Dispatch fee: once or more on same job?

[Coppersmith]

For those of you who charge a dispatch fee (trip fee, travel fee, truck fee, or whatever you call it), on a multiday job, do you charge the dispatch fee each day or just once for the entire job?

If you don't mind disclosing, how much is your dispatch fee?

I'm trying to determine if I'm charging enough. I charge a $30 fee for each day.

 

[JoeyD74]

I don't like all the fees line itemed, it looks like your nickel and diming the customer. If it's a quoted job just add it into your hourly rate to be where you need to be.
service work is typically always higher on the first hour to cover these things.

 

[Ponchik]

If I am going to the same job more than once then there is no additional dispatch fee. However, for the first call there is. The amount will vary because of your/my location and business cost.

I believe the average is $59 to $159.

IMO you are a bit too low at $30. Raise the dispatch fee and give something in return. Or offer 3 different options on the dispatch fee:

Premium option $149 includes dispatch fee and 1 hour of basic troubleshooting and you get the first appointment of the day.
Gold option $99 includes half hour of trouble shooting and 15% off the cost of the repair
Bronze option $79 includes 20% off the cost of the repair and 1 hour time window

These are just examples.

 

[Fulthrotl]

I'm trying to determine if I'm charging enough. I charge a $30 fee for each day.

just build it into your price.

people have sticker shock on small items.
you start listing everything that goes into your work,
they scream like a mashed cat.

you give them a "this is how much it costs", and they
go..... "ok".... and then cry when you leave.

it's less embarrassing that way.

case in point. flat rate pricing. the customer is my spouse.

for some of the stuff i'm doing around the house, there isn't
an easy way to do it without a table saw. track saws are great
most of the time. i have two of them, a big 'un and a little 'un.
and enough track to make the santa fe RR jealous.

speak to spouse about necessity. explain i'm going to get a small
portable jobsite tablesaw, for some stuff damn near impossible to
do any other way. she asks if i can afford it. i say yes.

now, a cheap POS saw is about $325. a good portable saw is about
$600. however, a portable stopsaw is about $700 more than that.

can i reattach a finger for $700? only by following a youtube video,
i suspect. the decision for me is clear. i've worked around enough
carpenters missing a finger.

do i itemize all these options for the customer? fork no.

buy the saw, rip 8' long transitional thresholds for the closet.
attach said thresholds. sand first, so they look perfect.

spouse comes home, looks at floor, which is now ready for four
coats of sprayed on floor finish. looks at me, asks where the saw is.

"in the garage. when i'm done with casing the room, it'll go back to
the shop till we need it for the next part of this house rebuild."

looks at the floor again, and says quietly......
"this turned out really really nice. thank you."

the saw upgrade was $1,000. 400% increase in a line item.

and yes, your $30 fee is too low. if you consider switching to
flat rate pricing, you can put $30 on each hour worked, and
skip the fee entirely.

just a thought

ellen rohr. bare bones buisness plan.