Totally ran out of work

[lemoncurd1702]

Congrats on the new arrival Ash.
Don't know how you manage with no work through the winter, it would financially cripple me.
I bust my ass off in the late Summer early Autumn building up work to see me through till March/April.

[Forestboy1978]

Congrats on the new arrival Ash.
Don't know how you manage with no work through the winter, it would financially cripple me.
I bust my ass off in the late Summer early Autumn building up work to see me through till March/April.

Nor do I understand it. His work is sheer quality too IMO. Can't believe the phone ever stops ringing.

[DempseyLiverpool]

Its a struggle mate other firms near me say they're booked up till July already. Seem to have a good presence online, just had the vans written up, always have site signs on jobs. Got the social networks, recommendations. Just joined the Marshalls reg so that might get me 1 or 2.

Marshalls rep thought I was expensive.. I usually charge around £100 sqm for indian stone then just add the extra material cost onto that for anything else. I always seem to be around the same money as others in my area.

New signwriting and site signs
Made up with that combo, got it in Jan this year for £2000 spent a day cleaning it and its like new only 1 owner and 40k on it to0.







T-shirts

[lutonlagerlout]

many congratulations on the new arrival Ashley , made me laugh that the rep thought you were expensive
does he want you to work for bread and water?
better to be known as expensive but oozing quality IMHO
LLL

[DempseyLiverpool]

Cheers Tony I thought £100 was a good price, I usually end up putting a sett border in for that as well just to get the job !!

[Forestboy1978]

Cheers Tony I thought £100 was a good price, I usually end up putting a sett border in for that as well just to get the job !!

I wouldn't do it for £100 per meter if the job was 10,000 meters OMG

How can you make money at that price? Does that include VAT?

I wouldn't do it for £100 per meter if the job was 10,000 meters OMG

How can you make money at that price? Does that include VAT?

Things are sooo much cheaper up north...

[DempseyLiverpool]

Don't think gear is that much cheaper up north. Bulk bag aggregates around £40, cement £6, 8 tonne skips & grabs £160-£200, standard Indian stone £20-£30 sqm.

Maybe I need to start charging more ??..... Whats the going rate down south at the moment ? I see Tony Mc has guide price of £105 for Indian stone patios last updated 2012

Im getting chased from peoples properties when i mention prices start from £100sqm.

[dig dug dan]

I never charge by the metre, always by the job.
surely some require more digging out than others, some are more awkward access, drainage etc.

[Forestboy1978]

I charge £150 per meter inc VAT for sandstone and wouldn't dream of doing it for less. I do use limestone scalps and a 4:1 bed and weather point for grouting and sbr backs of slabs etc and a 6 inch sub base to feel safe.

Maybe I'd go less than that for 25 meters or above and if it was square etc with minimal cuts but how can you run a business with a couple of vehicles, storage, machine maintenance VAT to pay etc at £100 per meter inc VAT? Take off what 8% when you even out the VAT out and in. Take off another 40% in expenses. Just doesn't compute unless you can lay 15m2 per day which I certainly can't.

And then there's the hidden things that pop up that the customer just wont pay for unless they are a damn angel from heaven.

Bugger that.

[dig dug dan]

Two of us on a job, I can usually do 30sqm no problem, less if I have to follow a pattern or lots of manholes and cuts.

[lemoncurd1702]

Ash.
I would say £100 is around the norm but as always there are those who will do it for less, a lot less and they know the true value of their work.
I would like to charge more but there is a ceiling.
You need to screw your merchants down though. Ex vat I'm getting £33 across the board bulk bags £4.10 mastercrete. Inert skip £150 inc. vat mixed waste £190 inc.vat. Riven sandstone from local merchant £18/m2+vat.
Your work Is among the best I've seen on here and can't understand how the winters leave you dry.

[DempseyLiverpool]

I do charge by the job Dan but just use the square metre prices as a guide for the customer so they've got an idea of cost before I go any further.

Cheers Mark I really don't know why. Everyman and his dog seems to be a landscaper/paver around my way at the minute.

[rxbren]

As above I'm always quite start of the year. I'm not the cheapest and sure some could probably get the job done a little quicker but doubt they manage the same quality

[lemoncurd1702]

I do charge by the job Dan but just use the square metre prices as a guide for the customer so they've got an idea of cost before I go any further.

Cheers Mark I really don't know why. Everyman and his dog seems to be a landscaper/paver around my way at the minute.

Just feels like that sometimes. I've got shit loads on at the moment but still pricing at same rate (ok trying one or two to see if boundaries can be pushed---to no avail--)

[Forestboy1978]

I predominantly do fencing. With approx 2 patios or driveways per year maybe 3.

My bro has his own fencing company also which is just fencing. Both of us are finding that this winter has been brutal and even now with the phone ringing again people seem to have cut 30-50% off their prices. I do what I do well and provide a guarantee which has never once been used due to a workmanship failure and I email every customer each autumn too which is really to drum up business in the guise of checking for faults under the guarantee and never get a complaint. Most people are almost certain they are going to get quality but people at the moment just want the cheapest price. I've never known anything like it.