This is from 1982

Looks like prices have stayed the same for the most part.  I know we pay close to that for out boom pump's we bring in.  I think for our trailer pump, we are at about $20 a yard average to run it ourselves.  So that saves us about $10 an yard.  Only thing that kills us is fuel, and mantince on the truck or pump.

I think I am actually going to print this and use it as a selling point so that GC's can finally see that our rates our going backwards.

Our company is a prime example that through the years we have been in the pumping business industry, we have lost millions of dollars trying to compete in a market that would not allow profitability.

Attached is a copy of a rate card that we used in 1982, which was one of the few years the competition allowed us to make a small profit. 30 years later, would you not think that the price should have doubled at least.

1982   - 108 ft            $110.00 p/hr - $2.00 per/yd Why pump at these rates today?

2012 - 36 mtr            $220.00 p/h - $4.00 per/yd - This is what the market should be charging today for their services in order to make a profit.

If the market does not change, we will all file for bankruptcy as this company has, plus pages of information of why we went broke like this one are open to the public. Attached are a few pages for your information.

What are you and your competitors going to do different in order for us all to survive? Let's all of us think about how we can change the industry we are in.

Thank you.

A Concerned Concrete Pumper!

Richard O'Brien

I would like to ask Mr Obrien on what prices shoud be or close on a 5/45 OLIN using all 2 1/2 inch hose, someone told me he is the best in this Business and the fairest I have never met him.

 Yes your right.

 I'm just wondering what brought this up at this time.

This subject at this time? I think there is not a day go by right now where somewhere in conversation we talk about price.?? Even in place, cast in place and other. We fight to beat prices we did work for in the early 80's when concrete was around 40 dollars a yard. No it is 120 to 150 depending where we are and the volume for the job.

Not just pumping. But this is a prime example and can compare against cost of equipment, insurance and fuel date to present date. We all know what that is.

How are guys making it??? What monies can possibly be left once the job is completed.??? hope the equipment is at least paid for. I know the labor rates we compete agains mostly for illegals is less then the 80's. Its remarkable that the IRS looks for ways to catch someone that actually files taxes to get more from them then leaves all the guys being paid cash alone. We quoted some work two weeks ago. Not a huge job but about 100K. Five bidders came in at 85K to 105 K and did not include any removals which were about 25 K more.

A company bid the job at 75K including the removals making them more then 35% lighter in his bid then 5 others. We all bid the work to get the work and all felt we bid it cheap as it is. He uses all illegals for one, no taxes and it keeps his insurance down. Yes if someone were to get hurt he is in deep. But he has been doing this. But he is priced not even to cover cost of materials let alone cash payments to labor and he is on COD so he has to pay now for materials. 80 dollars a 12 hour day for labor and 125 for skilled people who can finish and set forms. Not just pumping guys. It is our industry across the board.

WHere are we going as an industry??? I know we have been sitting at home a lot because working at losses that great is very dangerous.

My boss and I were talking about this tonight while we finished his concrete bathroom floor.  The going rate for finishers around here is 32 cents a square foot.  10,000 sq ft is $3200.  The crew makes $100 for the day.  100*15 guys=$1500.  Add in $700 or so for fuel, lunch, equptiment payments or whatever, and that leaves $1000 in the boss mans pocket.  If he does this 5 days a week, he is doing really good.  

Its the same with the boom pumps we hire.  Our one job, there are 32 times we need the boom pump.  We worked the deal that we are paying him X amount which comes out to Y amount per set up.  Some of the set ups he will loose a bunch of money, the other times he will make a bunch of money.  It all works out even in the end.  If we need him more than 32 times, then we will pay the regular rates with fuel charges and all.  He knows he is making out alright with us, even though he lost all of his line pumping for us.  

"Goose", you forgott to add all the taxes your boss have to pay - after all taxes, there is way far from your calculation, that much money left! Just a full hand of breadcrumbs has he left, to make a good living.

It is very sad that the pumpingrates in the USA is that low, now i realy know why you complain about the payment. That day we in Sweden have that low pumpingrates.... then i don´t see any reason to run a company in this business. In Sweden is our pumpingrates doubble up (translated today, from USD to Swedish kronor) as shown in the pricelist in this post.

