how to charge for hours worked?

[Tucker943]

I'm good at figuring out who is legit and who is full of shit. I'm not a super great tree worker, but I'm a pretty good judge is character.

 

[Dave Shepard]

Not at all. I enjoy your posts.

 

[Tucker943]

For the record, there's no shame in being a solo worker in society. But this cat needs to be humbled and I have no issue helping him with it

 

[Dave Shepard]

Just don't get him going on how Oregon chain is just as good as Stihl.

 

[Bermy]

If a client asks for an estimate, I start with an 8hr day for me and my groundie

Then add
Travel charge based on how much a tank of fuel is for the return trip
Truck charge if we use it for moving stuff on the property
Tip fees (variable, usually added on top of the estimate when done)
An extra hr. or two for me for tool cleaning and maintenance
Rented equipment (cost plus 10% and time to collect and return)

I tell them the estimate is prepared on the high side to cover most contingencies, and if we come in under estimate the bill will reflect that at the end of the job.

I estimated a job recently where the travel time is just over an hr. each way, I have to rent a cherry picker, we have to remove all the debris, I need an extra labourer and a second truck, the tree is entirely over a garage and the forecourt is cast concrete...it came in a $1600...they thought it was higher than they anticipated, are going to shop around...won't be sad if they find someone else.

Another job I had to do on a property where I do work all the time, a nasty leaning pine...I thought it should be about $1000, we were done at $700, I charged $700 based on how long it actually took...they were happy but thought I should have charged more! Sigh.

 

[Dave Shepard]

I have a neighbour that I've been doing some work for. I brought him some slabs for his syrup evaporator. He asked how much. I said it was more for the trucking than the slabs were worth. He said that was ok, either I should overcharge him, or he would overpay me. We were both happy when I left.

 

[pantheraba]

hahaha...pretty cool guy!!

 

[Dave Shepard]

Yeah, he was happy to get some dry pine for his evaporator. I was happy to get rid of a pile of edgings that are a real pain to process for my OWB.

 

[treetx]

Not at all. I enjoy your posts.

+1

 

[treetx]

Well said Dave , more you make the more you spend and then lose alot more in the end.

Like B.I.G. said, "Mo' money, mo' problems"

Sure, money can't buy happiness, but I would rather cry in a Ferrari than on a bike.

Guess I'm just blessed, I figured how to work a whole lot more, make more, and spend less. Oh, and I work solo.

 

[Dave Shepard]

My point was that it's the bottom line that counts. If you've got a huge business, and you are just getting by, then what's the point? Now if you're making a ton of money, and you've found a way to keep it, then more power to you.

 

[HolmenTree]

Like B.I.G. said, "Mo' money, mo' problems"

Sure, money can't buy happiness, but I would rather cry in a Ferrari than on a bike.

Guess I'm just blessed, I figured how to work a whole lot more, make more, and spend less. Oh, and I work solo.

I don't know anythong about you or your business.
But I can say if I didn't have my 8 yr old twins and 11 year old daughters, sure I'd put in hours like a doctor, dentist. Work the whole 8 months of treework, hell then finish the year off with snow removal. But my wife makes a very good income as a judge and she's only 43, so hey why should I......

 

[treetx]

It is definitely more important to hang on to some 10's and 20's than just have 100's flow through your hands.

 

[HolmenTree]

On the flip side, working alone might be ideal if you can't manage men, can't manage the financial dynamics of payroll, can't provide steady work, have control issues stemming from emotional or social fears, can't handle anyone having an inside look into your company and whether its all its cracked up to be, or if you can't keep men because of personality glitches that make people run the other way.

I'm good at figuring out who is legit and who is full of shit. I'm not a super great tree worker, but I'm a pretty good judge is character.

For the record, there's no shame in being a solo worker in society. But this cat needs to be humbled and I have no issue helping him with it

Boy that sure sounds like Jack Daniels talking there........ and I'm sober so I can catch it.
To your first quote , I was actually a very good boss . I always had to this day a great accountant who handles my payroll, quarterlies and year end.
Through the 10 or so guys I went through, I bought them all their meals on the road. Even breakfast many times right at home. Picked every one of them up at their home drove them home at the end of the day every day. Bought them all water cooler jugs, steel toe work boots , gloves, helmets, PPE. Paid them time and a half overtime pay after 8 hours, 15% holiday pay with a $15.00 hr wage.........they didn't even have to run saws , only the chipper.
I matched every round that they threw. We took the weekends off, rested up and gave 'er again Monday morning. That's how you avoid burnout. And we worked pretty steady those years.
But still I caught several of them throwing sand or gravel into the chipper infeed chute. Or holding the starter button on while the engine was running.

In a polite manner I always "asked them if they could do something", not "tell them to do it." These guys really seemed to like me. But they all screwed up, booze, drugs, missed work on big jobs clients were depending on us for.
So my very last guy in 2007 who was my best worker/ producer, big strong 30 yr old did all that bad stuff, I gave him a break on the sand and the starter .But when he got blacked out and missed that big job that spring day I just laid him off and never called him back. He left a message on my voice mail later that day crying and apologizing .
I bet you'd have a soft heart for that fellow ,eh Chris.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Really?

 

[HolmenTree]

Yup I banged on his door for 2 minutes.....couldn't wake the dead.

 

[Tucker943]

I don't drink. You did use that line on Burnham recently though. We don't have to be drunk to say something you don't like.

 

[stig]

With me it was LSD.
It is apparently inconcievable to Willard that we don't worship the world's greatest handfaller even when we are not under the influence of booze or drugs.

 

[HolmenTree]

 

[MasterBlaster]

Everybody CHILL.

 

[treetx]

Willard doesn't get the fact that too much pride is like bad breath. Everyone knows who has it except the person who has it.

 

[MasterBlaster]

 

[Thor's Hammer]

I'm good at figuring out who is legit and who is full of shit. I'm not a super great tree worker, but I'm a pretty good judge is character.

Never bullshit a bullshitter.

I am full of shit, and can spot it in others a mile away.

 

[candoarms]

I charge a flat hourly rate while working with my tractor. I give the customer a fair deal, as I only charge by the hours on the meter......no loading fees, trip charges, etc. When it comes to tree work, I simply estimate the amount of time it will take me, then present a bid to the customer. Once in a while I end up on the short end of the stick.

The problem with providing a bid is that the customer will usually come up with a few "while you're here" jobs for a guy.......jobs that weren't figured in on the original bid. In those cases, I tell the customer that I charge a flat hourly rate for anything beyond the original scope of the bid. I usually have no trouble with my customers when they understand that they're paying me by the hour for any extra work they want done.

Joel

 

[HolmenTree]

Willard doesn't get the fact that too much pride is like bad breath. Everyone knows who has it except the person who has it.

Yeah I guess it's odd to some people.................to see a Canadian act like an American.