pricing large estate??

[j2short]

Have it down on the .25 to an acre on my pricing try to pull $50 an hour avg. Just had an opportunity threw a current customer her relative has a 10-12 acre estate wants price on cutting every 10-14 days .
Specs. 1.5 acre pond, several natural areas . 2 large berms at entrance. 1200-1500 ft. drive. a small guest house, decent size shop and another business at entrance, 3 acres around the house is also irrigated.
Its manacured ok I guess could use some fixing up. Price was figuring what x-amount per acre and go from there?? Has a lotta up keep all the extras a can bank on getting. The lady wants like a monthly estimate for every thing.
The job could bring on some extra accounts down the road as well .
Those who have these types how do estimate such large properties, I am figuring 6-8 hours to cut it myself. Do I soften up on the cut price because of all the up-sells. Thanks for any opinions, Jeff

[Grasshoppers1]

Have it down on the .25 to an acre on my pricing try to pull $50 an hour avg. Just had an opportunity threw a current customer her relative has a 10-12 acre estate wants price on cutting every 10-14 days .
Specs. 1.5 acre pond, several natural areas . 2 large berms at entrance. 1200-1500 ft. drive. a small guest house, decent size shop and another business at entrance, 3 acres around the house is also irrigated.
Its manacured ok I guess could use some fixing up. Price was figuring what x-amount per acre and go from there?? Has a lotta up keep all the extras a can bank on getting. The lady wants like a monthly estimate for every thing.
The job could bring on some extra accounts down the road as well .
Those who have these types how do estimate such large properties, I am figuring 6-8 hours to cut it myself. Do I soften up on the cut price because of all the up-sells. Thanks for any opinions, Jeff

What kind of machine do you have

[highlander316]

10-14 days, screw it. Irrigated? Your asking for problems.

[N.TX]

Just give her a price bases on cutting it once a week. Explain the benefits of cutting it more often and if she doesn't agree then let her know it will be almost just as much to cut it on a 2 week basis. I cut a 4 acre place that takes me 4hrs by myself but its got a long drive to edge and blow, has some trees ect. I use a 60inch z. I think the going rate is 50 to 60 per acre but i would assume with that if there is alot of open mowing you could go a little cheaper. I would do maybe 45-50 an acre min on open mowing and do 60 on the other and go from there.

[Sammy]

The job could bring on some extra accounts down the road as well .

Never bid a job in the hope that they will get you more accounts "Down The Road".

[Sammy]

Specs. 1.5 acre pond, several natural areas . 2 large berms at entrance. 1200-1500 ft. drive. a small guest house, decent size shop and another business at entrance, 3 acres around the house is also irrigated.

You need to figure out how much area you are going to be mowing.
With several nature areas and a 1.5 acre pond, plus 4 buildings and
driveways, how much is left to mow ?

Also, you will be trimming a lot because of the 2 homes, shop and
business building. Parking area for the other biz? Need to blow that also ?

[Number 10]

What he said

Never bid a job in the hope that they will get you more accounts "Down The Road".

That has never woked for me.

If any discount is given it is given once the upsell has been confirmed. Many people that live in these big estates are land rich and cash poor. They never realized how much it actually costs to maintain these properties.
Of course this one could be different!!

[steve-o]

i'm with highlander on this.............

10-14 days, screw it. Irrigated? Your asking for problems.

you could always split the area up with the irrigated being weekly and what's left, every other week. then again, we could have a wet summer and you are still screwed. me, i would concentrate on the smaller residentials under 10k that you can get in and out real quick.


steve

[scagguy]

you could always split the area up with the irrigated being weekly and what's left, every other week. then again, we could have a wet summer and you are still screwed. me, i would concentrate on the smaller residentials under 10k that you can get in and out real quick.


steve

Yep!!! Once June rolls around you'll be wishing that you never took this gig. Except for a few grandfathered customers, all of mine are weekly. Period.