A pump in Sweden do only got to have 4 - 6 fully days pumpjob a mounth (!), to get break even. And that means paycheck to the pumper, all taxes, diesel, spareparts...and so on. theese 4 - 6 days pays everything - the rest 16 - 18 days in a mounth is profit right into my and the taxgovernments pocket.

But most of the societythings we have here in Sweden comes from the USA - Mc Donalds, Burger King, Pizza hut, fat people....

I think it is probably just a matter of time until we also have that low pumpingrates, because the the pricewar of pumpingrates is about to start here to, but in very small scale.

My plan is all ready clear, since years ago. I run my pumpcompany for 11 years more, until i´m age 55 . Then i sell the whole pumpcompany and buy a mixertruck and run my mixertruck for living until i get retired at 65 years of age. After that, i only hire me out to pump concrete only thoose days when i feel for it - probably 5 days a week (i hope not).  

Goose I thought it was cheap here for finishers at 75 cents a square foot but you guys are still in the caveman era, Nashville,Tennessee is over a 1.50.

Add in taxes and he is still making $700 a day.  The differance down here in south Florida, is there are no unions, no imcome tax, and cheap labor.  My buddy from PA has the same job that my boss does, and makes twice as much.

"Goose", the unioncosts in Sweden is like coffeymoney - but our union is corrupt by the big dragons (our big monopoly companies). Thats why our union is like nothing, or a joke - good for me as an employer, but i pay my guys way high more than our joke-union demands - and none of them are a member in the union, or they don´t work for me. My demand!

 Because of it´s impossible to run a pumpcompany that no pumper has to work more than 8 hour a day - and need to rest minimum 11 hour before next workingday. It´s impossible for me to make them that luxury precisly at the hour - my company is owned by my costumers demand or sugestion. That´s why i pay my guys overpriced paychecks every mounth, to get through all government or union demands. And of course - so no competitor steal my guys for half a buck more a hour.

 But of course, i´m known as the dirtyjobpumper - to work for me is to pump all the difficult or "impossible" (idiot-) jobs that my dragon-competitors don´t manage or want to do. My market! I do also have many easy "100 ft hose on the same level"-jobs too. But my companybrand is dirty pumpjobs.

"Goose" It sounds realy nice to read that you live in a society that have no income tax! Is that realy true? It sounds like a paradise for me who lives in a wellhighed taxpaying country. I know that Denmarks workers pays way much higher tax than we do, and i believe that Norway has quite big taxes also - even though they are one of the richest country in the whole world.

 But to live in a society with no taxes.....what a nice place to be in. Just pay the insurance company and stay healthy. Way cheaper than our taxpayment. And Swedish healthcare is even though our high taxes, a disaster or more precisly, a joke. My wife works as a high qualyfied emergency-nurse sins 26 year - she can tell you.

We do pay federal imcome tax and SS and Medicare crap, about 22 cents or so on the dollar.  No state income taxes though.  We can thank our beaches, and Disney World for that.  My buddy broke it down one time, he lives in MD and is a union worker at a Chemical plant.  22 cents fed, 20 cents state, 5 cents medical, and 13 cents union for every Dollar made.  He also makes about $40 an hour.  I only pay 22 cents a dollar for taxes, but only make $11 an hour.  Yes I have a company truck and fuel card, but still.  Being the bosses nephew has its goods and bads.  I pump every single line pump job our company has.  Most are not easy, and a few of the guys I pump for are mean and dont help worth nothing.  I will not run the end of the hose, I cant do it nor is it safe.  But I do every thing else.  I have even had to back my big ass ford and little pump out of spots I did not fit in to begin with with no spotter.  The guys fear me because I can do it all, and its my way or its not gonna happen.  I work harder and longer hours than anyone else and I am happy to do it.  I think labor here is so cheap because everyone is happy to have a job.  There are no factories.  Its all skilled around here that makes the money.  Working at Hooters is not a lifetime thing.  

The boss has insurance, overhead, maintanance costs as well. Not just taxes.

32 cents does not pay labor, insurance, taxes, and other anywhere. Its just not at all possible to do work this cheap. Maybe Cash and not pay the needs. But not clean.