How Much Should You Really Be Charging?
The number one question I receive is tied directly to the fact, most contractors are still guessing when it comes to pricing. Overhead. Profit. Labor rate. Trip fees. They think just because they throw a number they hear their competitors use, thats all that they need. It may work, but how and what do you divide these funds is just as important for your business health. If you don’t know how to do the math, you’re not building a business. You’re surviving check to check and think you need more work, when you do not. So here’s the plan: This Tuesday & Thursday on IG, I’m walking you through our Contractor Price Builder Worksheet FREE on instagram live. We will cover: - How to calculate your real hourly rate - The difference between markup and margin - Why profit is a non-negotiable - And how to price with confidence Join the session. Bring your numbers.Pricing, Profits, and Financing What Works for You?”
Running a business isn’t just about doing the work — it’s about knowing your numbers. I’ve been working on refining my pricing strategies, making sure my profit margins are healthy, and figuring out when it’s time to hire a financial expert to help. How do you guys manage your finances? Do you have someone helping with taxes or strategy, or are you handling it all yourself?”*Pricing Advice & Client Management Tips for New Landscaper
Hi everyone, I’m fairly new to landscaping and trying to get a better handle on pricing my work and managing clients. Right now, I mostly check local prices and try to go a bit cheaper, but I’m still confused about charging per hour versus per job. For example, sometimes a job might be tougher but I get it done faster because of experience or efficiency. If I charge hourly, I worry I might be punishing myself by charging less for harder work done quickly. So I usually price per job and just guesstimate a fair rate. I’d love advice on how you set prices fairly and consistently. Also, what tools or software do you use to manage your clients and jobs? Are there any good free or low-cost options for someone just starting out? Any tips regarding profit, couting in gas, time, etc I'd love to hear thanks so much! I’m based in Lima, OH, if that matters for local pricing tips. Thanks so much in advance!
Sharing Processing Fees
I love Jobber. It has helped transform the front-end of our business by streamlining the calls - requests - estimate - job conversion - invoicing process. Our receivable time has reduced drastically due to the ease of Jobber payments (credit/debit/ACH) and financing options. The record keeping of client communications is very helpful and all of the data reports are helpful with job costing and showing us where and how we can become more efficient. I have been holding my breath, hoping that Jobber will soon have an easy option in the payment areas to either apply the full or split by percentage, the processing fee. It is reasonable at the current rate, but it certainly adds up at the end of each month and year. Just like inputting a percentage of required deposit, I would love to see a percentage I could apply towards the fee for the customer that is customizable and transparent for them. This may change their ultimate decision on the method they seek to use, but it would also allow me to reinvest the savings elsewhere. I have tried adding a line item in the quote for the processing fee, but it can add a lot of manual effort to reconfigure if there are certain change orders or adjustments throughout the job. I'd like to hear other people's experience with it, if possible. Any ideas are helpful, insight, or plans for the future regarding Jobber payments. Thank you!
Plumbing Bids
I just started a plumbing business and I get the concept of bidding but somehow always end up under estimating. I even doubled my last bid and still somehow ended up an impactful amount of hours over. I don't know if I visualize my objective wrong or I'm really that much slower than I anticipate (If that makes sense). The materials I buy are marked price + 30% and hourly is pretty straightforward, I charge from the moment I leave the office to the moment I return. Change orders are a weak point for me and I know the consequences of doing free labor. Is there any special courses to perfect bidding?
Home Services Assessment Fee
Hi everyone, I'm looking for advice on how to clearly and professionally communicate to potential clients that I charge an onsite assessment fee before moving forward with an assessment scheduling. For those of you who charge a similar fee, how do you usually bring it up in conversation? Do you include it in your Jobber quote or send it separately? Are there any tips on wording or timing that can help set the right expectations without scaring off potential leads? I appreciate any insights; thank you in advance!We’re In Q3 — How Are Your 2025 Goals Holding Up?
Now that we’ve officially entered Q3… I’m checking in: • Are you where you thought you’d be by this point in the year? • What worked well in the first half? • And what needs to be tweaked so you don’t coast through summer? For us, we’re doubling down on and been using this visual from our Blueprint Series to stay focused each quarter: Would love to hear from others: What’s one change you’re making to finish Q3 strong?Do Electrical Contractors Understand Costs ?
I’m not talking about materials and labor. I’m talking about the real costs, not just the bare minimum ... the hidden stuff that slowly eats away at your margin while you’re out chasing the next job. After spending the last few months traveling with contractors across the country, I keep seeing the same problem: Everyone talks about revenue or price like it means anything So here I created another visual... A Blueprint to Understanding Cost — Because I’m tired of watching good contractors work hard and still stay broke. This is everything that goes into the number before you even think about profit. What do you guys think?
