# church made me ***** at you guys



## Jay brown (Dec 26, 2005)

okay so a church(i don't push their snow) calls me on a friday night after i had all my equiptment put away and was showered from a long day of spreading, and wanted salt ASAP because they had a wedding the next day. we had 3/4" of ice on the ground, i told them the price would be high.....so i warm up my truck, go to my salt bin and take off the tarp, warm up my loader, load the salt, put the loader away in the shed, spread the salt, put truck away in the shed, and resume my quite night at home 1.5 hours later.....now they are *****ing because i charged them $350 for 1.75 ton of salt ($200/ton).....by the time i treat the salt it cost me $135/ton , not to mention the rental cost of the salt bin, loader cost, truck and insurance cost and on and on and on......they wanted to know if i could take less $$$$...how can i take any less???? I didn't make anything to begin with......what the heck if someone charges me "too much" and i didn't get a bid from them i pay the darn bill.....BTW i did an excellent job salting for them!!!


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## DJ Contracting (Dec 16, 2003)

So did you make up all your cost on one bill (the church) I mean don't get me wrong i want to make money salting too however it does seam high for approximately 1.75 ton (i say approximately unless you have a scale). Do you think this could turn into an account for you later (just a thought). All the cost of renting treating, pick up drop off, and so on come with the industry, I'm sure you'll make it back through out the year. I would charge a little more and explain it to them that do to the conditions this is what the price will be, this approach work better (they understand conditions) more so than the cost of everything. Good luck.

Just wondering what your normal charge would be?


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## Jay brown (Dec 26, 2005)

it wont turn into an account for me as they already have someone to push snow(he doesn't salt though)...also they usually salt by hand and bags, this just happened NOT to work being that we had 3/4" of ice...thanks for the help though!!


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

$200/ton sounds cheap to me for a on call/ASAP job


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## timberseal (Jul 24, 2008)

I wouldn't adjust anything....... $200 a ton billed is cheap if you ask me. Most couldn't touch that price if they were using bagged.


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## Jay brown (Dec 26, 2005)

cretebaby;707775 said:


> $200/ton sounds cheap to me for a on call/ASAP job


that's kinda what i thought...should've charged $400/ton and lowered it to $300 when they complained...


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## 4u2nv (Jan 29, 2008)

You lower your price once and they'll do it every time... It's a church they have the money. What do you think the wedding paid to be there. Think they got a break on the price, I doubt it.


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

4u2nv;707811 said:


> You lower your price once and they'll do it every time... It's a church they have the money. What do you think the wedding paid to be there. Think they got a break on the price, I doubt it.


We never paid to use the church

PS who the hell gets married in Jan


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## MSS Mow (Mar 19, 2006)

The salt alone probably cost more than half that bill. Then, like you say, add in all the expenses of running a business (truck, salter, fuel, insurance, advertising, insurance, etc, etc, etc, etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc...............oh, and don't forget you actually want to make a little........wait, I know it's a bad word.............profit) That little itty bitty profit THEN has to go towards paying personal expenses such as mortgage, light bill, heating fuel, tv, phones, children, etc, etc, etc, etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc....................PLUS, doing it spur of the moment late in the evening. 

They're lucky it wasn't twice what you more than fairly charged them.


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## John Mac (Feb 5, 2005)

Someone that was pregnant in August.


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## Jay brown (Dec 26, 2005)

John Mac;707825 said:


> Someone that was pregnant in August.


lmao.......


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## 4u2nv (Jan 29, 2008)

cretebaby;707817 said:


> We never paid to use the church


Here they charge you.... actually they call it a "donation"


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## Jay brown (Dec 26, 2005)

we had to pay for the church and for the priest


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## lawnproslawncar (Dec 9, 2007)

Around here they are charging $500/ton, that doesn't include call in's


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## Jay brown (Dec 26, 2005)

thanks for all of the replies, i've decided NOT to give them a price cut....


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## Superior L & L (Oct 6, 2006)

Good for you. That was a great deal for them anyways


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## carcrz (Jun 5, 2006)

Didn't they ask how much first? I don't see the problem w/ the price at all. It really depends how much cost you have in it & what your rates are. Don't be afraid to tell them what your costs are. It quiets people up pretty quick to find out how much profit is actually in a 1-time app.


