Price Per Inch?

Jamin_Mayer

Jamin_Mayer

Location
Longmont, CO
I have been in business for 6 years now. I used to refer out stump grinding jobs. Since, I have an employee now, I plan on letting him run the machine every Friday while I do my estimates. And Saturdays, if necessary.

I plan on running that side of the business as if it is a separate business. What I mean is this: I figure the expense of the stump grinder, the pick up truck & fuel, and labor should pay for itself with the jobs it generates. And when the word gets out, it will bring me supplemental income.
wink.gif


I finally ordered a stump grinder. I got a Rayco 1625 Super Jr. $12k brand spank'n new! It will be here at the end of the week!
icon10.gif
icon14.gif


Sorry for the long explanation... Here is the question for those who have experience with this:

In my situation I laid out here, what is a good dollar per inch for the grinder?
thinking.gif
 
Congrats on the new machine! had a super junior myself but traded it for a carlton 7015 with remote.Going rate around here,( minnesota) is $2 per inch., haul chips $2,backfill $2. I try to get a $100 minimum.I get a lot of stump calls but rarely get the work, to many part timers running around here and i can't compete with them. So i mainly use the machine for my own stuff.
 
Around here it's roughly $5 per inch... give or take a few bucks.

I was talking with Brendon the other day though, and said to him I feel that if you're going to be using a smaller grinder... such as a 252, 1625, etc. etc. that it's probably better to price by the hour... at least if you're grinding big stumps that is. I mean a little 12" guy with your machine won't take long... but when you get into those big guys... you'll be taking forever. The machine I rent now for stump grinding is a super RG50... almost $400 per day, but if I have a few jobs lined up I make out rather well.
 
I can't believe it is $2 dollars per inch in some parts!
bigeyes.gif


I have seen and heard of guys around her at $4-5 dollars per inch. I have even seen as low as $3 per inch.

If I were to charge a lower price per inch, I'd have to send out someone who I don't have to pay that high. I currently pay my groundie/climber $17/hr. I think it would be smarter to send out a $10/hr guy.
thinking.gif
 
Last time I checked, hourly rate was about $100 per.I do much better by the inch. With good teeth, I can grind an 18" oak stump in about 5 min. (no lie) get a bunch of them on one job and I can make some serious coin. keep in mind we're measuring at the widest part of the root flair.
 
The 2 stumps I have that Brendon saw... together they are priced at $650. I'd be in shock if they took over 2 hrs to grind out. At $100 per hour... that wouldn't be too good.
 
The only time i see guys going hourly is when they're on a big job, like a lot clear and working for a contractor.I have a friend that grinds full time, he says his best money jobs are city contracts,He rarely goes to a client to give them a bid ,he takes care of that part over the phone ,and lets them do the math.He claims "big volume", is how he makes his money.
 
Bidding by the inch is a good way to lose money.

Example, assume 2 stumps, both need to be ground down 8 inches...and not allowing for root flare and roots:


10 inch stump= 628 cubic inches

20 inch stump =2512 cubic inches

Double the diameter, 4 times the work.
 
I bid by the inch ,that does'nt mean i don't pay attention to how much money I've made in an Hours time.I've done willow tip out(blown over) stumps in 30 min. for $350 , $700 an hour, not to bad.I like to do big stumps but never with a small machine.When i had my small machine i considered bidding by the square inch instead of by inch by diameter but that really never caught on
 
The size of your unit does matter no matter what you hear ;-) I price by the inch $2.00 per inch to grind and go always measuring the stump from the widest point from where it comes out of the ground to where it drops back in. I get $4.00 per inch to grind and haul. Depending on how many removals you do will typically determine how many stumps you will grind, unless you know you will be getting referred out a lot, you will be mostly grinding out your own take downs. I think you will be surprised to find out how quickly inches add up and like I read on another post with sharp teeth and a good time conscious employee you can make goood money with that rig
 
If your pricing by the diameter inch...how do adjust price for the depth your going? Or, surface roots? How about those stumps that are 2 (plus) times bigger under the surface?
 
I thought you might like that little analogy. hope some of this info helps you out. Just so you know I used to have a big unit and I traded it in for a smaller more efficient unit. I have to work it harder but it does get the job done.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Back
Top Bottom