I have owned my excavator for about threes now just for my own stuff but my town ship wants me to take some trees out and some other things but I don't know where to start as far as how much and hour things like that. Plz help thank you
I don't know how big of a excavator you have, but for my ex120-5, I charge $130hr. Need to know how big of a machine you have and how much your time is worth to you.
I have a John Deere 120 and with the 130 an hour do you have a minim amount of hours you have to charge for. the reason I ask is some things they want done will take 15 min.
you obviously can't charge someone for 15 minutes work, it wouldnt be worth your time or frustration unless you happened to have the machine right there for another reason. you should try and get more work from them on that job or explain that you have a minimum charge of lets say $200 to move the machine and work less than an hour. or if you move it yourself, charge $120 an hour and do multiple jobs in one day charging for your whole time moving the machine and doing the work since its for a town the moves more than likely wont be more than 15 minutes or so of driving so work all day for the town lining the jobs up by closest distances first and charge for the whole day.
always make sure any price or how you are going to do the job or any other specifics are on the table before hand...don't assume they know. definately make sure it's worth your while, just because it's a job doesn't mean it's worth it and don't let anybody talk you out of charging less. once a repair comes along, you won't be talking a mechanic to do it for less, even if you are the mechanic. don't forget, if you do digging of any sort, make sure there is ABSOLUTELY NO chance of any type of wires/pipe underground. won't be the townships' tootsies that will be in the vise if you go through one. keep an eyebrow raised with townships too...<----that should be self explainitory
The moment that you work for hire you need liability insurance. I suspect that they will require this before hiring you, but I wouldn't risk doing anything for hire without it!
can't you bill it as "equipment lease" to township and beings none of them know how to run it, you volunteer your services....hypothetically speaking of course:lmao
When I rent equipment I have the option of declining liability insurance provided by the dealer, which I do as I have a liability insurance policy. I suppose you could do that with the Township, but if you are operating your machine and you push a tree over that hits a passing car do you think the attorneys will go after the Township only? If you hit a pretty orange fiber-optic cable, who will pay for that? Theoretically when you do this you are competing against other contractors that have to pay for insurance, worker's comp, unemployment, etc.. From my perspective it is only fair that the Township would require that you have insurance as it protects the Township as it does you. Just something to think about!
Something else to consider is 'when' you get paid. Ask how that works. Because if you have to front the fuel, buy insurance, hire a flag man or helper, pay workman's comp, transportation, dump fees, repairs, and/or a host of other business related expenses you want to know how the cash flows.
Yeah, I know...just throwing out the lazy farmer or weasel approach Any more now days you want both your front and backside covered...heck even wear an extra set of pants cuz somebother is always lookin' to sue the first pair off of you. It ALWAYS seems it's easier to do work for somebody private versus a govt. funded outfit, but hind side is the govt funded out fit has the money other wise they wouldn't be looking to do a job, where as the private guy could give two poots less once the job is done. I like coffee. Keep yer stick on the ice!