How to bill for xmas lights?

[EagleLandscape]

I installed a job the other day and didn't even think about how to bill for it.

Total price tag was a $3,000 install.

Do I bill them now? or bill half now and half when I take them down? What is typical? Thanks.

[KrayzKajun]

good question!

i would like to know too

[NightScenes]

I get paid in full at time of installation. That means that I have to make sure to save some money to pay the guys for the takedown in January.

[skip1718]

how many freaking christmas lights did you put up for $3000.00 dollars. dang

[EagleLandscape]

Well we did some garland as well and some wreaths. Roughly 50 strands of minis, 300' of c9's, 4 timers. steep roof, it was a learning experience to say the least but I had fun. the next one should take half as long.

[skip1718]

wow that is awesome. did you make $3000.00 profit. if not how much was your supplies?

[NightScenes]

Let's not start talking pricing on the open forum. Maybe PM?

[skip1718]

sorry, i understand. did you have to buy the supplies you installed or did the customer supply them.

[Pro-Scapes]

We are installing our first one but if you know your overhead and costs then figuring how to bill anything you do should work the same.

Materials+overhead+profit margin= invoiced price.

We are billing it a bit different than paul. We are going with price of the job installed... then charging for take down. Im sure it works out about the same but it helps sometimes to make a sale if they dont need to pay it all up front plus I know I will have the cash flow later on.

[EagleLandscape]

I do not disclose profit margins, but I did purchase the products.

Also, the way I structured it (the suggested way from the manufacturer) is that this year the purchase products + labor, and then after take down i store the products and charge them a storage fee.

that way I will have them in my possession come next year. the following year, I just charge labor, and use the savings to upgrade current system (ie: add more wreaths, garland, lights, etc.)

Its a pretty cool business model I believe, and the other three contractors did not offer that. We were all the same price, but I was the only one that sold the materials to the customer.