# Hourly Rates



## Cubevan

Grumpy said:


> PM or e-mail me and we can chat. I don't mind sharing this knowledge with regulars but don't want the general public knowing what my underwear looks like


Thanks Grumpy, I really appreciate that. It's not really important that I know, I was just curious. Best wishes to you and your roofing co. :Thumbs:


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## Cubevan

Jesse Kirchhoff said:


> I give this out with a list of services to every client:
> _
> By getting organized before you call Kirchhoff Handyman Solutions, you will save money, and also reduce the stress factor. It takes the same amount of drive time and set up time for one small job as it does for a several small jobs at the same location or even one larger project. It makes good sense to have multiple jobs completed per visit. Begin by walking through the entire property room by room. Then go outside and walk around the property looking at both the building and the grounds. Make a list of everything that needs attention. ”_


_

He's a makin a list..... checking it twice..... :cheesygri_


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## mdshunk

Cubevan said:


> MD...Do you get into things like wiring large shop machinery/motors etc or is the electrical work you do mainly for the building?



I do a certain amount of "new work" (more and more lately for some reason) but mostly I do service work. If it's connected to the end of a wire (or should be), I work on it. Machines, motors, buildings, lights,... whatever. At one point I would say that I did mostly residential, but the last couple of years that's changed pretty drasticly. I'd say I'm about 50/50 resi/commercial now. 

Waiting 30 days? Sounds pretty normal to me, and I don't have a problem with it. Sure, I'd like to be paid about 2 or 3 milliseconds after the job is done, but it's not going to matter a hill of beans to wait a bit.


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## Bsecdone

What about for a new guy starting out? Is a service charge of some sort good to establish?


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## Speedy Petey

Most I know use the service call rate method. This is a higher price for the first hour or half hour on a job. 
Mine is approx 1.5 times hourly rate for the first hour. Many guys I know who travel a bit for a job do 1.5x for the first half. 
Most of my work is within half hour travel so I am fine with how I do it.


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## slickshift

I don't charge hourly for my specialties
It's by the job
I will do other jobs at hourly (usually small commercial jobs)
The rate depends on what I am doing, and who it's for, so it can vary


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## Glasshousebltr

Grumpy, I think I read some time back, that you pay out on a thirty day thing your program. Did you change this? Just wondering way you wouldn't sign up with a program matching your own.

Rates? I follow the National Cost Estimator, so far it's been good to me. If I have to wing it, I'll stay around 40 per man hr, for a friend or family I somtimes bend the rules......... I know!......I know.....Can't help it.

Bob


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## Donedat

Very seldom do I do anything for an hourly rate. Usually it is a sq. ft. rate and that can vary depending on the job and how far I have to drive to get there.

When I do do something for hourly, it is usually $40 per hour. My minimum charge is usually $600 unless it is a tiny repair...then it is hourly from the time I leave the shop to the time I'm in the van at the end of the day.


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## rservices

I run a handyman company that focus's just on the restaurant industry, before I run out to one of the restaurant (I work with about 30 chains) I fax them a building check list so when I get there I'm ready for the work. I charge min 1 hour trip charge, if the restaurant is more than an hour away I charge actual time. Before I charged travel these people were using me as a tool box, they would call me out to turn a screw. I was spending a lot of time driving for an hours work.

Having run restaurants for over twenty years I understand that calling out some one for little repair's or running thought the phone book for a handfull of misc repair people cuts hard in to their bottom line, so they just let it build up. 

So the way I work is to make sure that I get as much done for their money as posible, and the 1 hour of work turns in to 3 to 4 hours of work, and there happy to have me, all of the things that were piling up get done in 1 shot. 

so in reality I've turned the 1 hour trip in to many hours of work and established a great relationship with these chains because I dont go in and turn a screw and send them a 150.00 bill.

the 30 day billing is though sometimes but I work with only major chains, they may pay late once and a while but they do pay.. It's good to get freindly with the accounts payable people.


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## fez-head

rservices said:


> I run a handyman company that focus's just on the restaurant industry, before I run out to one of the restaurant (I work with about 30 chains) I fax them a building check list so when I get there I'm ready for the work. I charge min 1 hour trip charge, if the restaurant is more than an hour away I charge actual time. Before I charged travel these people were using me as a tool box, they would call me out to turn a screw. I was spending a lot of time driving for an hours work.
> 
> Having run restaurants for over twenty years I understand that calling out some one for little repair's or running thought the phone book for a handfull of misc repair people cuts hard in to their bottom line, so they just let it build up.
> 
> So the way I work is to make sure that I get as much done for their money as posible, and the 1 hour of work turns in to 3 to 4 hours of work, and there happy to have me, all of the things that were piling up get done in 1 shot.
> 
> so in reality I've turned the 1 hour trip in to many hours of work and established a great relationship with these chains because I dont go in and turn a screw and send them a 150.00 bill.
> 
> the 30 day billing is though sometimes but I work with only major chains, they may pay late once and a while but they do pay.. It's good to get freindly with the accounts payable people.


I would love to see your check list to find out what I am missing on my own for the fast food chains. I would like to find out which chains you are working with in your area and have sent a PM to your account. 

thanks
Jesse R. Kirchhoff
Kirchhoff Handyman Solutions LLC
“Making Your Life A Lot Less Complicated”
www.midmohandyman.com (under construction)


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## kenyis

my boss pay me $9 a hour for Painting and translate and fill the vendor package for the companies...  and also i made the invoice for the companies  in my house (he dont know how to do that and im doing after work)

i think is to cheap but i dont have choice and im learnig everythig for be a contractor.  

Now im start my own company.


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## AAPaint

Who's employing you in Jax kenyis?


