14,000 sq. ft. aeration job

[Green Acres]

The lawn is pretty flat but has a few trees in it and is around 14000 sq ft. I usually charge around $12 per 1,000 sq. ft. Do you think this is high or about right? Around here I think it ranges from $10-$14 per 1,000. I already bidded it at $12 per 1000 but thought I would see what everyone else thinks. Thanks

[John Deere]

According to others on this site that is just right @ $12.00 per 1000. However, that figure comes to $168. If you could only see the blank stares I would get if I quoted someone $168 for a flat 14,000 sq. ft. lawn. If you can get $168 and they don't balk at your price then I think your doing great, but I can't get that here and I'm only one state away from you. I would be lucky if I got $112 which would be $8 per and I'm the highest in town.

Example: Last year on at least 7 occasions I bid was outbid by the same person by at least 45-50 per bid. I know for a fact (because we now have the full contract) that I bid a K-Mart for $280 for an aeration and he bid $75.00. Try and compete against that! I have taken over 4 companies in 5 years and have all of there aerations + mine so I no doubt do a lot of it. We probably gross $15,000 in the spring and maybe half that in the fall. I know I'm the most expensive in town because I'm told and yelled at all the time about it, so I actually wish all the people in my town would actually check in to lawn site and see just how much they are working for free.

[Edited by John Deere on 03-18-2001 at 07:24 PM]

[LScom Addict]

$98.00 or $7.00/m square feet

[Garry]

I charge $10 per Mft, If you have a problem with that Mr Smith, get someone else.

[leeslawncare]

Ive been chargeing 26 per k an that includes seed an starter fert.how does that sound?

[KirbysLawn]

Originally posted by LS.com Addict
$98.00 or $7.00/m square feet

Look at this from 2 different views:

1) Homeowner drives to rental shop and pays $60 for rental, drives home, unloads, works his a$$ of in the lawn, reloads and drives back to the rental store, unloads and then drives back home & cleans up.

2) Pays an additional $38 to you, sits on his butt while you work your butt off. If renting an aerator cost $60, he's paying you $38.00 to drive to his home, unload, aerate 14,000 sf, & reload. Heck for $38.00 I would not give a second thought.

$12 per 1000 for me.

[NateinAtl]

Down here in Atlanta I would charge $100 for the aeration on that size lot. TruGreen would charge about $150. A lot of times the theory of the homeowner renting the machine for $60 doesn't hold true because many times neighbors go in together and rent a machine over the weekend. At least that is the case down here. Do you own an aerator or would you rent? If you own it, then you know that 14000 sq feet will take about an hour to do. Next you have to determine is if the job will give you the profit margin you want. No matter if it is the 100 bid or the $168 bid, it sure will be a better profit margin than if you were giving a mowing bid on 14000 sq ft. If you get the job, rember to save their information so that you can call them next spring

[65hoss]

Without seeing it myself, and there were not any difficult obsticles, I would probably be in the $150 range. Ask if any of the neighbors my be interested, you can give a little discount if you do more than 1.

[Strawbridge Lawn]

I would charge $65-75, for it is approx one hours worth of work. IMO people are getting ripped off if they have to pay more than that for a flat labor job. My .02

[Scraper]

Hey Gary...how is it a flat labor job? Even if you own the aerator, you still have to take into account operating costs...thank god you're not in my market area! But there are plenty of your type here already!

[Strawbridge Lawn]

Scraper, I try to manage a $35-$50.0 p/hr labor rate for my
jobs. That leaves 15-25$ for your operating costs. If 25$ doesn't cover your operating costs for aerating you may be slightly over extended or have succumbed to different ethical approach to certain aspects of the business. Fact is scraper, a company soley dedicated to just aerating will charge 50-75 bucks and make big dollars aerating all day.

You can go on being angry at those undercutting your prices or you can take a hard look at them and decide just how much you want to aerate. I enjoy people like you in my area. And guess what? Some are charging less than I.

[65hoss]

If you charging less your uncutting your own worth. I can do fewer jobs and still make more than you. You will wear your equipment out faster which will cost you even more. Sure aerating is quick money, but its also hard work. Your doing a speciality job which should cost more. Why drive down the price, eventually the guys lowballing you will drive your price down also. Your making yourself make less money every year. Most people try to get raises, your not adjusting for cost of living or inflation. Maybe you do more work, but you could work smarter and make more.

Why don't you come to my area. I'll sub it out to you, and still make the same as you and never leave the house. :D

[Scraper]

Gary, With my pricing I make BIGGER $$$'s all day...as I'm sure your price is only for aerating, when you overseed and fert what would you charge? Just want to see how low you are here. Please don't tell me that $75 is for everything. I will not perform just an aerating...I always will sell as a complete package like Stone said.

Ditto what 65 Hoss beat me to saying.

[GroundKprs]

Since production on larger areas is greater than small areas, if you consistently charge by area you will be overcharging on large jobs and/or shorting yourself on small ones. The turning time (non-productive time) is a much larger percentage of time for small sites as it is for large sites. Most operators could do only 3-4 5000 ft² sites in the time you could do one 25000-30000 ft² site, not counting travel time. The loading, unloading & turning times have to be charged for, so a small site will have a higher area rate than a larger one. By fixing prices only by area, you are losing income on smaller sites.

