Tweet
My first experience with hurricanes was Hugo in 1989. I noticed all the contractors coming from everywhere and charging exorbatant prices. I suffered no real damage. In 1996, Fran dropped a tree on my car, totaled, and poked a hole in the roof of my house. Again, the chainsaw people came out charging enormous price tags. Floyd was bad for flooding, but Isabel was mild in my area. However, there is work to be done. These people that take advantage of a bad situation always made me curious. My friends call it price gouging, my accountant calls it usury, the attorney general calls it criminal activity. I don't want to be called any negative name, but if somebody needs my service, I want to charge a price that is also fair to me.
The one and only job I did dropping limbs over 20 ft. from trees and removing limbs laying on the home and yard was about two weeks ago. I took a stab in the dark, bid at $170 and it took me three hours by myself to complete the job. I thought it was fair, but the homeowner is mad at me, although I already cashed the check. I'm sure that a real tree service company would have charged a lot more, so my conscience is clean.
My question is: Is there such a thing as expected price levels in these kind of situations? I can take down limbs, but don't do that for a living. I thought $50 per hour was quite reasonable for this kind of work. I am also curious about whether you get paid by the homeowner or if you have to wait on the insurance claim to kick in? I'm still too new to eyeball a bid. I won on some, lost on others. But there will be more hurricanes and ice storms. I just want to have a clue when I tell people my price. Any advice will be appreciated.
David Pearce
The one and only job I did dropping limbs over 20 ft. from trees and removing limbs laying on the home and yard was about two weeks ago. I took a stab in the dark, bid at $170 and it took me three hours by myself to complete the job. I thought it was fair, but the homeowner is mad at me, although I already cashed the check. I'm sure that a real tree service company would have charged a lot more, so my conscience is clean.
My question is: Is there such a thing as expected price levels in these kind of situations? I can take down limbs, but don't do that for a living. I thought $50 per hour was quite reasonable for this kind of work. I am also curious about whether you get paid by the homeowner or if you have to wait on the insurance claim to kick in? I'm still too new to eyeball a bid. I won on some, lost on others. But there will be more hurricanes and ice storms. I just want to have a clue when I tell people my price. Any advice will be appreciated.
David Pearce
