I used to give clients a flat rate for everything, then lost $800 on a kitchen job

Old timer at the supply yard told me I was crazy not to charge by the hour for demo work. I ignored him, quoted a flat $1500 for a kitchen tear-out in Austin, and it took me three full days. Has anyone else made the switch from flat rates to hourly for unpredictable work?

3 comments

3 Comments

ray6139d ago

Did you factor in disposal and dump fees with that flat rate? Those can kill you if the old cabinets are solid wood and heavy as hell.

xenam849d ago

Yeah @ray613 you're right, the weight is the variable. When I did mine I offered to haul them away myself and knocked $200 off the flat rate. They were solid oak and heavy, but I broke them down in the driveway and took them to the dump in three car loads. Saved on fees but man was it a workout.

henry_anderson549d ago

Ray613 nailed it. I did a set of solid maple cabinets last year and the dump charged me by weight. Ended up being $180 extra on top of the flat rate I quoted. Broke even but barely. If you're doing flat rate make sure you clarify who covers disposal or weigh the stuff first. Most guys don't realize how fast that cost adds up.