Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: homersipes on September 28, 2013, 07:43:22 PM
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So I am pretty mechanically inclined, can fix just about anything on small engines, chainsaws and such. was thinking about trying to take my hobby into a small business, starting off by trying to get a few jobs here and there to get a bit of money in a designated account for this, to get all insured and licensed and such. maybe make a posting on craigslist advertising some small engine work. I figure 20 an hour for labor plus parts. what do you all think??
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Go for it. I've kicked around the idea myself for quite some time. The local garage around here wants close to 20 bucks to repair a flat tire. At those prices I could buy my own tire machine and balancer and do it for half the price. Only thing is what in the hell will I do with all those used tires and how much is the government going to get into my pocket with all their mandated crap?
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thats where I get all confused is the taxes and stuff, because I dont have a business license and all that if I made over $1500 I think I would (should) do a 1099. but for the time bein it would be kinda under the table. yeah tire repairs ar $$$$, I paid 30 to have a tire that I mounted on the rim, didnt have a valve stem, and dont know how to use balancer we have at the shop, so a balance and valve stem for $30.
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Go for it. I've kicked around the idea myself for quite some time. The local garage around here wants close to 20 bucks to repair a flat tire. At those prices I could buy my own tire machine and balancer and do it for half the price. Only thing is what in the hell will I do with all those used tires and how much is the government going to get into my pocket with all their mandated crap?
a decent tire machine is min. $3k. balancer anywhere from $1300 up.
that said, you don't need either of them to plug a tire. what you are paying for is the mechanics time, and the convenience of not doing it yourself.
it costs me 5/tire to properly dispose of them. taxes......i have an accountant for that, 'cause i don't know enough, nor do i have the time to learn.
depending on what you're working on, types of repairs, etc.....it costs to get rid of oil in some places....some places you can get it picked up for free, and there's a couple businesses locally that pay for it.
it usually costs money to get rid of antifreeze properly.
then there's rent, insurance, etc etc etc etc
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Don't need it to plug a tire but these days most places patch them which means removing it from the rim then a rebalance is usually at hand.
Good luck with the business homer. With more lawn care than you can shake a srick at should be some market for what you want to do. Then find some dead ones fix them and resell them also. A good skill to have.
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plenty of money in small engine repair and picking up busted lawnmowers at garage sales. if you could get the construction companies in your pocket you'd be laughing. don't charge per hour, charge flat rate, cash only, for now.
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if I give you some advise is dont charge by the hour. it wont pay the bills specially if you are driving. and I dont mean to rip people off either. charge by how complicated the job is. for example i charge my old boss 300 bucks every year to set up his quickbooks accounts. it takes me about 3 or 4 hours. but it has taken me a few hours to learn about quick books and how it improves his business. then I have to go every couple of months and spend an hour or two training a new employee.
be fair in your business you can make a living without ripping people off.
semp
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I do something similar with computers as my only job. As has been said, charging enough to cover your expenses and still being considered as less expensive is a matter of art and cosmic powers.
When I started, I thought that repairing computers would require an equal amount of knowledge and skills as repairing cars. So I looked at the pricing of the brand repair labs and the small one man garages. The two man brand specialized shop seemed to have a pricing to both give them a decent income and still being on the inexpensive side for customers. So I copied their price per hour, including rides within 10 miles to compensate that I don't have a special workshop, as I mostly to the job at the customer's house. I'm not the cheapest in business, but just last Friday a new customer was happily surprised about how little I charged for diagnosing their old laptop as waste, saving their files to an external hdd and doing the basics for their new Win8 laptop.
Charging per hour isn't the only way, at least not in my case. There are projects that have a fixed price, like the so called "Inspection fee" or virus cleaning. My basic charge is €60 per hour, including 24% VAT. It may sound much compared to what a regular factory worker will get per hour, but that also includes all the costs the employer pays such as my retirement pension. Plus income taxes. Not to forget the pay for just waiting for their call.
Look around for what the price range is in your area and set a price level somewhere in between. Think about what you would be ready to pay for similarly demanding jobs. The cheapest may not feel reputable enough, and the most expensive make you feel like they're ripping you off... Remember that you have skills that your customers don't have! They are more than willing to pay for not having to learn the same skills. If they aren't, dump them .
I don't know anything about taxing and such where you live. Here they have a public service for new enterprises, giving advice for what to take into consideration be it a one man side job or starting a large factory.
