Is it a rip off?

[plippy]

ive worked for a few firms in my time, some big out fits and some really small, the bigger ones have admin staff and employ alot of lads so overheads are high, where as the smaller companys overheads are lower,the bigger the firm the higher the price, it is a quote at the end of the day. your not twisting any arms

 

with the elderly, we all feel guilty when it comes to the elderly or should we say respectfull of these folk that fought in the wars or made a contribution to their counrty, they dont want ya pity they just want the job done at a reasonable price and ya know theres gona be tea and biscuits thrown in so why not do it a bit cheaper

[nepia]

At the end of the day the customer should get other quotes, the problem is where we get to the elderly who are vunerable and can easily get confused.

 

Its the vunerable that need protection

 

Thick people can't be helped so if your thick enough to accept such a high quote then really there's no help

 

Spot on. Whatever anyone thinks about 'gullible fools' the elderly often do get confused and they do trust 'tradesmen'. That's why there's a whole industry out there among the thieving cowards in conning the elderly. Yes, there are constant warnings but these yellow-backed scum still keep getting away with it.

Mr Watchdog wasn't set up to deal with a city banker was he.

[johnty]

You hit the nail on the head there Nepia.

I quote a fair price that i know is about the same as my competitors, if i dont i dont get the work.

personally i think the price for the job on watchdog was a joke, and totally overpriced. £200 max:001_tt2:

[Czlowiek Drzewo]

I think it depends out how much you need a day to stay afloat. I am happy making 200 a day. for a big tree / job 400 a day is what i am after.

 

My expensies are low so i can get away with making 100 a day though.

 

Some company's who have full tim e staff / larger machinery / more out going's need to make more. Sometimes 700 maybe 800 a day.

 

So my answer is it all depends on your out going's. [for me 600 for that job would be a rip off...but for other company's it would be a fair price.

[Andy Collins]

I looked at a large walnut (about 60' high, 50' spread)the other day, no targets but a nice lawn, another quote was 3k to remove. IMO this is too much, the price that sprang to mind was approx 1200 (should be a sound butt too) Were they being "ripped off"? I dont think so, I just cant see how or why it would be priced as high, perhaps I'm too cheap!! Or maybe the company is busy and didnt worry if they got the job or not.

[raafbeard]

The elderly some of them are quite capable of using it to their advantage too!!

 

Good post Mesterh I would like to think that all of us would charge what is reasonable and fair be it slightly high or as is more often, a little bit less than what we would like.

 

For example £1000 for three tiny stumps is robbery and I think trading stads would catch up with you in the end.

[Ty Korrigan]

Hello all.

I'm fairly new to pricing tree work.

Because I'm new I'm also not say 'up to speed'.

However...

I have looked into my costings and know how much I need to make every hour.

The percieved value of the work is important.

I climb trees for far more than I cut grass.

If a customer is happy with the price/quality of work balance then thats what is important at the end of the day.

Too cheap and I feel that I may become a busy fool and de-value the work.

Too expensive... well I'm already there with the hard up Brit ex-pats.

I grossed 160euros for 1 hours climbing which was 1h45min total including cleaning up from a French guy who was over the moon with my price and service.

However, I quoted 1200euros for a take down of a large Horse Chestnut overhanging a phone line and two houses and was told firmly by the British client that in her opinion 300euros per day was an obscene amount of money to charge in this economic climate.

Yet I full well know her hubby and son charge 160euros cash for D.I.Y/ plastering and cutting grass!

Would she talk that way to a solicitor or doctor...?

I know my base rate and won't go below it, though the more effort and risk involved the greater the price I ask.

[Dean Lofthouse]

I know my base rate and won't go below it,

 

Spot on Ty

 

I've just priced a take down for a friend at £700 covering my costs, a spare chain and a qualified second climber.

 

He immediately said your too dear !!

 

I said, no problem, turned and walked away, saying I'll see you later

 

He was very bemused, I had worked it out exact, and couldn't budge so there was no point me asking what he had been quoted, simples

 

Let someone else do it for peanuts and end up with knackered kit they cant afford to replace, not me I'm afraid

[firewoodman]

i got asked to go to a house and quote for splitting the wood on site, did'nt really want to do it, but quoted £25p/h

 

customer laughed at me and said "what, just to split some logs"

 

i went through the explanation of machinery, labour, tools, insurance, etc

 

customer replied "i'll do it myself"

 

"ok, give us a ring when your back and wrists are knackered then"

 

didnt want it, so high price

 

(actually i would not do it for anyless anyway, so not really a high price)

[Mark Bolam]

Exactly what I charge for logging other people's stuff.

 

And it's still too cheap....