Tricky to Price!!!

[welwell]

Looked at a great job today really good high climbs, the sort of stuff we all become arborists for!!!!

It's a big job (for us anyway) dead-wooding 19 mature trees, oaks, limes, H.C., a black walnut, tulip tree felling 1 acacia (mmmm) etc etc all good stuff. Problem is I found it hard to price up, I reckon 10 days should do it but couldn't really see the whole crown on most of the trees (woodland walk trees) to asssess properly how much dead there is in them it could easily go over... we all know what big old oaks are like to deadwood!!! They don't want a daily rate but also accept that we don't really know how long it'll take to we start. How do you guys/gals price these up, do you have a contigency or just bite the bullit?? Do you put a proviso on the quote in case it takes longer or is that just my look out??

Ta very much

[Yorkshireman]

work out what you want to get per day & times it by the days you reakon then add 6 hours to sort the unforseen parts of the oaks !

 

Remember that in winter less hours of production than in the summer !!!

 

then give them your price

 

if you get it wrong, then at least you've got the kind of work you became an arbo' for !!!

 

& made some money as well

[Will Ayers]

i have difficulty in pricing jobs espessially hedge cutting. i started working for day rates and soon became bored of tedious hedges and wished i'd put more money on the job. does anyone have any ideas as to how i can make this easier as i keep underpricing jobs an example would be a 300m beach hedge that is 8ft tall and i charge £200. it takes me 2 days but i think i could get more money

[Tommy_B]

i have difficulty in pricing jobs espessially hedge cutting. i started working for day rates and soon became bored of tedious hedges and wished i'd put more money on the job. does anyone have any ideas as to how i can make this easier as i keep underpricing jobs an example would be a 300m beach hedge that is 8ft tall and i charge £200. it takes me 2 days but i think i could get more money

 

Jesus!! I'd say give Terry Wogan a ring and he'll sort you a few quid out. Tell him what you charge for a 300m hedge and he'll agree you sound like charity..

[Yorkshireman]

i have difficulty in pricing jobs espessially hedge cutting. i started working for day rates and soon became bored of tedious hedges and wished i'd put more money on the job. does anyone have any ideas as to how i can make this easier as i keep underpricing jobs an example would be a 300m beach hedge that is 8ft tall and i charge £200. it takes me 2 days but i think i could get more money

 

Triple your rate

 

if the work stops coming in, then reduce your rate incrementally untill you do start getting the jobs again .

 

 

 

 

.

[Yorkshireman]

Jesus!! you sound like charity..

 

LOL:thumbup:

[welwell]

i have difficulty in pricing jobs espessially hedge cutting. i started working for day rates and soon became bored of tedious hedges and wished i'd put more money on the job. does anyone have any ideas as to how i can make this easier as i keep underpricing jobs an example would be a 300m beach hedge that is 8ft tall and i charge £200. it takes me 2 days but i think i could get more money

 

I find people never want to pay money on their hedges.....especially conifers. They're a nightmare, I always price them the same as tree work so I don't get many, but the ones I do get are worth the hassle. Does anyone out there have a hedge rate and a tree rate???

[Tom D]

Take your time when pricing jobs, If the client is there and you're not sure, tell them to wait inside and you'll come to the door when you're done. Then have a propper look round and think about how long it will take, how long is the drag and how much stuff will there be. Then multiply the time by your day rate and give them your price.

 

Its misery when you get it wrong and end up working for nowt.

[Mesterh]

How many climbers will you have each day?

2 trees a day should give you plenty of time to get the job done, I would invest in a set of telescopic poles with a hand saw head attachment, can save you an enormous amount of time and also allow you to remove even the smallest pieces at the very tips.

 

Unless you really want to climb around the whole tree

[Big dog]

You want to be slightly cautious with woodland trees. They are quite often very "leggy" and can be alot taller than you think.