Milwaukee vs DeWalt Tools, which one?
We’re Lock Nerds Locksmith, a Buffalo, NY-based company that’s always relied on Milwaukee tools. But we’re curious—what tools do other pros trust? We're looking for honest pros and cons between Milwaukee and DeWalt to see if it's time for us to reconsider our setup.What would you charge?
Hi everyone, I’ve got a landscaping job coming up and I’m looking for some advice on pricing it fairly. The job includes: Clearing out the backyard and the side of the house (removing overgrowth, debris, smaller trees, etc.) Hauling away all the waste and debris Cleaning out the gutters I already have images and a short video of the areas ready to share for context. Link: https://imgur.com/a/OJTrye7 I’m in the Lima, Ohio area and trying to figure out a fair total charge for this job. Based on the scope, how would you suggest I price it? Should I go hourly, flat rate, or a mix? Any tips on factoring in hauling and gutter work would be really appreciated. Thanks in advance for your guidance!Seeking ideas for developing power partnerships to better work with clients & grow our biz?!!
Hi all, We are a local fire protection company here in Los Angeles and we do both sales and service of fire extinguishers, as well as specialty fire equipment and resources. I am putting this question out there both for connections and suggestions on best developing power partnership with other local companies that work with residences, properties and businesses, to help collaborate on our services provided and add more value to them and more revenue to both partners. Example of our power partners are roofers, GC's, management companies, HOAs, solar companies, fire and water damage companies, Security and locksmith companies, Insurance agencies... Would love to hear your feedback and suggestions and love to work with you as well, if we could benefit from partnership. This, would be a more effective way to grow our businesses than social media or other passive ways I believe! Payam. Lavi | Supervisor PalFirePro.comHow 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.
Time Clock / Employee Time Tracking
Hey all! We have approximately 20-25 W2 employees who clock in and out using the ADP app. Processing payroll has recently been a hassle due to time discrepancies. Adjusting time cards for each employee is not only time-consuming but can be very costly if things are missed over time. What have you found to help with maintaining accurate time cards for employees? Please paste the link to any hardware you use. I'd love to see what systems you all use for employees to clock in physically instead of over the cell phone.How do you measure crew productivity?
I know Jobber has the employee productivity report. It doesn't work great for a company that has a ton of recurring jobs with fixed billing. I'm curious how people are measuring their crew performance. There are so many ways to track it. Budgeted hours vs actual, revenue per hour worked, jobs completed, visits completed - the list goes on. Curious to know what works for you and your team. What metrics do you look at to gauge crew productivity?Fully Electric / Fully Organic Lawn Maintenance Company…. Your Thoughts?
Is this innovative or stupid? Do you care and / or will anyone else care? And if so how do we promote this and let’s take this just one step further…. How can we advocate for more sustainable/cleaner energy? This is a lot to ask. Take your time to answer and let’s gather and move in unison to change the status quo together. Small doesn’t mean weak. The war is already won, but are you ready to take up the sword to fight the battle in front of you now?
Pay for performance in Lawn Care and Landscaping - has anyone been successful?
I know this has been talked about many times, but I'm thinking about re-visiting this option. How have you structured your pay for performance when you have crews that do totally different things? For example- we have some crews that just do lawn maintenance (bi-weekly grass cutting, weed eating, etc), and other crews that do 'projects' (french drains, hardscapes, etc). And some guys that float between the different crews. My brain cannot conceive metrics that would be equitable for both groups. Would we have a different set of metrics for each type of crew? A different set for the grass cutting crew vs the projects crew? What are some examples of metrics that you have successfully used? How did you measure or track them? I think I'm just 'stuck' on how to even get started. I've looked at so many conversations on this that my brain is in overload. Can someone give me a hand here? Can I just see your metrics? Help. Please.Do you utilize battery-powered tools?
Handheld battery-powered tools have come a long way from their first iterations, especially over the past few years. I've started making the switch away from gas-powered equipment throughout the last few seasons for my business and have found the switch to be positive for my workflow and bottom line. This is a trend I believe will continue as batteries become more powerful and long-lasting. Are you utilizing any battery-powered equipment and, if so, do you have any favorites you'd like to share??
