lmbrls, post: 326691, member: 6823 wrote: 2080 is a fairly standard number.
2080 is 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year. Give yourself a break! Take a 2-week vacation, use 2000 hours a year for planning purposes.
Jim Frame, post: 326693, member: 10 wrote: 2080 is 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year. Give yourself a break! Take a 2-week vacation, use 2000 hours a year for planning purposes.
Jim if you can run a Survey Business working 8 hours 5 days a week. My hat is off to you (seriously). I just told my boss that this close to retirement that I wanted to work part time, so I was going to only work 40 hours a week. Jim is right in that quality of life should be a consideration. This issue can only be determined by the individual.
The point of the 2080 is many of your expenses will be the same if you work or not. You can use what ever number you like and it will affect your overhead accordingly.
foggyidea, post: 326199, member: 155 wrote: Don't create an hourly rate at all, at least not for public viewing. It is difficult to overcome that hourly rate even though as a PLS you can be more efficient in the field by making decisions while you're on the site and not having repeat trips. This is what you market, your skills, and the difference between you and others. don't advertise an hourly rate.
Quote a fixed fee for an agreed scope for most work. Base that fixed fee on your private "real" rates. Include an hourly rate sheet for extra work, but at rates that are maybe 150% of your "real" hourly rates. So if you do have to work out of scope extras at hourly rates you do it making money.
I do agree that fixed fee is the way to go, if only because the bookkeeping and billing is a lot easier.