Did i over bid?

[KathysLGC]

I bid on a job this week. It's a 2.5 acre property with about 2 acres of lawn. I did a follow up call to see if they decided yet and the hubby wants to shop around at prices. I bid $65 per cut and I thought that was low, but there is alot of other things to do like brush/leaf removel (a few years worth). They also want to expand the grass to the perimiter of there property line. The hubby says he pays his guy $40 per cut but doesn't like him and will not be using him ever again. Should I call him back and tell him $55 per cut? It's a very easy cut with lots of open grass (no small trees or rocks in the way). The only reason I would even consider lowering my price is if it is in fact to high, Also I only have one account so far and I need alot more and soon. I am getting into this part time just so you know. Thanks in advance for any input.

Edgar

[Lawn-Scapes]

I don't think you bid too high.. I think it's a little low. But I don't know your area. Don't lower your price..

Did you measure the area?

[rodfather]

$65 for 2 acres of mowing doesn't seem high to me at all. Then again, I don't know your market.

Try using LawnGodFather's way of estimating a lawn...it's pretty good. Then see what you come up with.

[KathysLGC]

I didnt measure. They said there lot is 2.5 acres. I live on a third of an acre and they lot is definitly 3 times as big. How do I measure a lot? One of those things with a big wheele that you push? Bear in mind this is in New Canaan CT where gas is over $2. a gallon and most houses are $1,000,000+ You would think they wouldn't care about pricing..lol

[Lawn-Scapes]

Yeah.. one of those thingies with the wheel... get one.

[rodfather]

And don't forget to bring along a calculator, too.

[Lawn-Scapes]

BTW... 3 times a third of an acre is close to 1 acre... I think?

Get the wheel thingie :D

[SLS]

The measuring wheel is a great thing to have lying around....especially at mulch bed and application estimations. Money well spent.

In my area, which is upper middle-income residential, the going rate is between $40 and $50 an acre (depending on time/obstacles/toys in yard/nipping dogs/ect.)

I would be pricing way to low in my area at $65 for 2.5 acres. And this is not considered a "high-end" area by any means. Strictly middle class working and retired folks.

Some guys over in the 'rich' part of town (1,000.000+ homes) are getting $75 an acre...and more.

It does depend on the particular area and what the market will bear in that area. And your salesmanship.

Good luck. :)

[LAWNS AND MOWER]

Tell the hubby that you'll cut it for $55 the first cut and that you might have to adjust the price after the first cut. If you do quality work, the hubby shouldn't mind paying the extra $$$. I have a similar situation. Priced a condo complex at $175/cut last spring and the POA went with a guy who priced it at $100. Turned out he was moonlighting as a lco and would run out of daylight mowing and wouldn't come back the next day to finish up. Got a call from the president of the POA and told them I would mow it the first time for $140 and adjust the price if needed after the first cut. She seemed content with this.

LAWNS AND MOWER

[bruces]

If it is 2 acres, $65 is way too cheap, it should be closer to $80 to $100 depending on how much trimming, blowing, etc. you have to do.

Even if you are a part timer, price your work professionally. Once you take a job at a bargain price, you will probably be stuck at that price or have to drop the customer. It is very hard to start low and then get the customer up to a fair price.

Get a measuring wheel and measure the property if you are in doubt. If it is just an acre, your price is probably ok.

The other work should be additional profit. If you are losing money on the mowing each week, you will get to where you don't want to do it and the extras go from being a really nice profit to just barely covering your shortfall on the mowing.

If he didn't like the other guy, he should be willing to pay more for quality work.

[Lawn-Scapes]

No.. tell the hubby that you'll cut it for $65 the first time.. and maybe come down if you are overpriced.. which is unlikely if it's truely 2 acres. 2 acres with your 48" walkbehind will probably take you ~2.5 hours.

[Fantasy Lawns]

For your situation the $65 per cut seems good ....yes it maybe a little low ...but it's experience from which you'll gain the best of ....n some work is better than no work when starting out .... Do NOT call to lower price ..... if you feel to call ....call to check if they have made a decision ..... re state that you willl do a good job ....be reliabe etc.

n yes get one of them wheelie thingys ...I keep in my truck at all times

[Runner]

A little low, but feasible. Don't even THINK of giving a lower price. It sounds like he's just a price shopper, anyway. He's unhappy with the job he's getting now, and wonders why with the price he's paying. You get what you pay for, he's wanting better work for a little more money, but still the low end of the scale. Tell him to stick with the Chevette, if that's what he wants to pay for, and forGET the Buick. The choice is his....:rolleyes:

[Commander]

no you didn't over bid that! At $65 you are gettin $32.50 per acre to cut / trim / blow. You should be getting at least $60 per acre if not more. I have found this out though from my travels... if this place is an estate type of place where you will always be there doing something, prices are a lot lower for grass (you make it up with side work) however if this is just a regular house which may be worth a couple of $$$ then bid it high. You just have to see how much side work is involved and then decide if you should raise your price or keep it where you are. DEFINATLEY not lower.

