What would you charge?

[Parker22]

I just began a landscaping job, as of right now I have completed one of three of the clients jobs and my bid was too low on the first.... I am new to this and for the most part I have only been doing driveways and dirt work.

My question is what would you charge to haul (10 miles away from quarry), and place 4X12" Rip Rap? (ranging from 8lbs to 80 lb pieces) I have done 8 ton so far, I barely broke even on the first client (as I am new to this), but the neighbors now want it done. I need additional help which won't be an issue, but what is the going rate for this type of work? The next two customers will need much more RR....

Here is are a couple photos (NOT MY WORK) of a VERY similar project to what I am doing.

http://www.feeltheambiance.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/100_2298.jpg

http://www.feeltheambiance.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/DSC006381.jpg

I am hauling via my pickup and a Imperial "Lowboy/Car-hauler" trailer. Hauling 4-5 ton each time. Materials are roughly $25+ Tax.... Placing by hand but pulling up close to the water. All of the customers are anal about their yards... Equipment is a big NO-NO in the grass..

Any advice/input is greatly appreciated!!

Thanks,

Parker22

 

[Turbo21835]

Pretty simple. What are your costs? Plus your profit. Dont forget to cover your taxes, insurance, and the cost to operate your truck and trailer.

 

[Scrub Puller]

Yair . . . Parker22 As Turbo21835 It should be pretty simple. You must have some idea of your costs to know you "barely broke even" on the first client.

As I see it all you need to apply is a fair hourly rate to your pick up, trailer and labour and any other costs of doing business . . . if the clients are unwilling to pay that rate then walk away.

Around here mark-up on unskilled labour seems to be about 100%.

Cheers

 

[blowerman]

That's a lot of work for a rip rap job. I'd place Alturnamats down, use a mini ex with thumb. Faster and easier on the body.
If you still want to do it by hand, from a safety standpoint, have the stone delivered. How are you getting the stone to the shore? The truck and trailer make just as much if not more damage than a tracked (asv type) skiddy.
Do you need permits to rebuild a shoreline wall?

 

[buckfever]

How about using plywood and a concrete buggy to bring the rock to the shore. Then have something small like a walk behind loader or whatever you have available to load the buggy.

If a machine of any kind is not a option I'd figure like the other folks said. Operating cost pluses what you are looking for in profit.

 

[CM1995]

The reason the neighbors want you to do their work is because you are too cheap...not trying to be a hard/wise ass but helping answer your question.

From the example pictures you posted, that is a **** ton of rip-rap to haul on a trailer and place manually. Your cost to line the shore with rip-rap manually should be substantially more than doing it with machines and replacing the damage to the yards. Just my $.02.:cool2

 

[Oxbow]

Parker, one thing that took a bit to get through my thick head regarding pricing is the actual cost of labor. In my case, my top guys get $27 per hour, which based upon a 45 hour week and accounting for overtime, FICA, workers comp, unemployment insurance, liability insurance (which im my case at least is based upon payroll, never quite figured that out as if I pay an employee more one would think that the employee would be less likely to due something that would incurr an insurance claim... sorry, back to the point), my cost for the employee per hour is about $45.

 

[Parker22]

Well let's put it this way. I am simply asking what should I be trying to NET?

Let's say the next job will take me 2 full days, 18 ton of material, all placed by hand. Cost of materials, overhead, and labor we will say will be $1250 to make it simple. After all my expenses how much are others netting on this type of work. I want to be below the competition but, I don't want to work for too cheap.

 

[briscoetab]

Well it is whatever you want to net. I mean that is a broad question to ask, no one know the market where you are or what going rates are there for that kind of work. If it was where I lived here is how I would figure it roughly.

Truck and Trailer we will say 25 dollars per hour. 25 x 20(hours) 500 dollars

You said you would need help so we will say 1 unskilled labor cost you 11 dollars per hour you charge 15 per hour. 15 x 24(hours w/overtime) 360

You will be acting as general foreman so you charge 30 per hour 30x24 (hours w/overtime added in) 720

Cost of material we will say 750 is what you paid so add say a 15% mark up so you charge 862

Add up everything besides the material and you get 1,580 then add 20% 1,896. Add your materials and you get 2,758. That is pretty much how I figure all our bids but they are much larger and can take up to months to complete.

I was just using all of the rates and markup percents for an example but that’s probably pretty close to what I would charge down here or something like that. One thing I have to add, you have to include yourself in the labor cost, you have to pay and charge for yourself.

Let’s use your 1250 dollars and break it down. Ok 1 person at 10 dollars and hour (you charge 12 an hour) for 2 days with overtime cost 288 dollars. Plus yourself at 15 dollars an hour (you charge 18) is 432. That leaves you with 530 dollars (1250 - 720). You’re saying that the cost of operating your truck and trailer and materials is only 530 dollars.

Once again all the numbers are just an example. That is how I figure it.