Does this sound like it was too much?

I did a job for a landscaping contractor a few months ago and I haven't heard back from him since. It was a new layout, 21 stalls, 2 handicaps w/ 1 hatch spot, 2 painted stop lines, 2 stop signs, 2 handicap signs, about 125 feet of yellow curb with a "fire lane" and before the job started I had to pressure wash the lot where the lines were to go because after they did the final asphalt they ran the skid steer over it. It was a pretty straight forward job nothing to go crazy over. With the pressure washing, installing the signs and doing the lines it took me about 1.5 days. I charged him about $1000 bucks, does that seem unreasonable to anyone? I do have a truck to pay for and insurance so it's not like I'm trying to make a couple of extra bucks, I'm trying to make a living.

looks good to me.

$1500

Price looks good to me also. It should of taken about six hours, no pressure washing here. Just wire broom and power blow and away you go. Pressure washing causes dry time. I always try and avoid that.

Stripes had the right price about $1500. The only thing that might have upset the landscaper is that he might have ask another striper what he would have did it for after the fact and he told him a cheaper price. Otherwise he got the job done for a good price.

how did you guys break down your pricing on the pw and the striping, i would charge about $700 or $800 for the striping...

$1000 per day or $1500 for the day and 1/2

Ditto

Your kidding?.... are you guys bidding by the day now...LOL. Stripes, i didn't expect that kind of answer from you too.

Gross revenue of $1000 per day per man is a target we strive for. It does not matter if we are doing signs, painting or removal. Of course in actuality that does vary depending on if the job is a cherry or lemon. We love the days when we get $3000/day per man but you've gotta have those once in a while to make up for the $100 days. All-in-all, $1000/day is not unreasonable to charge unless your days are only a couple of hours long. As for bidding, I bid each job separately and take into account all known variables. It is not bid by the day but usually starts with a spreadsheet giving me a "base price" and I adjust up or down from there according to my gut, inside information, experience or other factors. There are times when a job you can do for $500 will actually bring $2500 or more but there are also times when you would have to do a $500 job for $200 just to keep a competitor out or "give" something for a bigger fish later. It all comes with experience, knowing your competition, your market and the jobs that are bidding.

When it is winter and I have to warm up all the equipment, materials, paint, me etc. it takes a lot longer to do a job. If it is that important that the job needs to be done this time of year and it interfears with other work that makes $1000 a day then That is what I charge. Summer work when I have the striping equipment running and the weather cooperates then the bid is by the ft. with mob. At $1000 a day the customer gets what ever it takes to do the job. Sweeping, pressure washing, blow drying, 500,000 BTU torch. paint machine, paint. etc. If that job was summer here it would only take 1 day and cost around $1000 anyway, (Footage, stencils, layout, prep, traffic control etc,) Winter time demands I work in unfavorable conditions which indeeds to be paid for. In this particular situation it does not matter what he charged because he did not get paid. I believe the price that was charged was low in my area but could have been double for other areas. Most any work I do brings in $1000 a day average for the year. That is the bases for my pricing. Yours may be different.

ASI Randy and Dwan took the time to explain better than I. I was jus too tired to take the time. The $1500 also falls within my parameters if I were to price it out by the unit.

I recently hired a guy to do some pressure washing (new construction cleanup). I met him a couple months ago, he had a sign on his truck, so I asked for a card. When my machine went down recently, I called him (actually his parent's phone) and asked him if he'd like to work. I told him, I'd pay him $15.00 an hour, and he jumped right on it. I kinda scratched my head.....pleased with my shrewd negotiation skills . So he shows up with his machine, works his butt off for six hours, and I pay him his $90.00 . This guy couldn't be happier! So out of curiosity, I asked if he had much work. He says, he has a few steady accounts, but works for a temporary agency on his off days. He reluctantly tells me he makes a whopping $5.15 an hour. He says "Shoot, I've never made $15.00 an hour, in my life!" Come to find out, he lives in a low rent apartment, with no phone. He and his girlfriend share a truck. and so-on and so-on. The poor guy is a hard worker, just not real bright. NO business sense whatsoever. My point, is you shouldn't be asking us (PLP forum) if you pricing is correct. Ask yourself, if you were fairly compensated for YOUR time, effort, & materials. Every individual's situation is different. If your putting food on the table and a roof over your head, be thankful. $100 a day to one person is as good as $1000 a day to the next. Go out and do a quality job for a FAIR price and more work will come. As it does, adjust your business and lifestyle accordingly. By the way, I hired this guy to do two more jobs since and if our workload increases, I've considered offering him a fulltime job. Imagine what I'd get out of him for $8.00 an hour! Just some food for thought.