Bidding a job and specifics

[dhutch]

I'm looking for advice, opinions or answers to a few questions I have on bidding a job. I want to make sure I'm not cutting my throat by underbidding, but also not overcharging the customer.

I'm a veteran, still doing about the same job that I did on active duty, but now as a government contractor. I've always wanted to own/run a small business doing dozer work, land clearing, etc. So I've started a part-time business doing just that. I work a few hours each day of the week and on Saturday doing small jobs. I currently own a Dresser TD-15C dozer and a 175C track loader, both bought used and repaired to get to a decent level of dependability for working jobs. I also have a '90 Freightliner classic and an older 35-ton lowboy. I'm looking at buying an excavator to do ponds, demo, etc.

For my questions, When I bid a job, I'm building up experience to know how much time it will take to clear an acre or do this or that. But what about moving the equipment to the site? I've been charging a few hundred dollars, depending on the distance, to move the dozer from A to B. Is that how most people/companies are paying for the truck? Or is that cost included in the expense of operating the equipment?

Any help or advice is appreciated as I'm trying to figure out the best means of covering truck expenses.

 

[ianjoub]

You need to get paid for moving the equipment around to the jobs. I would not itemize it in a bid though. Many people/companies charge $x to show up, then $x /hr.

 

[AzIron]

if your asking how do people charge for transport its pretty simple as far as mob in and out you just figure the price you need to have to move that iron

almost all my work is t and m because most jobs are under 10 hours so we just charge travel time at the rate of the machine for our backhoes and mini exes. were not making money on our trucks we are just covering cost of trucking but usually we haul to the job in the morning complete the job and haul out the same day.

on stuff were i bring in bigger equipment that will stay on the job a while its a set fee in and the same out.

 

[dhutch]

Thanks for the responses. I've been charging pretty much as you guys mentioned. I did learn that putting a moving charge on a bill will raise eyebrows, so I say its mileage for the truck and loading/unloading time when asked. I also do a lot of small jobs, less than 10 hours, and harder to add the move charges in.

After two years of dealing with good people I did get stiffed this past weekend when the woman went back on our agreement and even after letting her know the charges before the job, she refused to pay after the job was done. I eventually got a few hundred dollars, but its still the principle of a deadbeat that irritates me. I'll be contacting my lawyer this week to have a good contract drawn up for future jobs.

 

[AzIron]

If your jobs are 10 hours or less contracts wont do squat unless you can pay a lawyer only thing to do on those is file a lean

If a moving charge raises questions then maybe they can't afford the work anyway you may not make money moving in and out but you can't afford to do less than break even