Need advice on emergency service

[PrimeGreen Lawn]

Just got a customer, wants a very small sod job done. Area is only 300 square feet (town house front yard). This woman is desperate because she has an open house Saturday and wants the yard to look good for potential buyers. It's 40 minutes away from my sod supplier. We only plan to spread sifted top soil and lay the sod on that. Being an emergency-type service, and nobody else she called can do it for weeks, what should I charge? I told her already about $350 thinking she'd blow up at that, but thinks it's fair and wants me to do it. I feel bad because I think it's way too high, but anyway.......what do you all think?

Scott

[parkwest]

How can it be too high if she agreed to it? Get paid in advance though.

[PrimeGreen Lawn]

Not only agreed to it, but she's taking the day off and paying me CASH! Plus she is down right georgoius!

[BigJim]

Whats the house worth $150,000 say?If she sells it on Saturday your $350 is chicken feed.She aint worrying about the cost of your materials etc,she only wants house looking good to show buyers,its obviously worth the money to her.Get there quick and do a good job,the word will spread.Shes probably spent more having the house cleaned up and putting in fresh flowers than on you ,its part of the cost of selling.

[cajuncutter]

Use your better judgment. Remember things like this come back to haunt you. Would you like to be treated like that? I am not saying not to tack on a couple of extra bucks for a last minute rush job however don't dig deep and rip the lady off. Actually if you feel you can profit at a lower price you can make this potential customer feel good and you yourself will feel good at the same time. When you get done with the job adjust the price accordingly, for what you feel is fair for such short notice. This will make the customer not only appreciate your willing to do the job on such short notice but you were willing to give a fair and competitive rate. Most likely the lady will call you back for more work. I know there is not a lot of grass to cut however you may get flowerbed maintenance jobs out of the deal. Several times I have over priced only to find that I could have done it for cheaper and still would have made plenty of profit. I have used this tactic before and the customers seem to appreciate it and keep calling. Whichever path you elect to take good luck.:blob3:

[JimLewis]

It's 300 square feet and you're worried about charging her $350???? Heck, that's only $1.16 per sq. ft. That's not ripping her off at all. That's the going rate around here. I don't know where you got the idea that you're pulling a fast one over on her. You and her are both getting a good deal.

Feel thankful, not guilty!

[lee b]

If the customer is happy, what's the problem?

[PAPS]

Take the job and get paid. $350.00 seems more than fair for that sod job without even looking at it. You should be out of there in like 3 hrs with picking up the material and everything. Once finished... get your CASH immediately that day, don't let her stall you since she promised to pay you that day. :p

[65hoss]

Originally posted by jimlewis
It's 300 square feet and you're worried about charging her $350???? Heck, that's only $1.16 per sq. ft. That's not ripping her off at all. That's the going rate around here. I don't know where you got the idea that you're pulling a fast one over on her. You and her are both getting a good deal.

Feel thankful, not guilty!

I'm with Jim!:) That is a good price, especially for a rush job.

[ERIC ROBERGE]

I am not in the landscaping business, but I do know a few things about selling houses. Curb appeal sells houses.
She is probably taking the advice of an agent on spiffing up th house to sell quickly. In the scope of selling a house $350.00 is nothing. If you feel guilty just make sure it is one of your better jobs.
The lady selling the townhouse has got to move somewhere and that somewhere will probably have a bigger yard that needs to be maintained. There are others in the same complex that may like your work and approach you on maintaining their small slice green. Enough customers in small area like that might make you a few bucks.

[PrimeGreen Lawn]

Hmm, thanks for making me feel better about this. As you can probably tell, I do not lay much sod. This year will be different, I have at least dozen or so jobs to be completed by April. Damn, just purchaced a hydroseeder too.....:rolleyes:

Scott

[geogunn]

when a non-customer calls me with an emergency request I always try to respond.

and I always add the cost of the emergency to the price of the service.

Regardless the cost of the job they will remember that you came when they called.

for a regular customer, I rarely ask more as long as I can get to it and it doesn't result in extra costs to me.

GEO

[Scraper]

Just don't guarantee it.

[Bob Minney]

Sounds like a real fair price to me. Just travel and loading time for materials will use up most of 2 hours. You still need your hourly rate for that time. Any debris to haul away? When the job is done, if you still feel bad about making too much, present a bill for $25-50 less to ease your conscience. The customer will love you for it and you end up feeling good also.:angel:

[awm]

the value of work is set by demand for that work and availability of those who do it.if u got twice that u shouldnt feel guilty.
start veiwing yourself as a pro,and pros get paid good for good wk.. just mine . later now