Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: upcharge for working weekends

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Array
    huggytree's Avatar

    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Mukwonago, WI
    Posts
    3,053

    Default upcharge for working weekends

    it rained hard last night and ive gotten a few Sat. calls for sump pumps

    My normal 1st hour charge is $155(min)...for weekends its $255(min) + $15 extra per hour after that.

    what do you feel is an acceptable up charge for weekend work? is $100 extra trip charge too much, just right, or too little????

  2. #2
    Registered User
    Array
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    South Bend, IN
    Posts
    119

    Default

    huggy,

    Rate sounds too high BUT standing in waders on a Saturday in someone else's basement is not my idea of a good time. Changing out a sump pump is within the capabilities of most home owners I would think, so you are doing it because they simply don't want to.

    I'd say get what ever you can.

  3. #3
    Registered User
    Array
    huggytree's Avatar

    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Mukwonago, WI
    Posts
    3,053

    Default

    a good part of the price is that i dont want to....i definately wont do it for less...id rather charge more!....but i dont want to gouge my current customers either....weekend jobs are always going to be small (low profit) jobs to begin with...so the extra $100 makes it alittle easier to accept...

  4. #4
    Registered User
    Array
    huggytree's Avatar

    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Mukwonago, WI
    Posts
    3,053

    Default

    just got back from my 1 hour job on a Sat.

    i replaced a sump pump

    it took me 3 hours total....1 hour there, 1 hour to work, 1 hour to drive home

    3 hours of my life on a Sat away from my family...

    i typically charge $100 per hour

    i charged $55 trip charge, $100 Sat charge, $100 labor and made $75 profit on the pump

    so i really made $10 extra per hour to work on a Sat....and im lucky i had a large price item like a sump pump....if it would have been a simple repair without that $75 markup i would have made (-$15) extra per hour....the real reason i do it is because its a steady customer(a condo association) and they give me a job or 2 a month....today they asked for 2 more sump replacements next week and possibly battery backup pumps for the whole association($8,000)

    so today it was easily worth wrecking my family time for $110 per hour.....but other times its not....and realize that out of that $110 only $25 is profit & $34 is my hourly wage....so im not really making and complaining about $110 per hour.

    $100 extra for a Sat/Sun is definately a Min. for me...and yes i consider my drive time important when i driving for only 1 - 1 hour job...you have to consider it...time is $$
    Last edited by huggytree; 06-20-2009 at 09:58 PM.

  5. #5
    Queen of the Forum
    Array
    KristineS's Avatar

    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Traverse City, MI
    Posts
    4,732
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default

    I think most people would expect a certain amount of upcharge for weekend work. I know I wouldn't expect a plumber to show up on the weekend or after normal business hours without expecting to pay a little extra. It is one thing if you're gouging people, but I don't think you're doing that. You've just set a price at which you are willing to take time away from your family. If customers don't like that price, they don't have to pay it.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •