What is your average square foot price for...

[rogerservesyou]

Mowing:
Line trimmer:

Thanks, will post mine after a few responses. Just need to prep myself to see how embarrased or happy we should me.

[Elwood]

In the maint. business, you are selling time. Having an average for yourself is fine, but selling by the ft2 is nto good business. Some 25k lawns may cut a lot quicker than another 10k lawn. Everyones average will be a lot different. Some cut appartment complexes, some cut fast food joints. Throw in travel time and your average is worthless from a pricing standpoint.

[rogerservesyou]

First off excuse my bad typo in my question, the last word should be we not me.

I do relize everyone is selling time. Though everything also can be broken down into an average price per square foot.

Assuming a project is a residential, flat, no obsticals (beds, trees, so on) surrounded by chain link fence on all sides that is precisly 1/8 acre in size(5,445 sq feet). Grass is 4-5 inches high, has scattered fox tail growth around edge of fence. Gate to enter yard is 48 inches and fence is 3 feet tall.

How would each person price this?

[RRS]

I doubt you'll get anyone to give out their price/ft2.

I use this pricing structure and it's very easy to adjust for obstacles and etc. Simply add a multiplier into your equation for each level of difficulty.

[rogerservesyou]

I doubt you'll get anyone to give out their price/ft2.

I use this pricing structure and it's very easy to adjust for obstacles and etc. Simply add a multiplier into your equation for each level of difficulty.

Oh well. I have looked over several "how would you bid this" threads and can get a rough idea anyways. So I did not think it was to "personal". I know there are many other factors as well. I have a gut feeling we are able to charge considerably more than some could in other locations.

[RRS]

Most people including me that use this pricing structure have a base stop fee for anything under a set square footage.

[Elwood]

I have a gut feeling we are able to charge considerably more than some could in other locations.

The closer you are to the money (larger cities) typically the more you can charge. Typically, the larger the city, the better the local economy and the higher standard of living, ie. better paying jobs, higher priced homes, cars, etc.

[Phil Nilsson]

Relate your time trials to square feet, adjust for variables.

[Elwood]

Relate your time trials to square feet, adjust for variables.

If you group your properties together by "type" I can see where there may be some benifit as an aid when pricing, but if you group apartment complexes with fast food chains with cemeteries with all the different sized residential lawns, it is a recipe for disaster if you decide to price with this method.

Not saying it can't work, it will just take a LOT of experience and adjustments to make it successful. In the end, time is simpler and more accurate.

[rogerservesyou]

If you group your properties together by "type" I can see where there may be some benifit as an aid when pricing, but if you group apartment complexes with fast food chains with cemeteries with all the different sized residential lawns, it is a recipe for disaster if you decide to price with this method.

Not saying it can't work, it will just take a LOT of experience and adjustments to make it successful. In the end, time is simpler and more accurate.

I will be very clear.

I use math for assorted reasons and I have a great deal of time trials based on a wide variety of difficulties (slopes, obsticles, and so on).

I have also advertised using hour rates as well as square foot rates. I get a much higher response with the square foot rates. This advertising type is always very targeted so I already have a very good idea of what each property is like.

I posted this thread though to possibly see some others break downs of square foot charges. Hourly is simple, we are averaging 77.21 per man hour. (this includes travel times)

[Elwood]

This advertising type is always very targeted so I already have a very good idea of what each property is like.

And this is why your system is a success!!!

[GeeVee]

Your average square foot is 12 by 12.

Or a hundred and fourty four square inches....

Square foot pricing is not useful for mowing.

Rarely will you just mow. or just line trim.

No need to micro manage that far down to check your numbers.......

[dwyman]

I posted this thread though to possibly see some others break downs of square foot charges. Hourly is simple, we are averaging 77.21 per man hour. (this includes travel times)

If you're averaging that per man hour including drive, I would say you don't need a comparison. You are doing well above average. You said per man hour so I'm assuming with 2 guys working 8 hours a day you are grossing
over 1200 per day off that crew.

[rogerservesyou]

If you're averaging that per man hour including drive, I would say you don't need a comparison. You are doing well above average. You said per man hour so I'm assuming with 2 guys working 8 hours a day you are grossing
over 1200 per day off that crew.

I am a stats junky and I will freely admit it. My other business's have pushed me into that direction of knowing every micro detail. I know many will say it is not needed, I just run things a lot differently.