You priced the fence. You priced the gates. You probably didn’t price the drive. Fence delivery mileage is a line that often gets left off a bid, and on a busy month it adds up to real money.

This post is about pricing the truck the same way every time, so the job 40 minutes out pays for itself. It’s for small residential fence shops (solo to small crew).

What the truck actually costs

Every job has costs that start before the first post goes in:

• Material delivery: supplier fees, or your own trailer runs.
• Crew drive time: paid hours in the truck, both ways, every day of the job.
• Fuel and wear: a loaded truck and trailer burn more than you think.
• Extra trips: a forgotten box of screws, a second load of concrete.

If those aren’t on the quote, they come out of your margin. Also on the blog: What Windshield Time Really Costs a Growing Fence Shop.

Three ways to price fence delivery mileage

1. A flat delivery fee

One line on every job. It’s simple and the homeowner gets it. It undercharges far-out jobs and overcharges the ones next door.

2. Zones

In town, 20 miles, 40 miles, with a set fee for each. It’s easy to explain and fair. Draw the rings from your yard, not from the supplier.

3. Per mile

A rate per mile from the shop, round trip, sometimes multiplied by the number of install days. It’s the most accurate, and it needs a system to keep it consistent.

Example only, not a real price: if you charge $2.00 a mile round trip and the job is 30 miles out on a two-day install, that’s 30 x 2 x 2 x $2.00 = $240. Use your own costs.

Short jobs need it most

On a 40-foot run with one gate, the drive can be a big share of the job. That’s why a trip minimum matters. FenceAI.app has a short-run package mode, so small jobs still cover setup and travel.

Put fence delivery mileage in the pricebook

The fix isn’t remembering. It’s setting it once. In FenceAI.app your own pricebook holds your delivery and mileage pricing, and it goes into the estimate math on every quote, whether you build it from the truck, over the phone, or the homeowner starts it on your website. The cost-versus-sell pane shows you what the job really clears, and you get a warning when it’s too thin.

Nothing is made up. The rate is yours. You just stop forgetting it.

How to show it to the homeowner

Put it on the quote as its own line: “Delivery and travel.” A clear line is easier to explain than a surprise. If you’d rather fold it into the per-foot price, that works too. Just make sure it’s in there.

More short how-tos are on our YouTube channel.

Try it this week

Look at your last ten jobs and mark the ones more than 20 miles out. Did they pay for the drive? Then add delivery and mileage lines in fenceai.app with the 14-day trial, or call (229) 466-5045 or (352) 290-8357 and we’ll set it up with you.

Shop is $49/mo or $470/yr with 2 seats. Crew is $149/mo or $1,490/yr with 5 seats.

fenceai.app · (229) 466-5045 · (352) 290-8357 · support@fenceai.app