[Apple01]

We'll be starting a 6 week job an hour and a half away from our home base. We plan to house the crew in a motel during the week to cut down time lost for travel.

The company will of course pick up the housing cost, but what about food expenses? The guys have always fended for themselves on local jobs, usually bringing their lunch from home. The motel rooms have a fridge and microwave.

I'm thinking we should just set a per diem amount per guy and how they do or don't spend it is up to them. Any advice as to whether this is the best way to approach it? What do you think is a fair and/or reasonable amount to allocate per person per day?

[Stonehenge]

In corporate america you typically have a set amount you can spend per day (per diem) - the employee spends what they spend, provide receipts for proof of expenses, and are reimbursed to the per diem limit.

That's how we do it. And when we do, for our residential clients, it's a line item on the proposal.

[PLC-Landscape]

$28.00 per day/man is very fair.....and hopefully it was included with the estimate.