it depends
a normal break down no
but now if i am working in a really bad place that is known that i may have problems cause of the terrain yes i would charge him
i do alot of work that others run from, when every one else is running a way i find a way to get it done and they have to pay for that
I'll see if I can answer your original questionn with good business advice, but yours is a little tricky because you are coming from an hourly hire situation.
if i am working in a really bad place that is known that i may have problems cause of the terrain yes i would charge him
There is two ways of looking at this. First of all the clients view.
"The contractor under-quoted, got bogged (Read screwed up - from clients eyes)and now he expects me to foot the bill..."
I have to ask you how many referrals and how much good reputation you are going to get from that scenario:
The second way of going about it is to identify the problems beforehand, inform the client of the variables and Min/Max costs they may pay. This involves some extra work but in the long run your reputation is intact and I can tell you it avoids a whole heap of hassles like clients refusing to pay. It could be as simple as telling the client that any machine operating in the area stands a chance of getting bogged, and what you will be doing if this occurs, is the meter running etc.
If the terrain is terrible then your cost will reflect this in the first place.
I think if you bogged your machine on my property and tried to make me pay then I would hand you a bill for damages and remediation. Getting bogged is part of the game. If you may need special recovery the cost for this should be identified beforehand.
I know plenty of people want to submit a competitive price and just get on with the job, however, taking the time to plan contingencies and keep the client well informed will always enhance your reputation. On very hazardous jobs I have even had the client contract to cover my insurance excess. They have been more than happy to accept this protection and pay my higher price than the other cowboys who had not identified the problems nor had an answer for the client other than "you will pay if it goes wrong".
We all don't have X-ray vision and we can't forsee everything but an ounce of prevention might be more than a few pounds of cure.
When you go to the client with a "better plan" he sees straight away you are on the ball and heads above the competition.