I can see I'm really not charging enough. Thanks for your rates Gino, is your truck a bigger one, 40 plus feet, the rate you are able to charge is huge compared to here. Being light on the rates has been good for us thought, as I have been able to get all the local work with it, hopefully I'll keep it all when I tap the rates up. What are some of the other rates per hour out there?
No, it's not a large one. 32' reach. My philosophy is different. Either I'm old and don't give a sh!t or I just don't work for peanuts.
If I'm gonna have it, it's on my terms. Just keeping it busy is not my main concern. I don't wanna be known for having cheap rates and being busy doing a lotta crap. I just don't wanna be out working for less money in the hot sun or cold wintery winds for $75 an hour. It's has to be worth our while to be out there.
Had a guy about 2 weeks ago, ask me to come down and help him with some faces he miscalculated on. He told me his predicament. I hadda travel almost an hour away to do 2 hours worth of work and then come back, so I'd be gone about 4 to 5 hours. He said, I'll give you $65 an hour including your travel time. I gave him the name of 2 other local guys and said, I can't touch it for that. He laughed and asked how do you get those prices....?? I said, I say them and if they need me bad enough, I go, otherwise, I'm gonna be doing something I want for more money with both feet planted on the ground. It's a tool and it doesn't come cheaply.
If you are happy working for $50, $65 or $75 an hour under all kindsa conditions, more power to you, but we're doing enough regular signwork, I don't hafta sell myself cheap.
Remember, when you get all the jobs, your rates are most definitely too cheap. That's why they're all coming to you. Put them up where they belong and you won't be as busy, but now you'll be getting paid close to the same without as much time invested and more time to do other things. It's a win/win situation for you.
