Hauling Charges

[TheFutureFarmer]

A guy I used to mow grass for asked me to haul some gravel for his driveway, however I don't know how many tons he wants. My question is what is the best way to charge him? Materials & Labor? Materials & Hauling? Keep in mind this is a house with a lake view so I would like to pinch every penny I can (college books aren't getting cheaper).

 

[skyhightree1]

I am in business and haul gravel all the time.... first you need to calculate how many tons he needs before you can quote him. Do you know how to calulate that? If not send me a pm I will help you out. I would also suggest you get a construction calculator and a measuring wheel before you start quoting gravel. I just put gravel and hauling on my invoices. What kind of truck do you have to haul? How far are you hauling? What do you want to pay yourself for your time? What about your fuel costs? How much can you haul in one load? Do you have the means and know how to spread the gravel correctly? I havent met many home owners that really want to pay you to haul rock and not be able to tailgate spread it. I charge the same amount for delivery whether i have 1 ton on the truck or 20tons but price depends on distance. for example we hauled rocks out the local quarry 15 miles 85.00 delivery but we also make money off the rocks since I get contractor rates.

 

[Brute 23]

I am in business and haul gravel all the time.... first you need to calculate how many tons he needs before you can quote him. Do you know how to calulate that? If not send me a pm I will help you out. I would also suggest you get a construction calculator and a measuring wheel before you start quoting gravel. I just put gravel and hauling on my invoices. What kind of truck do you have to haul? How far are you hauling? What do you want to pay yourself for your time? What about your fuel costs? How much can you haul in one load? Do you have the means and know how to spread the gravel correctly? I havent met many home owners that really want to pay you to haul rock and not be able to tailgate spread it. I charge the same amount for delivery whether i have 1 ton on the truck or 20tons but price depends on distance. for example we hauled rocks out the local quarry 15 miles 85.00 delivery but we also make money off the rocks since I get contractor rates.

I'll add one thing....... IF you have to pay taxes on the profit. ;-)

 

[skyhightree1]

:lol:

 

[TheFutureFarmer]

No reporting or taxes, just under the table cash :nod:

I would be hauling with a Ram 2500 with an 8 foot bed. Judging by the voice mail it sounded like he just wanted to top coat his 20' drive way.

Fuel costs would be about $15 (40 miles round trip, 10 mpg, 3.55 per gallon of gas)

The local quarry has a calculator that they can calculate how many tons it would take

When I've done side jobs in the past I have charged $10 an hour

 

[Anonymous]

You'd be better off working at McDonald's then

 

[denvermartinfarms]

First of all I wouldn't take a gravel hauling job with a 8ft bed on a pickup, but I do understand trying to take work of any kind to pay bills. In the past at your 10$ an hour were you using your truck or any other machinery that you own and have to maintain? Who is raking it out of your truck? I can tell you it sounds like a 100$ job for the hauling and then some hourly on the unloading if you have to do it.

 

[skyhightree1]

You'd be better off working at McDonald's then

I gotta agree with this.

 

[skyhightree1]

First of all I wouldn't take a gravel hauling job with a 8ft bed on a pickup, but I do understand trying to take work of any kind to pay bills.quote]

Thats alot of work i wouldnt do that for under 500.00 but personally id try to work something out with a contractor to get him to haul on his dumptruck and make a lil off top by subing the work out ya know.

 

[Brute 23]

First of all I wouldn't take a gravel hauling job with a 8ft bed on a pickup, but I do understand trying to take work of any kind to pay bills.quote]

Thats alot of work i wouldnt do that for under 500.00 but personally id try to work something out with a contractor to get him to haul on his dumptruck and make a lil off top by subing the work out ya know.

That is the route to go. Price a dump truck to back up in his driveway and dump it for you. You move it from there.

You tear your truck up in any way... Blow a tire, scratch it... Just washing is going to cut in to your money. Minimize your risk... Make the money on your time and maybe a little on top the delivered load.

 

[M5farm]

alot of places rent dump trailers that your truck will handle just fine. you can tilt it once you back in and drive out spreading most of it. get a rate for rental and figure all of the other cost. labor at 25 bucks an hour minimum.

 

[skyhightree1]

The good thing is the dumptruck can tailgate the rocks if its a solid are and put them there and u dont have to touch them potentially or pile and you move them. Life is hard enough as it is... Minimize your work and think clearly about the jobs you do and not about the $$$$$$ which is hard to do sometimes but sometimes the $$$$ you get isnt worth the BS you had to endure. In my opinion its better to make a lil bit of money with less bs ie. hauling unloading and moving rocks by hand.

 

[skyhightree1]

alot of places rent dump trailers that your truck will handle just fine. you can tilt it once you back in and drive out spreading most of it. get a rate for rental and figure all of the other cost. labor at 25 bucks an hour minimum.

Great point... But 2nd half to that is your price with renting hauling fuel is probably gonna be more than a dumptruck hauling for you. Its less liability on you the dumptruck driver had all liability. Time is money youre gonna have to go rent trailer go to quarry haul it back when quarrys have trucks in and out all day. I agree with M5 on renting stuff but on a small job such as you are describing I don't think that would be beneficial.

 

[John SD]

I wouldn't haul gravel in a 8' pickup box, period. Especially a nice pickup. That's only something that is done in idiotic TV ads.

If you are determined to take this job, I'd try to borrow an old farm truck with a box hoist on it from someone you know. Treat the truck well and work out something with the owner for using the truck for this simple little job. Maybe not even a cash deal. Maybe work for him on a project he needs help with for a day?

I've hauled plenty of gravel in my old 1961 Chevy C60 with a combination box and wood floor. Got the fancy 3/4" clean crushed rock in my driveway to prove it!

Gravel does rough up a wood floor. A better choice would be to borrow an old dump truck, but they are fewer and far between.

 

[Nesikep]

I hauled about 3 1/2 yards of crush on my 20ft trailer, and with the roads around here it took a fair bit of oomph from my dodge dually diesel.. that was one heavy trailer... That much gravel put about a 3-4" layer in a 12x20 ft greenhouse well tamped down... I wouldn't want to haul it on the truck alone unless you're really close.

Around here you get the materials for free, just a $40 loading fee if you don't load it yourself... it's about 40 miles from our place

I'd recommend getting a dump truck to deliver it, and you do the rest of the work... Remember, as you said, books ain't getting cheaper, so make sure you get a fair shake on your work

 

[TheFutureFarmer]

Wow thanks for all the fast and thoughtful responses but I have decided to just pass on this job (family issues) and stick with small jobs closer to home. Plus I don't feel like dealing with this guy, I USED to mow his grass but that ended only after a few mowings :bang:

 

[Brute 23]

Very smart. ;-)