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If you charge $20/hour, you are ripping yourself off. Seasonal service (plug, air filter, deck cleaning, blade sharpening) can net you about $45 and you can knock that out in 1/2 hour if you are efficient.
What about liability insurance? For example, if a mower blade comes off and hurts someone it is your fault if you were the last to touch the machine.
Pull the plug on every mower you fix and check the crank for wobble as some people are fond of hitting stumps, etc and bending their crank. If it does, leave the plug out, call the customer and WALK AWAY from that machine.
Chainsaws: make sure all safety features that the saw came with are in good working order before the customer gets it back. Sharpening chains can net you about $15/chain and you can knock that out in 5 - 10 minutes with a bench-mounted sharpener.
These are just small examples.
As for taxes, I doubt that you could go the 1099 route as you would technically NOT be a sub-contractor.
I am not trying to be intimidating, just showing you a few reasons that you need to CYA. There is definitely a market for that type of work and also a profit to be made. It is hard to find a mechanic that people can trust but, once they do, they will keep coming back to you.
Good luck. :aok
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yeah thanks for the advice guys :aok I already do the service work for all of my neighbors, which has mainly been carb work because everyones lawnmower surges and runs like crap thanks to the new gas. I did do some hourly work at a small shop a while back and thats about all he had been doing. He turned a lot of people away that had the old stuff, which to me is WAY easier to work on.
As for taxes, I doubt that you could go the 1099 route as you would technically NOT be a sub-contractor.
this is a true statement, I dont know why I was even thinking that :lol
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Or, you can operate "By Appointment Only".. Which I know quite a few people are doing that..
With all the new Leeches lining up to suck blood of any business owner, some small guys have
closed up their places of Business, and have gone to a "By Appointment only" business model..
In other words they make house calls, lol.. Still plying their trade in their community, thank God..
It's called the "underground economy".. Gonna be a lot of that in the near future..
I still do some work on occasion, "helping out a friend".. No law against that is there??
At least for now..
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Good luck, but the problem is this small engine machines are too cheap to buy new or good used; I paid aprox 200-250$ for a lawnmower, 80-100$ for trimmer, 600$ for a snow blower; as long as are made in Asia and sold here for this price, doesn't make sense to fix; people are buying extended warranty and run this toys for 2-3 years, if breaks down after get a new one.
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as far as not being any work, seems to be plenty around here. I did some work at a shop a little while back because he was so swamped with work he couldnt keep up. His shop is actually closing due to family issues or something, that and I heard from word of mout that he shafted several people over. I kinda like the by appointment idea.
If you charge $20/hour, you are ripping yourself off. Seasonal service (plug, air filter, deck cleaning, blade sharpening) can net you about $45 and you can knock that out in 1/2 hour if you are efficient.
this is true, so if I were to charge 20 an hour and set a minimum of an hour labor charge regardless of time I would make 20 for the job, because youre right it takes about half an hour to do plug, airfilter and sharpening. maybe charge a $50 for a tune up and regualr service, but if needs any tear down would be 25-30 an hour?
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20-30 per hour is equal to giving for free. Come on, man, where's your dignity??? :huh
About 80% of US working people make over 12 000 a year. If they have been able to afford some machinery, they sure won't argue about anything below $100. You're no social worker, are you?
Charging by every starting hour seems to make people angry, but a fixed threshold for the first hour sounds like a good idea to cover the mileage inside a given area.
House calls by appointment is wonderful! I used to work as a travelling salesman. Calling the customers begging for audience was very time consuming and sometimes even humiliating if I didn't really have anything new to offer them. Now its vice versa. My customers call me and ask if I possibly could come rather soon to help them. And when they call, they know they have to pay for my services and they also are willing to pay.
I have a rule of thumb: The repairing costs by case must be below half of the price for a new machine suitable for the actual needs. That makes repairing cost effective also for the customer: Fixing a $200 lawn mower for $80 adding a couple of years to its lifespan is $120 cheaper than a new one. Plus the customer might feel like he's doing his best to reduce his production of waste. Most people like to think green if they are led to think they benefit from it... Anything below a hundred is change, 150 is decent for a couple of hours. Add some extra visual elements like canned air and such to assure the audience that they're dealing with a professional.
See the banners?Want to save the Earth? Call Helping Homer!
