Move Charge

37chief · Jul 7, 2013

I did some mowing for a building contractor a couple weeks back. when he asked how much I charge I gave him a price. He asked does that include a move charge to the properity. I said I don't charge a moving charge. I guess that is normal out here. Do any of you charge a equipment move charge? Stan

VADAVE · Jul 8, 2013

Here on the east coast a equipment move charge is not the least unusual particularly in the building industry.

Lumpie · Jul 8, 2013

It's called mobilization, you figure that into the estimate every time you bid a job.

Nebraska Cowman · Jul 8, 2013

I don't. But if the job is too small and too far away I just tell them I'm busy.

JOCCO · Jul 8, 2013

Some times for real small jobs there is minimum fee as 1/2 the time is on the road moving.

PJH · Jul 8, 2013

My recent experience - if it involved a third party, the move charge was on top of the hourly rate. If the equipment came in behind the owner's pickup, there was no extra charge. Third party move involved a trackhoe and off-site unloading due to the tight conditions on the jobsite. The other instance involved a backhoe on a gooseneck behind the owner's pickup. It was also unloaded off-site, but was easier to motor to the jobsite.

Ken Macfarlane · Jul 8, 2013

Common here as some sites involve significant travel that can't be recouped in the rate.

Harold Hubbard · Jul 8, 2013

Pretty standard here,especially for short jobs. Maybe not with something like a dump truck that rolls in on its own wheels, but certainly anything that gets trailered. Think about it this way, if you hired somebody else to move you to a job, you certainly wouldn't want to eat that charge yourself. It either goes on to the bill as a line item, or it gets absorbed in the overall price.

One time I was not only charged moving cost, but a minimum as well. I didn't find out until the bill came, or I would have used up the extra two hours somehow. I had already billed the customer, based on the actual hours, and couldn't go back to them for it. I did re-negotiate with the owner of the equipment, and we split the difference. Now I check a little more carefully before I go ahead on something.

DoubleR · Jul 8, 2013

I charge more for the first hour. That includes the so called move charge. More or less a minimun charge to show up no matter how small or big the job.

W_B · Jul 8, 2013

The guy that does my fence work makes a move charge to get the equipment to the place. He hires it done so I understand, saves him from buying and maintaining trucks and trailers and hiring guys with CDLs to do something that is a very small part of his business.

Billy NY · Jul 8, 2013

Portal to Portal, is a common term for it. Whether hired out or done in house, there is a cost regardless, so often times its built into the price, if done in house, its a general condition cost/overhead, so each job needs to contribute, to insure that this overhead line item is covered and profitable. You can separate and show the cost or you can include it, the latter may look better as one price to a customer, I find divulging line item details or a detailed estimate can be problematic, too much information etc. Give a good number, a reasonable profit and overhead mark up, the rest no one needs to know about.

tomturkey · Jul 8, 2013

Lumpie has the correct terminology for the midwest. Mobililization is a separate item on the bid sheet. If for some reason the project gets delayed after the contractor has gotten his equipment to the site, he will request an an extra for his equpment being on site and him unable to get his work done. Or he may move his equipt. to another site then back and request an extra for Re-mobilization. Most larger contractors move equipment around like it is nothing, since a machine NOT doing its job costs money, is'nt making money. my .02 worth gobble

paul · Jul 8, 2013

We are becoming a hidden fee society.

I understand it costs to move equipment, and longer treks out of normal travel area or special situation where you need to travel twice to fit the buyers needs should be passed on.

But, man, everyone seems to find new taxes to add, fees to add, fuel surcharges, and on an on.

Soon every job will be billed at a dollar, plus fees......

If I have a job to bid out, tell me what it costs, I don't want to sort through 20 added fees or hidden stuff you didnt include but add on after the job.

My mini rant.

Paul

Vito · Jul 8, 2013

I used to figure it in my price when I was framing houses.The forklift had to be moved by a tractor trailer and usually was around $ 110.00 be hour port to port.I couldn't eat that cost.

Vito

wisbaker · Jul 8, 2013

I always called it in & out, often have to pay it when we rent equipment at work. I can't expect some one to haul a crane for 3 hours and not charge me something.

T in NE · Jul 8, 2013

My dad would charge one way, depending on the size of the job.

Don-Wi · Jul 8, 2013

I just did a hay job where I built it in. Everybody was happy and I'll be back in a month for the next crop.

If Dad would hire someone to come and bale our hay in big squares for us, it's very common that we fill their tank after baling, and that includes the fuel to get to your place. You basically end up paying for it one way, as the next guy pays for the fuel it took to get from your place to his. The price per bale would more than cover any extra time needed for transport.

Donovan from Wisconsin

Move Charge

37chief

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VADAVE

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Lumpie

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Nebraska Cowman

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JOCCO

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PJH

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Ken Macfarlane

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Harold Hubbard

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DoubleR

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W_B

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Billy NY

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tomturkey

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paul

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Vito

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wisbaker

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T in NE

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Don-Wi

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