HI all,
New to this.
Going solo after years in a grounds maintenance team. No big ambitions given my time of life; just looking to make a small modest income and deliver a great product.
I've never actually priced work in hedge cutting before, but I have read a lot on here which has been great and very helpful.
I was just hoping for feedback on the general consensus on pace/speed average so I can get an idea as to where I am.
To that end, if I could pose the question of: how long would you expect it take you to conduct a maintenance cut to 30 meters of hedgerow (4.5ft in height) so pretty rudimentary in operation, how long would you allocate (ignoring clean up/removal of trimmings.
Thanks in anticipation.
Views: 632
Replies
depends on what type of hedge, how long its been since the last cut, is it both sides and top you realey want to include clearing up as it takes as long as cutting the hedge also depends what you are using to cut it with
Thanks for the reply David.
I did lack detail, didn't it.
It's both sides and top, it's just a maintenance prune as opposed to a hard prune. Reducing by around 2 inches.
Will be using my budget Stihl HS45s
Always charge by days not hours so that a job which may take 5 hrs is a days work also factor in clear up and distance to travel back to your truck or dump site. The other thing is, I used my HS45 for a year before investing in and HS82. It pays for it self in a better quality finish. HS 45's in my experience throw loads of fumes into the hedge which is unpleasent and burns conifer hedges. The vibration is also a killer, its a home owner grade machine and if your doing a couple of hours a month is fine. Mine cost about £450 and has paid for its self many times over. If your feeling rich get a long reach as well. Saves loads of time and ladder work and is easier in my opinion to do tops. Always buy pro gear its just better and to be honest not much more money.
So work out your costs what you want to earn per day, Your fuel, your tip cost, plant costs and importantly travel time. Then you will have a good idea of what to charge. Don't just turn up on site and give people a quote, pace it out take photos go home and quote them by email. Do not give an hourly rate you will loose out! People will always ask "what do you charge per hour", its rubbish and 5 hour job which you could charge x for will end up being y with you loosing out and not getting travel time ect. Theres loads of stories on this site about charging per hour and why its not a good idea.
In my experience good people will always pay a fair price and once you have done a good job will always get you to come back. costing is not an exact science and from time to time you get it wrong but you will get better at it as time goes on. Good luck.
If you can try and put a sheet down to collect cuttings, I find old bed sheets work well as plastic sheets get damaged too easily, if you have shrub borders next to hedge itll take longer to clear up as well, clearing up can take longer then the cutting part of the job.
Very true.................. I've a load of dustsheets I use............... It can save so much time and does a much better job when clearing up cuttings that drop on anything other than a hard surface.
HI Carl, 4.5M is quite a height so I guess you will be working off of a ladder/platform. Using a FS45 you will be up & down all day long. Get yourself a long reach cutter which will keep you on the ground longer & cutting quicker. I use Stihl's HLA85 & 65 battery trimmers. They are a lot lighter, extremely cheap to run (once purchased) & no noise or fumes.
One of the best bits of kit I bought a couple of years ago was a tripod ladder, well worth the investment as you can reach so much further & a lost safer.
I also try to use a sheet/tarp under the hedge, it makes it easier to pick up the brash quicker & then just slide it along as required. Then how are you disposing of the trimmings?
Most of my work is regular clients on an hourly rate ( yes I know I should go over to price work) but I find there is always much more than you think to clear up & it always takes longer as well. So over price unless your sure, the last one I way over-priced & got it done quicker than expected. I then gave the client a discount to this fact & it made their day & I still made on it.
Good luck Neil
well done neil, the more thatcher right hard nosed players will say you should have held the clients to the full price quoted for the hedge but the fact is you now have a customer for life, until they move or die and probably wont even ask for a price next time, just come and do it, as they say, as they know you will be fair with them. i use a long sheet that was a roof from a marquee for collecting hedge trimmings, it's cleaned off as we go along, then on the final run it's just rolled up like a giant swiss roll with the clippings inside and stuffed in a dumpie bag to take away
Billybop, why bring politics into this ?
Run a business or not. But be a troll hiding behind a ‘name’ and diss businesses as ‘thatcher right hard nosed players’ if they quote a price, customer agrees and you charge it. If you want, you can discount, thumbs up but has little to do politics?
Be brave and come clean with your real Name & business so all can appreciate your business acumen
Just saying....
no politics dave thatcher is long gone and i accused nobody on here specifically of this so i suggest you take a chill pill m8 plenty on here not using real name anyhow, i am a regular contributor with mostly helpful suggestions, so hardly a troll, maybe if you dislike other peoples opinions then the internet might not be for you as you take offence too easily to a comment not directed at yourself and your response is needlessly unpleasant
I don’t need a lecture from a troll and am certainly chilled thanks and perfectly at home on the internet and forums.
So why the need for a dig at people’s politics who charge what they quoted ?
A little joke, a quick dig from the ‘other’ side to make a point?
Without knowing who you are, where you operate or the type of business you are - what else can one assume ?
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next