Do you worry about......

[ropensaddle]

I bid my conscience and try to estimate equipment hours
separate and how much help needed for task. If job has too many
variables I will tell them 75.00 per hour and then show the equipment
that I will use and let them know it allows me to get more done in a day than a less equipped business. At that rate they will pay fuel and if not close to my farm dumping fees. 65 would be giving my labor away a skilled tree worker is worth more even though i'm not busy all the time I'm not wishing I bid more or working cheap. Even when I was a pickup guy I tried to make good money for risks as I age gets harder and must make enough to turn profit If i have to replace tires on mack and don't make enough money to cover expense I'm back to loading on trailer or chipping same with bucket. Only you know how much is enough, I've had people applaude me climbing and say I should charge admission, would love to but haven't sold tickets! I used to let worry hinder bids was turning me into cheap labor and you don't want to be known as cheapest because it sticks and it is easier to come down than go up! Having said that highest has drawbacks too. If your happy to be cheapest ok and if your the opcorn: highest and get work you will be happy!!!!!!

 

[Ed Roland]

These are my thoughts about $bidding$ work.
It's simple business 101. Supply and demand. Clients demand the service, we supply it. The price we charge is directly influenced by many variables: competition and overhead to name the two big ones. Now, how much is a client willing to spend to have General Tree Work (GTW) work done on their property?
At $65 an hour for each arborist on site thats 2 men for 8 hours = $1040.00 a day.
The big "B" charges $65 an hour for each man on site (southeast). Lets assume the highly paid accountants they have in Stamford have it right. Now, with all that said I understand some of u gentleman have BIG equipment expenditures. Well, I do not. I climb everything without the help of an expensive bucket truck. My overhead is very low with absolutely no equipment payments to make. I've a nice dump and chipper (slightly older but paid for). Its a pretty sweet deal.
I could have gone the 'other way'. Which is to shotgun advertise and perform nothing but big, nasty takedowns, charge bunches because of all the employees and equipment I have to pay for. But im smart.