Here’s another story for the “I cannot make this stuff up file.”
Let’s talk fees for a second. Our “Service Call Fee” is $125.00. That fee get’s our truck on site and starts working for emergencies. But then we go by the hour plus parts until we are done.
There are other guys out there that’ll do a $75.00 service call.
We lose some work to this problem over the phone. One needs to understand the difference.
So let me set up this senario that happened yesterday.
Client calls up a service call by competitor. It’s $85, super cheap. But when they show up to replace a 2 foot section of pipe underground was bid out at $1,200. And it’s only 24 inches underground.
Client didn’t call me because that’s something I don’t really do. It’s the pipe between the house and the septic tank called the “Transport Line”
Client calls me up and asks if I do this type of work, I say no. Not really. But he tells me the bid, and my jaw drops. That can’t be right, I must be missing something.
I told him I would do it. But be prepared it could cost $600-$800 dollars. I’m shooting from the hip here, as I am not there looking at it.
I arrive. Service Call is $125.00 to get there. I dig out the line, 1.5 hours of labor. 2 fittings and a section of pipe and bentonite clay, was about $50.00. We used the client’s own gravel to bed the pipe.
His bill was under $400.00. Still far under my “Over-the-phone-shooting-from-the-hip” of $600-800.
And way super less expensive than the $1,200 bid from competitor.
Food-for-thought. $125 service call isn’t that bad anymore.
Thanks for reading,
Ronnie
2 comments
Hello,
I need to have an ONsite Septic System O&M inspection.
How much do you charge for this? Does it include the service call fee?
Need to know total estimated cost and day you are able to come out.
Would like it complete before Feb 9th
please call me or email with estimate and availability
thank you so much
Ms. Roberts
cell: 407-453-3280
Home in Vancouver, WA
Hi Ms Roberts,
Our fee is $110 as long as the tank is accessible for maintenance. Would you like us to call you tomorrow to set up an appointment?