[patphish]

i need some help pricing a turn on for some commerical properties, i know repairs are extra but what to charge for just a turn on im not really sure

 

[DanaMac]

i need some help pricing a turn on for some commerical properties, i know repairs are extra but what to charge for just a turn on im not really sure

Grin and bear it man. We're all going to beat you up on this.

You can't throw a blanket cost for it. Is it 4 zones or 40 or 400? Is the system on a pump and well? or city water? Do you know the system well enough to know what is what? and where every controller, valve and zone are? Is there a rain sensor that may impede operating the system that you might not know where it is?

Tell ya what. Say $40 and call it a good day

 

[Mike Leary]

Call A-1........ He'll teach you the trade for 124.99 a hour.

 

[patphish]

i know the trade very well just never have gotten into the commerical aspect

 

[Mike Leary]

The way I used to do it on a new commercial account was to have the client agree to a survey of the system (T&M) and submit a estimate of repairs to get it up to snuff.
Then, and only then, can a maintenance contract be negotiated. "Turning on" a system,
without a survey is like walking in front of a bus.

 

[patphish]

yeah i understand that, i've told them repairs are extra i.e. parts and labor. I'm just a little confused on what to charge for the startup on I.E. turning on the system checking each zone and programing clock

 

[DanaMac]

yeah i understand that, i've told them repairs are extra i.e. parts and labor. I'm just a little confused on what to charge for the startup on I.E. turning on the system checking each zone and programing clock

Then tell them it is all time and material. Whatever your rate is, plus parts.

A general question like yours is like asking "how much does a car cost?" There are too many variables. No way to know if the turn on will take 30 minutes, or 6 hours. A large complex might take all day to find the POC, pressure up to the BFP, slowly pressurize the mainline (and who knows if the last guy left drain valves open or where they are - so then you're hunting for those), find each controller, then turn on and evaluate each zone. Are you using a remote or walking back and forth to the controller each time you want to advance the zone? Like I said, it could be 4 zones, and it could be 400. Each zone could have 4 heads, and they may have 40 heads.

So there is no way to give a number other than T&M until you have worked on the system before. And even then, you figure it will take xxx number of hours times your hourly rate.

 

[mitchgo]

It's no different then a residential house..

 

[SoCalLandscapeMgmt]

yeah i understand that, i've told them repairs are extra i.e. parts and labor. I'm just a little confused on what to charge for the startup on I.E. turning on the system checking each zone and programing clock

You need to charge them what ever your required hourly rate is to cover your O.H. and make you margin. Then like everybody has said it's time and material from there! Nothing too hard about that. Nobody can tell you what to charge. You need to know your own numbers and charge what you need to charge to stay in business. :hammerhead: I really wish that people would learn this.