What should I charge to remove a Tree Stump
- Thread starter L3130
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ronjhall
Super Star Member
I removed a 12" tree stump for my neighbor last year. They took wife and I out to one of the nicest Italian restaurants in the area for dinner. It may have been cheaper for them to pay me for the 3 hour job. They had been quoted by a local tree company $500.
AntrimMan
Gold Member
Good day 3130,
how far must you move the machine?
what kind of tree was it?
what happens with the hole you will create?
what happens to the stump once removed?
is this for family or as a business opportunity?
I suggest you do it for free just to see what is involved.
Martin
how far must you move the machine?
what kind of tree was it?
what happens with the hole you will create?
what happens to the stump once removed?
is this for family or as a business opportunity?
I suggest you do it for free just to see what is involved.
Martin
FREE?? I don't think so. I have a 30,000 dollar machine here. I have to move my tractor on a trailer 8 miles to get to this job. I will be just filling the hole with dirt as they will take care of the grass grow if they wish. I was thinking 200.00 does that sound fair?
AntrimMan
Gold Member
I guess it's not for family.
yep, $200 cash sounds like a good deal for a total of around 3 hours work door to door.
I just dont feel comfortable doing things away from home because of all the incidental costs involved, insurance etc.
If you were working next door it's a $50 job for a minimum hours work so $200 sounds good to me for what you say is involved.
When you think of it, $50 an hour for man and machine hardly pays the expenses if you are in business.
Martin
yep, $200 cash sounds like a good deal for a total of around 3 hours work door to door.
I just dont feel comfortable doing things away from home because of all the incidental costs involved, insurance etc.
If you were working next door it's a $50 job for a minimum hours work so $200 sounds good to me for what you say is involved.
When you think of it, $50 an hour for man and machine hardly pays the expenses if you are in business.
Martin
scott_vt
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L3130 said:
Mornin L3130,
You seem to have a figure your thinking about in your mind. Im sure you came up with that figure by adding how much of your time it takes to load your machine onto a trailer, unload and do the stump removal, and then reload your machine and bring it home. It doesnt sound unreasonable to me. But more importantly how does it sound to the people who need the stump removed ? What are the prevailing rates in your area ? If thats the amount you feel you need to get, give the party your quote and go from there.
daTeacha
Veteran Member
The guys around here tend to charge X amount per man hour and Y amount per machine hour. Both charges are time out to time in since an hourly worker gets paid while traveling from job to job (except lunch break) once his day starts and the tractor or whatever is hauled by a dump truck and trailer that don't run for free.
When I hire out excavating, the guy I work with cuts me a small break since I helped him out with some work when he was just getting started. He hits me for $60 per hour, man or machine, but everyone and everything is working pretty hard during those hours. His normal rate is at least $65 per hour, more for the bigger machines.
You can get some idea what to charge by trying to estimate how many hours you expect to get out of your $30,000 backhoe investment, plus the maintenance/repairs on it during that time. Then figure what a good operator costs his company, including insurance, unemployment, office costs, etc. that accrue while he is working. The guy may get paid $25 per hour, but the cost to keep him working is considerably more than that.
I'd say $50 per man and machine hour is more than fair. Auto dealers charge more than that for a technician to work on your car or truck.
When I hire out excavating, the guy I work with cuts me a small break since I helped him out with some work when he was just getting started. He hits me for $60 per hour, man or machine, but everyone and everything is working pretty hard during those hours. His normal rate is at least $65 per hour, more for the bigger machines.
You can get some idea what to charge by trying to estimate how many hours you expect to get out of your $30,000 backhoe investment, plus the maintenance/repairs on it during that time. Then figure what a good operator costs his company, including insurance, unemployment, office costs, etc. that accrue while he is working. The guy may get paid $25 per hour, but the cost to keep him working is considerably more than that.
I'd say $50 per man and machine hour is more than fair. Auto dealers charge more than that for a technician to work on your car or truck.
1948berg
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If you cant do it free, dont do it.
This is a typical goodwill job that you can do if you are in the neighborhood.
This is a typical goodwill job that you can do if you are in the neighborhood.
hunterridgefarm
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L3130,
I would charge $75.00 an hour with a 3 hour minimum. Let them know that the loading and travel time is included in the 3 hour minimum or that 1.5 hours of the minimum is for travel and load/unloading of tractor. And that they get actual tractor time of 1.5 hours. That way if you remove the stump and they ahve a couple of more things they want you to do that runs over your minimum you get paid for the extra time. And $75.00 hour is cheap for this type of work.
Just my $.05 worth. Would of been $.02 but due to inflation...
But if it is a friend your doing this for thats a different story.
I would charge $75.00 an hour with a 3 hour minimum. Let them know that the loading and travel time is included in the 3 hour minimum or that 1.5 hours of the minimum is for travel and load/unloading of tractor. And that they get actual tractor time of 1.5 hours. That way if you remove the stump and they ahve a couple of more things they want you to do that runs over your minimum you get paid for the extra time. And $75.00 hour is cheap for this type of work.
Just my $.05 worth. Would of been $.02 but due to inflation...
But if it is a friend your doing this for thats a different story.