Milling Job

[trigger_andy]

Hey,

I know Ive asked this before but I cant find anything looking back through the threads.  Ive someone wanting some Oak Milled and Ive said £30 an hour to him and then never spoke to him again for a couple of months. Anyway, he called back and still wants me out to Mill this Oak. So I was really looking back again to see what I was recommended to charge. I'll stay at £30 an hour as thats what I told him, but as mentioned by someone before I'll tell him its a full day at £30 an hour. But there was mention of Blades and fair usage etc. So before I message him back any advice would be appreciated. 

 

Cheers. 

[Squaredy]

26 minutes ago, trigger_andy said:

Hey,

I know Ive asked this before but I cant find anything looking back through the threads.  Ive someone wanting some Oak Milled and Ive said £30 an hour to him and then never spoke to him again for a couple of months. Anyway, he called back and still wants me out to Mill this Oak. So I was really looking back again to see what I was recommended to charge. I'll stay at £30 an hour as thats what I told him, but as mentioned by someone before I'll tell him its a full day at £30 an hour. But there was mention of Blades and fair usage etc. So before I message him back any advice would be appreciated. 

 

Cheers. 

Just make sure to charge extra for any damage caused by stones or nails etc.  So if you hit no nails just charge him the hourly rate, but if you blunt three extra blades due to nails charge for sharpening or replacing those blades on top of the hourly rate.  You don't need to charge him for the time it will waste as you are charging by the hour anyway.  Also of course if you are travelling more than half an hour or so maybe charge for mileage.

 

Most important thing is to make sure he understands all this up front!

[trigger_andy]

2 hours ago, Squaredy said:

Just make sure to charge extra for any damage caused by stones or nails etc.  So if you hit no nails just charge him the hourly rate, but if you blunt three extra blades due to nails charge for sharpening or replacing those blades on top of the hourly rate.  You don't need to charge him for the time it will waste as you are charging by the hour anyway.  Also of course if you are travelling more than half an hour or so maybe charge for mileage.

 

Most important thing is to make sure he understands all this up front!

 

Cheers.

 

Ive messaged him now explaining this. I also added that a half day is minimum. 

 

But going forward what would be considered a fair rate? Im not really that fussed about getting any work just now as Im kinda snowed under with other things.  Im really doing this job to get in his good books as he's a local guy who supplies a lot of firewood and has access to a lot of nice logs that hopefully going forward I can buy off of him. 

[Rough Hewn]

My day rate is £395.
7-8 hour day.
If I had a mobile bandsaw I'd be charging £495 a day minimum.
Don't undervalue yourself.
But "mates rates" if it's a two way street.
[emoji106]

[trigger_andy]

15 hours ago, Rough Hewn said:

My day rate is £395.
7-8 hour day.
If I had a mobile bandsaw I'd be charging £495 a day minimum.
Don't undervalue yourself.
But "mates rates" if it's a two way street.

Damn, I really am underselling myself.   Well its the first job and it will iron out any potential teething problems. Might open up more contacts and potential customers, one day I might need them. But good to know what others are charging. 

[spuddog0507]

Hi there is a guy here in lancs with a mobile woodmizer mill he is on £350 a day plus a bit of traveling and blades so you may be a bit cheap at £30 an hour but if it will benifit you in the long run with this guy having a good supply of timber, your may be not that far off and there is one thing i all ways say is look at these things from every angle, and dont just think about tomorrow think well a head especially if you think there could be more to come from the same source, the guy above is not mad busy but steady away he dont addvertise any where but if i rang him it would be 2-3 wk before he could do owt, Have a look round and you will come up with a realistic answer the guy who is rushed off his feet with work is to cheap, the guy who sits at home 4 days a week is to expensive, i am sure you get picture,Good luck with it as well, 

[trigger_andy]

28 minutes ago, spuddog0507 said:

Hi there is a guy here in lancs with a mobile woodmizer mill he is on £350 a day plus a bit of traveling and blades so you may be a bit cheap at £30 an hour but if it will benifit you in the long run with this guy having a good supply of timber, your may be not that far off and there is one thing i all ways say is look at these things from every angle, and dont just think about tomorrow think well a head especially if you think there could be more to come from the same source, the guy above is not mad busy but steady away he dont addvertise any where but if i rang him it would be 2-3 wk before he could do owt, Have a look round and you will come up with a realistic answer the guy who is rushed off his feet with work is to cheap, the guy who sits at home 4 days a week is to expensive, i am sure you get picture,Good luck with it as well, 

 

Nicely summed up. That really explains the position Im in. Its not a job just now, actually helping another mate out who cant do the job. But the in-roads as mentioned make it worth it. 

[topchippyles]

I charge £30 an hour but customers bring timber to me,A woodmizer is a different beast so can produce a lot more timber in a day,Ready does depend on what area you live and every job is different.

[trigger_andy]

Just now, topchippyles said:

I charge £30 an hour but customers bring timber to me,A woodmizer is a different beast so can produce a lot more timber in a day,Ready does depend on what area you live and every job is different.

 

What Woodmizer do you have now? Is it so much different than the WM130?

[topchippyles]

I do not have a woodmizer andy but they are just a far superior saw on speed and most have hydraulic loading and self cutting operation