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Levi
Guest
Sometimes you got to! The highly detailed plans from the boss were often omitted upon arrival at the site. He knew that and trusted me though.
Bid calculations
- Thread starter emr
- Start date
- Replies 62
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TreeMuggs
Treehouser
I do not let my guys know the price of the jobs, as a general rule.
The only way it would ever make sense for your employees to know how much money you were pulling in, is if you were also showing them how much money was going out, i.e. everyone's wages, all overhead expenses, etc. To show them revenue but not expenses usually makes them assume that you are getting rich off of their hard work and frequently leads to morale problems, in my experience.
If my guys saw how much I was paying out every month in expenses, plus how much it hurts to have to wait 3 weeks to get paid for a job after its done, they would realize that I'm doing this as more of a hobby. I could make way more money doing other things, but I could never be happy as an insurance salesman or bank teller or [insert 'normal' job here].
The only way it would ever make sense for your employees to know how much money you were pulling in, is if you were also showing them how much money was going out, i.e. everyone's wages, all overhead expenses, etc. To show them revenue but not expenses usually makes them assume that you are getting rich off of their hard work and frequently leads to morale problems, in my experience.
If my guys saw how much I was paying out every month in expenses, plus how much it hurts to have to wait 3 weeks to get paid for a job after its done, they would realize that I'm doing this as more of a hobby. I could make way more money doing other things, but I could never be happy as an insurance salesman or bank teller or [insert 'normal' job here].
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Levi
Guest
But... You should get yours, you are apparently highly skilled and passionate, reward yourself!
sotc
Dormant hero!!
The problem with not knowing anything is they can't bid an add on for the neighbor or help you bid on a day when you're slammed, or on vacation. At some point it is nice to have someone on the crew that can do some of that. Generally speaking I would say you're right but the foreman anyway should work into a higher position. I'm not here to teach them to run a business so I won't go over everything with them but I often times do tell them about large expenses that pop up from time to time. Plenty of theories, that is mine
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Levi
Guest
Yep, most bosses I had were quick to point out overhead when there was a good opportunity.
I do it the same way, Willie.
Take the apprentices with me to teach them how to calculate a bid, and also tell them about the costs of running a company.
My last apprentice, who unfortunately left to become a police officer, lived in Copenhagen, so I let him bid a lot of smaller jobs in the city, to save myself from having to drive in there.
Some of them he bid, and later worked with one of our other guys and I just wrote the bill without ever having been involved in the actual job, let alone having seen the trees.
I most certainly don't agree with Butch's bean picker analogy.
If you pay the bean picker a decent wage, which I do, there is no need for secrecy.
Take the apprentices with me to teach them how to calculate a bid, and also tell them about the costs of running a company.
My last apprentice, who unfortunately left to become a police officer, lived in Copenhagen, so I let him bid a lot of smaller jobs in the city, to save myself from having to drive in there.
Some of them he bid, and later worked with one of our other guys and I just wrote the bill without ever having been involved in the actual job, let alone having seen the trees.
I most certainly don't agree with Butch's bean picker analogy.
If you pay the bean picker a decent wage, which I do, there is no need for secrecy.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
It was a different time way back when...
Mick!
TreeHouser
I still agree with it though.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
It all boils down to your own personal style of how you wanna run your treeco.
Mick!
TreeHouser
S'right.
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Levi
Guest
Uh huh.
Chris E
I'm Not Slash
Everyone runs their show differently, some of our guys are really switched on and they know what tree work is worth in ballpark terms, which is fine as they also know when the boss has done his ass.
We all know that pruning is where disputes can arise, I'm with Willie in that my bids are highly detailed and specific. They include how many limbs to be reduced, max diameter cuts, percentage of foliage ( "up to" approximately) and what distance clearance of structure.
If someone wants to start the day by pointing at branches I tell them straight up its going to revert to hourly rate, if they query the end result I go over the quote with them and confirm that all the specs have been addressed. I don't have time to provide every possible option under the sun and then have dithering around once we've showed up still trying to decide what they want. This is how I need operate in my market.
We all know that pruning is where disputes can arise, I'm with Willie in that my bids are highly detailed and specific. They include how many limbs to be reduced, max diameter cuts, percentage of foliage ( "up to" approximately) and what distance clearance of structure.
If someone wants to start the day by pointing at branches I tell them straight up its going to revert to hourly rate, if they query the end result I go over the quote with them and confirm that all the specs have been addressed. I don't have time to provide every possible option under the sun and then have dithering around once we've showed up still trying to decide what they want. This is how I need operate in my market.
