Improving My Rates

eager2start

I just started painting homes a few months ago. The problem is that I dont think I'm charging enough for the amount of work that I am doing. Is there a site online that might be able to give me a better idea of how much I should be charging?

Tom Rohland

Not sure about a site online right now but this should get you off to a good start:

Calculate the labor, material and overhead for the job.

Then add profit.

Hope this helps.

Tom Rohland, Jr.
Ranger Painting & Pressure Cleaning, Inc.
Lake Mary, Florida

KellyPainting

Keep working and bidding jobs... every one you will charge more for.... you'll know when you get there cuz people will actually turn down a bid.
In the meantime try reading this book... I'm reading it right now.. it's HOW TO SELL AT HIGHER MARGINS THAN YOUR COMPETITORS by Lawrence L. Steinmetz... I heard him lecture at a Ben Moore event..... Untill you get it right you will eat a few jobs... and you will loose money some days.... (I hate those days)... Try reading back on some early posts the guys here have some great formula's to follow...

slickshift

Why do you say that?



There's no magic number somewhere that tells you what to charge
You've got to figure out those numbers for yourself
Really
How much your overhead is, what it costs you to stay in business...what you need per day or hour to turn a profit...all those things are pretty specific to you alone
No-one else can tell you what those numbers are
If you don't know those numbers, you better find them out fast
You really can't run a successful business with out them

__________________
Signature Quote

Quote:

Originally Posted by ModernStyle I have never used this crap before and I pray to the paint gods that I never have to use it again, I would rather use Behr

slickshift

Basically that's it right there
Don't forget the little stuff in overhead, like the cell phone bill, paper to print the invoices, your time spent measuring, in line at the store, on the phone and your vacation/sick days
And don't forget to add in some profit

__________________
Signature Quote

Quote:

Originally Posted by ModernStyle I have never used this crap before and I pray to the paint gods that I never have to use it again, I would rather use Behr

KellyPainting

ya the profit...thats what I always forget!!!!!!!!!
Thanx slick.

donb1959

This is a subject that's been beat to death. You could search the archives for some useful info, but since I'm here, and I struggled with it just as your'e doing now when I first started I'll give you my 2 cents.

You say you just started painting homes a "few months ago". Does this me you have just a few months experiance as a painter, or you've been in business only a few months? You don't think you're chargeing enough?. If you don't know how much you need to maker per day/hour you are already in trouble. You need to figure your overhead....everything. Then you will know how much you need to make per day to make ends meet, then you add profit.

There's no online site to determine what you need to charge, there's no magic pill, no wands. Determine your overhead, charge accordingly. If you lose money on enough jobs you'll soon figure out your losing money.

__________________
I fish therefore I am
http://www.shimmerz.biz