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along the lines of what Bizman said, look around Homer, make a few calls to shops doing that sort of work and see what they charge, then determine what you can do to compete and still make a profit. sometimes quality trumps cost, especially for repeat business which in turn can bring in new customers. if you can do a better job than others, you can sometimes get away with charging a little more. keep in mind that you're going to have equipment maintenance/replacement costs to contend with too.
in case you haven't done it yet, also look into your state business license and tax laws. some states don't require sales tax on labor charges but others do and you will have to know that or you will get yourself in a bind.
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If you charge $20/hour, you are ripping yourself off. Seasonal service (plug, air filter, deck cleaning, blade sharpening) can net you about $45 and you can knock that out in 1/2 hour if you are efficient.
What about liability insurance? For example, if a mower blade comes off and hurts someone it is your fault if you were the last to touch the machine.
Good luck. :aok
Reread this! Von makes some excellent points.
I would add in on top of liability insurance you definitely want to look at something to cover sickness and accident. Ya it can be expensive as a start-up cost but it's invaluable if something were to happen to you.
I know this from my own experience,I was a subcontractor for many years and then 1 day had a life changing accident,without my insurance I cant say where I'd be today.
:salute
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lmfao now yall got me thinking about this, I had never thought of this before as I have never really thought about really working on peoples stuff till recently. Guess I got some homework to do :lol
thanks for the input, :aok
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You can be fairly lucrative with a box truck, set up as a roving repair shop.
There aren't many repairs that cannot be performed there, especially if you have a electric hookup, like a n RV, to use power tools, bench grinder, etc.
There are no taxes on services in Pennsylvania, other states vary.
Don't let it intimidate you. Working for yourself can be a wonderful and rewarding thing.
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way back in the day, before it got more expensive to run the thing than i could make on a job, i used to drag one of these around...
(http://engstromauctions.com/RogerandSonsIRON/pics/DSCN1216.JPG)
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You can be fairly lucrative with a box truck, set up as a roving repair shop.
There aren't many repairs that cannot be performed there, especially if you have a electric hookup, like a n RV, to use power tools, bench grinder, etc.
There are no taxes on services in Pennsylvania, other states vary.
Don't let it intimidate you. Working for yourself can be a wonderful and rewarding thing.
I agree the best way to make money is working for yourself,funny how willing you are to put in the "hours" when the money goes in your own pocket!
If you go about it smart you will be more than happy you did. I left a high paying factory job and while the first 2 years were a big adjustment from that point on I never looked back. The only person you have to answer to is yourself and to me that made a huge difference.
One major benefit was to be able to book any day off for any reason,however that does affect the pocketbook.
:salute
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A real quick search and I found this. Rates can vary a lot from one location to another, these are quite low. (I wish I could get my blade done for $10 :furious) Design your own menu and post it on the bulletin board at the grocery store, library, church, etc. Laminate one to carry with you, it looks more permanent and that makes customers feel more secure.
Service & Repair Rates
Next Day Services - Completed next day by noon (unless Friday or Saturday drop off)
Blade Sharpening Mower Blade Sharpening
$10.00 (on unit)
$7.50 (off unit)
Chain Sharpening Chainsaw Chain Sharpening $10.00
Tire Repair Tire Plug, Tire Change, Tube Install
$15.00 Plus Parts (on unit)
$10.00 Plus Parts (off unit)
Recoil Repair Replace pull cord or fix recoil spring $25.00 Plus Parts (must be off unit)
Walk Behind Mower Services
Tune-Up Includes: Change Oil, Clean Deck, Grease Wheels, Sharpen Blade, Check Air Filter, Check Spark Plug, Pressure Wash $50.00 Plus Parts
Carburetor Cleaning/Repair Most common issue for non-starting engine $49.00 Plus Parts
Transmission Repair Self propel mower won't move or locked up $75.00 Plus Parts
Cable Replacement Broken Self Propel or Throttle Cable $37.50 Plus Parts
Wheel Replacement Worn Wheels or Adjustment Plate Worn $75.00 Plus Parts
Riding Lawn Mower and Zero Turn Mower Services
Winter Special: Free Pick-Up and Delivery (11/1-12/31)
Tune-Up Includes: Change Oil and Filter, Change Fuel Filter, Grease fittings, Clean Deck. Check Spark Plugs, Air Filter, Belts, Battery. (Blade Sharpening Not Included) $149.95 Plus Parts
Carburetor Clean/Repair Most common issue for non-starting equipment $75.00 Plus Parts
Transmission Service Should be done every 4 years or 300 hrs $75.00 Plus Parts
Belt Replacement Replace broken drive belt deck belt or hydrostatic belt
$150.00 Plus Parts (drive belt)
$75.00 Plus Parts (other belts
Spindle Repair Replace bearings for reduced deck noise and smoother operation
$45.00 Plus Parts (off unit)
$60.00 Plus Parts (on unit)
Electrical Diagnostic For fuel injected lawn tractors this may be an area of concern $75.00 fee
Snow Blower and Hand Held Equipment Services
Tune-Up Includes: Oil Change, Grease. Check Filters, Belts, and other wear items $50.00 Plus Parts
Carburetor Cleaning/Repair Most common problem for non-starting equipment
$50.00 Plus Parts (2 cycle engines)
$75.00 Plus Parts (4 cycle engines)
Paddle & Scrapper Replacement Most common issue with single stage snow blowers clogging or not throwing as far $60.00 Plus Parts
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You can be fairly lucrative with a box truck, set up as a roving repair shop.
