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hourly rate for fencing and cutting back and clearing


digga

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I hope it's wrong, otherwise it's soul destroying

I think it's actually very accurate, I count tools as toys and work vehicle as my vehicle and so on. Instead of jet skis, silly frilly cars which is what people actually spend "their wages " on.

 

I've mentioned before my sister in law despairs at my enterprise method, talking about depreciation, mark up. Profit, overheads, etc.

 

When we finally get saved up and go to New Zealand on holiday. I'm stopping off in rural supplies outlets, checking out and comparing their vast range of in store fencing gear. You can walk in and walk out with everything to start up minus the tractor and knocker. But a short walk away there is probably a machinery dealer with them in his yard. I'm supposed to be on holiday having a change from what I do!

Sorry for the wandering off thread. But I'm sure it describes the MENTALity of a few others.

" I've had a day fencing, what shall I do? I know I'll go on the internet. Oh look I'm on the tornado forum."

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  • 3 weeks later...

Was just thinking about Front Rows post. I was speaking to a good mate who is a dairy farmer and back when the prices were really low and people were giving up milk left right and centre. He was losing money each month. His quote was " it seems every one of my suppliers is making a good margin out of my business except me " and when you think about it, it is true. He is obviously governed by his contract price. But we as contractors can set our own price when quoting. Obviously each business has different costs but it was certainly food for thought.

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Exactly my thoughts Tepapa. Careful costings , a profit margin and a little luck and we can all make a good living , offering a good service with good kit, using quality materials. Well that's the idea. But it doesn't always work like that for sure.

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Farmers would often rather pay less for a mediocre job or do a patch up themselves.

And say "that'll do"

 

Than pay a premium rate.

I know there is one other contractor near me. Whose work I have serious issues with. ( at least one other member on here has seen his work) but he is cheaper so gets the work.

I refuse to compromise on certain things that he does. And so am not so cheap.

Again it all boils down to accreditation.

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  • 1 month later...

ones again guys thanks again for all the advice and help . sorry for the late update been busy getting jobs tied up and finished . i did 3 days clearing and desided to pull out  they wasn't interested in having  a proper job .   trouble i  find  which im sure some of you do  to  is as its harder and harder to find someone any good to help you out. i end up doing longer hours   getting  the jobs done  to a good standard  and onto the next to try keep customers  happy . trouble with this can be after a long hard day  and normally  7 day weeks

 

  paperwork and business side of things is the last thing on your mind  . paperwork  and stuff has never been my strong point anyway .  spend a lot of time onsite  getting hands dirty  getting jobs done to a good standard    but realize sometimes should try  be  spending more time on business side of things  keeping a eye on what should be  charging for products and work as far to  easy to get behind  with the times   when its just eat sleep work repeat . most of my work is word of mouth so try to get jobs done to a high standard  that im happy with to bring in more work . know theres more to it than this but not easy coming of the tools when got customers on your back and  doing it all yourself as hard to get any good workers to help now days . thanks again guys for  the help and advice much appreciated great site 

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Plenty of folk willing to sit on a tractor all day but ask them to leave the seat unless its break or finish time?

 

I'm much the same I believe my rate is too cheap a well.

 

This is a tough profession where there are no shortcuts just hard laborious work. In all weathers all year round I too often do 7 day weeks doesn't really bother me.

 

But as I've said before this is a job I want to be stopped doing in 10 years

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What starts out as a customer trying to cut costs ends up costing you in aggravation , time, personal and equipment wear and damage. I'd be taking my machine and bashing through the old gate post stumps to save the customer with my own machine. If a weld goes on the borrowed kit who fixes??

Walk away from the borrowed machine. I've had a few visits to Chiropracter in my parmeiter days. No need for the misery. If someone wants to do it by hand let them have it. Many a customer can watch you work giving top advice! But why aren't they doing it themselves?

 

 

Just my opinion, the moment someone starts trying to cut costs before the job begins its a big no go for me. If they are being awkward and expecting something for nothing, they arent going to be an easy customer. They could have 3 months work for you, but if its three months of patching / scraping by on an hourly rate, is it worth it? Theres a better chance a price pm job will come up when you are already committed there and you will be kicking yourself. To me it sounds like they are after a 'handyman' who is cheap for a reason. Give them a price, and get paid weekly, or leave it well alone!

Spot on, customers looking for a cheap job and corner cutting are best avoided. 

 

Work out what your ideal customer is and find them. 

 

And don't do hourly rates, never, ever.

 

I look to make £400/day, five days a week, Saturday mornings for paperwork and servicing machinery. And I only want to be on site for an 8 hour day, may do 10 if it finished a job, so as you can see I'd need to charge £50/hour, most customers would probably baulk at that! 

 

But there happy to pay the equivalent of £2.5/m for stock fencing or £8/m post and rail, I typically do 200m of stock fencing or 60m of Post and rail per day so easily make my target.

 

You need to put yourself in the customers shoes, try finding a contractor to do a job, most don't answer the phone or return calls etc, don't turn up, do a poor job etc,,.

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