There are a couple of ways to charge, by the job (go fast and make some money) or by the hour. My time is 35 per hour. A tractor costs about 10-12 per hour to run, replacement cost, maintenance, fuel and depreciation, etc. I have a friend the just traded off a skid loader. He kept records and his cost to operate was 6.70 per hour.
Add your rate to the cost and then figure that you need to have a profit on the equipment. So my final cost is $55.00 per hour with a driver. Two-hour minimum. It takes me a half hour to load, hook the trailer, check everything and fuel. Then there is travel time. And finally unload, clean up, etc. Half hour load and prep, half hour each way to the job and one hour on the job with a half hour unload and clean up the rig makes 3 hours of time for $55.00. We are loosing money on this one. With a two-hour minimum we have 4 hours for $110, not too great, but we should at least break even.
All these people are our friends and we don't want to take advantage of them, but pull up a natural gas line and see who pays, certainly not our friend, he wasn't operating the tractor.
My insurance (landscaper rate) costs $65 per month. Can't leave home without it.
<font color=blue>Oh and when you get the jokers that say joe shome will do it for 15 an hour so why is your price so high</font color=blue>
Certainly there are people that will undercut your price. On another site I read this answer to them: "Sure, I can do it for that......but I'll still make the same amount of money. I have to to stay in business. At my rate, my experience, and knowledge work for you. At the lower rate they work for me. So I can do the job for less, and you'll always wonder where I cut the corner. Which rate would you prefer?"
Don't undercut yourself; be bold when offering your price. You are worth it. I lose to others on some estimates. Right now I could stay busy 24 hours per day/7 days per week, so if I loose to someone else, it's ok, I still have plenty of work.