There aren't many repairs that cannot be performed there, especially if you have a electric hookup, like a n RV, to use power tools, bench grinder, etc.
Now that's funny, I have been thinking about that all day since yesterday evening after going to bed! Housecalls with a repair shop would definitely be something! In Vermont you'd need good thermal isolation and an extra heater, though... But you can always pick and return if working in the van were too rough.
In regard of pricing, I've noticed that from a €3000 monthly turnover I can only get about €1000 for myself. That's not much, I agree. It's amazing how many forced costs are included into running a business. My unavoidables list consists of €500 for future pension, €150 for book keeping, €500 for VAT (depending on turnover), €150 for income tax... Plus magazines, Internet, electricity, car maintenance and gas etc.
Whether you start your own business or not, read Frank Bettger’s 'How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling'. - Selling? But you were supposed to repair things, not sell them, weren't you? Yupp, you'd indeed be selling your services. Easy reading, easy understanding. True stories instead of lab theories. A must for every businessman.
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Now that's funny, I have been thinking about that all day since yesterday evening after going to bed! Housecalls with a repair shop would definitely be something! In Vermont you'd need good thermal isolation and an extra heater, though... But you can always pick and return if working in the van were too rough.
In regard of pricing, I've noticed that from a €3000 monthly turnover I can only get about €1000 for myself. That's not much, I agree. It's amazing how many forced costs are included into running a business. My unavoidables list consists of €500 for future pension, €150 for book keeping, €500 for VAT (depending on turnover), €150 for income tax... Plus magazines, Internet, electricity, car maintenance and gas etc.
Whether you start your own business or not, read Frank Bettger’s 'How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling'. - Selling? But you were supposed to repair things, not sell them, weren't you? Yupp, you'd indeed be selling your services. Easy reading, easy understanding. True stories instead of lab theories. A must for every businessman.
There is at least one guy around here that has a mobile repair shop like that.
One of these heats my '92 Starwind pop-up camper in 20 degree weather to a point where I have to sleep on top of my sleeping bag, in a t-shirt.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200307957_200307957?cm_mmc=Google-pla-_-Heaters%2C%20Stoves%20%2B%20Fireplaces-_-Propane%20Heaters-_-173635&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=173635&gclid=CIPbkJy087kCFUmY4AodOX0AAw (http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200307957_200307957?cm_mmc=Google-pla-_-Heaters%2C%20Stoves%20%2B%20Fireplaces-_-Propane%20Heaters-_-173635&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=173635&gclid=CIPbkJy087kCFUmY4AodOX0AAw)
Anyone that owns their own business has to be a salesman, first :aok
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Im trying to do the same now . Working on the shop now . Got it ready for the tin .
Thanks for the thread . Answered some of my questions too .
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On the business side:
1, most states you can start a business for small money, $50 or less. Start out as a 'sole proprietor' which means you will use your social security number. The IRS will track it this way, any accountant can sort it out in 30 seconds or less. Down the road you will want to spend a few hundred dollars and incorporate. This is primarily for liability reasons.
Say you repair something and it goes wrong. If they take you to court, they are litigating the corporation, not you. Protects you and your family.
