red lava rock installation

[bojankels]

I need to know how I should go about giving an estimate for a 300 sq feet lava rock job. The home owner wants to buy the rock himself and get it deliverd so Im going to try to talk him into buying it in bags to save him money on the install. Any help is apprectiated.

[sheshovel]

How will buying it in bags save him money on the install?I don't understand,bulk is a fraction of the cost of bags.

[bojankels]

How will buying it in bags save him money on the install?I don't understand,bulk is a fraction of the cost of bags.

Ive never bought bulk rock so im not sure on the pricing of it but he said something lkie 1 ton will be about $200 or so. I can get 1 ton in bags for alittle under $200. It will take a couple extra hrs working by myself if he gets the bulk because I would have to shovel it into a wheelbarrow than haul the wheelbarrow to were I want to lay it instead of just picking up a bag and dumoing it. Im going to try to talk him into getting the bags so I can do the job and get out of there. I just need some help with how much to charge on.

[sheshovel]

$3.00 a bag to install and clean it up

[DRM Ventures]

If he goes with bulk I would look into renting a mini loader like a Dingo or the Finn. Shoveling all that would suck.....

Derek

[bojankels]

Yeah im avoding shoveling it at all costs. Im going to give the estimate today and am still not sure exactly how im going to go about it but the $3 a bag isnt that bad of an idea. I cant remember what 1 bag weighs but its in between 40-50 so a ton could only be 40-50 bags. At $3 a bag itll be $120 - $150 for 2 people in less than 2 hrs. Thanks for the help.

[hosejockey2002]

300 sf of lava would be around 2.5-3 cubic yards. Lava is around 1200-1500 lbs. per yard. Don't waste money on a dingo or bobcat for this small amount. Lava is much easier to shovel than gravel. I can do a ton an hour easily, and I'm pushing 40.

[mcwlandscaping]

Now, would that be 3 dollars a bag as a labor charge or 3 dollars a bag, that it includes the bag too, I have a customer wanting the same thing done (nowhere near that amount). I'm guessing $3 in labor, now that is settled, what if I would have to edget too? How much?

[RedWingsDet]

If he goes with bulk I would look into renting a mini loader like a Dingo or the Finn. Shoveling all that would suck.....

Derek

Its only 3 ton. Its not like its 15tons.


but anyway if I were you. i'd just tell him $500 for labor. shoudnt take you longer than an hour in a half. and screw the bags, get it in bulk, it'll be alot cheaper and eaiser.

[cfosceola]

I did a lava rock job, customer paid for rock and delivery and i charged her 400.00 for removal of pine bark and install of 4 yards of lava rock, took me and a helper 3 hours for the whole job, removal and install and we shoveled it with what i call a grain hog, looks like a snow shovel, plus a quick stop at the dump for the disposal of pine bark at 5.25., so the whole time was about 4 and a half hours.

[mowerman111]

I'm not sure who in there right mind would want lava rock in there landscape, it always looks trashy everything sticks to it and you can't blow it of with out it moving everywhere. Back in the late 70s and 80s that was the rock of choice here. The house I bought last year had lava rock all over the place I couldn't get it out here fast enough. just my 2 cents!!!!