Operational Cost Planning
Vehicle Operations
Equipment & Tools
Office & Business Support
Staff Expenses
Capacity & Resource Planning
Realistic Billable Hours Guidance
Most franchisees overestimate available working time. Consider these factors that reduce billable hours:
- Travel time between jobs
- Time spent quoting and admin
- Bad weather delays
- Vehicle or machinery breakdowns
- Customer conversations and relationship building
- Holiday, illness, and family time
Recommended Target: 30 hours per week for 48 weeks
- Allows 4 weeks for holidays, illness, and family time
- Realistic considering travel, admin, and weather delays
- Provides sustainable work-life balance
Labour Planning
Billable Hours per Week (time in customer gardens):
Working Weeks per Year:
Working Days per Week:
Number of Gardeners:
Total Annual Billable Hours: 1440
Calculation: 30 hours × 48 weeks × 1 gardener
Target Profit Margin: 25%
Your Actual Pricing
Your Hourly Rate (what you actually charge):
£
This should reflect your actual market rate, considering competition and service quality