Wondering what I should charge

MikeMN · March 30, 2015

Time has nothing to do with the price you charge, you need to be competitive and do a quality job and explain the service you are providing with knowledge when doing so.

What if you get really good at it and very fast over time, do you now start to charge less then ........... ?

Tinitman · March 31, 2015

Here is something not mentioned. Have you talked to your manufacturer? A competent rep can give you guidance on how to price this out.

I am assuming you are trying to meet a certain security level like 3b.

Thirtyfive · April 1, 2015

I wouldn't get any of my reps to price my jobs. . They would be blind sided by making sure the film gets sold

WearTheFoxHat · April 1, 2015

Time has nothing to do with the price you charge, you need to be competitive and do a quality job and explain the service you are providing with knowledge when doing so.

What if you get really good at it and very fast over time, do you now start to charge less then ........... ?

I didn't say my time to do a job :lol .

We use time formulas for the different types of installs to be sure we are covered for surprises and also to budget how many days travel to allow for.

With new construction we work with GC's and their move in deadlines. So we have to be able to tell them how much time to put in their schedule.

MikeMN · April 1, 2015

Time has nothing to do with the price you charge, you need to be competitive and do a quality job and explain the service you are providing with knowledge when doing so.

What if you get really good at it and very fast over time, do you now start to charge less then ........... ?

I didn't say my time to do a job .

We use time formulas for the different types of installs to be sure we are covered for surprises and also to budget how many days travel to allow for.

With new construction we work with GC's and their move in deadlines. So we have to be able to tell them how much time to put in their schedule.

The OP was asking for a price per foot for wet glaze, that was all.

So do you charge less $ per foot for the faster you get installing wet glaze .............. ?

TomTint · April 1, 2015

Time has nothing to do with the price you charge, you need to be competitive and do a quality job and explain the service you are providing with knowledge when doing so.

What if you get really good at it and very fast over time, do you now start to charge less then ........... ?

I didn't say my time to do a job .

We use time formulas for the different types of installs to be sure we are covered for surprises and also to budget how many days travel to allow for.

With new construction we work with GC's and their move in deadlines. So we have to be able to tell them how much time to put in their schedule.

The OP was asking for a price per foot for wet glaze, that was all.

So do you charge less $ per foot for the faster you get installing wet glaze .............. ?

On more than a few occasions, we have been "questioned" after instillations about our pricing. Some saying things like ..Boy... That was fast.. How come so much for such a quick job.... .? Etc. .. We are very efficient at what we do and I fair amount of thought goes into planning projects before we get there, in order to save us time and headache. So I understand what Mike is asking. A friend of mine once said " pay me for what I know, not what I do of how long it takes"

WearTheFoxHat · April 1, 2015

As noted in my previous response we allow for x amount of time to get a given type of install done. If the install team cannot meet or beat that time they gots some 'splaining to do.

We aren't "slave drivers" nor are we "baby sitters" .

There was a time when we had the "OST" bonus. If you did well with no quality issues you could make some nice cash.

Essentially it worked like this: Once you got going on a project and "knew" your expected finish time you would call the Scheduler and either take off and get the full On Site Time quoted or have Scheduling toss you another project and kick its @$$ too.

Sadly some took this as a faster = go home and get paid for the day with ZERO regard for quality so the program was killed.

Most that played that game are former employees.

Along with Tom's comments about quick install times ...I love it when some one comments " How fast...." I'd respond "Yeah sorry it took so long "

TomTint · April 1, 2015

This spring is my 30th year in this trade. I have learned quite a bit in those years. One thing that can not be learned, is experience. Knowing how to price and execute on a project takes time, and takes experiences where things go well....and not so well. Learning from both will help with future decisions, when the "what should I charge" question comes up. I think many people here have a tinters mindset. By that I mean they think "how much do I want to make on this or that job" . The more you get into larger projects and involved with multiple entities, the more you are going to have to think like a business owner. Looking at a bigger picture instead of how much you made that day. .02

MikeMN · April 2, 2015

Just to be clear, I did not quote any one of the posts that indicated time for a price and for a reason, I did not want the OP think the price would be a factor on time.

I hear all the time, you done already and I reply that this is what I do this every day and I am sure I could not do your job as fast as you, I also hear a response like is there is enough work frosting glass or doing window graphics to keep you busy every day, yep I have been doing this for a long time.

From what I have seen by paying installers by the SQ ft or an incentive to install as fast as they can has not been a good outcome "quality wise", however there is an exception with installers with a Lot of experience and attention to detail " far and few between "

I agree with Tom and WearTheFoxHat on their last posts.

If you have done this for a long time you know what to ask and what to expect to win bids.

WearTheFoxHat · April 2, 2015

Had a laugh the other day at that "emergency" job . Boss quoted out at 3 hours for the re re. Was some BS because the 73 x 100 was not coned in the side frame. Just at the top and bottom.As you know tempered glass and slamming them against metal frames can make your butt pucker.

Jammed an old squeegee blade in the middle :thumb :thumb Hey kids tip O the week NEVER throw tools away :lol

Started at 655 ended at 955. Called boss and told him he called it dead on he can stay the boss.