[chefdrp]

If a custumer asks me to do an extra and i dont have the piece of equimptment and have to rent it do i charge the cust? Shouldnt i already have it if i told them i could do it?

 

[DUSTYCEDAR]

no no no no no if u said u could do something thats fine if u rent something u pas the charge along to the acc. just as if u owned it had to maintain it store it insure it and so on u have to charge the same either way just because u own equipment doesn't mean u don't charge to use it

 

[GLAN]

Customer pays the cost of rental

 

[dvmcmrhp52]

We rent for aerations,Customer always pays the cost.

 

[fblandscape]

This is something I do not agree with. I feel that if you are going to charge lets say $10 / M for aeration and the place is 15M then the price should be $150. Not $150 + $60? for rental of a machine. Now if you are working by the day doing irrigation systems then you should charge the rental fee for the ditch witch.

I hope that makes sense.

 

[dvmcmrhp52]

We get a whole lot more than that for aeration.If I could only get 150.00 for 15,000 Sq.Ft. I wouldn't bother.

 

[work_it]

I have to disagree with you on this one fblandscape. It doesn't make sense. If you only need a piece of equipment a few times a year there is no sense in buying it. When you have to rent a piece of equipment to do a particular job the rental fee is charged back to the acct. This is something that the customer needs to be aware of up front. That way they may want to seek bids from other companies. Another option is subbing the work out to someone who does have the equipment.

 

[fblandscape]

I'm just picking a hypothetical number there. However if you want to get into aeration prices... I got a price about a year ago of $125 to do a single pass over a 50M property. 2 passes they wanted I think $175.

 

[chefdrp]

Thanx for your comments. I think i will charge for the rent.

 

[Advanced Lawncare]

If I have to rent a piece of equipment the cost of the rental is included in the price to do the job. the rental fee is passed on to the customer, it just does not appear as a separate charge.

 

[fblandscape]

The point I was trying to make was that let's say I wanted you to aerate a 5M lawn. I ask you for a price and you say its $15 M however there is also a $60 rental charge. So that puts you in at $105 to aerate 5M. Now I ask a company which owns to aerate that same 5M lawn and they tell me again, $15 / M however they don't add on a rental charge. So you are bidding $105 against $45. Another way to look at it is; I ask you to cut my lawn which is really big. You need to rent a larger lawn mower to cut it. You give me a price which is for the lawn PLUS the rental fee. Another company goes in and tells me its the same price, less the rental fee. Who am I going to pick??? Not my fault you don't own the piece of machinery.

 

[dvmcmrhp52]

That would be the customers decision to make.
I am in the business of making money,Why would I not charge the customer for rental if I must do so?
Most big constuction companies rent equipment from time to time,do you think they don't charge for it ?

 

[fblandscape]

Oh, I think that they do charge for the rental. However they are either A) factoring that into their rate or B) working by the day / hour / month / etc. If somebody came to my property and told me that it is $X for doing Y but then there is an additional charge for renting Z which isn't figured into my rate... I would not be too happy. Tell me what you want for the job. Not "Well I get the going rate for doing X, but I also need to charge you Y for renting Z machine because I don't own it." A job is only worth so much.

 

[Runner]

Rental goes into the cost, but it is NOT itemized as that That is just ludicrous. As far as the example of the 5M lawn at $15 per M to do, that is just sort of an example where it wouldn't be worth doing. This is why we have minimums. I just did a job where we dug around 60 postholes for splitrail fence sections. The rental for the posthole digger was $45. (special rate for the weekend). However, this was no way put on the bill as "rental". Another thing to consider, especially when doing aerations. You DO NOT rent an aerator for one 5000 ft. job. Go out, and sell a bunch of aerations, first. Then, when you have them ALL lined up, you will not only have a betteridea of how long to rent the machine for, but you will have a whole bunch of 'em lined up to divide the rental into. Leave margin, because if you do this like on a Saturday (best day), you can pick up more and make fast money that was not expected at the time. People eat this stuff up, and when Mr. Johnson see Mr. Jones getting HIS done, Mr. Johnson will want his done as well. That is why Saturdays are great to do these add-ons.

 

[Navig8r]

Absolutely figured into the price of the job, but not itemized as such.

If I need to make, say, $35.00/hr to do a given job, and it will take me 3 hrs..... thats $105.00......... add to that the rental cost for any equipment needed.... and give the cust. that final price..........
Don't forget some time to pick-up / drop off equipment, and any extras such as damage waiver fees, tax, blades, etc... when figuring rental COST to yourself.

 

[Lombardi]

I rent quite often. One example is cutting sod. My minimum fee to do this is $150.00. The sod cutter will cost about $50.00. This cost is part of the $150.00. I still make $100.00 for about an hour of sod cutting.
Another thing I rent is a Toro Dingo. This cost about $130/day. That cost is charged to the customer, but it is not itemized on the bill.

 

[Gravely_Man]

Chefdrp, I hope you got approval from the customer on your estimate before renting the piece of equipment. You did not go into details but if the rental cost is high and you will be using this equipment for only this customer they will have a very large cost to eat. What I am saying is that by you renting the piece of equipment you may end up charging more then they are willing to pay.


Gravely_Man

 

[Scraper]

Originally posted by Runner
Leave margin, because if you do this like on a Saturday (best day), you can pick up more and make fast money that was not expected at the time. People eat this stuff up, and when Mr. Johnson see Mr. Jones getting HIS done, Mr. Johnson will want his done as well. That is why Saturdays are great to do these add-ons.

Great point Runner...I have picked up so much add-on work by working on a Saturday when people in the neighborhoods are out and about. Mind you I don't normally work Saturdays or Sundays for that matter, but when I have it usually pays off.