Does working by the hour ever work out?

Rio_Grande · Jul 1, 2012

I dont walk away from work lightly. We dont do alot of "hand clearing" most that we do is because a machine cant work on it. If we are slow like we have been I will take on the job. I actually think we would have taken a bit over 4 hours based on an hourly rate. I would have had 3 workers. 2 with brush cutters and one dragging brush. When the goat showed up we would have mowed the areas it could and switched to trimmer blades on the brush cutters and cleaned up the rest. I thnk we did the right thing. I think she agreed to use our service then got to thinking that it would cost her 400.00 and she could get it done cheaper. Somehow I dont think the neighbor kid will be bringing 2 other guys with 600 a piece brush cutters and liability insurance with him. Got forbid he fall down on that slope and eat the chainsaw while he was trying to cut the brush. Shame really she would have had a piece of ground she could have mowed with a walk behind weed eater or similar equiptment and we would have even fixed the 8 inch staubs sticking up in an area we had to drag through that the 15.00 an hour help diddnt have the equiptment to cut off at ground level.

Sorry just dawned on me i gave up work... LOL

whistlepig · Jul 1, 2012

I have given up work many times. It's not their equipment and they aren't doing the work or expense to buy and maintain it. It did a lot of brush hogging for realtors on vacant lots. Realtors didn't seem to mind paying the asking price. Home owners are a whole different beast. Early on I quit dealing with home owners. They seem to think I am doing them a favor and want me to do this for free

Rio_Grande · Jul 6, 2012

Stand corrected. 2 jobs this week by hr and not a problem. Guess I was just getting the wrong bids. I was missing the fan in the CTL today. On the tractor all day, not used to having that sun beat down on me.

whistlepig · Jul 7, 2012

Stick with pricing by the hour. You can give them a rough estimate if you want but if your hours run more than the estimate the buyer pays the difference. Let them know that going in. I have mowed many fields head high that the owners told me where flat as a pancake. Next thing I know I'm in the bottom of a twelve foot hole. They don't care. It's your time and your equipment and unless you let them know going in any problems is at their cost they really won't care.