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smith ferguson

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I know it is all relative with many factors involved so I know it's a tough question, but I would like some help with pricing this tree out. I will take it down to ground level and haul away. 60 foot tree with 66in diameter at waist height. It's hard to tell from the photo but its bigger than it looks with a large lean over driveway and other trees. The upper half of it will need to be rigged before being lowered. I always like to be fair with my pricing but I have found myself feeling underpaid because of my low bid many times. Thoughts?
 

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Welcome to the real world. Most of the time we are under paid. I think you have the wrong attitude and opinion. You need to be thinking how much can you charge and still keep some customers. Here in the California mountains people do no live in any one place long so reputation can be thrown out the window. You can completely rip some one off and by the time any body finds out that they have been ripped off they have moved. For other places it is of course different, but if you can not be happy with what you are earning at some point you will be out of business. For tree removal the general rule of thumb has been what do I think it will take for me to get this thing out of here. 19 hours with my two regular helpers. My regular mark up has been add 30% to my $25 an hour guys. Now double the estimate and submit. That has served me well in past years. of course it pays to spend some time checking with competitors. If there are dozens of competitors well then look to offer some thing others do not. If there are no competitors then there is your answer. When you buy food for your family does the grocery store ask you how well did you do today, no they just set their prices to what they think they can get away with. Ever have a rotten limb fall and damage a saw or piece of equipment. You had better have the coin in your pocket to replace that stuff and still be able to feed your family. Thanks
 
Welcome to the real world. Most of the time we are under paid. I think you have the wrong attitude and opinion. You need to be thinking how much can you charge and still keep some customers. Here in the California mountains people do no live in any one place long so reputation can be thrown out the window. You can completely rip some one off and by the time any body finds out that they have been ripped off they have moved. For other places it is of course different, but if you can not be happy with what you are earning at some point you will be out of business. For tree removal the general rule of thumb has been what do I think it will take for me to get this thing out of here. 19 hours with my two regular helpers. My regular mark up has been add 30% to my $25 an hour guys. Now double the estimate and submit. That has served me well in past years. of course it pays to spend some time checking with competitors. If there are dozens of competitors well then look to offer some thing others do not. If there are no competitors then there is your answer. When you buy food for your family does the grocery store ask you how well did you do today, no they just set their prices to what they think they can get away with. Ever have a rotten limb fall and damage a saw or piece of equipment. You had better have the coin in your pocket to replace that stuff and still be able to feed your family. Thanks
Thanks Ted very helpful
 
Welcome to the real world. Most of the time we are under paid. I think you have the wrong attitude and opinion. You need to be thinking how much can you charge and still keep some customers. Here in the California mountains people do no live in any one place long so reputation can be thrown out the window. You can completely rip some one off and by the time any body finds out that they have been ripped off they have moved. For other places it is of course different, but if you can not be happy with what you are earning at some point you will be out of business. For tree removal the general rule of thumb has been what do I think it will take for me to get this thing out of here. 19 hours with my two regular helpers. My regular mark up has been add 30% to my $25 an hour guys. Now double the estimate and submit. That has served me well in past years. of course it pays to spend some time checking with competitors. If there are dozens of competitors well then look to offer some thing others do not. If there are no competitors then there is your answer. When you buy food for your family does the grocery store ask you how well did you do today, no they just set their prices to what they think they can get away with. Ever have a rotten limb fall and damage a saw or piece of equipment. You had better have the coin in your pocket to replace that stuff and still be able to feed your family. Thanks

Let me know if I have your math right.
For a 19 hour job with two 25$ hr workers adding 30% then doubling.

19hr x 25$ x 2 workers = $950

30% of 950 is $285

950 + 285 = $1,235

1,235 x 2 = $2,470

Is that right?
 
Regardless I look at the customer, what they have, the way they carry themselves, age, career, and extract their max bid potential.

I rarely lose even when I get outbid.
If someone says they got a bid for $xxxx and its a lot less I say "yeah... Lots of tweeks with a chainsaw and a pickup. Make sure you get an insurance certificate before they start."

Its not about what others can do it for its about what you can do it for and make a profit.

Looking at the tree which only an amateur would do from pics... I would prob take it down for 900-1200 and haul it off for 500-600

I really cant tell though that thing doesnt look 5.5' diameter anywhere.
Looks maybe 24" diameter.

Naw man... That thing aint 5.5 feet across.
Maybe 5.5 feet in circumference.

The devil is in the details
 
If you do not price your self to make money you will have to go work for Walmart or Home depot which are great stores, but it is not your goal to just hang on.
So many times I have thought I should be able to get this done in three days then four days latter I am starting to get near the end. Your math is close enough. Cap has his way of extracting what he thinks he can. You need to think the same way. One of my problem has been to allow a customer to put me on the spot asking for an idea what job will cost. After many less than perfect jobs I answer with if you want an answer call me when I have had a chance to calculate. Thanks
 
If you do not price your self to make money you will have to go work for Walmart or Home depot which are great stores, but it is not your goal to just hang on.
So many times I have thought I should be able to get this done in three days then four days latter I am starting to get near the end. Your math is close enough. Cap has his way of extracting what he thinks he can. You need to think the same way. One of my problem has been to allow a customer to put me on the spot asking for an idea what job will cost. After many less than perfect jobs I answer with if you want an answer call me when I have had a chance to calculate. Thanks
Yep, all screw ups I ever made were rushed bids.
 
Sure did.
Cool thx.
Btw I didn't mean anything rudely.
I re read my post and it looks rude.

Bidding is the hardest part of this game.
We all drove up to do a job at some point and (prob several times) and thought... "Dam... This tree doubled in size overnight."

You will eventually become good enough bidding that you will come to haaaate low ball bidders. There is a couple of tweekers in my area that keep screwing up and don't care because all they want is their habit. Luckily they are never around long.

I have beat myself to pieces with accidental low bids before.

Good luck man I know how hard it is
 

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