Monitoring Fees

[tmdry]

Am I just the only one that thinks the monitoring fees are just too low?

I don't have it right infront of me but I believe the day rate is $45 and after hours is $65. I've always had a weird feeling about that, does anyone add any extra for gas, extra? Going out at 9pm to check on a job (monitoring) and getting $65 bucks a hour seems low.

Speaking of which, I have a job that is 50 miles round trip, I monitor it at night, takes me exactly 1 hour one way, so 3 hours to monitor this job @ night (2 hours round trip). What can I add to make up for those 3 hours and the distance? I was thinking at least doubling the monitoring time for long distance jobs.

Thanks,
Bill

 

[dealtimeman]

If that's what xactimate a allowing for your area then that is what you should charge if you don't want a lot of resistance for adjusters. But do charge all of the time it actually takes to do the monster I other words charge true port to port time.

Labor is not where we make money in drying, it is always the equipment.

 

[tmdry]

Thanks Michael,

So I should charge from the time I left the office to the time I arrived back at the office then? In this case would be 3 hours.

Just to make sure.

 

[dealtimeman]

Yes, port to port.

Just make sure also to time it with a GPS device for the route to make sure your times are matching up to what is on your invoice

 

[SMRBAP]

Bill, as they lump set up and teardown in that line item, you might find just finding your average and padding it just a touch works.

I'm 2 hr min on set up, 2 min on teardown, but charge actual if I go over - and typically then get 2 per day on monitoring without argument. I haven't had any adjuster yet argue my 2 hr per day on that line item. 3 days to dry, 6 EQ hrs, 5 days, I write in 10 EQ hrs etc.

Did the timing thing for years, averaged it out, and 2 gives me enough pad as a whole for a year that if something goes over by 30-60 min - I don't even blink at it.

There is already enough for my techs and I to log in our project files as is on a day to day. Our project logs are extremely detailed. And if you go by time, and someone misses a log entry you are pulling your hair out, or looking up gps records etc.

To each there own - but WTR DHM> and WTR DRY and WTR EXT is where we make our money, I don't drive myself bonkers going to the minute with the LAB line items ( with the exception of tearouts, then you have to be exact for the rebuild ).

 

[tmdry]

Bill, as they lump set up and teardown in that line item, you might find just finding your average and padding it just a touch works.

I'm 2 hr min on set up, 2 min on teardown, but charge actual if I go over - and typically then get 2 per day on monitoring without argument. I haven't had any adjuster yet argue my 2 hr per day on that line item. 3 days to dry, 6 EQ hrs, 5 days, I write in 10 EQ hrs etc.

Did the timing thing for years, averaged it out, and 2 gives me enough pad as a whole for a year that if something goes over by 30-60 min - I don't even blink at it.

There is already enough for my techs and I to log in our project files as is on a day to day. Our project logs are extremely detailed. And if you go by time, and someone misses a log entry you are pulling your hair out, or looking up gps records etc.

To each there own - but WTR DHM> and WTR DRY and WTR EXT is where we make our money, I don't drive myself bonkers going to the minute with the LAB line items ( with the exception of tearouts, then you have to be exact for the rebuild ).

Thanks for the tips.

 

[JR Harvey]

I charge flat $78 fee for monitoring. Never had a complaint yet.