How is this not robbery?

[evo803]

JJ If they quoted you 3hrs to do the job and it actually took them 2hrs 45 min would you have paid them the quoted price ?

At what point is it robbery ? Where would you draw the line . They finish in 2hrs 30min.....or is it 2hrs 15min......or is it 2hrs ?

When you had your landcare business how did you bill ?
Flatrate by an estimate of how long it would take plus materials I am assuming.

At what point did you start crediting customers back if you finished quicker than you estimated ?

What if you had two jobs and could buy the sprinkler heads in bulk and saved .30 cents each would you refund the customers ? If you didnt are you robbing them ?

Bottom line is you should have left oncce you saw the $45/hr labor rate.

 

[Qapla]

... Where would you draw the line ...

This is not that hard to determine. I tell my customers up front that my time is charged in 15 minute intervals. Therefore, if I quote 3 hours and it only takes 1.5 hours --- it is 1.5 hours. If it takes 1.2 hours, it is charged for 1.25 hours.

Most people do not get upset over a difference of 10 minutes when the job is properly done. They do get upset when you charge them twice the time it really takes.

 

[LD1]

Most people do not get upset over a difference of 10 minutes when the job is properly done. They do get upset when you charge them twice the time it really takes.

But the whole issue here is twice the time at HALF the cost.

Isnt the end result the same??

2 X 1/2 =1......right?

 

[J_J]

JJ If they quoted you 3hrs to do the job and it actually took them 2hrs 45 min would you have paid them the quoted price ?

At what point is it robbery ? Where would you draw the line . They finish in 2hrs 30min.....or is it 2hrs 15min......or is it 2hrs ?

When you had your landcare business how did you bill ?
Flatrate by an estimate of how long it would take plus materials I am assuming.

At what point did you start crediting customers back if you finished quicker than you estimated ?

What if you had two jobs and could buy the sprinkler heads in bulk and saved .30 cents each would you refund the customers ? If you didnt are you robbing them ?

Bottom line is you should have left oncce you saw the $45/hr labor rate.

As far as what to charge for a lawn/landscape job, One who has been in the business knows about what it takes to do a lawn. You have a verbal or written contract with the customer, explaining the flat rate and any extra's that might come about. The price would be the price per cut, with them understanding that some months have 5 cuts in a month. If they agree, then you cut the agreed amount of cuts, and bill monthly. Any extra's, are billed accordingly. I used Quick Books, and the invoice was very clear about the day of cut, number of cuts, etc, plus any extra's. Side jobs were also done and detailed such as sprinkler repair, pressure washing, blowing off roofs, replacing shrubs, mulch,etc. All detailed, and I had receipts for any purchases if requested.

For 20 years, I did this kind of work, after retiring from the U S NAVY with 22.5 years, as an aviation electronics technician and aircrew member flying P2V Neptune, , and P3C Orion in the East coast, Europe, and Caribbean.

 

[evo803]

As far as what to charge for a lawn/landscape job, One who has been in the business knows about what it takes to do a lawn. You have a verbal or written contract with the customer, explaining the flat rate and any extra's that might come about..

That is all good but when you started out you had no experience so you had to estimate how long it would take . So you go look at a job and it looks very complicated it has alot of obstacles,low hanging branches etc... You give the guy a price ( based on time ) and he accepts. Now after cutting the property for a while you come up with a better way to deal with the obstacles and you can do the job much faster . Do you refund the extra or do you keep it ? Again at what point do you see this as robbery ?

 

[TonyF]

Its called a fixed priced contract. You use the hour estimates and materials for the work to determine the cost and set the price, then tell the customer it will cost a fixed price to do the work. If your run over, them you eat the costs (within a certain extent, there are case laws covering it) and if you complete it under the hours you estimated, then it is extra profit. Nothing illegal or unethical about it.

The key is to be able to quote the job accurately, otherwise everyone suffers. I once had a master machinist tell me "never quote a job standing."

 

[Fugowwee]

The times are developed by a third party provider not usually the shop. They are based on an AVERAGE technician with basic tools. They include the time it takes to get the tools out, use, clean and replace. The times do not take into account broken nuts, bolts, screws or electrical connectors. It is the shops choice as to weather they pay straight hourly or flat rate. Both have their pros and cons but usually you find if the shop is straight hourly the base technician wage is a few bucks higher than a flat rate shops. The hourly MAY have better quality but you WILL WAIT! They are also generaly not as profitable and may not have special equipment that speeds a job along. A flat rate shop is interested in turn time and more often than not have numerous special tools to make it happen. A technician of journeyman skill in a flat rate shop is usually 125% efficient. I have worked in and around various blue collar skilled trades the first few times a person does a given operation they loose time, then they break even then it becomes quicker and more profitable. Your paying for their skill and years of knowledge. I could go on as there is a lot to this and there are no hard fast rules or answers to any of it as each business/shop is different but it is what it is.

Ultimately if you don't like the estimate try negotiateing still don't like it go elsewhere there is almost always some one willing to do the work cheaper! Or do it yourself. Enjoy your freedom of choice.

One could also not watch then you don't know how long it took so it's all good! Ignorrance is bliss!!!

Later,
Fugowwee