How far can a gallon go?

I got a lead on two lots that are 2 and 3.5 hrs away. There is enough work here to not travel but if it would get real slow in mid July and early August I would travel out to the boonies to do these two lots. I think the travel will cost more than the re-stripe. I am curious what everyones thoughts on travel charge are, are you charging for travel and how much? This would be if you travel from your home area, not if your migrating seasonal types.

I set mine at $125 mobilization fee for anything over 75 miles away, haven't had to use it tho. I just include it in the bid if and when I do the job. Sean Paramount Asphalt

I know of other service companies that charge per hour to and from plus service. How about if you could charge, what would you charge? For those of you who feel you can't for whatever reason.

$75 per hour for everything outside of a 50 mile radius (give or take).

i agree with stripes Ryan

Ken do you put a note in your invoice saying X amount of dollars is what it cost to mobilize to the job?? Or just add it to the sub total without making a note. Sean Paramount Asphalt

I just figure what the extra time is for travel and hotel costs, then add that into the bid. Say if it is 3hrs each way then you have 6 hours plus the time to do the job, about $75 for a room, and the extra fuel, also if its a longer job (several days) and I need to add Per Diem for the crews, then I will add that too. If around town I would have charged $250 for the job, I then add my additional costs to the $250 plus a little extra profit. We stopped adding the extras on a separate line called "travel charge" because too many people thought it was ridiculous, even if the travel was more than the job, so now we just add it in behind the scenes and nobody has said anything since..

\\\STRIPES/// wrote on Apr 16, 2005:Go to #4

$75 per hour for everything outside of a 50 mile radius (give or take).

Ken, is that for just you to show up? Or 75.00 per man per hour?

We charge $300 min no matter what.... Like the Asphaltman, just roll the travel and extra cost into the proposal (we never use the word "bid").

In a former life, for service work (middle 1980's) regardless of where it was, we charged 50 dollars per hour and 50 cents per mile. If you have 4-7 hours of non-productive time, you probably could make more money locally. Another way to look at it would be what Uncle Sam allows, just under 40 cents per mile (there and back), and on top of that charge an hourly fee for not productive driving time.

Mobilzation fees are a given, at least here. Each and every proposal that goes out has it as a line item just like any other service provider. It starts out at $25.00 per trip and goes up according to how far out they want me to go. As was stated by other before you have dead time when you are only driving to a job, some one must pay for that time. The reason that I have placed it as a seperate item is here we have a sales tax that must be charges on any type of work and material other than new construction. The mobilzation fee is repayment for wear, tear and fuel there by not taxable under the state law. Can not see charging or adding this cost into the total bill only to have it tax to the customer. My way of trying to help the customer. Just my thoughs on the subject. Bob

I have a $150.00 mobilization fee. Anything outside of 50 miles I charge $1.00 per mile.

I have traveled up to 450 miles one way. I add on 55 cents per mile to my proposal.

I'm glad to see I'm not the only desperate traveler.....$.75 per mile usually covers everything. If not, I just do a flat trip charge.

I'm just starting my 3rd year, and haven't done a job more than 30 miles from my home. So far, I haven't charged anything for jobs out of my town. After a couple more years, I'll probably add a fee (or if gas prices keep getting worse) but for now, I want all the work I can get, and I worry about pricing myself out of jobs. When I get so busy that I can't keep up, then I'll charge.

Hello Striping Enthusiasts, Was wondering just how many linear feet an airless could spray a 4 or 4.5 inch stripe with an .019,or.419? spray tip. Also, it has to be asked....does it take two coats,or just one good "floody"one?

You should get approx. 15 lines per gallon. There shouldn't be a need for a second coat unless it is required.

We get around 300 LF per gal (1,500 LF per pail). I would avoid a "flood" coat as too much paint can de-laminate (peel).

Imainly stripe over fresh sealer and get about 90-100 18ft stalls out of a 5gal. Like asphaltman stated stay away from the flooded or thick coats they will peel.

This topic begs the question: "How far do YOU want it to go , big boy?"