How'd it go today?

Of course you're broke. You give away your time and labor for next to nothing. I don't have much room to talk because I've done the same thing most of my life, but I'm doing better once I set a firm hourly rate for myself.

Do yourself a favor and call up the local day labor house. Find out what it would cost for you to get two laborers delivered to your jobsite for a full day. Then ask yourself if you are worth more or less than two bums who cannot get any job other than the day labor pool. Keep in mind the day laborers do not come with any tools or equipment.
 
I just got back from looking at a dinky little trimming job. It's about an hour's worth of trimming and the crap could easily fit in my little trailer, but I stuck to my guns and didn't go below my minimum rate of $200 plus another $200 for my buddy to handle the chipping and cleanup for a total price of $400. They couldn't say "yes" quickly enough.
 
Well can certainly under price your work and people will screw your eyeballs out .

I got that guys lathe going for him today .Less than an hour ,100 bucks to old Al . It would have cost three times as much to pay out 65 bucks an hour to some one that would not have a clue how to repair it and likely spend 4-5 hours farting around and still not get it running . He was tickled pink and I'm happy too so it worked out well .:)
 
Still raining off and on here so took the accounting dept. out to stores for the after noon. Picked up wipers and a gas cap for the jeep, then stopped at the local watering hole for dinner and a few suddzies.
We both enjoyed the day together and decided we have to go out more often.
Guess we've been getting in a bit of a rut lately.
 
I didn't do a damned thing. Hot, and overly humid. Everything felt damp, just nasty.

Just got home from helping Greg put stickers on his big rig. He'll be finally hitting the road soon, and I'll lose some of my best help.
 
Rained off and on here today also, though it wasn't that heavy.

We went up to Ohio again for the day. Picked up the new dog bed we ordered, and some other mics stuff.

Mom drove on the way home, I so took the chance to mark up a personal and company purchase list using the Wesspur catalog. And I can definitely say that Sean will be getting plenty of orders in from us this year and next!!
 
I beat expectations today and did a load of laundry and dishes. I feel like I'm getting sick and my rotator cuff is hurting more everyday. Its getting me down.
 
I skipped out on hunting and worked on my trailer. Hooked it up a dragged it to the steel yard for 3 shots, came home and fabbed the tail gates. Still need to do the hinges
 
Cut, split and delivered a cord of wood today to fill the cancellation I had for the day. Also stopped by and finished a split and stack for a customer. Turns out he was here and I got payed :) Usually have to bill him. He has more work for me this fall and is going to call me with a list after he walks the property this weekend :) The guy I delivered wood to is a chiropractor and is going to move some bones and muscle for me. A bee keeper gave me his card tonight and is going to pay me 50.00 to set hives up on my place. :) Rob, Katy and I are going to try and work a deal for a working hive for ourselves :)
Kids are happy daddy was around most the day and took turns helping with wood :) Life is good :D Tomorrow, day off! And Monday also :D
 
worked the trade show booth tpoday, tore it down and palletized the stuff, came back to hotel, sipping a Bud, munching on a Dominos pizza that just arrived. :) going to watch a movie on the laptop methinks, probably Davinci code, I didnt get to it the other night. flying home tomorrow afternoon.
 
I was there on behalf of the BC landscape association, handed out tons of buyers guides, the listing of all the member companies of the BC landscape association. Met some folk I wanted to meet (micheal dirr, ed hume) and shook many hands. bought a couple books and it was all expenses paid. :D
 
Take care of that RC Darin, I did that several years ago, really jacks you up!!

On my pricing: around here the average price for a skid steer and operator is $65hr (full size), I charge $45hr for me and the mini with a two hour minimum local. Because it's smaller, it takes longer, so it comes out, but I can do a lot of things the large machines can't do and it makes it seem appealing to customers.
When doing carpentry type work, charge $25hr for me.
Everybody and there dog is laid off and hungry in this neck of the woods, remember this is aircraft country, so they have all taken out a second mortgage and bought a skid steer, chainsaw, a rack and shovel, or whatever they think they can make a buck with. So I have to make it somewhat competitive.
I have this job figured at $55hr, with some wiggle room, and I think at best I have six hours of mini usage. I will have four to six hours of time on the mower. The rest is just slashing and piling.
I have my help figured in at $15hr cash, not rich, but not bad and he should be happy. Again, the sooner we get it done, the more he can make.
This job is in a rural area (Ark city Dave, if you care to try to explain better) and these fools are REALLY hungry. Jobs are scarce beyond scarce there!
I also have the opportunity to pick up more work from them, I really think this will turn into one of those "while you are here" type jobs and I can pad that a bit.
I don't feel guilty about what I am charging, and I think for what I am doing I am making a decent wage without silting my throat.
 
Got a late start, waited around for Coop to change the grab truck tire. Finally got feed up with waiting and left the grab truck there. Ran over to Toronto KS, started cutting at 3:00 pm and finished at 7:30 pm all on the ground, brush and wood ready to load. Left the box truck and equipment there drove the customers car home. Picked up the grab truck at Coop on the way by. No pic's forgot the camera, the customer was taking pics I'll see if they will e-mail them to me. I'll get some pictures of the carnage on the ground in the morning.
 
I think you are going to do ok Andy... It's like apples and oranges comparing tree work rates to brushing rates when you you are dealing with a very rural area. Hope you land the job my friend. :)
 
Just keep plugging along. Nice and quiet there except for all the noise we were making....:D And we had the busiest street for awhile I think the whole town drove/walked by at least a dozen times....8)

Just looked up the poulation of Toronto KS. 312 people in 2000....
 
CurSedVoyce said:
I think you are going to do ok Andy... It's like apples and oranges comparing tree work rates to brushing rates when you you are dealing with a very rural area. Hope you land the job my friend. :)
Click to expand...

I've got it Stephan, may have to start tomorow to beat the rain! They want to have the tool sale in two weeks, so I've got to go now!
 
SOTC. promoting the BC nursery growers and their products to the oregon and washington market. :) also informing washington and oregon growers and exporters of the bc market.
 
I dont remember commenting on my attire, have you assumed I was not scantily clad? Although yes, pretty girls in bikinis would still trump me in a mankini.

41W6ZeP6ZSL._SL500_AA280_.jpg


artic_6981.jpg
 
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