2, very much related to this, get a minimum or better liability plan. This protects you in case you get hurt on the job and can't work at all. Also, if you get sued it kicks in and protects you. What I am describing are actually two different types of policies. The first one is Workers Comp, and in some circumstances is required at all times. It get's expensive. If you have an office job, they measure very little risk of you getting hurt. You work on engines and could possible ruin a finger, a bigger risk.
The second is a basical business liability. Chances are it will be pretty inexpensive. My wife used to clean businesses where should could break things or use a cleaner that ruined a floor. Her liability insurance would ran a few hundred dollars every 6-months. Some states may require a bond or allow for either. Go with insurance, not the bond. Bonding becomes a bigger liability and is used for bigger companies with large asset pools.
Get these two small steps taken care of, maybe $100 the first month then off you go. There are some great ideas on here but small business is America. Over 80% of Americans work for small business. Best of luck on this!! :salute
Boo
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Very good advice, Boo! Especially in America where people can sue you for almost anything, asking for millions -according to the tv-series they show here...
And yet another hint: A separate bank account for the business, no matter whether a sole proprietor or something else. It's much easier to figure out the real income after having paid all the business related bills and seeing if there's anything left. It's also healthy to try to save some "business money" on the account instead of taking all extra out for personal use. There'll always be unexpected expenses. Your tools or vehicle may break, Uncle Sam wants extra taxes, whatever. If nothing happens and you seem to gather loads of $$ on your business account without having to struggle with your personal economics, use some for a deserved vacation. And of course you'll only work five days a week, nine to five. At least that should be your public image.
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What Boo said! Becoming an LLC will offer protection from lawsuits and is under $200 most places. I incorporated my HVAC business with my late buddy as VP and secretary while I was Pres and treasurer. Inc has to have those positions filled and if you are doing this alone that will be quite impossible.
Workers Comp was paid based on hours worked multiplied by a set rate. Ours was really quite low, like $70 a quarter. Insurance, even a million dollar policy is less than $300 per year.
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dragon, I like that break down alot :aok Will have to check in on the insurance and business license when I get a chance. have to have insurance as has been noted, people sue over ANYTHING these days. Thinking I am going to go talk to the guy I worked for over the summer and see if I can get some of his old customers numbers so I can contact them. Would that be a good idea?? I was also thinking like has been said here, set up a dedicated checking account for this so I could use that money to order parts, tools etc. and keep all receipts as records.
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Getting another guys address book might not be a good idea unless he is retiring and publicly handing you the torch.
Another true saying is about no man being a prophet in his own country. Rather than trying to be THE mechanic in your neighbourhood, try to find a well maintained suburb a couple of miles away and drop a letter into their mailboxes. Or/and put a few lines of advertisement in your very local free newspaper which only is being delivered in the area you're willing to work inside. Usually people who take care of their money read the small ads to find services cheaper than the major companies.
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yeah there are more bad than good in trying to get in touch with his customers. well I know that there are a couple shops about 20 miles from here, and in New Hampshire, there are no shops locally in my area at all other than the guy whom is closing. I am not sure what the deal is with him closing, because I know he was SWAMPED with work a month ago. He was charging everything by the hour at 45 PH, but I have found most places that I have found online charge by the job like what was posted before, which makes more sense to me.
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a decent tire machine is min. $3k. balancer anywhere from $1300 up.
that said, you don't need either of them to plug a tire. what you are paying for is the mechanics time, and the convenience of not doing it yourself.
it costs me 5/tire to properly dispose of them. taxes......i have an accountant for that, 'cause i don't know enough, nor do i have the time to learn.
depending on what you're working on, types of repairs, etc.....it costs to get rid of oil in some places....some places you can get it picked up for free, and there's a couple businesses locally that pay for it.
it usually costs money to get rid of antifreeze properly.
then there's rent, insurance, etc etc etc etc
You mean you don't pour used oil back into the ground where it came from? ;)
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I suggest $20-$45 per hour range, depending what the job is and how specialized. You can add a small travel fee of $5-$10 per job.
Don't work per hour. Work per estimate. If you estimate 2 hours of work on a medium difficulty job, then $30 x 2 + $10 for travel is $70 plus parts. You need to be efficient in locating replacement parts also.
