View Full Version : can I have your estimate?
jadavi
02-11-2011, 11:07 PM
I wonder if you'd be kind enough to give me a quote that would be true of your prices. I know we all charge differently but |I'm interested in getting the spread of estimates for this job so I can check I'm not way off beam....
The job is...
4.5 y o mindee gets dropped 8am.
8.30 you leave to drive the 8 miles to school and get a parking spot early as you have another young child/children to get out of car to see him off
9.30ish you arrive home agan.
2.30 pm you set off to do his school pick up along with up to 2 lo's in tow,
You take him home and give him a hot meal .
He is picked up at 6pm.
Very much appreciated.
ja
Personally I would just charge my hourly rate of £3.70 for school age children (I don't charge extra for meals).
I don't charge extra for using the car (I think if you do you have to registered as a taxi!) but there's no way I'd do a school run 8 miles away (unless you already go to that school?)!
Have you considered if the weather was bad and you had to travel that far? You have an obligation to get the school age child there on time but also to keep the other little one's safe. Also would you have a contingency plan if your car was off the road?
I would charge normal rate from the time YOU start work, so From 8am until 9:30 and 2:30 to 6pm. Plus I would charge a fee for travelling of around £5 per day for example.I used to do a similar trip when I first started minding but would never do it
I agree with Cazz it's a big commitment and can be tricky in winter
jadavi
02-11-2011, 11:30 PM
I agree about the travel but she has no one else near her - we are very rural here. I don't do any school runs in my town as the after and before clubs are excellent so Id be prepared to commit to this rural school just for this lucrative job. Would you charge holiday fees?
My fees would be £12 for the morning run, £12 for hours up to 5pm and then £6 for the last hour pus £5 fuel equals £33 a day! I dont charge for food or holidays but £165 still sounded steep!
I would charge normal rate from the time YOU start work, so From 8am until 9:30 and 2:30 to 6pm. Plus I would charge a fee for travelling of around £5 per day for example.I used to do a similar trip when I first started minding but would never do it
I agree with Cazz it's a big commitment and can be tricky in winter
I hadn't thought of charging like that - i.e from when you leave home to drop off and collect. That's a good idea and makes sense when you're travelling so far.
I would definetly give it some serious thought before you commit. If you're going to that school just for one mindee it will be ***'s law that you'll start getting enquiries for more local schools that you won't be able to accommodate.
If you do decide to take this mindee on I would be very clear with parent that you will do it on a trial basis for the first month (my first month is settling in anyway) but if it's not working for you and the other little one's you will have to inform her so she can make alternative arrangements.
I agree about the travel but she has no one else near her - we are very rural here. I don't do any school runs in my town as the after and before clubs are excellent so Id be prepared to commit to this rural school just for this lucrative job. Would you charge holiday fees?
My fees would be £12 for the morning run, £12 for hours up to 5pm and then £6 for the last hour pus £5 fuel equals £33 a day! I dont charge for food or holidays but £165 still sounded steep!
I think I'm right in saying that you can't actually quote a figure for fuel as you would then be classed as a taxi and would have to register with the council as such!
If I am right (and I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm not!) you need to add that £5 somehow into your other fees and not mention travelling or fuel fees either verbally or on your contracts. You can still put mileage at 45p per mile through your accounts.
I agree it does sound a lot but if you're taking into account your travelling costs and your time then it probably isn't!
jadavi
03-11-2011, 08:25 AM
Yes I've been adding on 20 p mile to basic cost.
Thanjs
auntym
03-11-2011, 08:27 AM
I would charge my normal 5 before school and 10 after school. my fuel would be part of my own expenses. hth xxx
mama2three
03-11-2011, 08:38 AM
It does sound expensive tbh. Why £12 before school , that makes an hourly rate of £8 an hour?
If youre already charging the extra here for the travel then I cant see how you can add £5 on as well?
I would probably charge a fee of £20 per day here to include the travel etc ( normally £15 before and after school , open 7am -6pm) By quoting a daily rate rather than breaking it down you avoid the 'taxi' argument.
Make sure she is aware that you reserve the right not to do the school run in bad weather as the childrens safety is paramount. And that charges still apply in this case.
jadavi
03-11-2011, 08:41 AM
Yeah that's what bothers me - it's a massive amount of work / upheaval for only £15 . Including travel it's 5 hours a day . I'd def feel resentful if I did it for so little.
jadavi
03-11-2011, 09:39 AM
haha funny you should say that Kath as it was her who said 'charge me your out of hours rate for the morning run.'
She looked at my prices and said 'good lord I pay my ironing lady more than this! You should put your prices up!
So at my out of hours price which is £6 from Jan 2012 it is £12 for the morning run for the 90 minutes.
I don't charge part hours - does anyone else?
apprec the feedback - it is clearing my mind.
ja
jumpinjen
03-11-2011, 09:58 AM
If your out of hours rate is £12/hour then isn't 90 minutes £9 not £12?
If she thinks your original prices were cheap then fine charge her the higher rate if she wants to pay it, but without the fuel charge. There is always that balance between wanting to charge to 'make it worth your while' and realising that childcare is your business and it's your choice to agree to do the care in the first place and making it too expensive may lose you the lucrative contract in the end!
Good advice to have contingency plans in place for car break down/bad weather for example - is there a taxi company that could take you if your car fails? Do they have a vehicle big enough? Can you fit your car seats in it? What time would you have to leave to manage to do all that and get there in time? Could you register your partner's car for business also just in case? Do you need to write into the contract that parents would need to collect in these circumstances and is there a refund on fees available in this case? A fee refund may work out cheaper than a rural taxi service in the end!
As for going out for such a long time to do the school run - are there other activities in neighbouring villages that you could tie in to make it less of a task for the little ones every day? Such as playgroups, library, farmer's market for veg shopping, country walk, playground etc?
I took on a school run out of my immediate area when I first started - lucrative ish and wanted the work - it was very stressful though as I couldn't balance it when more work came in and i didn't have a big enough car to put them all in and couldn't afford to buy a bigger one! Then the brakes went one morning and I was nearly having a break down sorting out how to get the children home safely from 6 miles away!
So----- think carefully and cover all contingencies then decide if you want to go for it!!
Jen x
ozzy10
03-11-2011, 11:22 AM
My after schoolies school is 7 miles away. I don't do the morning drop off only after school but I do charge from when I leave my house and I f i did the morning drop off would charge till when I get home too.
I've had problems recently that my little boy has decided he would like a 3 hr nap in the afternoon 1-4! Luckily my MIL comes and sits while I do the school run.