Chuck, also look into your insurance costs. After being canceled two years
in a row for doing tower and rooftop work,
we found a company to cover us "affordably" but limits that we can't climb
for others, limits the number of hours we
can do tower work in-house, etc.

If you plan on these guys being a tower crew 100% of the time and sub'ing
them out to others, your insurance
rates my change your cost/benefit analysis.

On Wed, Jul 4, 2018 at 1:08 PM, <[email protected]> wrote:

> That is almost a perfect example of this job I need done.  I don’t
> begrudge a couple of guys making $1K  for a day of driving and a half day
> of working.  Seems like decent money to me.  Even at $75/hour, a 16 hour
> day comes in at $1200 per person.  Not unreasonable.  I can supply an
> employee or two for pulling on ropes etc.    But 4-10 times that amount are
> the range of the quotes I am getting.
>
> Just trying to calibrate my expectations.  I recently paid about $5K for a
> 100’ SSV to be erected.  (I paid for the crane work and we built the
> foundations in house).
>
> Now the same guy wants the same amount to hang a PTP 550 on it and another
> tower.  That is where the heartburn is kicking in.  I too have erected
> towers.  I know that it is a bit more work than just hanging a small
> integrated radio.
>
> *From:* Jaime Solorza
> *Sent:* Wednesday, July 4, 2018 10:57 AM
> *To:* AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group
> *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] Tower climbing
>
> I understand as an employer you have to look at cost vs benefit....but
> tower climbing is to me different from other Telecom work.  I really don't
> climb much anymore and out of the flow as to what folks are charging now.
> Did a job in Midland with son realigning two 11GHz links on water
> tanks....left El Paso at 4 am, drove almost 4 hours...worked 6...drove
> home....I made 800.00 , son 600.00.   Plus Travel and per diem ...some
> other outfit wanted to charge them 3000.00.  They hired us again few months
> later to install new radio after one got sent to heaven by lightning.. but
> Midland pays well.  Just don't like it much..no mountains...
>
> Jaime Solorza
>
> On Wed, Jul 4, 2018, 10:38 AM <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I realize that but it is not low for a run-of-the- mill telecom tech
>> around here
>> We start them at about $15 and after a few years they will top out around
>> $25 if they are still doing install and repair work.
>>
>> I am trying to illustrate the job costing that I am applying to this
>> particular job to judge whether or not these quotes are reasonable.
>>
>> If 4 man is the law, and if it takes twice the amount of time I am
>> guessing (which happens all too frequently) and if they have to drive a
>> half a day and stay overnight, then I can see it.  But my heart says that 4
>> men is overkill and it should not take that much time etc.
>>
>> I am totally double minded on this because I quit doing lowball bids
>> years ago.  If I don’t make good money on a job I pass it over.
>>
>> “for the labourer is worthy of his hire”
>>
>> *From:* Jaime Solorza
>> *Sent:* Wednesday, July 4, 2018 10:29 AM
>> *To:* AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group
>> *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] Tower climbing
>>
>> 25 an hour is low for tower work
>>
>> Jaime Solorza
>>
>> On Wed, Jul 4, 2018, 10:13 AM <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> Let’s say I pay a guy that I have  sent to Comtrain $25/hour.
>>> I pay a few benefits, modest health insurance etc.
>>> To not lose money, I have to bill one of my other companies $39.50.
>>>
>>> I have a very comprehensive spreadsheet that calculates every jot and
>>> tittle for loaded rates.
>>> It even includes the expense of calculating the billing etc.
>>>
>>> If anyone wants a copy  send me an off list request.  I don’t think I
>>> can attach spreadsheets to the email.
>>>
>>> So, lets round up.  $40/hour is my out of pocket.
>>> Say I need two of these guys to hang the radios.  $80/hour.
>>>
>>> I know I can climb that tower, hang the radio, secure the CAT5 and be on
>>> the ground in 2 hours.