[mdb landscaping]

lol. The big houses and nice cars are usually the people who stiff you. Two of my accounts i got rid of this year were the nicest houses. i had to hunt them down for my money. when he came out of his garage, he had a new jaguar sitting there. If he can buy that, theres no need to make me chase him for money. As far as gas prices being $2, thats overbidded:D . Gas is about $1.37 right now.

[KathysLGC]

TSG I ment I live on 3/4 of an acre. I made up my mind and I will stick to my price and if they do call me I will stress that i am giving them the best deal I can and that I am actually giving them half off my normal price because they are on my same street just about 1.5 miles down the road. I will look into getting a measuring wheel also. I see this is why everyone hates lowballers. Now I hate them!:angry: There is alot of extra work that needs to be done at this house also and im sure I can keep convincing the mrs to get this shrub and that shrub. There is enough to prune in there yard but hey if they dont call me no biggie.

[Fantasy Lawns]

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?MfcISAPICommand=GetResult&SortProperty=MetaHighestPriceSort&query=measuring+wheel&ht=1&combine=y&st=2

here's some on eBay

[KathysLGC]

$1.37 a gallon? Tell New Canaan that. I get my gas from Stamford or Norwalk. You should see my filling my dual tank F150 and 3 5 gallon gas containers at the cheap gas station. Boy I have a line waiting for me to finish.:cool:

[Sam Grinold]

Stick to your price. Down there on the gold coast that lawn ought to bring $100 - $125.00 but I havent seen the job so just remember 2.5 acers is a lot of walking with a 48 and you still have to trim.

[General Grounds]

:blob3: playboy get in writing, EVERYTHING, it only takes you on time to get burned, esp. for someone who wants it for free usually tries one way or another to get it free.T

[Planter]

Don't you guys have bidding methods? Don't you measure or pace off the site? Don't you know what your costs are? ;)

If the price on this one was too high, but was what you need to make money, then you can't afford to lower the price to get the bid. You don't feed the kids by losing money on each job, but making it up though volume.

I like the method one of my friends uses: On irrigation and landscaping jobs, he runs his figures, sees what the job will cost to do, adds in his profit, then tells the customer. If the customer says. "that much?" he says, "Ah,....but, that includes the parts." If they say "is that all?", he says, "but, the parts are extra." :D

Nice bidding method.

[proline32]

Yea, never lower your price..... you always want to have a good poker face on when you give a customer a price like it was the norm for you, if you call to lower the price you sometimes make yourself vunerable and people may try to railroad you on other things. The measureing wheel is a MUST, I never estimate without it.... Customers will tell you one thing only for you to find out it's another, If you don't get the job... don't worry, they always come when you do good work. When I have someone complain about my price, I always tell them"hey, I may apologise about the price, but i'll never apologige about the quality.

[GarPA]

minimum $90...use the measuring wheel, regardless of the size of the job...besides your needing to know the exact footage, it also gives the impression you put 'some science' into your estimating and that you aren't pulling a number out of your you know what...

[roscioli]

I agree with Kitzy- the measuring wheel is necessary just to make it look like an exact science, people will question your methods less often that way. For the first few bids I just walked around and guessed, then I started using the wheel (which i bought on ebay). My bids came out the same, but I feel the customers are more impressed when I use it than when I calculate in my head with no exact numbers. I can look at a lawn and tell how long it will take, but how much fert, lime, seed? Should I guess that? No. All customer files include a drawing/layout of the lawn with all estimates. Its a 2.5 acre lot, but is it all grass or some woods? Most lots in my area are 1 acre, with about 1/2-1/4 taken by woods, house, driveway, trees, porches, etc.. etc.. etc...... $65 is too low if anything, and if you are struggling to find work, use some fliers. I just had 8000 printed up, and am paying my local newspaper $37/thousand to distribute them. I expect 20 new, good quality customers from this at the minimum. Cost about $300 to print, and $300 to distribute=$600. $600/20 new customers = $30 cost per each customer. $30 will be made up in the first month at the most. PS, I am going from part time to full time this season. I will distribute them this week (we have snow on the ground right now), I don't think you do, you should distribute now too. Sorry for rambling, and all said is just my opinion.

[Ramsey's Lawn Care]

I try to charge a $1.00 a min. I have one large yard that is approx. 3.5 to 4 acres. I get $ 135.00:D each cut, which is once a week, and there is only one tree in the yard. I think it is a resonable price for the size of yard, but I also threw in taking care of the landscaping and there is pleanty of that. It is a 1,000,000 home so I like to make it look good.:cool:

[65hoss]

Go to Lowes, they have a nice measuring wheel for $54.

Heck no, 2 acres for $65 is not high, its suicide. With a sulky your at over an hour just to cut in most cases. Then trim, edge and blow times. At that price I would hope they didn't call me back, because once the temp reaches 100 outside you'll wish you were really making some profit.

[KathysLGC]

You all made very good points and I didnt think about most of them. Being that they are B$tch$n at $65 per cut I now hope they don't call me. I can imagine what they would say when it's time for mulch. Well you all where a very big help on this. Thank you. I will get a measuring wheel asap.