Not seeing a lot of info on this, surprisingly. Generally I try to include travel times when considering my hourly rate, but there are some times where this seems to result in excessive pricing. For example, single-wide trailers that I bid at $350 because they are an hour away, etc. I know I’m not obligated to charge any certain price, but I am interested in seeing how other guys do things.
Thanks!
Try to plan jobs in that area into 1 day. Just tell then that you are happy to help, but it is a hour drive so you are organizing jobs in that area for X date. Offer to go out there sooner but it will ether cost more or take a neighbor/local family to also get a job planned. Just my 2 cent
I don’t have a travel charge, per sé, but my minimum does go up based on distance. Unless things are really slow, I won’t drive an hour one way for less than $600 or so. My reason for that is opportunity cost. In that 2 hours of windshield time, I could’ve made $400+ at a closer job.
I’m up front with customers who call me from that distance, and tell them that their best bet is to see if they can get some neighbors to schedule with them for the same day.
Today I’m cleaning windows at a commercial building 55 minutes from home. $1,600. Would’ve been closer to $1200-$1300 had the job been in town.
But there are exceptions to every rule. Tomorrow I do a small wc job for this same property management company 65 minutes away for $350. That should be an easy 1.5-2 hour job, and a very scenic drive down there. I want to keep this customer happy 
. Also, Tuesday is my short day for the week.
My price for an apartment complex in my home town is the same price as one 200 mile away. I do try to schedule more than one in the same area though
I don’t really change my rates, but I super rarely leave 20 minutes or so outside of Kansas City city center. On stuff like this I usually just try to figure out how much more I would charge for the suffering of something that’s a pain in the rear.
Would I drive an hour for $50? Probably. But I think the best advice like Dan and others have said is to try to slam the calendar full on out of town days to make it worth it. Maybe mention to your customer that you’ll give them for $20 off as a referral fee for any friends or neighbors that get work done while you’re there.
When I drove 2 hours out of town and knew I had to drive 2 hours back to clean those houses covered in cornstarch, I gave $600 total in referral rebates to everyone because I knew I was going to make a bucket of money still and I got a couple more calls that way.