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## eshskis (Dec 1, 2008)

Jay brown;707726 said:


> okay so a church(i don't push their snow) calls me on a friday night after i had all my equiptment put away and was showered from a long day of spreading, and wanted salt ASAP because they had a wedding the next day. we had 3/4" of ice on the ground, i told them the price would be high.....so i warm up my truck, go to my salt bin and take off the tarp, warm up my loader, load the salt, put the loader away in the shed, spread the salt, put truck away in the shed, and resume my quite night at home 1.5 hours later.....now they are *****ing because i charged them $350 for 1.75 ton of salt ($200/ton).....by the time i treat the salt it cost me $135/ton , not to mention the rental cost of the salt bin, loader cost, truck and insurance cost and on and on and on......they wanted to know if i could take less $$$$...how can i take any less???? I didn't make anything to begin with......what the heck if someone charges me "too much" and i didn't get a bid from them i pay the darn bill.....BTW i did an excellent job salting for them!!!


Dude you over charged them.........


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## paponte (Oct 28, 2003)

I wouldn't adjust anything! Sheet, I'd charge more and call it a B!tching fee just for listening to them. Just a word for the wise, always... always quote a minimum fee on a call out. Did I mention ...always.

Another word for the wise, after your all showered up and ready for a BJ and Bed... Try adding this to your contract...

Quoted rate is for plowing and/or salting that is done as part of a regular service when all other accounts are being checked or serviced. Special request plowing, or "on call" services may be subject to a minimum charge due to driver availability, and/or the need to hire an outside contractor. Customer would be advised of the possibility of minimum charge at time of this special request.


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## eshskis (Dec 1, 2008)

paponte;709528 said:


> I wouldn't adjust anything! Sheet, I'd charge more and call it a B!tching fee just for listening to them. Just a word for the wise, always... always quote a minimum fee on a call out. Did I mention ...always.
> 
> Another word for the wise, after your all showered up and ready for a BJ and Bed... Try adding this to your contract...
> 
> Quoted rate is for plowing and/or salting that is done as part of a regular service when all other accounts are being checked or serviced. Special request plowing, or "on call" services may be subject to a minimum charge due to driver availability, and/or the need to hire an outside contractor. Customer would be advised of the possibility of minimum charge at time of this special request.


Nice fine print........make it finer


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## WINTER 3 (Aug 7, 2000)

I think you gave them a great deal. For all the work you had to do to salt that lot. People who base prices of multipliers of materials don't reflect all of your cost. I do agree with clause about call outs. The church dosen't understand what you had to do to salt that lot. They only see the 10 minutes you are at the property. They didn't see you empty or clean your equipment. I would try to get them to use you on a regular basis for salting (or for both). You know your costs. You are doing this to make money. Let some one else lose money on them.


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## hydro_37 (Sep 10, 2006)

eshskis;709507 said:


> Dude you over charged them.........


You must be one of the FEW people that like to work for NOTHING.

Way to go Jay. I wouldn't take any less either.


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

don't give them a price break. it is was it is. if they didnt like the price then they should have called someone else.


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## MAR4CARS (Oct 6, 2005)

Churches,Doctors and Lawyers always whine about having to pay .. i'm sure this church has a scabber plowing for them so they are comparing your price to the scabbers low ball price.Don't give them any breaks


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## TKLAWN (Jan 20, 2008)

Seems fair to me for on call one shot deal. Hope you get paid. Let us know!


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## KCAPXIS (Jan 7, 2006)

I am in business to make Money: It just happens that we Plow Snow. [/SIZE

You were fair in your pricing, Sleep well my friend !


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## JDiepstra (Sep 15, 2008)

I have to know, based on the title of thread, why are you ******* at us?


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## 4u2nv (Jan 29, 2008)

JDiepstra;713149 said:


> I have to know, based on the title of thread, why are you ******* at us?


Well it's 7 letters.... I'm guessing the first one is B and there is a whole lot of itchin going on.


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

MAR4CARS;712491 said:


> Churches,Doctors and Lawyers always whine about having to pay .. i'm sure this church has a scabber plowing for them so they are comparing your price to the scabbers low ball price.Don't give them any breaks


Thats a bit of an assumption


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## Jay brown (Dec 26, 2005)

4u2nv;713182 said:


> Well it's 7 letters.... I'm guessing the first one is B and there is a whole lot of itchin going on.


you got it....i didn't realize it was a bad word on PS


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## MAR4CARS (Oct 6, 2005)

cretebaby;713200 said:


> Thats a bit of an assumption


Fact in my area both i see it both as an auto shop and a landscaper/snow removal company


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## LoneCowboy (Jan 2, 2007)

cretebaby;713200 said:


> Thats a bit of an assumption


10:1 odds it's true.
It's some guy at the church who's doing it as a favor or something.


