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Author Topic: Consultant Charges  (Read 16542 times)

Offline rast

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Re: Consultant Charges
« Reply #20 on: August 29, 2010, 06:00:16 pm »
 If you value your bees (and I think you do), I would be very careful about bringing yours in due to chemical exposure. Most resorts down here contract their lawn and shrub care and only care about appearance, not the chemicals used.
Fools argue; wise men discuss.
    --Paramahansa Yogananda

Offline ArmucheeBee

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Re: Consultant Charges
« Reply #21 on: August 29, 2010, 10:14:06 pm »
The area should produce fine.  It is known for its flowers, gardens, etc.  It is in the country, so lots of wildflowers too.   I plan on having a contract for vandalism and death due to chemical contamination.  The resort is more environmentally friendly than most.
Stephen Stewart
2nd Grade Teacher

"You don't need a license to drive a sandwich."  SpongeBob Squarepants

Offline bugleman

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Re: Consultant Charges
« Reply #22 on: September 25, 2010, 04:24:32 am »
It would be foolish to work for the honey when they want to pay cash for his labor.

What if the crop fails?  You are out your effort.  Make the resort pay for everything up front and let them take the risk.  They probably can afford it. 

Offline DCHoneybees

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Re: Consultant Charges
« Reply #23 on: March 10, 2011, 01:08:14 pm »
One important strength beekeeping businesses have going for them (beside the general public's off-base aversion to bees) is that there is relative ignorance of pricing.  I screwed up my pricing last year and now have to manage 25 hives through the season, which I do as a labor of love, but still need to be paid for my efforts and lost opportunity.  Note I am in the DC area so many of my clients are hobbyists with disposable income. 

Here is how I will price next year for hive management services:
- $300 per hive per season + $40 feed cost;
- All hives must have a 4 gallon hive top feeder to reduce trips;
- A travel premium will be added to hives more than 15 miles away;
- After the main flow I take 1 split of bees from each hive to make nucs (a secondary revenue source);
- If they want my help with extraction, I take one-half their harvest.

I will also make no warranties on queen health or vitality, and a formal management agreement with appropriate indemnities and other protections will be executed.

I will make adjustments to the cash pricing depending on how many hives are at one location but I think it is fair, and the non-cash costs are invisible to them and thus never missed.


Offline ArmucheeBee

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Re: Consultant Charges
« Reply #24 on: March 10, 2011, 10:58:05 pm »
DC

So are they your bees or does that $300 buy the bees, boxes, etc. and that is then their property?  I am looking to put an add in the paper here for my professional beekeeping services as many people around here would like to start keeping bees.  If they pay for all the hardware and bees, how much should I charge for my services/teaching them what to do?  Know that we are in a lower standard of living here and not much disposable income.
Stephen Stewart
2nd Grade Teacher

"You don't need a license to drive a sandwich."  SpongeBob Squarepants

Offline DCHoneybees

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Re: Consultant Charges
« Reply #25 on: March 10, 2011, 11:22:34 pm »
Sorry for the confusion.  I sell them the equipment with only a modest profit.  The management fee is additional.  The equipment and the bees are theirs, for which I am pleased as then I have no liability as owner.

You can then scale your fees to suit your market but please be sure to price yourself higher than you think you are worth, a common oversight for most.

Offline The Bix

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Re: Consultant Charges
« Reply #26 on: March 11, 2011, 01:10:05 am »
Are you going to use the extractor I think you are?  :-D

Offline DCHoneybees

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Re: Consultant Charges
« Reply #27 on: March 11, 2011, 08:04:03 am »
I am upgrading this year....what do you recommend, BIX?

Offline organicfarmer

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Re: Consultant Charges
« Reply #28 on: March 18, 2011, 09:11:44 pm »
i agree with JP on your worth and a form of agreement, i would also spell out in there the inerant risk of loosing colonies. Whose responsibilities if bees die in winter for whatever reasons? Do non-beekeepers know about that ? Certainly not and they'd surely blame the keeper for not taking care of their bees.

I think $100.00 per hour is what I would charge. For that price any problems and headaches are covered.

Definitely, definitely definitely have something in writing spelling out your responsibilities and don't fail to mention how bee keeping is a form of farming, dependent on many weather related variables.

You don't want to be responsible for a bad crop that is beyond your control.

What happens if the bees need to be fed?

I say they pay for ALL expenses including feed costs and your fuel costs to and fro.

Please keep us updated as this sounds very interesting albeit if you have the time for it.

Offline scdw43

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Re: Consultant Charges
« Reply #29 on: April 02, 2011, 12:05:28 am »
I would figure what I could make on the hives in a good year minus yard rent that I would have to pay. That is what I would charge.  If they make a crop that is good. If it is a bad year you still get paid.  Don't guarantee anything except that you will manage the bees and they will get all of the honey. If they want to go in the bee business, you can put them right in the middle of it, for a price. If you structure a deal so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain you can't go wrong.
Winter Ventilation: Wet bees die in hours maybe minutes, no matter how much honey is in the hive.

 

anything