Not sure if this should be here or "in the office" category. What would good current rates be for D6C, D7E and D8H? All in good working order. I've been charging $130 to $150 for the 6 and 7 depending on what the job is. Sound good? I've been using the D8H in my own pits, but have recently been asked to bring it on an hourly job for this summer. Thanks in advance
I get 225 for Td 25s and charge for moving 1 way.
You're about spot on with what I was thinking. Any others have some thoughts? Thanks again
MattR, I charge $150.00 per hr. for my D6D , and $125.00 per hr. for my 550J (john deere) with the cost of fuel and parts a person has to make some profit. My main goal is to satisfy the customer, then they are more willing to pay your asking rate. I usually don't charge for moving if the job lasts a couple days or more.
It's really amazing how cheap some guys are working here. D6 machines for $85 and less. No joke at all. I've been around $130 for the D6. Should probably be a bit more. The D7 has been around $150. The D8 has to be at least $225 like was said above, I would sure think.
Remember a low hourly doesnt mean a low bill at the end of the job
We run D6r for 125 a hour 650j LGP for 125 Hitachi 230 -125 Deere 300g -150 Off road truck-125 Skid steer - 75 Southeast Georgia. Also for jobs under 40 hours we charge for moving one way. We are thinking. About bumping up the D6 rate I’m looking at getting a D8 and don’t know how much to charge per hour
We never moved any machine with out charging at least the actual moving costs both ways. The rental company doesn't do it for free either.
Good info from all. Please keep it coming. I think we are all interested to hear many opinions. I now charge at least one way of moving also. The scab timber company we used to work for really gave us the bone on everything. Machine rates, moving, all of it. I'm happy to have parted ways with Weyerhaeuser. At first I was a bit scared. After getting back into the real world, I can't believe how long I put up with it. Had the blinders of steady work on I guess. We made nothing. Sad part? There were, and are, guys lined up to take our place.
No doubt about it.
those low hourly rate guys are also the same ones with the machines literally falling apart and continuously wanting it absolutely jury rigged back together “just to finish this one job”
It's funny you say it like that. We were just talking about that. One of the local cheapies has duct tape for a hydraulic cap. Among a million other "riggings" . And you can tell it wasn't just till the new one came in. Unfortunately I used to be in their shoes until my parting ways with the timber company. I worked too cheap and didn't even know it. Just thought "that's the way it is" .
I think we all have worked too cheap at some point but I came to realization that u can go broke on the sofa watching tv or doing something that requires little effort and no work. If I’m working running equipment running a truck or even shoveling I’m gonna charge a price that I feel like I’m making some profit. Time is something u can never get back once it’s gone. Can’t work harder and buy more time so my time is becoming priceless to me.
I bid all of my jobs..……………...I am too efficient with a dozer to do hourly work and make a good profit.
Wanna know something, that's exactly what I tell my employees. I say it joking, but they all know it's true. That's also why I usually have them do it. The results still come very good, but without even trying I'd get it done too fast. So it takes a bit longer, but our customers are happy. Plus my main dozer operator is the most suave bullshitter that's ever been born. Customers LOVE him......And THAT sells. So we all end up happy.
Before I retired we always said that if we get all the jobs we bid we are working to cheap. Lot of truth in that statement.
we charge to move one way. The hourly rate for ten hours is a bit less then 5 or 6 hours. If the machine and operator are rented for weeks or months at a time, the rate is better again. Then there is the friends and family discount.
I agree with this as well
We do 95% hard bid commercial site work. Occasionally I'll do some hourly work but it's just to keep the iron moving and the guys paid. We are much more profitable supplying labor, equipment and materials for a retail or fast food joint. Hourly rates: 325FL, 321DL - $155 hr 953C - $135 hr (which is too low considering how much fuel it burns) D5G - $100 hr 279D - $85 hr without hydraulic attachment. CS533E - $105 hr $500 min mob in and out of a job regardless of size - except for CTL's. Larger site jobs where we have to mob in and out several times is $3,000. However that's for $150K project where we mob in build the pad and run utilities, come back to fine grade parking/walks and then finally backfill curbs/planters prior to landscaping. A couple of my favorite business sayings - I've never lost money on a job I didn't get. Be either tired or hungry - never be both. I can sit on my couch and loose money.
My dad used to always say the jobs/sales you have are more important than the ones you might get. Basically they are guaranteed money. Sometimes though you wish you had never bid on them because the job and/or the customer becomes a royal PIA.
No doubt there. And some of the worst clients are the very wealthy ones
Totally agree with that!
We are not the largest company in the province, but they have been in business since the 40s. They have been the primary asphalt provider in the area. Government work is tighter on pricing, as larger companies move their plants in and out. The owner tries to use home owners right when it comes to paving and earthwork. No cheap jobs, and no shortcuts. If you were given a price, and an issue comes up, we take the loss. A new forman came in from a larger company and tried to hide stumps and boulders in paved driveways in order to save money. When he told the big guy what he had done, expecting praise, he was sent back to redo the job before it was paved. Some people are impossible to deal with. Chances are the guy in the shack will pay before the guy in the mansion. Like the boss says, if you use people right, chances are they will hire you again even if you are a bit more money than the other guy. If buddy wants a stump pulled while you are there, and you can do it in less than half an hour without interfearing with the main job, go ahead. People might not sing the praises of a job well done, but you can rest assured that it will be all over town if you do a poor job.
Ageee. I have a D5k, when customers ask my hourly rate I reply the I need to look at project and then give them a bid. They seem impressed with how quickly I can get a project done. They know what their paying up front. If they add more work I figure $150hr....
I charge 185.00 hr. D6H LGP and 2.5 hr to move at 185.00. If i am going to go broke my machines can sit in the yard not wore out on the job.Parts and fuel and oil are super high here.
In Hawaii its 10k an acre rip and rolled, 400-500 for delivery.
A hard thing for me to learn in basic accounting was that a normal profit is part of cost. Said another way, if you're not making a normal profit over time, you're not covering all your costs. So, the owner needs to know what ALL the costs are, including asset recovery (depreciation) as if he were an absentee owner who employed an on-site manager who could also be an operator, then add a profit to that total. Otherwise, hire yourself out as an operator to your competition. Smaller operations might not have a manager, but an owner who is also an operator should earn a wage for operating, as well as a profit on his investment and income for his management that includes planning, selling jobs, etc. On the obverse, excess profits breeds ruinous competition. Neill
We charged 85$ hour for D6D, 95$ hour for D7F, and 105$ for D8H with rippers back in the early 2000s here in Triad of NC. Now we bid everything. But occasionally I get a farmer or someone asking for hourly rates and I don't know what to shoot for.
We were doing a driveway this week. The next door neighbor wanted to know what it would cost to grade around his house. I figured a couple of hours, so the boss told him 650 bucks. He was like... that's 325 an hour. I said, we are a crew of three, and the other 2 guys have to get paid even if I am the only one working