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

MAR4CARS;713683 said:


> Fact in my area both i see it both as an auto shop and a landscaper/snow removal company


Sorry but i am not following ya



LoneCowboy;713729 said:


> 10:1 odds it's true.
> It's some guy at the church who's doing it as a favor or something.


There is nothing wrong with that

I do a church so does that make me a scabber?


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## hlntoiz (Jan 13, 2009)

You did good. Probably a little cheep. IMO Remind them that GOD doesn't pay your bills! A lot of the time when I give them a breakdown (like you said) they tend to get it.


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## Indy (Sep 23, 2007)

cretebaby;713200 said:


> Thats a bit of an assumption


yea, he missed blacks, hispanics, police in his smack down.............

I agree with the salt pricing from the OP....

Not so much the sterotyping..........


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## Indy (Sep 23, 2007)

LoneCowboy;713729 said:


> 10:1 odds it's true.
> It's some guy at the church who's doing it as a favor or something.


So giving a Church your time or your time and some of your money.............or a deal.......is BAD???


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## hlntoiz (Jan 13, 2009)

Don't rurn this into a religious thing. The man is out to make a dollar if he was out to please God he would have been a priest. 

Doesn't matter if it is a church or business you have to get paid to do what you do. Remember the Church as more money they you or I even know about!


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

hlntoiz;714149 said:


> Don't rurn this into a religious thing. The man is out to make a dollar if he was out to please God he would have been a priest.
> 
> Doesn't matter if it is a church or business you have to get paid to do what you do. Remember the Church as more money they you or I even know about!


theres another assumption


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## hydro_37 (Sep 10, 2006)

You know what they say about assuming things.......makes an ass out of u........


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## 4u2nv (Jan 29, 2008)

Did you ever get paid for this?


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## Jay brown (Dec 26, 2005)

not yet.........


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

That would be pretty prompt payment if you did since it hasnt even been a week


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## procut (Dec 1, 2004)

cretebaby;707775 said:


> $200/ton sounds cheap to me for a on call/ASAP job


My thoughts exactly.


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## hlntoiz (Jan 13, 2009)

hydro_37;715688 said:


> You know what they say about assuming things.......makes an ass out of u........


I'm not the one make any Assumption here just pointing out reality.


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## hydro_37 (Sep 10, 2006)

hlntoiz;716268 said:


> I'm not the one make any Assumption here just pointing out reality.


Both of your posts were making a BIG assumption.

Jay, let us know how it works out.


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## hlntoiz (Jan 13, 2009)

hlntoiz;716268 said:


> I'm not the one make any Assumption here just pointing out reality.


Please explain "my assumption" What am I assuming? or are people looking to argue?


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

hlntoiz;717268 said:


> Please explain "my assumption" What am I assuming? or are people looking to argue?


OK


Doesn't matter if it is a church or business you have to get paid to do what you do. Remember the Church as more money they you or I even know about![/QUOTE]



hlntoiz;716268 said:


> I'm not the one make any Assumption here just pointing out reality.


You are assuming the church has money

You are asuming i dont know how much money my church has

You are assuming that that opinion is reality

Any more questions?


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## hlntoiz (Jan 13, 2009)

cretebaby;717423 said:


> OK
> 
> 
> Doesn't matter if it is a church or business you have to get paid to do what you do. Remember the Church as more money they you or I even know about!


You are assuming the church has money

You are asuming i dont know how much money my church has

You are assuming that that opinion is reality

Any more questions?[/QUOTE]

Unless you are thier accountant then fine but, I haven't meet one "church" that claims they have money but they all seem to be getting by just fine and more and more keep popping up. That is on "observation"

Bottom line is that who ever called and wanted a service they need to pay for it. Nothing in life is Free!


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## AdamChrap (Oct 19, 2005)

eshskis;709507 said:


> Dude you over charged them.........


If you were using bagged salt it would have cost more then that just for the salt. the job would have been $500 to $600 for someone using bagged around here, that is allot of salt. Even for bulk salt that is a cheap price!


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

that is exactly what you have to tell people to make them understand. Tell them that to make an standard ton of salt you need 40 bags at 50lbs a bag. Bags of salt around here off the shelf at the store here are around $4.69 a bag.

Do the math that way.

$4.69 x 50bags = $234.50 in just salt. 

I think you have them a great deal!


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