I'm trying to figure out how much to charge for a tough job we just completed. We removed around a dozen large juniper bushes, which was quite the nightmare and took us about 7 days to finish, working roughly 5 to 6 hours a day in nearly 100-degree heat. We were limited to a small trailer and had to make about 30 trips to the dump, which is 5 miles away. We used a couple of chainsaws and plan to rent a stump grinder for about $200. Oh, and let's not forget a bumblebee incident that made some days pretty rough! Most of these bushes were about 15 feet wide and 10 to 12 feet tall, with over half being in hard-to-reach spots, so we had to haul the limbs up a hill and around the house. What's a normal price range for this kind of work? Any advice would be appreciated!
1 Answer
That sounds like quite the undertaking! Based on national averages and what you've shared, I'd say your charge should be between $10,000 and $12,500. I mean, you can’t really add a fee for the bumblebee trouble, but for all the effort you put in, it definitely adds up! Here’s a breakdown:
- **Stump grinder rental:** $200
- **Dump fees:** 30 trips at about $30 each would put you at $900.
- **Gas costs:** For those trips, it’ll probably be around $200.
- **Chains and supplies:** Estimate about $50-$100.
Adding it together, you’re looking at around $1,300 for hard costs alone. Then for labor:
- **Total man-hours:** You mentioned 7 days at 5.5 hours daily with 2.5 guys, which is roughly 96 hours.
- **Labor cost:** If you charge $100/hour on average, that’s about $9,600.
All in all, after factoring in those extra efforts and keeping the team happy, you’re hitting around $10,900, so charging up to $12,500 sounds reasonable!
For sure! Also, don’t forget to account for the pickup and drop-off time for that stump grinder and add in those trips for supplies like chains.