Bed edging quote per foot

What are you guys charging per foot for bed edging? These people do not have an edge at all right now so I will be starting from stratch with a bed edger.

[lawncrafter56]

Lawn care business tips

150.00 a foot... sometimes a little more

[Steve]

150.00 a foot... sometimes a little more

$150 per linear foot to edge???

Here is another post in the past we talked a little about bed edging bids.

http://gopherforum.com/showthread.php?t=7821&page=2

and check out this blog article.

How to estimate a bed edging landscaping job.

Let me know if this helps out.

[hotwired]

here are some notes I've taken over the years that you might find handy: (the attached bedwork.jpg) ** on the other hand, are you mulching? doing the whole job? If so, I've found using a "multiple" based on yards of mulch works amazingly well ** I know this because every so often I decide to NOT use the formula and I lose money every time!!! (at the end I've included some spring cleanup numbers too based on a multiple of mowing price)

with mulch the numbers represent MAN hours required to spread each yard of mulch


Levels one thru 5 hrs per yard
1. mulch only, wide area (rare) 1.25
2. some weeding and wwack edge 1.7
3. more weeding, cut edge 2
4. tight area, weed, cut ege difficult 2.5
5. complete mess, all difficult 4
6. REALLY GOOD TURF LIKE ASHBURN 3-4
edges ever been done? 4
FIRST YEAR EVER DONE BY US??!! 3-3.5
roots, tight area? Do with barrels? 3
excessive mulch to remove? 2-3
Any fabric to remove? To get in the way? 3
doing after may first? Weeds!! 2-3
COMBINATION? ADD ONE LEVEL
BIG JOB WITH EXTRA HELP, ADD ONE LEVEL
Remember - SCU
Excess sand?
Excess handwork?
anything weird or unclear?

SCU factors Factor
7. same as 6, little more of either 7
8. more handwork, needles, beds 8
9. handwork, sand, tight beds 9
10. same as 9, but more 10
11. all above but more 11

[Steve]

Hi Ken,

Great post!

I am trying to figure this out.

What does SCU stand for?

and as an example

1. mulch only, wide area (rare) 1.25

Does this mean it would take 1.25 man hours to spread mulch for this type of situation?

6. REALLY GOOD TURF LIKE ASHBURN 3-4
edges ever been done? 4

Can you explain this more too? I am trying to figure it out.

Thank you

[hotwired]

Ah, yes, this sheet has alot of personal client references and my own abbreviations - here goes:

What does SCU stand for?
SPRING CLEANUP - THE LAST SECTION I INCLUDED JUST BECAUSE IT WAS WITH THE MULCHING SHEET - IT IS MY ATTEMPT TO QUANTIFY SPRING CLEANUPS AS A MULTIPLE OF MOWING PRICE - I HAVE FOUND THAT SPRING AND FALL CLEANUPS GENERALLY RUN 5-10 TIMES MOWING PRICE (THIS IS MAINE WHERE WE HAVE TONS OF LEAVES AND A SPRING CLEANUP MIGHT TAKE 8 MAN HOURS ON A LAWN THAT TAKES 20-30 MINUTES TO MOW!)

1. mulch only, wide area (rare) 1.25
Does this mean it would take 1.25 man hours to spread mulch for this type of situation?

THIS MEANS IT WOULD TAKE 1.25 MAN HOUR PER CUBIC YARD OF MULCH TO SPREAD - THIS IS LIKE A BIG OPEN MULCH BED WHERE WE CAN LITERALLY TAKE A PITCHFORK AND FLING IT AND IT COVERS - WE DON'T HAVE MANY OF THESE UP IN MAINE - WHERE i LIVE, IT'S MOSTLY 1-4 YARD TIGHTLY CROWDED MULCH BEDS AROUND THE FOUNDATION OF THE HOUSE

6. REALLY GOOD TURF LIKE ASHBURN 3-4
edges ever been done? 4

WE HAVE A CLIENT NAMED ASHBURN WHO HAS REALLY THICK KENTUCKY BLUE GRASS, AND IF YOU EDGE IN MAY, WHEN THE GRASS IS GROWING, IT'S LIKE CUTTING INTO BERBER CARPET - HENCE THE REFERENCE - AND THIS WOULD TAKE US 4 MAN HOUR PER YARD OF MULCH - BY THE WAY, THESE NUMBERS INLCUDE , EDGING, WEEDING, REMOVING SOD IF NEEDED, AND DELIVERING AND SPREADING MULCH, PACKING UP AND LEAVING

WHEN WE DO A EDGE OR MULCH JOB WE'VE NEVER DOEN BEFORE, WE HAVE TO ASSUME IT'S GOING TO TAKE LONGER THAN USUAL SO WE BID 4 MAN HOURS PER YARD - THE ONLY EXCEPTIONS MIGHT BE IF IT'S "WIDE AREA" EASY - LIKE A BIG 200-1000 SF CURBED BED WITH FEW SHRUBS - ANYTHING WE CAN JUST SHOVEL IT ON QUICK.

[Steve]

This is very interesting. So I am guessing you find it easier to look at the job and figure out the area and calculate the area of mulch needed for that job. Then you come up with a multiple to figure the man hours based on the sq.yds.?

What is your view on charging a fee per linear ft of edging to be done?

[hotwired]

I suppose it's all about "patterns" - over time, we have found that our mulch jobs, based on very observable criteria, come in at 1-4 man hour per cubic yard - BUT, as I wrote in my book, I also like to "double check" by doing a "gut level" estimate - i.e. "how long do I think it's gonna take to mulch this mess?" as well as, "hey, this looks like mrs. so and so's job we did earlier this month, and hers took 5 man hours ... can I do this one in the same time?" - if all 3 "methods" yield similar numbers, I know I'm on the right track, if not ... I need to double check.

as for linear, I don't use it EXCEPT when doing JUST THAT - in other words, if I don't have to mulch, etc. and only have to create or freshed an 6" wide "trench" then I have a formula for that (40 feet per hour, I think, if I remember right, incl. edge, barrel up, dump, etc.)

[Steve]

That makes sense.

When you have done your edging, what have you found to be the best way to do the edging? What kind of tools or equipment do you like to use?

[hotwired]

Well, what I use and what SHOULD be used are PROBABLY two different things! I am slower to spend money because we are a two person "boutique" firm, if you will, and I budget cafefully - Right now, we use the echo split shaft with the edger attachment -to define - then nursery spades (or edging shovels - but not the half moon ones!) and get down on our knees and finish the cut. I usually drag a trash barrel, tipped on it's side, right along with me and cuff the stuff right in so it's cleaned up as I go - if the "stuff" is light enough - if not, I make pile in the bed then pick it up after.

Now what I would LOVE to have is one of those Brown Bed edgers - or at LEAST a brown bed definer (new product) - echo DOES make a new stick edge definer now, and it MIGHT be useful - have not demoe'd it yet however. And of course, I'm a bit cynical of Echo in general - I love my equipment dealer though, and that's what he carries so I stick with it!

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