Deadwooding Scots Pine

[Mark Bolam]

If you get a job, you haven't overpriced it.

[Warren Stirling]

If your only paying yourself does that mean your climbing alone. Surely £70 is not worth that risk???

[AlvinD]

No Warren not climbing solo. Want to be able to spend the money:-)

[Matthew Burton]

For me £140 . No disrespect just sounds cheap , I mean 4 tree's and two of you ?

 

4 trees may sound a lot but each one didnt take many mins to throw a line up put an anchor in and chuck out the deadwood. i suspect many firms would have quoted more. For me with minimal overheads (i do have the correct insurances, ppe, lolered climbing kit etc) What could easily have been £35/hour/man is ample. If you work on 5 hours a day at those rates to allow for quoting, travel etc its easy for a small time setup to make money. I appreciate this is all together differnt for bigger setups and would be unfair to compare them.

[mdvaden]

Hey all. I was around pricing a job for a customer this evening. The job involved removing hanging branches and deadwood removal and just abit of tidying up. Its around 45ft tall, the work can be done in around 2hrs and I priced it at 70.

I got the job but cant help feel that I overpriced it?

 

That's about $110 dollars US

 

At my end, my minimum for anything is $80 (51 Pounds). Don't know how type your currency symbol.

 

Anyway, if I just do one 15 foot tall Japanese maple, that's at least 51 pounds. If I do consulting for an hour for drainage or design ideas, that's at least $80 US, maybe $100.

 

Most Scots / Scotch Pine I end up doing are at least 20 to 30 feet tall, and I'd be in the $150 range at least. Maybe $175. That for mostly dead wood and light corrective pruning. They get pretty grubby inside and I don't like the beginning to start. But it gets more fun toward the end, and I typically manicure the tree so far as rubbing the bark flake off with my gloves to make it look finished. I find that leaving the smallest deadwood that are pencil thickness leaves a better more natural look.

 

[Mozza]

Jesus Christ!!! What's wrong with you people??? Do you not value your time at all?? Have you no experience of pricing or even working for that matter?

 

When I read the first post, I was honestly expecting to scroll down and see "haha I was only winding you all up" and instead there's someone else working for nothing too.

 

The whole industry is going further and further down the pan and this is the reason why!!

[Mike Hill]

Break it down like this:

 

time to do quote (30mins including travel)

Fuel to do quoe £5

Fuel to do job £5

Wear and tear £5

Time to do job 2 Hours

Travel to next job and set up 30 mins

 

Time elapsed 3 Hours

Costs £15

£70-£15 costs=£55. £55/3 hours =£18,33 Gross

 

£18,33 minus your Tax and N.I. Contributions is what you are left with.

 

Experiance will teach you what to charge.IF you are happy with the figures then thats fine by you.However I am in business to make money,if your not turning a proffit,go and work for someone.

[KingoftheRing]

You didn't mention your work situation. It is possible that a young lad, working with a mate etc and just doing a small job for a neighbour can do it for a bit of cash. I think that is fair enough. This wasn't explained, so I can see how established professional businesses are commenting about your price.

 

I think common sense would say that £70 (cash??) for 1 man (not paying 2nd man??) and a single tree, half a days work after travelling, fuel, setting up, working, time travelling home, and putting kit away etc is pretty reasonable.

 

I'm not insulting you or meaning any disrespect, just curious about your situation. Hell, I've ended up doing jobs that looked small but ended up big for less money. Pricing was a skill I never mastered.

Edited June 14, 2012 by KingoftheRing

[Matthew Burton]

Haha this is entertaining. As a gap filler to keep me ticking over these rates really arent a problem. I wouldnt say this is where i'm making my big profits but its worth doing at these prices to round off a short day or similar. I must be doing something right though as i'm paying myself well and buying kit regularly to progress my business.

[Rupe]

Do you pay rent or a mortgage?