Your quoting guidance

[skyhuck]

I like to work to a price if I can look at a job and know what time frame I can do it in. If I simply can not evaluate time acruatly I go day rate and explain the varibles I then say how many days I should think I complete the work. I work as general garden maintenance contractor on some large properties on day rate. I could be doing Trees, Gates, Fencing, Hedge Cutting, Mowing evern Jet washing. Working day rate they know if they ask ' could you just dig this holly tree out ' they are going to have a fair price for the work. There is allways a risk on your first day of work as you might sleep in the van all day or you a cowboy and customer gets a bum deal. But thats a risk when a customer employs any tradesman price or day rate. After customer has seen your a hard productive worker & there garden taking great shape there happy for you to keep coming back at a knowen cost.

 

I was asked to remove 12 6' leylandi hedge plants with a good deal of die back plus roots & replant with lorrel. To chop with saw & load in van was easy to price. however to remove the stumps rotovate & compost for replanting is a little harder to be honest I have no F*****g idear what it will take if the grounds hard & roots are a b***h who knows. Iam still thinking what to put on it now I might say 3 days but might be done in 2. That means my price could be out by a 3rd or 33.33333% lol.

 

Not really.

 

If its a fixed price and you fall asleep in the van its you who loses out, not the customer. With a fixed price the customer pays for the completed job, not the time it takes to complete the job.

[Mortimer Firewood]

I like to work to a price if I can look at a job and know what time frame I can do it in. If I simply can not evaluate time acruatly I go day rate and explain the varibles I then say how many days I should think I complete the work. I work as general garden maintenance contractor on some large properties on day rate. I could be doing Trees, Gates, Fencing, Hedge Cutting, Mowing evern Jet washing. Working day rate they know if they ask ' could you just dig this holly tree out ' they are going to have a fair price for the work. There is allways a risk on your first day of work as you might sleep in the van all day or you a cowboy and customer gets a bum deal. But thats a risk when a customer employs any tradesman price or day rate. After customer has seen your a hard productive worker & there garden taking great shape there happy for you to keep coming back at a knowen cost.

 

I was asked to remove 12 6' leylandi hedge plants with a good deal of die back plus roots & replant with lorrel. To chop with saw & load in van was easy to price. however to remove the stumps rotovate & compost for replanting is a little harder to be honest I have no F*****g idear what it will take if the grounds hard & roots are a b***h who knows. Iam still thinking what to put on it now I might say 3 days but might be done in 2. That means my price could be out by a 3rd or 33.33333% lol.

 

If you keep charging a day rate you will not get anywhere... the job you describe would take a day start to finish. Price for a day and a half .just break the job down in to how long each piece will take add it up thats your price.

If your working on your own and using kit anything under£25.00 hour and your on a road to no where

[Ian C]

12x6ft conifers I could have down,ground and re planted in half a day!

[Steve Bullman]

day rates can be nice sometimes. Nothing worse though than being on site and having to drag a job out to make the day up!

[Stihl Unknown]

Personally i break it down to a day rate. Don't get greedy and be able to explain the cost of what your doing. If a bulk of the job is ringing up and shifting log explain the time it takes and the transport costs. I suppose what I'm saying is be clear and break down the cost. The customer can always 'save' money by dealing with the waste saves your back.

One last thing, ive learned that its better to be honest with man power needs nothing worse than getting the job but struggling.

[hamdogg]

It annoys me when the customer wants a full break down ofyour costs etc when you give a price, the price is the price take it or leave it!! No ones got a gun to there head!!

[mowandgo]

12x6ft conifers I could have down,ground and re planted in half a day!

 

Realy? You must dig fast real fast like a badger on nitrous I could cut them and load them in that time however I doubt I could dig them.

[Ian C]

I don't dig I grind. I never dig stumps out.

[mowandgo]

I like day rate because customers can ask for little jobs to be done here and there. I would find it hard to give prices for every little job I do. Alot of jobs I do on a price If I can eye the total work involved as mowing.

[karl]

Realy? You must dig fast real fast like a badger on nitrous I could cut them and load them in that time however I doubt I could dig them.

 

Grinder.......easier ,faster and more profitable work. I reckon even hiring you would still be quids in and wont have a load of junk to still deal with