HELP with pricing

[john p]

IMO £1400 is strong money for that job, fair play if you can get it! Reckon 1 day with full crew and possibly a couple of hours tidying the day after £950

 

 

Sent using Arbtalk Mobile App

[martwizz]

Personally I don't worry about what other people are going to quote. I price based on how long I think it will take, how much effort and gear will be involved, how many bodies are needed on site.

 

I often find that a friendly and professional conduct during the quoting process creates client confidence in you; I am open about my thoughts, I don't 'err'. I explain why a job may be difficult to price, and give an indication as to why I have provided that price, and I explain the process of the job in detail.

 

Clients are often more than happy to accept the job on the spot, even if I don't particularly want a job it can be hard to convince them to start calling other contractors to obtain a few more free quotes.

 

Work out what your costs are, how much you are paying your staff, how much profit you want, and how long it is going to take. Price it at what you think is fair for YOU. If someone low-balls your price and wins the job, they might have massively underestimated the effort involved, and they may have a couple of absolutely terrible days as a result.

 

As far as long-term gains; If you win this job with a low price, you're going to win the rest of the jobs and the client may have expectations of more low prices.... not necessarily something you want! Its better that you put in a fair price, do the job professionally and with no damages, and win praise and further works/recommendations as a result.

Edited February 9, 2014 by martwizz

[Andyd1606]

Thanks for the help and advice guys at least I know I'm in the right area with my pricing it's just having the confidence sometimes to go in with a price knowing it's right

[leafcut]

Good luck with your work Andy, I would have quoted on what your pictures show Around the £800 mark,if your bombing its faster and the ground looks ok to process etc. Will you be dismantling the main trunks or a straight fell?-this obviously changes things somewhat re time/effort etc. In our industry the biggest drawback is some cowboy outfit advertising as "tree surgeon" in the local rag-non compliant, non registered/insured, couple of saws, a bunch of tattered rope and a tranny dropside already half full of scrap. These cretins will undercut just about any legit setup and invariably do a pretty messy job leaving the customer/public with a blemished/tarnished impression of what tree surgery/arboriculture is about. I have found that most decent folk, once these matters are explained, go for a legitimate business and are prepared to pay for a decent service. From you, questions such as TPO/Conservation area issues show a modicum of responsibility to the customer and dont be pushy-your client may not know too much about trees but rest assured that they will know when they are being pressurised, let things take their natural course and dont be too disappointed if you dont get the job. We all dont get every job we quote for, if we did we would be overworked/stressed etc, win some lose some. Of course there are always those that only want to pay the smallest amount possible and be rid of the tree. Best of luck, Nick Pearson, Timberline-Roe Ltd.

[Andyd1606]

Thanks for the advice Nick I like to get different views from people and get balanced advice.

Both of the trunks will have to be dismantles as space is too limited to do a straight fell but we have enough space to just cut and drop the branches which makes it a lot easier.

I know what you mean about cowboys there's plenty out there willing to undercut you do a half hearted job and then run makes it harder for us to earn a living!

[matthawh1966]

A lot of pricing depends on what part of the country your in, i wish i could get 650 pounds a day , with VAT people just wont pay that sort of price, well very rearly.

[doobin]

For the ivy, I just use my digger and grab to pluck it off. I can clean a 3' diameter 20' butt in under a minute.

 

Very satisfying I remember how much of a ballache it used to be though.

[Stephen Blair]

Imo it should be climber, 2 groundies and chipper 1 day.

Then 2 groundies, 1 cutting , 1 stacking the other day.

This is if the timber is to be splitatable sizes .

Second tree looks like a fell or top out and fell.

I'd day it was a £700 plus vat job and I'd do it my way in a day with Mog, hiab and chipper and take me 3 tonner with grab and 1 Groundie .

If you can get £1400 nice 1.

Do not assume you will get other work without a written contract .

[Tom D]

Its all about the kit that you have, that job could be done in 1 day with 2 guys and a roof mount with pto chipper, you could do it for £500 and still be making money. Doesn't mean I would though. I'd want £1400 if it was all coming off site, to leave it all maybe £850, but like I say it could be done for £500 at neighbour's rates.