80 Yards of mulch how much would you charge???

[FaccLndscpng]

Got a shot in the dark RFP here, I don't think I will get it because I get these all the time. A store wants the works, I mark it up then don't get it. All the sudden they have someone in a unmarked pickup just mowing to avoid fines... Anyway, the paperwork was the last guys contract with all the info blocked out. One of the things that stood out was that he was installing 80yds of mulch. I haven't been to the site yet but looked online and there is a lot of beds. My question is what would you charge for this? I think the most I have installed at any one site was just over 20 yds. I know the guys that supplies my supplier so I can save some and cut the middle man out but how much of a quantity discount would you give? Come on throw some numbers at me!!!

[jymie]

Lawn care business tips

I would say you need to go check it out first and determine how much mulch you are going to need. that 80 yards could be what's needed for the entire season if they have to re mulch at a certain time. A good starting point would be 4X what you charged on the 20 yard job.

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[SECTLANDSCAPING]

I'm going through the same thing right now. I got a RFP for a 120 yards. I know I can get that much at a discount. The question comes should I/we pass that on to the customer? In both are situations I think we might have too. Otherwise we might be a few thousand high on the overall bid.

The large companies that will be bidding most likely order several 100 yards at a time. So there already getting it lower then we are and are basing their price off that.

[FaccLndscpng]

I know I'm not even going to think how tough its going to be to actually spread 80yds of mulch, gonna have to hire 100 people for the day. But this is an area of bidding that buggs me because one wrong number could raise/lower your bid by the thousands.

SECT did you look at your site yet or are you just going by the RFP?

[SECTLANDSCAPING]

Originally Posted by FaccLndscpng

I know I'm not even going to think how tough its going to be to actually spread 80yds of mulch, gonna have to hire 100 people for the day. But this is an area of bidding that buggs me because one wrong number could raise/lower your bid by the thousands.

SECT did you look at your site yet or are you just going by the RFP?

I looked at it briefly but its a lot of walking. I have one of my guys coming with me to help tomorrow.

The thing is the contract says up to a 120 yards. So it looks like I have to bill for it. I wouldnt want to bid 90 and then get called out to install another 30 on my dime. There is another part that says they want weighted records.

If you dont have a skid I would make sure to include a rental in your quote. I have a small one and a kubota tractor. I installed 20 yards in 4 hours with 2 helpers with just 1 machine. So I think you can get it done in 2 days with 3-4 guys. In my area a skid is around $225 a day. You could even rent it for one day. Move the piles in place and then come back the next day with guys to spread it.

[FaccLndscpng]

Originally Posted by SECTLANDSCAPING

I looked at it briefly but its a lot of walking. I have one of my guys coming with me to help tomorrow.

The thing is the contract says up to a 120 yards. So it looks like I have to bill for it. I wouldnt want to bid 90 and then get called out to install another 30 on my dime. There is another part that says they want weighted records.

If you dont have a skid I would make sure to include a rental in your quote. I have a small one and a kubota tractor. I installed 20 yards in 4 hours with 2 helpers with just 1 machine. So I think you can get it done in 2 days with 3-4 guys. In my area a skid is around $225 a day. You could even rent it for one day. Move the piles in place and then come back the next day with guys to spread it.

Oh yea there will deffinately be some equipment running around, I remember when I first started years ago and had to do everything with wheelbarrows oh man it took all day.

I've never had anyone asking for weighted records before...yea you gotta be spot on with that one.

[JLM]

In my area mulch/bark is 20.00 per yard...We charge 45.00 per yard.. thats is labor included.

Large mulch jobs are more profitable if you you buy your mulch by the bag.....Yes it cost you more but you can finish the job in half the time.
We have raised our prices to 50.00 per yard in the last month (Gas Prices)

I dont know what you get your mulch for but I would not mark it up at all!
Your cost X 2 =...........Thats just me.
Bottom line what you pay out in mulch/gas is what you will profit.

[SECTLANDSCAPING]

Originally Posted by JLM

In my area mulch/bark is 20.00 per yard...We charge 45.00 per yard.. thats is labor included.

Large mulch jobs are more profitable if you you buy your mulch by the bag.....Yes it cost you more but you can finish the job in half the time.
We have raised our prices to 50.00 per yard in the last month (Gas Prices)

I dont know what you get your mulch for but I would not mark it up at all!
Your cost X 2 =...........Thats just me.
Bottom line what you pay out in mulch/gas is what you will profit.

Yeah, I'm charging about triple your price and my mulch is less then double.

Anyways you cant bring 13 bags of mulch to a bed faster then a skid with a 1 yard bucket. It takes less then 5 minutes to scoop, transport and dump. Then a guy spreads it in another 5 minutes. Thats how you spread 5-6 yards a hour.

[Greg'slawnandlandscape]

And I though my new mulch job was big (25 yards)

[JLM]

Originally Posted by SECTLANDSCAPING

Yeah, I'm charging about triple your price and my mulch is less then double.

Anyways you cant bring 13 bags of mulch to a bed faster then a skid with a 1 yard bucket. It takes less then 5 minutes to scoop, transport and dump. Then a guy spreads it in another 5 minutes. Thats how you spread 5-6 yards a hour.

I wish we could get our mulch/bark for what you get it for NICE!

I agree with you on the skid with a one yard bucket also....to a point.
In nice lawns we never....never use a skid... Irrigation damage....Turf rutting.....Getting stuck in the FL muck....Its the grass we have down here that makes it impossible.

We only use a skid on large jobs....But yes it is faster.

And our last mulch job was 30 yards....It took 3 of us 5 hours....not bad