Hi all,
Just been estimating a job and had to say no, at a lower limit, Could not beleive.
What do you think, commercial block of housing association (Top notch new development flats) I was getting a helping from the client. The usual try to make it keen we have a lot more blocks, all that old flannell.
I'm sure it was 1 days work for 3 ops, anyway we settled on 1 day for 2 ops,( 26 visits per annum, I started at 341 per visit, £740 per month.
The client wanted £250 per visit! £541.66 per month. I simply could not go this low.
The lowest i could get to was £290 per visit, £628.00 per month.
What the lowest you could go to? remember the site includes, refuse disposal, I was travelling a little under 60 miles round trip (I understand he can't move the site !!) travel cost, machinery cost, service and depreciation.
I cannot believe he expects me to do it for £250 per vist, that £125 per man, all in oh and to include the dirty word PR.....
Am I barking mad?, but how do the big boys cut even at these costs, or do you think, he was trying it on. Anyway I shut up shop at £250 per visit, £290 if he wants it, simply looks like he doesn't.
Any opinions, what price could/would you do it for?
Thankyou
Andy
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Replies
is the client competent? sounds like he has no idea of reality. let him find an unlicensed, uninsured retiree to do it for beer money, because that's his budget.
your price is your price and it's based on what it costs (labour, waste costs, tool repairs and renewals, fuel and your margin)
£341 per visit sounds keen enough to me, the clever boys are happy to discount, but the discount comes not from their pocket, but from cutting the spec and scope of works - 'sure you can do it for 250 but you won't be taking the rubbish and you won't be cutting the grass as often....' that sort of thimg
As youve already pointed out, £250 doesnt even cover labour costs, let alone waste away etc and then the travelling! Dont waste any more energy agonising on it, walk away, sigh of relief and relax.
you cant possibly be competitive with a 60 mile round trip with maybe 5 hrs total travelling plus fuel - £100? Leave it to a local.
depends on the size of some sites - I know of sites in Leeds where I have quoted £160 a vist for a block of flats only for it to go to someone for £70, but the grass was cut with a tractor and gang mower by a local farmer, as it was large enough to accommodate it. The hedges and borders look an absolute bomb site and are frankly appalling - you get what you pay for, but you can see how some outfits kitted for a different market can overlap and miss-price into the grounds care market.
£125 a day per man , when you are paying them about £70 depending on tax/ national insurance.
travel at £30 for 60miles a day @ 30mpg . if its £100 odd costs plus (costs) and your wage or another ..
your basically doing everyone else a favour @ £200 £50? for you to arrange / organise /risk and run your business ....paperwork / quoting etc etc..
lets get a job with sainsburys !!!
No one can give you any worthwhile advice without walking the site themselves. 26 visits sounds odd for a housing assoc unless they intend some of the winter visits to be litter pick only, in which case they should be priced accordingly.
We work to fixed budgets a lot of the time so its nothing unusual, we rarely walk away and just make the job pay one way or another.
The thing that kills it for you is the distance from base. Maybe its one i would let go as well but can't tell without looking at it.
Does the housing association expect you to do a full days works for 2 men during the winter or just carry out work as necessary which as briggsand scrapem says, may well be just be a litter pick. If that is the case, I would have thought £250 to be a fair average price over the whole year..... the litter pick would surely take a fraction of the time that summer maintenance would need.
I was talking to a client recently, who refurbs commercial blocks in London.
He is currently paying £100 per day for skilled staff, electricians and plumbers etc., and half that for unskilled. That's central London, and all on the books.
I don't know how you can compete with what some people pay their staff, or how you can deal with customers who are expecting those rates.
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