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Replies
Have you considered abandoning the metered method and up-selling your skills instead?
Have a read of this: http://landscapejuicenetwork.com/forum/topics/forget-pricing-paving...
I've never priced things up based on meterage or square meterage not within the private sector anyhow. Commercial work would be different i imagine and would be priced so low that unless you lay 100m2 a day your probably not going to make ends meet which is when corners start being cut.
I only ever used 'per sq m.' rates as a final check to make sure I hadn't dropped a clanger somewhere in my calculations. TBH Darren/Alan, you know the pace that you can work at, so why use someone else's figures? Have to say we could never compete with dedicated fencing contractors for a fencing run or indeed a 'specialist' block paving contractor on price. HOWEVER, we were never short of work because we would always put a 'bit of design' and individuality into all of our work. Good luck,
As Phil says - upsell your skills.
I run/build the job in my head and price from that though it takes time to do - esp on large projects.
Estimator taught me Materials x3 which is a good check after i build up my price and generally is in the ballpark.
Ppm has its place and works for some jobs.
Fences price per panel and post works quite well but still need to assess site and adjust as required.
No perfect way. Got to find what works for you.
First panel with materials and labour including two posts, this has to be expensive as it includes set up costs for getting onto site.
Additional panels with materials and labour including one post.
Final cut panel with materials and labour.
Material costs will vary depending on the choice of panels, but labour will be constant erecting a five foot high fence is the same as a three foot high fence within sense and reason.
Three unit prices will cover most jobs.
Andy.
Thats a good way to do it. I'll definately feed the first and last panel unit costs into my pricing from now on.
What i said in my previous post was mainly reagarding complete design and build jobs but as i said i always assess site for fence jobs. I've had too many long walk ins, awkward access and horrible ground to dig holes in which all add to the labour costs and need to be costed in.
In my experience there are plenty of fence jobs where one size doesn't fit all.
Once you have the pricing you can give a quick quote over the phone for say four and a half panels subject to a site survey; hopefully this cuts out a lot of wasted time quoting.
I used to do electrical work for a firm using a similar unit pricing arrangement as it allowed the salesperson to count up the appliances, sockets and lights then include a cost in the quote to the client and close the deal. There were times they would look at the fuse board and think they had better get the electrician on site to quote as it didn't look good, but they then turned out to be bigger jobs making it worthwhile to go and have a proper look. As this firm could have you working an hours drive from home it could save you three hours quoting on each job and maybe four or five hours a week. If you factored in the value or the time saved you ended up on the winning side, though it could be a bit daunting turning up on site not knowing what you actually had to do and surrounded by guys ripping the the house apart asking how long you're going to be as they need to get on and you're holding them up!
Andy
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