Pricing

[Dan Maynard]

1 hour ago, Rob D said:

 

Used to spend sooo much time in a circular conversation with customer like this:

 

'Its all got too big, we need tidy it up and reduce it by at least half'.

Me 'it'll look terrible, as we stand here now it looks thick because all the growth is up high - take it down by half it'll be time consuming and look patchy and you'll ask us to take them out.'

'I don't want to take it out, we need the barrier, it gives us privacy'

Me 'ok when you do want to take it out give me a call'

'Yes but we got you here now as we need to do something, it's got too big'

Me 'ok what do you want to do'

'Tidy it up - it's just got too big'

Me 'but it's too late to just trim it up because if we trim it it'll cost half as much as taking the whole lot out'

'Why's that?'

Me 'to get to the end of the thing will need a platform - and after 2 years you'll be in the same situation - just poorer'

'Ok what would you recommend?'

Me 'Take it out and re plant it if it is has become a problem'

'We like having the screening and barrier though...'

 

Oh God thankyou that I don't have to do that no more!

I've managed to break the cycle a couple of times by offering complete removal for the same money as cutting in half.

 

Far rather take the whole thing out by felling from the ground than clamber around the top, even if there is more chip.

[Bloom]

You should have a good idea on what you need daily from your garden work. As most have said, it'll take years to get your pricing right. Just get out there, f*ck a quote up, do the job, feel shit about it, and learn from your mistakes. Then you'll do it again ... but slowly you'll get closer to everyday being a decent day. Then you'll hit a real winner and think I've got this dialled. Then you'll mess one up. But, a few years in you're bad days will be when you maybe just cover costs rather than taking a big loss. In the meantime at least you'll have your regular garden work to keep things steady.

 

I could say £500/day for two men and a chipper, but that'll not help you when you're looking at how long a job will take.

 

 

[lux]

You should have a good idea on what you need daily from your garden work. As most have said, it'll take years to get your pricing right. Just get out there, f*ck a quote up, do the job, feel shit about it, and learn from your mistakes. Then you'll do it again ... but slowly you'll get closer to everyday being a decent day. Then you'll hit a real winner and think I've got this dialled. Then you'll mess one up. But, a few years in you're bad days will be when you maybe just cover costs rather than taking a big loss. In the meantime at least you'll have your regular garden work to keep things steady.
 
I could say £500/day for two men and a chipper, but that'll not help you when you're looking at how long a job will take.
 
 

About sums it up.

Pricing is the most difficult bit about this job. Staying competitive, making a profit, getting the work, growing your company…..

Climbing, cutting and chipping is straightforward in comparison


As others as said, go and work with someone who is happy to be transparent about their pricing with you. I don’t see why they wouldn’t be.
Look at the trees/jobs. Keep a mental note or even a pic on your phone with how many loads of chip and logs and time for the job, how many people doing it etc etc
That really helped me in gauging waste and time etc

I still slip up now once in a while but don’t we all.

Generally if your diary is looking a little empty you’ll price it keener to fill the days. Try not to go too low. Easier said than done. You’ll start the job and spend the whole time thinking ‘what was I looking at when I priced this? Not this tree for sure ..’

Accept you’ll f up to start when pricing.

Don’t let customers beat you down too much. Show willing and compromise but don’t be had over just to get the work.

I wish the OP the best of luck learning. He will get there , quickly hopefully