Busy Work and Odd things ...
roselee z8b S.W. Texas
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
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Vulture61
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Odd things in a conifer garden
Comments (31)LOL Dax. A friend got it for me from Fishermen's Terminal in Seattle. It used to be out on a dock. They name the docks there. It came from the dock called Holiday. I just can't figure out where to put it in an appropriate spot in the garden so it looks like it 'belongs'. Mike...See MoreThe Business End of Things
Comments (8)What business? Nursery, design, maintenance, construction,..? If it is a service business, keep records of all expenses directly related to each part of the whole job. In other words, if you do a job that includes a brick walk for example, you should be able to add up how much you spent in terms of hours and dollars so that you know how much it actually cost you to make. That way you can do accurate pricing in the future. It sounds obvious, but you would be surprised at how few people actually do this with anything resembling accuracy. The second thing that you must do is develop solid pricing. Another seemingly obvious thing that is not done by many people. Developing solid prices comes from knowing your expenses for each task that you do. That is the importance of the overly simple brick walk example. There is nothing worse that you can do besides soft pricing. When someone challenges you on your pricing, you have to know if it is enough, not enough, or too much. If you do, you can and should stick to your price and be able to walk away from the job rather than knocking the price down to land it. You can't really do that if you don't record keep. The third set of words of wisdom would be to understand what business you are in and max out your efficiency before adding more and more equipment and running it all on a part time basis. The example I like to use because I see it so much is: Don't have $30k worth of mowing equipment hanging out for five days a week in order to mow for two days while having a $30k skid stear loader running 100 hours a year parked next to the hydroseeder, the bark blower, spray truck, cherry picker, pipe puller, cement mixer, .... while you try to decide what to buy next in order to "get over the hump" with your 2 employees. A lot of words to say that equipment alone does not get work done. Managing people gets work done. We are all limited in the number of employees we can manage. Some have bigger limits than others. Those that deny this to themselves buy more and more equipment thinking it will make them money. All the while they can only bill for the two or three operators/laborers that they can manage. They gross more money, but often net less all the while they think they are doing better because of all the stuff they have. Don't emulate them. And finally, always understand that those who are established know the market, know the costs, know where to buy stuff, are in a better position to have work come to them, and often have lower overhead. It is doubtful that a new person has the ability to charge less and make more money than they do. But for some reason, new people often think they are going to out produce these people who know, through familiarity, the ins and outs. The biggest single disadvantage is that the consumer is more comfortable with a known product. It is not how much you know or can do, it is how you compare to the people you are competing with. All things being equal, will the consumer take you or your product over the next guy? If not, you have to make sure that not all things are equal in order to level the playing field. That usually means the new guy has to charge less in order to get work even though it costs him more to produce. One more thing: If you are leaving a full time job, take your salary, add the other half of the SSI that your employer pays, the cost of your health insurance, employers share of an IRA or 401k, the cost of the insurances, rental space, equipment, fuel, checks, envelopes, paper, tools, and every last expense that you will have and divide that by the number of BILLABLE WORKING HOURS you will expect over the first year. Keep in mind what hours you can actually bill for will not likey be 40 a week for 52 weeks. That $50 k salary will easily need $65k to net you the same cash. That is a net of $1,250 a week, or $31.25 an hour. If it is an outdoor business, whether is going to limit those days. If you only miss two billing days a month, that is 192 hours. Will you take two weeks a year vacation? That is 80 more. When your tire goes flat, there goes another one. Now your up to $36 per hour to break even and you have not bought any gas, insurance, tools, equipment,... One $6k lawn mower costs over $1per hour with no interest over three years. The trailer is another $.50. It won't take much more equipment, expenses, and NON-BILLABLE TIME to get your break even point at $50 per hour. Yet hearing a rate like that makes so many think it is huge profit....See MoreI've been busy making things
