When To Bid And What To Charge A Church.

[mattpiotrowski]

Im 18 Years old, I've always been out with my father plowing snow since i was old enough to get out. I've done snow plowing with my fathers truck since i was 16 for a few drive ways. this year i put a plow on my truck and picked up a few drive ways for my self and and get sub contracted through a local excavating business to plow snow. Next Year i wanna up grade and get a few commercial accounts. Some of my questsions are

When should i get out and start looking for contracts for plowing?
What should i charge? by hour? push or just by the job?
what kind of contract?
who should i talk to and what should i ask?

Also there is a church down the road from me. i would like to pick that one up but not to sure what to charge. the parking like is about equal to a cvs or walgreens parking lot not to big with a cemetery in the back.

Thanks Matt.

[kg26]

Don't charge them anything get the write off. Good to have a few pro-bono cases. Now if you have a few churches...

[grandview]

Originally Posted by kg26

Don't charge them anything get the write off. Good to have a few pro-bono cases. Now if you have a few churches...

Churches make money.so should you.

[JimMarshall]

I charge the churches that I do, but always pick a month and donate my services for the month.... Amounts to the tune of about a $700 dollar donation. They always announce it and put it in the bulletin. I've gotten way more back in customers because of it than I lose on the donation.

[kg26]

Originally Posted by grandview

Churches make money.so should you.

I'm not saying don't charge any of them, What I'm is it never hurts to have a few locations you do probono.

[grandview]

Originally Posted by kg26

Don't charge them anything get the write off. Good to have a few pro-bono cases. Now if you have a few churches...

You need to check on this, But I think you can't it as a write off unless in goes onto your books as revenue.

[Wilnip]

It's a commercial property,charge as such. You still assume the same responsibility/risk. I have one small church and treat it just like all the other businesses, cause that's all it is. You have lots of time to read some threads on this site. If you search for your questions, they probably have been answered already.
Good luck.
I'd send out bids in mid October.

[kg26]

I will check on this, I was unaware thank you. I was under the impression you could operate as a charitable contribution with in reason of course.

[kimber750]

Originally Posted by kg26

I will check on this, I was unaware thank you. I was under the impression you could operate as a charitable contribution with in reason of course.

Will that charitable contribution cover your operating costs? Remember you will be responsible if someone slips and falls, and you are talking about not getting paid for it. I understand it feels good to help the local church but do you think they will help you if one of clergy is suing you?

[kg26]

Good points, I suppose half the battle is making money and covering operating cost the other half is protection.

[SnowGuy73]

Same as I bid anything else.... Time + materials + labor = Bid price!

[grandview]

Originally Posted by SnowGuy73

Same as I bid anything else.... Time + materials + labor = Bid price!

Isn't time and labor the same thing?

[peterng]

I find up here they are a very high level of service deal.

The bigger churches in this area are heavily involved in their own small businessventures to generate revenue. Daycares on site, bingo, arts classes, rental property etc.

They have a hard time finding an outfit that can service the massive pedestrian ramps, extensive walkways with all the services. Baptisms, funerals + mass 7 days a week. Friday night cancer mass every 4th friday. Bingo every Wed night. The one big one I have is a high level of service and it costs a lot to take care of it. Big commitment. Not a freebee. I donate some time on site dealing with seasonal flooding and other small jobs they want done.

just my 2 cents.

[got-h2o]

The kid is new and wanting to start off on his own. Telling him to donate his time will only make him go under faster. I'm all about giving back, but...................................

That being said, churches are tough to get. Usually there's a parishiner or 2 that either do donate their time, do it cheap, or are on a board or something and have a little power so they get paid what its worth. Easy work, but I bid or at least doorknocked 7-8 of them a few years back and didn't get a single one.

[SnowGuy73]

Originally Posted by grandview

Isn't time and labor the same thing?

Time being like 75 minutes to do the work, labor as in charging $80.00 per hour for that work.

[Antlerart06]

Originally Posted by JimMarshall

I charge the churches that I do, but always pick a month and donate my services for the month.... Amounts to the tune of about a $700 dollar donation. They always announce it and put it in the bulletin. I've gotten way more back in customers because of it than I lose on the donation.

I do 3 churches year contacts and I give % discount to the members of the churches If hey hire me at there home or business I started this about 5 years ago and my work load increase alot just around the members
Some members might not own a business but runs one To me a church is easy way get your foot in to a lot of doors

[Antlerart06]

Originally Posted by grandview

Isn't time and labor the same thing?

Time and Labor is to different things

Labor 4 hrs eat some donuts Labor 4hrs You day is 8 hrs labor 1 hr of time is wasted