Difficult Decision

ron schenker

Had to turn a job today Conversation on the phone was enough to make me realize that it would either A) not be profitable enough B) too far to travel (90mins.) C) out of my comfort zone. I picked C for the following reasons. Normal jobs for me are less than 30 mins from home, my "comfort zone". If I have to go out to pickup supplies, or back to the shop because I forgot something, or take care of some personal business, etc. it's all close by. I don't feel right trying to charge for travel time, or staying in a hotel for a few nights or being away from family and friends. The money is marginally better than I would make in town. Am I lazy, stupid, or smart?
How do yous feel about this scenario, would you take it, or leave it

N.E.Bldg&Rest.LLC

How long can you work 30 minutes from home before you have to start venturing out of your "comfort zone".
Start reading sonny lykos post here and on JLC, you'll learn a lot.

__________________
"Man is a tool-using animal. Without tools he is nothing, with tools he is all."

Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881)

ron schenker

Hopefully for a very long time!

Tom R

Personally, - - I agree with 'your' methodology, Ron, - - I'm the same way, - - I'd rather be 'close', - - it's a lot less 'running' time.

Now, that's not to say, - - that such thinking is either 'right' or 'wrong', - - it just a matter of personal preference.

I know I could make 'more money' if I was willing to travel a little further, - - but right now I'm (mostly) at about a 10-mile radius, - - and am in the process of narrowing that down to 5.

As far as how much work is available in a 'tight-radius', - - well, if you do good work it actually never ends, - - just becomes a viscious circle of the same people calling you back for each and every project, - - by the time you even 'begin' to catch up with the other customers work, - - 'that' customer is waiting for you do their next project.

__________________
http://www.tr-built.com

denick

Ron,

A) not be profitable enough
This is a good enough reason to not go next door to work.
B) too far to travel (90mins.)
I don't know your customer base. Some people have 200,000
people to work for in a 90 min radius. If you have enough work
now, tripling the distance does have extra costs and unless you
would be compensated very well why go.
C) out of my comfort zone.
Gut feelings and comfort mean alot. If you go 30 min now, you
might want to try moving out further but on your terms.

I think you thought this one out correctly. This might be a good time to consider what might be the right conditions to go farther so you have a plan for the opportunity.


Nick

theworx

The customer should expect to pay more for an out of area contractor. Whether it be for travel time (and the fuel) or for rooms in a hotel for you and your crew. Your price should allow you to make the profit you would normally get, plus time for travel, and the wear on your vehicles.. If you have enough work locally, stick with that!!

Mike Finley

Ron, I think you have a good thought process going, I'm much the same way right now, once a job is outside the normal distances I travel there has to be a reason for me to even go and see it. There are a couple of areas outside my normal distance that I do like to work in since the homes are approaching the million dollar mark and the work is the caliber I want more of, but even still to even go look at a job there the customer can't say anything during the initial phone call that I don't like, like the word "bid".

magnum

I would have to agree I dont travel more the 20 mins and for more travel time it has to be a large $ job.

Sonny Lykos

There’s an area here called Bonita Bay, near Bonita Springs. Its mostly high end stuff and some condos. A couple of years ago I sopped going there, even to service condo associations. Previously I’d go and charge them travel time both ways, and during our “season” it’s about a 50 minute trip one way.

There’s a lumber yard and Home Depot close by, but I stopped because even though I got paid for my travel time, the trip ws just too aggravating between the old people doing 35 in the fast lane in a 45 zone, and the young women tailgating or constantly “trying” to do 55 or continually changing lanes.


I figured screw it since I didn’t need the work, and some things are just not worth the money. However, if I had no work, I would have driven the trip. I’ve also developed a good reputation at being able to determine the source of various types of leaks. So for those occasional calls in that area, since they are charged at $125/hr, I’ll put up with the crazies for the roughly 1.5 hr. travel time there and back.

God, I sure hope I don’t drive like that when I get old. (-: