What do you call expensive

[Mesterh]

I assume you have considered what if it goes wrong and takes longer?

We have a contractor at work, he is paid about £3000 a week.

A lot I know but if you ask him it gets done and works, so really its good value.

Its all down to what your operating costs are these can be bumped up by days when you have no work but still have costs.

Really you shold know how much it costs you to operate per day and a %age profit on top.

I know a lot of people just think of a number and to be honest about 10 years ago I was asked to repair some automated production lines, I based my price on his only other option was to fly the manufacturer out, collect and deliver him from the airport and feed and water him, so I told him £300 a day + fuel.

He said he would call me back, he did and tried to haggle, but as he stiffed me on the last rate I did for him he had no option but to pay it by the day, took me just over an hour to sort out and he had lost two weeks production messing about and haggling.

My point is if the customer isnt happy, dont do it for free as its pointless not making money, if you have a problem it could cost you to do his job!

It can be a difficult price to work out when everything is taken in to account.

 

 

What on earth does he do for that kind of money?

[Lee Winger]

What on earth does he do for that kind of money?

 

Don't ask

[timtree81]

are things cheaper in Wales then mate ie chippers, saws, fuel etc etc ??

 

No there not cheaper , but I would be out of business if I charged more its a simple fact. It's tight pricing work around here most of the time , there are a lot of tree firms , if I did not sell fire wood tho I think I would struggle to make tree work pay for every thing

[Pete Tattam]

After reading everything above it seems to me that as everyones overheads are different (a large firm costs more to run than a one man band) the simple way to price a job is to decide how much cold hard cash you want after all deductions. A little bit of flexibility to ensure you get the job, rather than the customer putting it off indefinitly (more prevalent with small jobs granted!) and Roberts your fathers brother. If that is to expensive for the customer he can go to the do as you likeys with all the risk that entails. Want a proper job? Pay the proper price!

[winchman]

After reading everything above it seems to me that as everyones overheads are different (a large firm costs more to run than a one man band) the simple way to price a job is to decide how much cold hard cash you want after all deductions. A little bit of flexibility to ensure you get the job, rather than the customer putting it off indefinitly (more prevalent with small jobs granted!) and Roberts your fathers brother. If that is to expensive for the customer he can go to the do as you likeys with all the risk that entails. Want a proper job? Pay the proper price!

Well said

[Lee Winger]

You can usually spot a £300 a day man from the distance they usually drive down the road accompanied by a big cloud of black smoke belching out the back of the tranny, that is unless they aren't sat on the hard shoulder with a dopey/docile look on there face..........

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P.S only joking lads

Edited January 23, 2012 by Lee Winger

[Andy Collins]

I really don't get the argument that anyone has a lot of competition. here in Suffolk we must have one of the most over populated regions for tree surgeon/firewood merchants in the country. One company employs around 250 people, who have use of trucks and equipment at the weekends, the YP is full of something like 90 companies, plus all those who do not advertise. this hasn't really pegged down the prices, well not that I have seen, some go in cheap to win the work, some go in dear and still win the work. it's more about targeting your clients, and setting your sights on where you want to be, instead of chasing every small under-paying job just to try and keep your competition out of the area. price wars are no good for anyone.

[Burytreeman]

Smithers, you have done your pondering and rekoning and reached a figure that IMO doesent sound outlandish. Working so far away from base is a lot more costly, and the person your quoting to should be well aware of that.

 

There isent any point in pontificating over it. You reached your figure, not an unrealistic one, but possibly more than the job will stand.

 

Maybe the best solution is to tell the client your "distance costs" are finate and suggest that you could reccomend a colleague that is much nearer and therfore May be more appropriate.

 

Not easy to decline a work opportunity but it seems to me your choices are limited, and who knows someone on here may well return tha favout one day!

In any event all the best mate. Tony Wilky aka Burytreeman

[winchman]

Thats a good point, the distance will load the price.

Some of this is about image some people want a certain type of supplier.

One contract company I deal with have a fleet of old vans and a back street workshop, the other has new vans, workers uniforms and a flash workshop, youve guessed, the back street one is excellent and very good on price, the falsh one isnt very good. But its a good thing to look good and professional including your website and paperwork, one point I would make is offer a copy of your insurance and risk assesment / method statement with every quote as it get people thinking are these people insured?

Some times you get what you pay for

[volvo]

Have you checked out the accommodation rates in the Aberdeen area ,they ain't cheap!

My chipper was out on hire for £200.00 p/d