytree]

Price it right!

I do many jobs like this all the time. I am a small outfit so these things get thrown my way often. Here is how I see it cut the post that secure it to the ground break it done only as small as needed to get into whatever it is you will haul it off with. Take to the dump and wash your hands of it. As to getting the concrete out I would just pull them out and fill in with some soil. That job shouldn't take more then 4 hours. I would charge $1000.00 including the soil fill and some grass seeding.

 

[superjunior]

thanks for some good input fellas. Sounds like I'm right in the ballpark price wise. There is a lot of metal in this thing, busting it up and hauling everything to the dump or bringing in a dumpster might be the way to go. I've never had a dumpster brought on site so I'd have to look into that and factor in that price vs. taking it to the dump as well. I can't get the crane anywhere near it, it would have to be hauled to the driveway with a ball cart. And the ground is mush, my boots were sinking into the lawn back there

 

[tomsteve]

i love a sawzall with a demolition blade. for the posts cemented in( did this while dismantling a play structure a few years ago) you could build a tripod to set over the posts cemented in and use a come along to pull em out of the ground. worked pretty slick for me. as for pricing, even tough it may be an insurance job, id still want to have a clear conscience afterwards, so i would price it appropriately.

 

[redoakneck]

Hope it dries out some here in ohio, if not maybe you could get a boat in there and float it away!!!!

Too darn wet to even use a wheelbarrow-- need big ballon tires or you gonna tear it up.

Might be able to sell that climbing wall and slide on craigslist, double dip!!!

 

[highrisen]

thanks for some good input fellas. Sounds like I'm right in the ballpark price wise. There is a lot of metal in this thing, busting it up and hauling everything to the dump or bringing in a dumpster might be the way to go. I've never had a dumpster brought on site so I'd have to look into that and factor in that price vs. taking it to the dump as well. I can't get the crane anywhere near it, it would have to be hauled to the driveway with a ball cart. And the ground is mush, my boots were sinking into the lawn back there

Sounds like I need to drive up there and offer to do it for 600.00 - it's hard to be humble!