>>> Have done similar jobs many many times as a younger man.
>>>
>>> Then drive for a half hour (let’s round up to 1 hours) and then do the
>>> same at the other site.  5 hours total so far.
>>> Then say we have to go back to the first site and tweak the aiming.  6
>>> hours into the job.
>>>
>>> 6 x 80 is $480  My out of pocket payroll expense to hang a pair of $600
>>> radios.
>>> Perhaps there is some OSHA rule that requires 4 guys.  I don’t know
>>> about this rule.... but two people have mentioned it now.
>>> OK, my expense is not $1200.
>>>
>>> Let’s say I want send my guys to do this job for someone else and make a
>>> 50% margin, then I would be billing $2400.
>>> And pocketing half.
>>>
>>> Still far less than the quotes and estimates I have received.
>>> I realize everyone has to drive in from somewhere and they have to be
>>> paid while they drive.   But still...
>>> Where is that rule that you must have 4 guys on a tower crew?
>>> What is a fair margin when renting our your employees to others.
>>> What is the cost of sending someone to Comtrain these days?
>>>
>>> *From:* Chuck McCown
>>> *Sent:* Tuesday, July 3, 2018 11:15 PM
>>> *To:* AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group
>>> *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] Tower climbing
>>>
>>> I figure less than 3 hours per tower, in reality it should be one hour
>>> per tower.  So 6 man hours.  Of course there would be transport time to and
>>> from.  But if my own employees were doing it I would have less than $240 in
>>> payroll expense.
>>>
>>> *From:* Jaime Solorza
>>> *Sent:* Tuesday, July 03, 2018 9:34 PM
>>> *To:* AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group
>>> *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] Tower climbing
>>>
>>> Too busy to help you...but 4500.00 is more or less what son and I would
>>> charge...
>>>
>>> Jaime Solorza
>>>
>>> On Tue, Jul 3, 2018, 1:28 PM <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Thanks
>>>>
>>>> *From:* Trey Scarborough
>>>> *Sent:* Tuesday, July 3, 2018 1:15 PM
>>>> *To:* [email protected]
>>>> *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] Tower climbing
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Check with LRC
>>>>
>>>> https://www.lrcwireless.com/
>>>>
>>>> On 7/2/2018 8:31 PM, Chuck McCown wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Near Innis Louisiana.
>>>> (NW of Baton Rouge, SE or Alexandria).
>>>>
>>>> *From:* Colin Stanners
>>>> *Sent:* Monday, July 02, 2018 7:27 PM
>>>> *To:* AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group
>>>> *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] Tower climbing
>>>>
>>>> $5000 and they don't even need to mount big dishes or take out the
>>>> rubber tape? Incredible.... sounds like it's their "we don't want your
>>>> business, go away" pricing. Maybe post the area and see if any AFMUG
>>>> members are around?
>>>>
>>>> On Mon, Jul 2, 2018 at 8:23 PM, Chuck McCown <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Integrated radios/antenna.
>>>>>
>>>>> *From:* Colin Stanners
>>>>> *Sent:* Monday, July 02, 2018 7:16 PM
>>>>> *To:* AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group
>>>>> *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] Tower climbing
>>>>>
>>>>> How big are the dishes?
>>>>>
>>>>> Those seem really high compared to around here.
>>>>>
>>>>> On Mon, Jul 2, 2018 at 8:12 PM, Chuck McCown <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> I have a pair of PTP550s to hang and wire.
>>>>>> Long away from my base of operations.  About 100’ up on both ends.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Have received two quotes to hang and aim:
>>>>>> $5000
>>>>>>
>>>>>> $8000   ($14,000 if it goes to 2 days)
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Not sure why they think this needs 4 guys to do.
>>>>>> I am too old to do it myself, just don’t have the leg
>>>>>> strength/endurance to be safe.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 10x the cost of the radios to hang and aim???
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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