Remember - the speed kills the slow. :aok
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You mean you don't pour used oil back into the ground where it came from? ;)
LOL
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Good luck, but the problem is this small engine machines are too cheap to buy new or good used; I paid aprox 200-250$ for a lawnmower, 80-100$ for trimmer, 600$ for a snow blower; as long as are made in Asia and sold here for this price, doesn't make sense to fix; people are buying extended warranty and run this toys for 2-3 years, if breaks down after get a new one.
That is the problem....Call it the wal-mart effect....
I admit....I have a dirt cheap push mower..because I use it to cut in an area that has a lot of tree roots, rough ground, etc.....so I whang the blade often enough that the machines not going to last, so I consider my push mower disposible.
I friend of mine would take pooched lawn mowers and turn them into air compressors.
I also have a Stihl FS81 string trimmer that is on the high side of 25 years old. It needs some carb work done to it....but what the hell....I just run it with the choke slightly on.
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There's been some talking about how much would be the right amount of money for one's services. Actually it's quite a simple calculation, sort of an upside down profit and loss statement. Let's start from how much you'd like to earn yearly after taxes. It goes like this:
Your desired annual net income
+ income taxes
+ retirement insurance
+ other insurances (illness, accident, damage, car, lawsuit...)
+ rent or other workroom costs
+ car maintenance and gas
+ phone
+ advertising
+ tools and their maintenance
+ accountancy
+ office equipment
+ mail
+ VAT
+ any other unavoidable costs I've forgot
_____________________________ ________________________
= The amount you'd have to make to cover all these. Spare parts paid by the customer aren't included.
Now divide that with 11 months to get your monthly budget. The 12th is for your vacation!
Divide the monthly budget with 22 working days for your daily budget.
Divide the daily budget with the amount of hours you're planning to work. 8 for a full-time job, 3-4 for a side work.
The amount will be much more than the salary of someone working for a company. That's because the employer normally will cover most of these costs, at least here in Finland. A self-employed person has to take care and cover all these by himself, only the regulations may vary. I already mentioned vacation. Another thing that should be covered by the charge is the readiness time. All businesses should have official opening hours during which they should be available, at least by phone for booking. There may be many time hogs during those hours: A customer wants your services later than you've opened but early enough to prevent you from doing another job in between. Moving from one place to another takes its time. You finish a job only to notice a couple of screws that should be inside the case. Saying goodbye may take half an hour after you've handed your bill... All these are hours you can't debit for, nevertheless they belong to your normal working day from which you should get paid for! So the charge for the actual working hours has to cover all this for you to get a decent pay. A salary that's comparable to the wage you'd get from the same waiting and lagging from an employee.
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There's been some talking about how much would be the right amount of money for one's services. Actually it's quite a simple calculation, sort of an upside down profit and loss statement. Let's start from how much you'd like to earn yearly after taxes. It goes like this:
Your desired annual net income
+ income taxes
+ retirement insurance
+ other insurances (illness, accident, damage, car, lawsuit...)
+ rent or other workroom costs
+ car maintenance and gas
+ phone
+ advertising
+ tools and their maintenance
+ accountancy
+ office equipment
+ mail
+ VAT
+ any other unavoidable costs I've forgot
_____________________________ ________________________
= The amount you'd have to make to cover all these. Spare parts paid by the customer aren't included.
Now divide that with 11 months to get your monthly budget. The 12th is for your vacation!
Divide the monthly budget with 22 working days for your daily budget.
Divide the daily budget with the amount of hours you're planning to work. 8 for a full-time job, 3-4 for a side work.
The amount will be much more than the salary of someone working for a company. That's because the employer normally will cover most of these costs, at least here in Finland. A self-employed person has to take care and cover all these by himself, only the regulations may vary. I already mentioned vacation. Another thing that should be covered by the charge is the readiness time. All businesses should have official opening hours during which they should be available, at least by phone for booking. There may be many time hogs during those hours: A customer wants your services later than you've opened but early enough to prevent you from doing another job in between. Moving from one place to another takes its time. You finish a job only to notice a couple of screws that should be inside the case. Saying goodbye may take half an hour after you've handed your bill... All these are hours you can't debit for, nevertheless they belong to your normal working day from which you should get paid for! So the charge for the actual working hours has to cover all this for you to get a decent pay. A salary that's comparable to the wage you'd get from the same waiting and lagging from an employee.
Nice