Just ran the numbers on my last 3 jobs and found out I'm losing money on travel time

I added up the drive time for a job 45 minutes out and realized I spent 6 hours driving for a 2 hour pour, has anyone else factored that into their bids or just me?

3 comments

3 Comments

julia_carter709d ago

Wait, you actually changed my mind on this, I used to skip travel costs.

murphy.barbara12d ago

Wait, you spent 6 hours driving for only 2 hours of actual work? That sounds like a nightmare, I can't believe you had to eat that cost. I've been there too and it's a tough lesson to learn. Once you add in gas and wear and tear on your car, you're basically paying to work for them. Your mileage may vary, but I always tack on at least a travel fee now for anything over 30 minutes. It's easy to just focus on the pour time and forget the real cost of getting there and back. Take this with a grain of salt, but in my experience, clients will usually understand if you explain the travel time is part of the bid.

susana6612d ago

Oh wow @murphy.barbara, I'm shocked you actually drove six hours for two hours of work. That's a brutal ratio, I can't imagine how you felt after that. Travel time really is the hidden cost nobody thinks about until you're stuck in the car.