What do you charge as a minimum rate for a service call?
If I'm on a series of calls and my schedule is full for the day, I really don't use a minimum, but an hour is the least that I will charge.
If, on the other hand, I'm done for the day or it's the weekend, and I get an "emergency call", It's a 2 hour minimum, even if it's just flipping a breaker and takes me the drive + 5 minutes. I don't think it's asking too much, as the vast majority of the people who have these "emergencies" would never even consider going into work after hours or on the weekends, and I haven't had an argument yet.
Any thoughts or different policies out there?
If it is any help, let me tell you what I found while working some jobs the past month, One customer needed a gas appliance hooked up they called the gas company, when he srrived while we were there, he came in with tool box, took him about 6 minutes to attach gas line, another 5 to write up invoice, she paid $159 plus tax, no hourly rates just a flat amount.
Another job we were on an appliance repair showed up, they were there for an oven repair, the man came in looked at the oven 4 or 5 minutes at best, told the lady she needed a new oven, and presented a bill for $139 plus tax, his total time there was about 15 minutes.
Another job we were installing a line for a sump pump, when an AC repairman came to the house, he took about 5 minutes looking outside, came inside opened the air chamber and replaced a filter, the owner touted how good he was, only $279, well for 20 minutes of work that was not bad.
This friday, we were replacing smokes, and installing an outdoor light, when a plumber arrived, to replace a toilet seal, he was there for almost an hour, $290
The way it lookes to me, everyone seems to be moving away from hourly charges.
Electrical Contractors in my area charge different rates, one guy just up the road charges $90 just to ring the door bell, then charges $120 an hour, the big yellow guys charge from $139 to 159 just to ring the bell, then they quote a flat price for the job. The new guys on the block make call for either nothing or a very small amount, but we don't worry about them, they are usually back working for someone in a few years, then a new crop comes along until they go bust.
You really have to find your own costs. and establish a price, just don't forget, service calls cost more then scheduled work, plenty of existing posts to explain the difference.