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## orionkf

Grumpy said:


> Hey MD, I never understood why commercial work costs more... I mean when ever I get stuff repaired myself and people ask if it's commercial or residential I always ask why it matters. I have never been given a straight answer except that "we charge different for commercial than we do for residential". Then I always ask why that is and all I hear is "ummm duh ummm welll ummm".
> 
> I know you are an educated guy. Can you give me a reason why someone would charge more? The only possible answer I can think of is they specialize in residential and aren't really insterested in commercial so they ask for more. Is that true?
> 
> Actually I can think of one other possible answer, which comes down to "businesses have more so are willing to pay more." That's actually my thought.



Along with the issues mentioned, would greater liability have anything to do with it? Bigger repairs if something does go wrong? Just a thought.


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## old27

kenyis said:


> my boss pay me $9 a hour for Painting and translate and fill the vendor package for the companies...  and also i made the invoice for the companies  in my house (he dont know how to do that and im doing after work)
> 
> i think is to cheap but i dont have choice and im learnig everythig for be a contractor.
> 
> Now im start my own company.


You get paid for translating? What language?


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## JustaFramer

Donde es trabajo?


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## tzzzz216

I just opened my plumbing shop, right now its a 1 man operation.I charge $ 45 for the first hour plus material then $30 an hour after that, but if they're just looking for me to come out for an estimate i charge $45. then if they want the work done at a later date i'll credit them $ 30 back,$ 15 dollars covers the gas to go out.


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## Pearce Services

Tzzzz216,

Where are you located.


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## tzzzz216

Pearce Services said:


> Tzzzz216,
> 
> Where are you located.


 I'm in northwest florida, Marianna
small town (very)


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## Pearce Services

If you are licensed and insured, I would think that your not charging nearly enough money for your services........


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## 747

A outstanding gc in K3 county who builds nice homes his son told me he charges 45 a hour Meaning his son who works with his father. They usually build 200,000 and up homes.


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## nadonailer

When a job requires, or a customer requests me to do T&M, I charge $75 per hour plus straight cost on materials...


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## JustaFramer

747 said:


> A outstanding gc in K3 county who builds nice homes his son told me he charges 45 a hour Meaning his son who works with his father. They usually build 200,000 and up homes.



New homes for 200,000 from where I am standing that is still tract'sville plus another 50 g's.


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## 747

In the county i live in. New homes range from like 170,000 to about 350,000. Now the nicest subdivision in the county is the bon vivant country club subdivison prices high two's low threes. But you do see one or two homes above 4 and there hard to sell. well when i'm home and go the the grocery store and get the free home sale book. Those homes over 4 are still listed. But those are big homes like 4000 square feet and about one or two years old. Usually listed as owner tranfering.


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## JustaFramer

I wish my I-L's just bought into a sub-division for I think around 400,000 it's only 2700 sq ft. but it's one of those opened up floor plans seems bigger. Funny thing is they still want the framer to build it for 4-5 a sq ft.


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## tzzzz216

Pearce Services said:


> If you are licensed and insured, I would think that your not charging nearly enough money for your services........



I am licensed and insured


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## Pearce Services

Tzzzz216-

There is a plumber here in Mass that I used to use for all my work. He does good work, but never charges enough, I was forever telling him to raise his rates, I would even pay him more than he quotes me. 

Are your rates typical for your area?


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## tzzzz216

Pearce Services said:


> Tzzzz216-
> 
> There is a plumber here in Mass that I used to use for all my work. He does good work, but never charges enough, I was forever telling him to raise his rates, I would even pay him more than he quotes me.
> 
> Are your rates typical for your area?



Pearce

Sorry Pearce i was away for awhile just saw your post, Thats been pretty much the feed back i've been getting that is typical for the area, the highest contactor price i've heard is $55 i'm not trying to under cut anyone just testing the waters to see what the area will stand, not to mention i have a low overhead right now, Did i mention there is only myself and 5 other plumbing companies in my county (165 sq miles) I'm not sure what i mean by that but i put it out there.. Thanks for the feed back, I hope you had a great New Years


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## LandscapePro

Cubevan,

General Service Call: 45.00 to pull in the driveway (local). 45.00 + 38.50 per 
hr. drive time for out of town. This buys you up to an hour and 15 min worth of work. Standard hourly rate after that + materials.

Landscape Installation: Standard hourly rate (38.50) + equipment charges.
Equipment charges vary as to equipment used. For instance a backhoe on 
the job will run you 65.00 per hr. with a 4 hr minimum. Load in / Load out 
charges for out of town work start at 100.00. (varies with milage)

Hardscape Installation: 52.00 per hr + above mentioned charges should they
apply.

Irrigation work: Same as General Service Call / Landscape Installation.

Landscape / Irrigation Design Services: 75.00 per hr. with 350.00 retainer 
paid up front. Balance paid upon final consultation / delivery of plans and 
estimate. At this point you own the plans whether I get the job or not.
If I do the work, 50% of the design total is credited to the final bill.

ALL materials are marked up a minimum of 25%. Live plant costs are 2X whatever I pay. All live plants carry a 1 year guarantee. (includes labor to replace) This doesn't apply of course to "Rover" using the bush as his own personal fire plug, drowning them or letting them die from lack of water.

Mike
La. Landscape Contractor #2576


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## Harborside

Grumpy said:


> Hey MD, I never understood why commercial work costs more... I mean when ever I get stuff repaired myself and people ask if it's commercial or residential I always ask why it matters. I have never been given a straight answer except that "we charge different for commercial than we do for residential". Then I always ask why that is and all I hear is "ummm duh ummm welll ummm".


This may not be true for other states, but in Texas, you would be asked whether it's commercial or residential simply because residential work is not taxable, and commercial work is (the labor)


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## detroit687

You must not work on many commercial jobs. All my jobs are usually are net 30 plus retainage


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