We were asked by one of our readers to cover the topic of price estimating as best we can given the varying degree of circumstances involved in such a process. We have two excellent opinions from previous contractors, one from the West coast and one from the East coast, both whom are currently Nightscaping® representatives.  Hopefully you'll find the information helpful.

It is true every project is different, but one thing never changes. A contractor is selling labor hours and MUST cover costs in order to realize true profits. One measure I used as a contractor was one hour to properly hang, test, and connect a transformer, one hour to place and connect each fixture and install the cable for that fixture, and one hour per transformer system at the end of the install for adjusting/testing/aiming. Thus, a small 15 fixture project with one transformer would entail approx 17 hours labor. The variables might be: existing vs new landscape, standard vs H3O needing considerably longer cable runs, the need to bore under driveways or walkways, and peripherals install or wiring. It is truly unwise to quote a system as $200.00 per fixture installed, unless one works through several scenarios where costs are analyzed and the expected final profit is achieved.

Steve Atkinson - California

Every contractor will have to charge differently on their overhead to make the same raw profit. A contractor with one truck and no support staff working out of his home has very little overhead versus the contractor with secretaries, designers, 20 trucks and a marble floor office.  However, I find that a simple dollar amount per item installed for labor works very well.  The way it works is this.  You take the list price of every fixture, transformer, roll of wire, connector, screw, mounting materials, etc., plus an amount for miscellaneous depending on the size of the job and mileage if over a determined number of miles to job.  On a basic job, which would be everything not more than 100' from power source, nothing in trees and nothing to dig or bore under, you would charge your hourly rate for two men per item installed.  So, if you install 19 fixtures and one transformer which is 20 items, you would charge 40 times your hourly rate. You add that to list price for all materials etc. and you have your price. Of course most jobs aren't so basic. For fixture runs over 100' you add a determined amount for labor. For fixtures in trees you may want to charge around one third more than a ground fixture and one half more on structures. For digging under sidewalks or boring under a driveway you add your normal charges as well as for installing inside where you need to feed wires through a wall. Add this to the profit you make on fixtures, less your cost for labor and you have your basic raw profit. Of course these numbers also cover all the time spent meeting with the homeowner, designing, presenting the job, assembling and lamping fixtures, follow up for adjustments and likely at least one call back during the first year. After a few jobs you will know from your bottom line if your pricing is too low or high.

Now there are variables I haven't covered here that also need to be accounted for, such as type of soil and obstacles that need to be dealt with. A charge for any such things would be added to the price of the job. Everyone I've worked with so far has found this method a good and safe starting place.  The LAST thing to do is to charge per fixture like irrigations guys charge per head. If anyone does this he is either putting himself or the homeowner  at a disadvantage depending on the price of the fixtures.

Bob Schmid - New Jersey