leaf cleanup rate

[DLCS]

What does eveyone charge for an hourly rate on leaf cleanups. This is bagging leaves and hauling away. Just curious, I know we don't give cusomers hourly rates but what is your guidline.

[Darryl G]

Originally Posted by DLCS

What does eveyone charge for an hourly rate on leaf cleanups. This is bagging leaves and hauling away. Just curious, I know we don't give cusomers hourly rates but what is your guidline.

I do give my rates. $60/man hour plus disposal.

[DLCS]

Originally Posted by Darryl G

I do give my rates. $60/man hour plus disposal.

I'm close, $70 an hour plus disposal fee. I had a customer read me the riot act today after he got my bill for clean-up. Same price he has been paying for the last 3 years but this year he blew up about it. Said my rates are way out of touch. He has 3/4 of an acre surrounded by timber, lawn was ankle deep in leaves, took me 3 hours for cleanup. Just can't win anymore, times are so tough here that people want you to work for nothing. Just needed to vent a little. Sorry

[Tharrell]

Originally Posted by DLCS

I'm close, $70 an hour plus disposal fee. I had a customer read me the riot act today after he got my bill for clean-up. Same price he has been paying for the last 3 years but this year he blew up about it. Said my rates are way out of touch. He has 3/4 of an acre surrounded by timber, lawn was ankle deep in leaves, took me 3 hours for cleanup. Just can't win anymore, times are so tough here that people want you to work for nothing. Just needed to vent a little. Sorry

Tell them it's union rules, they'll understand that in Il.

[RSK Property Maintenance]

i shoot for 100hr doing fall clean ups, then another 100 to haul them away, pretty standard rates in my area, probably a little cheap even, but not low balling. I'm pretty good at estimating, a i had one i bid for 250, and it took 3 hours, then another i bid for 150 and it took 50 mins, all were blow to woods, and i did those two and a third for 150 that took an hour so not a bad day but not great either. just over half a day of work with me and another guy. I think i may sell my little wonder in favor of the hurricane 314 for next year. Its gonna be a little excessive for a few jobs but i know i will need the write off, and there's only so many things i can buy, even with buying one of those, a new trailer and 3 or 4 year old truck, I still won't have much to write off....

[herler]

Normally my price is set according to the size of the job and not how long it takes as it varies depending on the equipment, realize it costs what it costs whether I use a rake or a blower doesn't really make a difference in the end the price is the same no matter how I do the work, but lets get one thing straight...

I don't bag leaves.

I don't know how much you know about categorical classifications but recycling and agriculture work close together and for starters our oceans are suffocating in garbage, my business is agricultural and we do what we can to save the environment, putting organic material inside a petrol-based product is a big no-no so no leaves inside no plastic bags, I will dispose of them properly, please.

Now, I can give you an idea about what I would charge, but I have to see the work.
Yes, the estimate is free.

[yardguy28]

wow I better move.

going rate in my neck of the woods is $35 per man hour.

[RSK Property Maintenance]

Originally Posted by yardguy28

wow I better move.

going rate in my neck of the woods is $35 per man hour.

nope better off staying in your neck of the woods, my area is saturated with landscapers as it is, and there will probably be another 1000 or more opening up april 1st 2013 in just this half of ct. Lots of new guys think they can be a landscaper, but a lot of low ball to get work to pay for all this new equipment they just bought and they soon realize, they aren't making enough money to live....or pay for the 4.30 a gallon diesel or even 4.50 a gallon at times. It's all relative to where you live. just because someone in a different part of the country may make 150,000 to your 40,000 doesn't mean they are doing much better. I don't give a per man hour or hourly rate anyways, I actually estimate how long it might take to do the job and i give a price, I never tell a customer an hourly rate. I've lost jobs because of it, and that is fine by me.

[yardguy28]

Originally Posted by RSK Property Maintenance

nope better off staying in your neck of the woods, my area is saturated with landscapers as it is, and there will probably be another 1000 or more opening up april 1st 2013 in just this half of ct. Lots of new guys think they can be a landscaper, but a lot of low ball to get work to pay for all this new equipment they just bought and they soon realize, they aren't making enough money to live....or pay for the 4.30 a gallon diesel or even 4.50 a gallon at times. It's all relative to where you live. just because someone in a different part of the country may make 150,000 to your 40,000 doesn't mean they are doing much better. I don't give a per man hour or hourly rate anyways, I actually estimate how long it might take to do the job and i give a price, I never tell a customer an hourly rate. I've lost jobs because of it, and that is fine by me.

I know believe me I know.

I never give my rate either unless pressed and even then I try my hardest to stick with just the price I gave them take it or leave it doesn't matter what my hourly rate is.

[Darryl G]

You never really know how a customer is going to react, even if you give them a fixed, lump sum price. I have had more than one customer claim that I was taking advantage of them when I billed them exactly what I said I would.

On the other hand, I have an account isn't all that big, 1/2 to 3/4 acre, but it has tons of mature trees, including nut trees and a big Sycamore that makes a mess with both bark and huge leaves. Lots of nooks and crannies and different yard areas. Add the hurricane mess to it (mostly sticks/twigs but a few larger branches requiring a little chain saw work) and my bill for the second service came to over $600 with tax on top of a $400 bill for the previous service. I half expected her to freak out, but I got the check yesterday with a note on it. Thank you Darryl!