Minimum hourly rate?

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The only reason to lower standard pricing should be if it's better to work than sit. I took it a step farther when I started and didn't have confidence in bidding. If a job went well and was done quicker than I thought I'd lower the price and explain why. Big mistake. They'd never smile, barely say thanks. I'd get the feeling they were thinking what were you doing in the first place overpricing, ripping us off etc. I rarely allow the client to help. I spend to much time worrying about their safety.

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I agree completely.
 
Some very good advice. How do you figure in driving time/mileage? I have been including in my bid 1-way driving time at my regular hourly rate. I pay my guys that way too. Just curious how the rest of you do it.
 
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Some very good advice. How do you figure in driving time/mileage? I have been including in my bid 1-way driving time at my regular hourly rate. I pay my guys that way too. Just curious how the rest of you do it.

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I think what you're doing is fine by bidding 1-way with your hourly rate. I'll do the same for the most part. But, it depends on distance to the job.

Are you saying you only pay your guys one way with drive time? Can you explain a little more? --Just curious.
 
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Are you saying you only pay your guys one way with drive time? Can you explain a little more? --Just curious.


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If you are paying your guys only one way of travel, I don't think that is even legal. I know I wouldn't stand for it. As far as figuring it into the bid your method seems reasonable.
 
For customers we figure one way time plus a fraction of that for the return trip.

What we do is assume the job will be the first of the day so we'll have full drive time <u>to</u> the site and then head to another site, charging for a fraction of the return trip that we have calculated and massaged out over the years.

Not perfect but it works.

we make adjustments for really short jobs and full day jobs accordingly.

As for paying the guys, you have to pay them for any time that you have control over. Which means if they are working or riding in your vehicle back to your shop you gotta pay them.

If they leave the job site with no further accountability to you for the rest of the day then you can check them out when they leave the job site.

This, of course is all contingent on whether you pay piecework, daily or hourly. In any case, you still need to monitor the total time that you have control over their time because if their week's pay, divided by the aggregate hours is less than minimum wage then you have to give them more coin to meet the min wage requirements.
 
There are many crews in my area that only pay "on the job" time. I agree that if you expect them to do extra work after you get back, that time needs paid. Looks like I need to study this out a bit. Thanks for the input.
 
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There are many crews in my area that only pay "on the job" time. I agree that if you expect them to do extra work after you get back, that time needs paid. Looks like I need to study this out a bit. Thanks for the input.

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I'd adjust the prices a little higher to make up for the time you need to pay your employee.
 
Employees need to be paid from the time you arrive at the shop and are under supervision. Why would an employer think they wouldn't pay someone while they are in care and control of any equipment let alone the most expensive piece a tree service owns, it's truck and chipper??
 
A good friend of mine worked for a very large construction company here in CT. They did not pay anyone riding in the truck, unless you were the driver. There was times the foreman would hand him a job layout/cone layout for road work and expect him to memorize it during the ride. He'd refuse and the guy would get pist.

Pay from the time you get to the shop, from the time you leave, it's only fair. Adjust your hourly rate to take care of that and your all set.
 
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Some very good advice. How do you figure in driving time/mileage? I have been including in my bid 1-way driving time at my regular hourly rate. I pay my guys that way too. Just curious how the rest of you do it.

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I have been working in this business for close to twenty years now. I have never heard, seen nor worked for anyone with this policy. I mean no disrespect, but you are kidding, right? Please say you are kidding! I must understand the reasoning behind this policy, please explain.
 
i have a small crew and i pay my guys travel time to and from, up until equipment is cleaned and put away that is only fair. i have not heard of that either. i am not even sure that it is legal to do so.
 
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