[Darryl G]

I just wanted to get some feedback on pricing for crushed stone driveway resurfacing. Yes, I've read all the threads on the subject already.

For background, I do mostly lawn maintenance but am trying to move away from that to more installs. Mostly just so I can hang out on this forum more, LOL.

I recently ran an add for gravel driveway resurfacing and am starting to get calls. I've done this work before (maybe 150 tons total), but don't think I've charged enough in the past.

So I have a driveway and turnaround measuring about 1,500 sq. ft. I will need to regrade/redistribute first, as there are some potholes and it's mounded to one end against landscape timbers due to plowing. Weeds along the edges...not too bad.

I'll use the JD 855 tractor with loader and landscape rake (I prefer the loader).

I figured 15 tons of 3/4 process (road base/traprock/basalt) which will cost me approx. $180 delivered, Marked up 25% to $225. I figured 5 hrs maximum with the tractor at $65/hr = $325. This includes some time for hand raking where necessary. Travel time is about 15 minutes each way. Total cost $550 or $36.60/ton.

Is this a fair price? Too cheap? To high? Just right?

My customer thinks it's high, but says she hasn't gotten any other pricing.

Thanks!

Darryl

P.S. - I compact and smooth it pretty well by backdragging with the loader bucket at a gradually decreasing angle.

 

[SuperShovel]

Hi Daryl,

It sound like you know what you are doing. You are DEFINITELY not too high.

I don't know if you are too low or not, but no way I would haul my tractor out for less than a $350 profit.

Good luck with response to your ad, thats a sweet deal. Nice and simple work.

 

[Darryl G]

Supershovel - Thanks for the reply. Of course, I don't want to be too low either.

BTW, I got the job. I picked up the signed contract and a check for 1/2 the amount this afternoon.

 

[GLAN]

Your material mark up is low.

And what about the hand labor?

 

[Darryl G]

Here's a follow up on this job, some job photos taken today. I graded things out yesterday and put the stone down today. The job was right on budget.

Here's before the new stone went down, but after the grading.

 

[Darryl G]

After

 

[Darryl G]

The pile

 

[Darryl G]

In progress (after 45 minutes of spreading)

 

[Darryl G]

last one

Glan - Thanks for the reply. How much would you mark it up?

 

[kris]

Your mark up is fine.

 

[Scag48]

I won't haul the skidsteer to another side job, say 4 hours of machine operation unless I make about 300 bucks. We charge $65 an hour every time we crank up the machine on a landscaping job. What I'm saying is if I'm doing alot of machine work, say 10-20 hours of machine work on one job, we charge $65 an hour, no hauling or transporting the machine for a couple of weeks, the machine just sits idle when not in use. Whenever I have to load it up and pull it off a larger job to do a small hallf or one day job, we charge $85 an hour to make up for the inconvinience. All I'm saying is you might consider raising your machine operation price, just seems a tad low to me. Good luck. Seems you've found a little niche. I love to be doing machine work instead of running the mower most days.

 

[Darryl G]

Scag48 - I hear what you're saying. I have a 5 hour minimum on machine work or it's a $150 mob/demob fee and 2 hour minimum. Works out about the same.

I also try to group my tractor jobs to minimize changing implements. Lawn installs/York raking and driveways fit together pretty well because I use the loader and rake for both.

My field mowing rate is a little lower and both my brush mowing and backhoe rates are higher. I don't think I could get $85/hour around here for my tractor...that'll get you a full size backhoe around here.

My rates include the operator. Do yours?

 

[Scag48]

Yessir, $85 an hour includes the operator. My dad and I discussed our pricing a little. We decided that for 4 hours or less of work, the hourly rate is $85 an hour. For 4 or more hours, the price is reduced to $80 an hour, much like a rental store if you were to rent a skid steer. Guess it's a bit of a price break if we're doing alot of machine work for a customer, we'll make it up in the long run anyway. When we run the Harley rake, our hourly rate is $100 an hour. We figured we had to mark up an additional price for the 7K initial investment on the rake.

 

[Darryl G]

Just a quick follow up.... yes I know it's been 6.5 years, lol. Looking back, I didn't charge enough for that job. The lady was a pain in the tail...claimed I didn't put down 10 tons of stone (I had to show her the slip from the quarry and the photos of the pile in the driveway before I had spread it). Even after that, she wasn't happy..didn't like the stone, even though I had discussed with her at length what stone to use, showed her samples of several different types and it was what she originally had down in the first place. She badmouthed me to a neighbor down the road that I had a bid in for a similar job for. That one was a bigger job that also included belgian block edging, so I didn't get that job. Mind you she said I did a great job, but she didn't like the stone. On top of that, she was slow to pay the balance (I had gotten 50% up front).

I did a few driveway jobs after that one and gave up on the idea. It seems that no matter what stone I use, people are never happy because there is no perfect stone. Loose stone looks good but never really locks into place very well, and process compacts well but the asthetics aren't great. I even brought one customer to a material supplier that has a couple dozen different kinds of stone...they picked one out, I put it down and then they wanted me to take it all up and put something else down, rofl. The biggest problem was that every time a pothole pops up, there's a heavy rainstorm and some washout or the plow guy screwed it all up they were expecting me to come back and fix it for free, years afterward.

 

[Darryl G]

Actually it was 15 tons, not 10, but whatever. It's been a while...I'm surprised I remember it at all, lol.