ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Business Related Discussion Man hour rate

When you figure a job that you will be sending 2 guys to work at, do you figure a man hour charge per man, or a man hour charge for the 2 men?

Exsample: Job will take 80 hours for 2 guys

2 men 80hrs x $110 hr= $8800
($65hr for 1st guy and $45hr for 2nd guy)

or 160 man hrs x $65 hr=$10400

I've been applying the $110hr exsample, but associates have said to use the 2nd exsample.

shortcircuit

You might try the term, "crewhour" or "two-man crewhour" as opposed to manhours. It may make more sense to the customer.

I don't mean to knock you, cavo; but a manhour is a manhour. Whether it's for one man or two or more. Besides, the term manhour is pretty much a given for everyone to understand. And, your customer really has no need of knowing how many manhours you have in your bid or quote. All their interested in is if its a Service Call Rate. Don't let your bid quote rates be known.

Though it varies in different regions and as to what type of construction you are doing...manhour rates can vary from $15.00 an hour up to $65.00 an hour. Normal commercial quotes vary from $18.00 to 25.00 per manhour; while Service quotes vary from $55.00 to $65.00 an hour per man with a 1 or 2 hour minimum. Some apply a trip charge for the first hour. Varies from $25.00 to $45.00 trip charge for the first hour including rates of the Men applied.

What you need to do is figure and calculate your actual cost up front including your overhead and develope your standard rates for quotations and service.

a man hour is one hour per one man. so TWO men for ONE hour is TWO man hours.

way we do it,a job takes 80 man hours
that's either:

80 MH or 2 weeks for one man
80 MH or 1 week for two men

We charge the same amount per electrician so the charge is the same it's just a matter of time frame & effeciency for us. some portions of a large job may require 2 or 3 men to be most effeciant so if all 3 are there for one hour that would be 3 man hours.

[This message has been edited by detubbs (edited 02-22-2005).]

detubbs...I agree with your exsample of man-hour charging methods, but have not been applying it to my bids.

Those 3 electricians that you send to that job... 2 licensed guys and a helper. Do you still apply the same full man-hour rate for the helpers at the job?

thanx

shortcircuit

Always better to be safe and charge full price for the third man if you can. You never know if the helper will call in sick that day and you have to send a mechanic instead.

Pat