Are you charging enough?

i need to cover costs ! how do i do it ?if i dont get income i cant run my business..............charge enough so you can carry on and carry on being a reliable service people depend on !!what is 2-3 pounds for a client? do they really want the hassel of a new gardener (is he reliable, is he trustworth, is he experienced?, will i like him? are his tools any good? will he do as i ask properly)i wouldnt like to find someone to let them loose in my garden while i am out/or away !!1would you?...........................work out your costs/ it cost you £10 p/h just to do your job...........you need £10 an hour to live off for yourself too !! write it all down and add every penny up, you will be surprised that it would be actually cheaper to stay at home and eat !!£20 an hour seems to be the standard average . £10 for staff ? why they work as hard as you.............. £40 for both of you an hr................ swim or sink??if i get someone to count my figures .......i have to give them £500 !!!!!!!£500 just to add up a few numbers i have already given them on 2 sheets !!!!!!!!!talk about a rip-off. so is £250 cheap to tidy a whole garden and take away waste?i think so when you compare a clean, seated, office job pressing a small calculator !!!!!!

It'il cost £120 min just to get a skip for the turf. There's a discussion on 'Rated People/My Hammer' and weather it's worth going on it. Your comment illustrates why it is not!

Rhonda Jack said:

I came across an advert on Gumtree asking for a landscaper to lift turf and lay some already bought slabs. There was a pic enclosed..... He also said any prices in 3 figures need not apply?! Excuse me? As far as I'm concerned it doesn't matter the size of the area which by the way was smallish (about 50m2 ish maybe less) but the fact that there was turf to lift, remove,charges to get rid of and then the time to lay these slabs and clearly not correctly...........REALLY? Not ruddy likely.

Sorry to rant but some folk really do have no idea how much is involved in just laying those slabs......

I have been putting prices up slowly to be honest with each new client and I have been managing to keep my tipping costs down by saying I will charge loads to get rid of waste. This seems to be working and is saving me money and my clients are happy with it. I will however be watching this Emergency budget closely.

This topic is something at the front of my mind at the moment so will be keeping an eye on this one!

Rhu

Replies

Lawncare-4u.co.uk June 22, 2010 at 1:34am

oh and 'clicking' a print button........
David Cox June 22, 2010 at 7:27am

I agree totally, the only issue with charging something close to £20 an hour (round here at least - Yorkshire) is it appears that due to a large number of odd jobbers charging less than £10, and a general perception that a garden tidy is worth "not more than £50", and maint £10 a week, you really have to educate your customers.
Lawncare-4u.co.uk June 22, 2010 at 10:01am

if they want a 'bodger' its up to them.

i bet you work hard paul (ex farmer?) , if they wont pay - take it easy per hour;-) simples..

u get what you pay for.

i could slow down and take twice as long on any job if i wish......
David Cox June 22, 2010 at 6:03pm

What is the main limiting factor on charges in your area? Is it competion or the local prosperity levels?

A & J Owen Garden Services said:
Round here £15 is absolute top whack and people swallow at this. Obviously we quote by the job where we can but for some jobs it just isn't appropriate - however - as there are 2 of us then the petrol cost is effectively halved so we're doing OK - also jobs in very small area! Where poss we use my smart car (if using customer tools) - a tank lasts ages!
Cesare Harradine June 22, 2010 at 6:10pm

It'il cost £120 min just to get a skip for the turf. There's a discussion on 'Rated People/My Hammer' and weather it's worth going on it. Your comment illustrates why it is not!

Rhonda Jack said:
I came across an advert on Gumtree asking for a landscaper to lift turf and lay some already bought slabs. There was a pic enclosed..... He also said any prices in 3 figures need not apply?! Excuse me? As far as I'm concerned it doesn't matter the size of the area which by the way was smallish (about 50m2 ish maybe less) but the fact that there was turf to lift, remove,charges to get rid of and then the time to lay these slabs and clearly not correctly...........REALLY? Not ruddy likely.

Sorry to rant but some folk really do have no idea how much is involved in just laying those slabs......

I have been putting prices up slowly to be honest with each new client and I have been managing to keep my tipping costs down by saying I will charge loads to get rid of waste. This seems to be working and is saving me money and my clients are happy with it. I will however be watching this Emergency budget closely.

This topic is something at the front of my mind at the moment so will be keeping an eye on this one!

Rhu
PRO

Paul @ Ashgate Garden Care June 22, 2010 at 7:55pm

Saw this advertised on our local county tenders website:

http://www.sourcederbyshire.co.uk/Default.aspx?SitePage=CurrentCont...

Thought it was April fools day when I saw the hourly rate.
Nick Donaghey @ Garden Gurus June 22, 2010 at 8:19pm

How is anyone charging less than £18 making a profit?? After all the overheads involved I just don't see how it can be done. And by profit I'm talking about what's left after wages have been taken out as I notice a lot of people consider this their profit.

I'm not being rhetorical here - I'd really like to know how you're doing it!
PRO

Gary RK June 22, 2010 at 8:46pm

Nick,

I'm with you on this, when you take into account vehicles, fuel, insurances, machinery, training, licenses, a suitable base, wages, basic stationery, professional fees, computers, software, printers, phones, advertising/marketing the cost base pushes your internal hourly rate upto that level WITHOUT a profit element.

For me, without that profit element there would be no point in doing it. I would be better off employed and let someone take care with all that goes on after the long hours following a full working day.

There are some great posts from Phil for anyone wanting to actually work their true costs. I have my own excel sheet that I use that keeps track of our overheads, expenses & profit figures.

It makes sober reading at times....

Nick Donaghey @ Garden Gurus said:
How is anyone charging less than £18 making a profit?? After all the overheads involved I just don't see how it can be done. And by profit I'm talking about what's left after wages have been taken out as I notice a lot of people consider this their profit.

I'm not being rhetorical here - I'd really like to know how you're doing it!
Kieran Ray June 22, 2010 at 9:00pm

Id say about £1500 to do that!

Rhonda Jack said:
I came across an advert on Gumtree asking for a landscaper to lift turf and lay some already bought slabs. There was a pic enclosed..... He also said any prices in 3 figures need not apply?! Excuse me? As far as I'm concerned it doesn't matter the size of the area which by the way was smallish (about 50m2 ish maybe less) but the fact that there was turf to lift, remove,charges to get rid of and then the time to lay these slabs and clearly not correctly...........REALLY? Not ruddy likely.

Sorry to rant but some folk really do have no idea how much is involved in just laying those slabs......

I have been putting prices up slowly to be honest with each new client and I have been managing to keep my tipping costs down by saying I will charge loads to get rid of waste. This seems to be working and is saving me money and my clients are happy with it. I will however be watching this Emergency budget closely.

This topic is something at the front of my mind at the moment so will be keeping an eye on this one!

Rhu
Kieran Ray June 22, 2010 at 9:11pm

If I was to concentrate on maintenance I have to chardge at least £20 per hour to take a wage, cover costs and make a profit.

For construction our day rate is £250 for 2 people. Some people wont even entertain it, even though builders will charge more for the same service!

Nick Donaghey @ Garden Gurus said:
How is anyone charging less than £18 making a profit?? After all the overheads involved I just don't see how it can be done. And by profit I'm talking about what's left after wages have been taken out as I notice a lot of people consider this their profit.

I'm not being rhetorical here - I'd really like to know how you're doing it!