lot clearing

[enero]

this my first time asking a question. i just got a call for a lot clearing. the site is 2.4 acreas. the guy wants all trash picked up and some brush hauled. i'm lost when it comes to pricing. can anyone give some prices or experience if they have done lot clearing.

[BrianK10]

Charge by the hour.

[dancom]

I did a lot clean up that was not quite that big. I rented a 15 cubic yard dumpster for 175.00 and had it delivered to the property. when I was done I called the dumpster co. to pick the dumpster it was a lot easier than handling it twice. I figured it would take me two days to clean the lot by myself I figured 300.00 per day and added the 175.00 dumpster fee to the estimate gave the custome a bid for 750.00 and they were happy. i actualy got the job done in a day and a half so I came out a head on the deal. I always give a bid rather than tell a cutomer I will charge them by the hour.
Dan

[Rustic Goat]

As already answered, you need to charge by the time and labor involved, AND, cost plus for any equipment used if you need to bring any in other than what you have already on hand.
The time involved by the way, should be figured in # of man hours.

No clear definition can be offered here, this is a see it to price it situation. You may end up guessing, that's OK, it's a place to start your lot clearing bidding experience. Just bid so to make money/profit.

If it's possible to ask owner if there's a budget to do this job, then ask for that budget amount, then see if you can do it for that or you need them to increase it to make it worth your while.

[enero]

thanks for the input! i calculated by the hour and figured it would take 2 days. i gave the guy a price of $530. the guy never called back so guess i was too much. the place was a dump anyways and i still think i was low, he had plenty to haul. i received another call from a guy wanting me to do a cleanup on 11 acreas. i went to look at the site and this one was worst than the 2.4. there was rocks, fallen trees everywhere. the land was hilly and and uneven. the labor would have been intense since you really could not take a huge mower in there so anyways i give the guy a price of $4400 i figured he would not take the price so had nothing to lose even if he did. well i tell him the price and he tells me he was wanting to pay $400-$600. i had nothing to say after that just told him good luck and good bye.

[Rustic Goat]

Not that you aren't capable of doing these cleanups, but it sounds like what they need is someone with a dozer or tractor with a bucket on the front and a dump truck.

If they've gotten bids from anyone with akk that equipment though, I know the bids would have been much higher. You may hear back from them yet.

[J man]

land clearing is a good job to leave for a tree service. one who is equipped with the manpower and equipment to do it ( tub grinder, crane, knuckle booms etc.).
however they are good jobs to take on if you can rent a chipper and let the chips fly and dont have to worry about hauling anything away.