Comments (15)Good morning! So fun to share my projects here, you gals all make me feel so good. Let me answer a couple of questions. These blocks are just various lengths cut from an old 2x4 board. The 2x4's work well because they stand easily and you can do a different design on the back--so two sets from one like these are. You could use any size wood really. 4x4 blocks can be decorated on all sides and flipped. (Nice with photos on each side.) You can also just decorate a length of wood instead of blocks. I use DH's "chop saw" so it is fast and easy to cut them. Then I take the electric sander to them because they are usually pretty rough. A quick coat of acrylic paint and let it dry. Then just cut pieces of scrapbook paper and Mod Podge it to the face of the block. Let me just add that I "could" just decorate them by painting--but using the papers is fun, easy, and faster. I've been cutting letters with my Cricut--but you can buy sheets of letters in all sizes and colors, stencil letters on, etc. Some of the things I added were dimensional "stickers" that I bought for the summer theme. A whole sheet of them on sale at Michael's for $1.49. I also use small silk flowers or layered ones cut from cardstock, ribbons or strips of contrasting paper, leaves cut out of cardstock, buttons, rick rack, etc. That's the fun part and a great way to use up scraps of things since it only takes small pieces. The Mod Podge is great, goes on cloudy but dries clear and fast! Later I will try cutting some vinyl letters, but it is more pricey, so doing the paper letters is good while I'm learning. You can also use thin boards for signs to hang on the wall, and I've seen some "stacked" blocks and boards that are so cute too. Lots of this stuff being created on some of the blogs I've found on the Cricut message boards. And Grandma Bonnie on the Crafts forum here on GW does the vinyl designs for walls and even cars! Once I invest in some vinyl, I'll be able to adhere words and designs to plates, jars, the refrigerator, etc. Really any flat clean surface! (The vinyl can be damp wiped and easily removed--the Mod Podged paper would be difficult to remove.) It does take "time", mostly because I try this and then try that before I decide what to glue where! But it is one of the easiest crafts I've done and just so many possibilities! I've seen some words or names on the glass in a frame and would like to try that too. I've been collecting and saving ideas for things to make, Karen has sent me some good links to blogs and things that she has run across during her nighttime "surfing". (thanks Karen, love it!) OA, the painted sign can certainly be painted on both sides. I often do that if I plan to use it where only one side can be seen. Doesn't work so well if you plan to display it on an easel on the table for instance, so keep that in mind. Hope I've explained things well--if not, just ask--or email me if you'd like. I get so much inspiration and encouragement from all of you, would love to give some of that back as well. Luvs...See MoreAn odd great thing about changing multi/lev countertop!
Comments (15)I am not an inviting cook. I especially don't like having others stand behind me. If you're going to work by me, work over there, buddy. Better still, just let me work by myself. We designed this kitchen so that nobody would be in a position where a second person stands behind waiting for your space. The design was worth while. __ If a guest event was touted as a "bring your food, share it" you have to accept others in. In fact, plan to stay out of kitchen as much as possible. Just direct them to the right drawer or serving spoon. OT to JTerrilyn, codger mode on here...I think part of it is that people have lost the ability to really get together to converse intensively. Dinner parties, huddling around a coffee table in living room, arguing about politics and religion at kitchen table, these are things that are disappearing. Part of it might be intrusion of t.v. Many rooms--living rooms, family rooms, kitchens, basement rooms--are now planned so everyone faces same direction, to see the screen. If the peninsula has every seat facing same place and the cook is in that place, are we surprised that the cook also becomes the master of ceremonies? And that guests orient themselves in homage and offer service? We just had a spontaneous wine and appetizer event with neighbor couple Sunday night. I packed up a tray and sent them with it to the living room and DH followed them. I said "see you shortly" and kept on preparing a second tray more efficiently than if people were watching me. We spread out small plates, napkins, horsdouvers, wine glasses on the coffee table and laps and had a great time, four heads close together. And all equals. Nobody presides. ___ How weird! As I wrote the above, an image of one of those stork-like bar table sets appeared at bottom of screen. Software must be trained to pair words in poster's text with advertisers!...See Moreroselee z8b S.W. Texas
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoloreleicomal
8 years agoroselee z8b S.W. Texas
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoloreleicomal
8 years ago
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