Quote:
Originally Posted by javadog
Dozer and excavator work used to run me $60 and hour per machine (I'm sure it's gone up some since I retired)
and the guys I used to use would get more done in an hour than you would in a day. I found it cheaper to do it on a time and materials basis than by bid. I had guys I could trust.
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I won't pull my skid loader onto a job for less than $90 per hour and mostly for the reason you mention in the bold text. I've had guys call me wanting me to cut a driveway. I'll tell them my price and they'll almost always say "I can rent one for $250 for a weekend". I'll typically respond with "so you'll spend about the same in dollars to rent one, plus your time, to do in a weekend what I'll do in a couple hours?" I don't do much customer work simply because I sell equipment and don't want to be seen as competing with the guys I sell to. But my rate is right there with theirs.
The replacement cost of the machine, maintenance, and the skill of the operator aren't cheap these days. I can't do a typical 250 hour service for less than $250 in materials.