[j2short]

Eq. is a 52'' everide. Sure I like the 30 min. jobs for 30-45 bucks but if I get this its like picking up 10-12 accounts no driving (5 min. from the house) and its high maintanence$$. The lady's brother is one of my neighbors and a good buddy. He tells me she put the guy she is replacing in business has several crews now. Guess he forgot that she was important to his success.
Last 2 years I have grown 13 to 26 accounts. This year my first depending on lawn care alone, Im looking to fill my schedule and this would put me close... and save gas Deisel is $3.60 here
Count on the shrubs and such that would need pruning is 350 plus this Im figuring $3 to 3.50 per.... that sound right. Most jobs I do 2.50 small and 5.00 large.

[steve-o]

Eq. is a 52'' everide. Sure I like the 30 min. jobs for 30-45 bucks but if I get this its like picking up 10-12 accounts no driving (5 min. from the house) and its high maintanence$$. The lady's brother is one of my neighbors and a good buddy. He tells me she put the guy she is replacing in business has several crews now. Guess he forgot that she was important to his success.
Last 2 years I have grown 13 to 26 accounts. This year my first depending on lawn care alone, Im looking to fill my schedule and this would put me close... and save gas Deisel is $3.60 here
Count on the shrubs and such that would need pruning is 350 plus this Im figuring $3 to 3.50 per.... that sound right. Most jobs I do 2.50 small and 5.00 large.

this will be a total beotch if it is 10 to 14 days. can you make time for pruning and clean-up for 350 shrubs? 26 accounts, you still must be solo. you gonna hire somebody extra for this one account that just might sink your ship? what happens when you have a total wash-out? what are you gonna do with the other 26 smaller ones which i would think would grow into maybe double that if you are going full-time this season? i'd go slower if i was you.


steve

[clclawn]

an account like this i would price the mowing per mow, then an hourly rate for the extras, it works great on our larger accounts. No bid, no money talk, just do what needs done and bill for it.

As far as the this account gose though, you may want to think about walking or getting a better plan, the one you have may not work, and this is one hell of a bridge to burn.

[j2short]

an account like this i would price the mowing per mow, then an hourly rate for the extras, it works great on our larger accounts. No bid, no money talk, just do what needs done and bill for it.

As far as the this account gose though, you may want to think about walking or getting a better plan, the one you have may not work, and this is one hell of a bridge to burn.

Pricing hourly for the extras sounds good ...but on the extras my profit can range from $40-100 an hour. Most hourly work I do is when im slow and I charge $35 plus $15 for any help I might have. I feel If I do that I would be losing money.

I feel as though I you guys think this job could be trouble but all I can see is tha $$$.

[Bulldog26]

Don't let the $$$$ cloud your judgment

Pricing hourly for the extras sounds good ...but on the extras my profit can range from $40-100 an hour. Most hourly work I do is when im slow and I charge $35 plus $15 for any help I might have. I feel If I do that I would be losing money.

I feel as though I you guys think this job could be trouble but all I can see is tha $$$.

I think everone in here thinks it a great job to get, but you might not be right for the job. Not trying to say you can't do it you just might not be ready for it with equipment and manpower. If you take this job you might end up letting down this new client or many of the other 26 you currently do and make a bad name for yourself in the future.
Just m2c.

bt

[clclawn]

Pricing hourly for the extras sounds good ...but on the extras my profit can range from $40-100 an hour. Most hourly work I do is when im slow and I charge $35 plus $15 for any help I might have. I feel If I do that I would be losing money.

I feel as though I you guys think this job could be trouble but all I can see is tha $$$.

On larger accounts like this its ok to have a lower hourly average. The volume makes up for the occasional 100 per hour. Also, you can take a lower hourly since you will never bid wrong. There is no way to lose money, so you don't have to account for that.

Now why would you ever charge less for man hours. If it 35 an hour then charge 35 an hour. If i were your customer i would request you never show up and only send your cheap underpriced labor. Your screwing yourself and getting your customers into a bad habbit.

As far as if you should take the job. In the past i have bid on things i wanted soo bad, but knowing what i know now i could have never done the job at the time. You have a long way to go before you can handle this property so pass on it or learn fast.