Percentage of non billable overhead.

[drsogr]

I was curious what everybodies nonbillable hours equaled out to. A percentage of non-billable to billable. Also what year in business you are. I was told that I should be right around 20 percent for my first full year. Seams a little low.

[drsogr]

Not one reply huh.

[walker-talker]

That's a real good question and you probably didn't get any replies because I doubt that most people don't keep track...including myself. I have often thought about buying a time clock and putting it in the garage. I would have two different colored time cards...one for billable hours and another color for non-billable hours. Sounds like an uneccessary expense, but it would just help. Since I am on salary, it really doesn't matter too me....what needs to get done, needs to get done. But I agree, it would be interesting to know.

[tiedeman]

I started doing this about 2 years ago keeping track...give me a sec and I can give you my info...I have to pull up my spreadsheets.

[tiedeman]

48.6% is mine

[drsogr]

48.6% is mine

Wow thats a huge number. Higher than what I had figured. You run a pretty large company though don't you.

[drsogr]

That's a real good question and you probably didn't get any replies because I doubt that most people don't keep track...including myself. I have often thought about buying a time clock and putting it in the garage. I would have two different colored time cards...one for billable hours and another color for non-billable hours. Sounds like an uneccessary expense, but it would just help. Since I am on salary, it really doesn't matter too me....what needs to get done, needs to get done. But I agree, it would be interesting to know.

Hey walker are you back in town? How was the honeymoon? Yeah I really need to start keeping track. It would help me in calculating my costs. They have programs that you can use through your computer. I saw a few on www.downloads.com for free.

[tiedeman]

Wow thats a huge number. Higher than what I had figured. You run a pretty large company though don't you.

that was last years number...I know, horrible high. Nope, don't run a large company. I had a lot of down time last year because I was reorganizing the business, so I had a lot of time in the office. I was putting in around 3 to 4 hrs a day in the office, and like only 6 hrs out in the field

[drsogr]

that was last years number...I know, horrible high. Nope, don't run a large company. I had a lot of down time last year because I was reorganizing the business, so I had a lot of time in the office. I was putting in around 3 to 4 hrs a day in the office, and like only 6 hrs out in the field

Just out of curiousity are you adding your lawnsite time in the non-billable? I noticed you had 9,000 posts!

[tiedeman]

perhaps maybe 15 to 30 mins each day is added in, but other than that no. That is another reason why I have such a high post count, because I am doing paperwork sitting in front of the computer, and my email is setup to refresh every 30 seconds for emails (which notifies me of new or replied posts).

[rodfather]

5.75 billable hours in a 8 hour day is what we come up with over the years..give or take .25

[drsogr]

That seems closer to what I was thinking. I know this year my non-billable will be high...it should average down when I hire employees though.

[rodfather]

forget to mention we are beginning our 12th year with employees