Mulch & Top Soil

[picframer]

I am curious what you folks do when you need top soil/mulch at a job site, do you have it delivered or do you pick it up? If you pick it up do you try and have more than one property to do in the area? I believe this is a two fold question, if it were a new lawn I would personally have it delivered, if it is just refreshing a bed or fixing low areas of a lawn it would seem better to get the product yourself. I think the advantage to getting it yourself is less clean up mess, ie transport from the trailer to the bed or lawn rather than having to clean a driveway where the product may have been dumped. If you do pick it up, what type of trailer are you using? I have a trailer with sides and a dump, I will have to get a cover made as the laws here are any product being transported has to be covered and they watch this like a hawk. Thanks Andy

[swstout]

Lawn care business tips

Originally Posted by picframer I am curious what you folks do when you need top soil/mulch at a job site, do you have it delivered or do you pick it up? If you pick it up do you try and have more than one property to do in the area? I believe this is a two fold question, if it were a new lawn I would personally have it delivered, if it is just refreshing a bed or fixing low areas of a lawn it would seem better to get the product yourself. I think the advantage to getting it yourself is less clean up mess, ie transport from the trailer to the bed or lawn rather than having to clean a driveway where the product may have been dumped. If you do pick it up, what type of trailer are you using? I have a trailer with sides and a dump, I will have to get a cover made as the laws here are any product being transported has to be covered and they watch this like a hawk. Thanks Andy Hard to tell. On March 2nd I got a quote for a truck load of 17-19 yards top soil of $175. On March 7th they called me with a quote of $125. Delivery charge both times was $75. So My cost went from $250 to $200. I dropped my quote by $75 and still didn't get a contract! They told me, if I dropped my bid by $500 I could get the job. If I did that, I would only be making about $30 per hour if everything went as planned. I figured my labor to get it myself I could only save a few dollars. If it was a small job, maybe it would be worth it. I decided to pass on the job. Told them I wished them the best and withdrew my bid! Steve

[swstout]

I give myself a $500 per week salary only after I pay my regular business bills (insurance, advertising,taxes, etc.). Overage, goes for advancement, new equipment, advertising, investments. I need $50 per hour to meet my goals!

The economy is terrible (over 9% unemployment here) with living expenses increasing. Taking contracts that earn me less than $50 per hour will sink me!

Steve

[Steve]

On March 2nd I got a quote for a truck load of 17-19 yards top soil of $175. On March 7th they called me with a quote of $125.

Why did they call and lower the price? Were they just really trying to sell it? Or what was going on?

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Steve

Why did they call and lower the price? Were they just really trying to sell it? Or what was going on?

I would be interested also, just on a side note a 19 yard load of top soil is $452.00 with tax delivered here in Halifax, a little over 1/3 is delivery. Not sure what mulch is going for, last year it was $32.00 a yard.

A Hurricane passed through here 5 or 6 years ago, they mulched 10,000 truck loads (tractor trailer) and dumped it very close to where I live, the owner of the land told me I could have all I want and it looks awsome, the city would not allow it to be sold as it would have hurt business's in this business, doesn't make sense why they didn't give it to these companies. I wrote an article for the local newspaper as they chipped enough old growth hardwood to heat well over 20,000 homes for a season, just a waste.

[swstout]

Supply outpaced demand. They went a week with no sales. I read in the paper this morning that they had layed off 10 employees, almost half of the workforce!

Steve

If I only need 3-4 yards or less, I will pick it up myself. But anything more than that I have delivered. I buy my mulch from the co-op store in town, they are about $12 cheaper per yard and delivery is only $25. I have a job coming up next week that I am having 12 yards delivered. $263 for mulch and delivery! Not bad if you ask me!

[outerelements]

Originally Posted by swstout

I give myself a $500 per week salary only after I pay my regular business bills (insurance, advertising,taxes, etc.). Overage, goes for advancement, new equipment, advertising, investments. I need $50 per hour to meet my goals!

The economy is terrible (over 9% unemployment here) with living expenses increasing. Taking contracts that earn me less than $50 per hour will sink me!

Steve

Good way to budget it. I have thinking about what I intend to pay myself this year (after ALL expenses are covered).

[Steve]

Good way to budget it. I have thinking about what I intend to pay myself this year (after ALL expenses are covered).

We had a discussion on this a little while back. One of our forum members said he paid himself first before he paid any of his other expenses.

What's your thoughts on that?

[swstout]

Well, if he has to do that, he is headed for trouble. I pay all bills first, then take what's left up to $500/week for my salary. Sometimes I could get $200 one week and $800 the next but never more than a running total of $500 weekly. I have 5 months living expenses in savings so it is not a problem for me financially.

This way, I can (theoretically) continue to pay myself in the winter. I don't want to run too close to the vest at any rate.

Steve