Pricing emergency work

[Will Heal]

Hi all,

Now I have done plenty of call outs for other people, but yesterday I got a call to go and clear up and fell the remaining stem of a tree which had failed and was blocking a driveway.

It was a property management company I have previously worked for. They Called at 9am, I said I could get there in the afternoon, this was ok and told to get on with it. Forgot to talk about price.

Met the tree officer onsite at 2 as it was in a CA he gave me the ok to fell the rest of the tree.

Tried calling the property management company but no answer so just got on and did it.

It took me 5 hours on my own including taking the logs and chip back to my yard and tipping it.

Now the question is this- do I price it by the hour? Say at £50 an hour or charge them what I would have quoted for it had they asked for a price in the first place, I thought it would be half a day for two people when I first saw it, so £350.

I don't want to do myself out of pocket or seem too cheap, on the other hand I don't want them to think it's too expensive and call someone else next time

Thanks

Will

 

 

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[Mark Bolam]

Invoice them for £1.5m then retire.

 

 

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[Steve Bullman]

I think £350 is perfectly reasonable personally

[Steve Bullman]

Marks answer is better though if you think you can get away with it

[openspaceman]

H

Now the question is this- do I price it by the hour? Say at £50 an hour or charge them what I would have quoted for it had they asked for a price in the first place, I thought it would be half a day for two people when I first saw it, so £350.

I don't want to do myself out of pocket or seem too cheap, on the other hand I don't want them to think it's too expensive and call someone else next time

 

 

If £50/hour works for you then fine but:

 

They will sooner or later ask someone else anyway

 

Could you fit in other work and make your normal day rate?

 

You met the tree officer, managed the formalities and ran the job, £350 seems fair enough.

[Spruce Pirate]

I charge a premium for emergency call out works if it's a client such as yours and I've got to drop everything to go and sort it out. As much as I can get away with, normally aiming for around double normal rate.

 

On the other hand, if it's the proverbial little old lady down the street who needs something done in an emergency then I'd be quite happy working for normal rates, or even done stuff for less and free of charge depending on what and who it is.

[roseyweb]

We have a agreement with a housing association where by we fix problems with out authorisation up to £400 and over that needs quoting and approval.

 

I know that don't help but for a call out 3 man team transit would normally be 350

[eggsarascal]

Company I do some subbing for, now I'm back up and running are £80/hour/man for emergency call-out work. That's their charge, not what they pay their lads.

 

I won't do it mind.

[Will Heal]

Invoice them for £1.5m then retire.

 

 

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Best answer,

I'll do it and take them the small claims court if they don't pay'

 

 

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[Will Heal]

I think £350 is perfectly reasonable personally

 

 

That's what I would have thought

 

 

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