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  Gareth Main @ Newick Landscapes July 22, 2015 at 10:07pm

  If its standard closeboard you may want to charge a slightly higher labour rate especially as there are 2 gates. I find labours often around 50-60% of the job depending on site conditions.
• PRO

  Richard Gadsby July 23, 2015 at 1:29am

  Double material price is a good starting point. How do you know you've lost work to over pricing?
  I won't play the matching price game(not saying you are!) I give a quote as to what a job is worth to ME if it's too much for the customer so be it. To stay afloat we all have to cover costs and make a profit otherwise you might as well get an employed job with no hassle!
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    Colin Hunt > Richard Gadsby July 23, 2015 at 6:47am

    "The going rate" is always a contetious subject. For instance you need to make sure you are quoting from the same spec as everyone else. I once lost a feather edge fence because we quoted to construct with arris rail and nailed boards - later the job was done with slotted posts and slip in feather edge panels. 

    In your case, you may be inexperienced but should know your work speed and have to go back to basics by breaking the job down into say 2 metre sections ie how long to dig a hole and fix post, fix rails and nail boards, including clearing/prepping area and carting materials. 

    Eventually we found that we could not compete with the 'pro lads' on price and eventually got them in to do the job with a small percentage on top for us, although some of our regulars were still happy to pay our price.
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    Geoff Norfolk > Richard Gadsby July 23, 2015 at 12:05pm

    Unfortunately, if the material cost is £620, I fail to see how you can "double it".... if it's £620, it's £620!! If you tell the customer it's £1240, I'm sure they're just interested in the final price for the completed job and they'll be comparing that final price with the other quotes.

    Hate to say it but if everyone is saying you're too dear, this may well be the case and you might have to lower your prices to compete with the "opposition"..... I expect the majority here will disagree with me there!!: :)  So you might not be making as much as you wish and feel is deserved..... I would say its better to be out there working with lower profit than none at all. Once you've done a few jobs, people will see you working and more work should come your way which you should be able to price higher as you will come as a recommendation or people will have seen your good work.
    • PRO

      Richard Gadsby > Geoff Norfolk July 23, 2015 at 12:09pm

      Your misunderstanding me! Double materials or more as final price. Not double materials and labour!
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  matt evans July 23, 2015 at 6:50am

  I think the going rate for 6ft single side is £45 to £55 inclusive of labour and materials
  • PRO

    Nick @ NM Garden Services Ltd > matt evans July 23, 2015 at 10:28am

    I would be out of business very quickly if I charged fencing at £45-55 per panel. I would echo Colin's comments, and add that as a gardening company we work carefully around plants in borders ensuring minimal disruption when installing fences.
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  Gavin Gray July 23, 2015 at 8:35am

  Thanks chaps!
  
  So I'm on the cheaper side then ?
  
  Recently all I've had back after quoting is, you are too dear I've got such and such who'll do it for less than half etc
  
  I recently priced some hedge work, 40ft long 8ft high privet hedge to be reduced in height by 16 inches and trim up the rest of it then taking away the rubbish I quoted £250 for me and a labourer so we are in and out in the one shift...too dear ?
  
  Another job recently was cut 3 lawns, about 50sqm, rip out the weeds from around the building and car park (approx 40mx1m along the car park walls just total weeds) tidy up the two conifers at the front and then spray all hard surfaces with weedkiller, I quoted £120 and I was still too dear?
  • PRO

    Robbie > Gavin Gray July 23, 2015 at 9:00am

    I do hardly any work in the town where I grew up as people will not pay the money that I can gain working in other areas.

    Gavin, you may need to move area if you can not gain a sensible rate for the work you do and tweak your marketing to attract a higher paying clientèle.
  • PRO

    Harry@VWGS > Gavin Gray July 23, 2015 at 9:01am

    No your not overpriced at all, those are very reasonable prices, like Colin says with regards to fencing we can't compete with the fencing pros at price, they do it day in day out, with regards to your gardening quotes they are good on price, I WOULD NOT bring your prices down to compete with lower charging contractors, your prices are good prices....:-)