Hi all,
I set up on my own about a year ago and on Wednesday completed the back garden of my biggest project yet.
It's a new build house with just concrete patio and turf. Made two stone patios, big raised bed and did a planting scheme for two borders.
I underestimated materials required (hardcore), amount of soil and turf to be dug up (didn't factor skip into quote) and was severely hampered by weather. However, got the job done on Wednesday in time for the couple's wedding on Thursday!
I haven't made much profit on it but have some lovely pictures for website and a happy customer!
I've attached some photos of before and after.
Can anyone pont me in the direction of an online calculator or spreadsheet for materials calculators?
cheers
Justin
Views: 41
Replies
Congrats. It's a nice feeling, eh ?
It's often the only way to learn (as you will sure remember next time...:-)
Best place I know for calculators is here : http://www.pavingexpert.com/calcall.htm
If you've a smartphone, epecially an iPhone there are many, many free/cheap apps you can download.
I personaly underpriced a few jobs in my first year (still do some now)! The important thing you must do is learn from your mistakes and keep a note of every job (how much materials you used & how much time it took you).
I do this and when I quote for a similar job i can look back and get a general idea of what will be needed.
Good luck in the future!
Looks a tidy job, Justin. My first year almost up too, and it's not been easy.
Anyone new to the trade must find pricing difficult, I know I do, and without an established name, reputation or huge experience, very easy to fall into the trap of underpricing when trying to win work. As others have said, you do learn from it.
As you've realised though, there are positives other than a healthy profit; the promotional website material and a happy customer giving referrals in the longer term, hopefully. I console myself with that thought, as we sit down to eat beans on toast for dinner, again.
Looking good, In my first year I underpriced some jobs but you soon learn! as you gain more experience you can apply a price per meter with the paving to include all materials. this will help you stay in the profit zone!
Job satisfaction is a top feeling!
Pricing errors are easy at the beginning so don't worry, as long as you learn from them then that's what counts. In my first year I was just happy if I broke even on a project and in my second year I priced a shocker on my first commercial project and lost £7k - but the quality of my work on that job brought more work in.... luckily :-)
Keep up that standard of work and you'll be fine!
Congratulations Justin, a few good images will go a long way to attracting new clients too. The 2 best bits of advice i would give is to always scrutinise access because early on you can underestimate just how much extra time is put on a job by bad/ difficult access. Secondly keep an accurate record of you current job to analyse it at the end.
I keep a folder and all receipts & materials for the current job go into it. Once its finished I check overall profit at the end. Its very easy to let an extra ton of hardcore delivered plus 5 bags of postcrete extra you bought disappear into the accounts and once a few of these add up on small jobs you would be surpised at how much they cost you.
Keep up the good work!
Thanks for replies everyone!
I have definitely learned a lot from this project, in terms of quantities, costs and time. To combat the weather I have just ordered one of these gazebos to work under in rain - Gazebo
Does anyone use a shelter?
Hi Justin,
I use a shelter to keep the tools and drawings out of the weather & dry, but not for protecting a work area as if it is to wet to lay something then we just don't lay it.
The assosiated mess with getting the materials in, muck on wheelbarrow tyres, mess on paving, divets in lawns etc, just takes you longer to tidy the job up and that will probably cost more than downing tools and getting on with another part of the project or putting the kettle on and having a cup of tea.
I know how annoying it is not to be progressing on a job, but sometimes you are better of doing nothing.
Congrats it can be tricky guessing when you start up. But we all learn from errors and how to improve profits and service and items that are missed. So in the future we will remember them on the next project.
Kevin
www.gardencoaching.blogspot.com