Equipment Rate Calc

Job Minimum Charge Calculator

Set a minimum charge for short equipment jobs after loading, travel, setup, cleanup, fuel, admin time, and margin. Results update automatically as inputs change.

Inputs

Job assumptions

Include the crew and equipment time expected on site for setup, work, and cleanup.

Add loading, unloading, round-trip travel, estimating, scheduling, and job-specific administration.

Use the combined loaded cost of labor and equipment for every paid hour entered above.

Enter the dollar cost of round-trip truck and trailer mileage not already included in hourly cost.

Add job-specific disposal, materials, permits, rentals, and fees that do not vary by hour.

Profit & protection

Margin is profit divided by the final selling price, not a markup on cost.

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Recommended Minimum0

How this calculator works

Minimum charge = hidden time cost + site time cost + travel mileage + fixed job cost, then divide by (1 - target margin).

Read the methodology and editorial policy

Find the minimum price for a short equipment job

Count the full job commitment: on-site time plus loading, travel, setup, cleanup, and administration. Add the separate mileage and fixed costs that are not already covered by the hourly input, then apply margin.

Worked example

The illustrative one-hour site job also uses 2 hidden hours. At $90/hour, 3 total hours cost $270. Add $45 mileage cost and $35 fixed job cost for $350 break-even cost.

At 25% margin, $350 ÷ 0.75 = a $466.67 minimum charge, leaving $116.67 above the entered costs. Hidden time is 66.7% of total job time. The $155.56 effective hourly result divides the minimum by all 3 hours, not just the one on site.

Use this minimum as a price floor when assembling a short-job quote. The equipment-work pricing guide helps place it alongside scope, transport, materials, and any separately agreed charges.

Count the time outside the work area

  • Use this on every small job inquiry before giving a quick number.
  • Count admin, photos, site messages, and invoice time.
  • Calculate a separate scenario if urgent scheduling or another trip adds real time or cost.
  • Do not waive mobilization unless the job is genuinely near another booked route.

Common questions

What belongs in hidden job hours?

Include time attributable to the job that the site-hours entry misses: loading, unloading, travel, setup, cleanup, job messages, and invoicing. Do not count the same hour in both fields.

Should I add this minimum on top of a complete job quote?

Usually treat it as a floor: compare the complete calculated job price with the minimum and use the price appropriate to the agreed scope. Adding the full minimum on top can duplicate machine time, travel, and other costs already priced in the job.

Can travel appear in both hidden hours and mileage cost?

Yes when they represent different costs, such as paid travel time and truck operating cost. Check what your hourly input already covers before adding mileage or fixed charges for the same expense.

Important disclaimerPlanning estimate only. Verify current costs, measurements, production, scope, access, customer requirements, contracts, permits, insurance, taxes, and local rules before quoting or committing money.