And since this is a specialty piece of equipment, only used a few weeks a year, you should have a premium hourly rate. Years ago TG and CL ran $75/hr for a small walk behind, like a Lawnaire IV.

[Cleve]

There is a problem somewhere. Over the past few years, I have removed quite a few flyers from customers mailboxes with rates that seem to indicate most LCOs are getting .03 per sq. ft. for aerating up to .05 for aerating, seeding, and fertilizing.
Hate to think I paid close to $3k for my machine and can only get less than .01 per sq. ft. to use it.
I usually charge around .02 for the aerating portion and costs plus for material.
By the way, I always give the flyers to my customer just so they can compare rates.
Cleve.

[AltaLawnCare]

Is everyone here using the same type of aerator ??
I just put in a bid on a job where the aeration portion is at 50.00 for 5Msqft. This is a pull behind 48" plugger, and this rate is for this package deal only. If I had to use a walk behind I would at least double that figure.

[KirbysLawn]

Originally posted by Gary
Scraper, I try to manage a $35-$50.0 p/hr labor rate for my
jobs. That leaves 15-25$ for your operating costs. If 25$ doesn't cover your operating costs for aerating you may be slightly over extended or have succumbed to different ethical approach to certain aspects of the business. Fact is scraper, a company soley dedicated to just aerating will charge 50-75 bucks and make big dollars aerating all day.

You can go on being angry at those undercutting your prices or you can take a hard look at them and decide just how much you want to aerate. I enjoy people like you in my area. And guess what? Some are charging less than I.



Not bad, at $15 per hour operating cost you will have to aerate for 200 solid hours just to pay for a good aerator, then gas, payroll, and so on. http://www.unionturf.com/eek3.gif

You work and wear out your equipment for less than the rental centers here charge to rent the equipment! Hey, maybe I should start a rental-delivery service, charge your rates deliver the equipment and let them do the work!

I'm with Scraper, wish you lived near by I could contract you out and make a killing without leaving home! I charge $10-12 per k and turn down work in the fall. On the other hand, we don't need anymore people driving prices down.

[Currier]

Gary, I just put out a bid for 55,000 sq ft. The production rate on my lawnaire V is 29,300 sq ft. per hour so I guess on the top end of your scale I should bid this job at 100.00?

[KirbysLawn]

Originally posted by Currier
Gary, I just put out a bid for 55,000 sq ft. The production rate on my lawnaire V is 29,300 sq ft. per hour so I guess on the top end of your scale I should bid this job at 100.00?


http://unionturf.com/rofl.gif

[Strawbridge Lawn]

Scraper: The job was talking about aerating only and that is what I commented on. I typically fertilize and in the fall overseed also. Heck for 14K FT you are looking at about 50$ more for seed and 35$ more for fert plus labor. On the low end prob $180.00 (about 45$ p/hour for 2 hours).

*KIRBY: There are two very different ways at looking at aerating and each has their own choice IMO as to what they want to do. 1. Fair-Good quality tow aerators you can purchase for $180-350. I do 4-5 core aerations and mine is paid off. All labor and money towards a new one afterthat. 2. Buy a $1,000 plus machine and make the decisions as to when you want to pay it off versus how long it will last. IMO higher operating costs. Kirby: Each area is very different so your plan works for you thats great.

Same principle as a $300 spreader versus a $35 unit. A $300.00 spreader has to last me 8.57 years to be worth buying.. Think about it. The spedy green will last a year and be paid off after 2 jobs or 3 days.

I do not believe you can use this philosophy with main line equipment, although many do, and those folkd are probaly re undercutting you and me with their low overheads.

I am not trying to tell anyone how to price their jobs or what they should charge. If you buy expensive equipment you have high operating costs its simple economics. How high your operating costs are is determined by when you want to have that equip paid for/replaced and that applies to spreaders & Lazer.

Groundkprs: I will not charge for turn time. Next it will be for grease in the fittings each week. Nickel and diming customers to death leads me to believe a company has high operating costs or just wants to get rich. May work for a while, but those may be the same folks screaming at being underbid.

Lots of new trucks,new expensive equipment, extra workers generate high operating costs. Big companies in corporate America are restructering their business operations to reduce overhead, and this biz, at some point will be no different especially as more folks come aboard.

FWIW: I don't consider core-plug aerators specialty type equipment. You may convince an ole lady of that, but when homeowners shop at Lowes or HD they see that equipment and the price. A Power/slit seeders yes. I talk to many people who rent core plug aerators and do it themselves to save money. I target them. Rental costs are 45-65 p/hr.

[jaclawn]

$12 per 1000, times 14,000=$168.00.

I just did a 17,000 aeration yesterday, mostly level, with only a couple of obstacles. From the time I stopped the truck, to the time I got back in the truck was about 50 minutes.

I use a 48" tow behind Lesco aerator($1300). I tow it behind a John Deere 212 ($500). So for less than the cost of a new Ryan LA IV, I have a setup that is much more productive, and allows me to sit back and relax while pluggin' away.

If I had to do the 17M job with a Ryan LA IV, I would have been two hours.

I charged $125.00 for the job. That equated out to $150 per hour, and I would have been low bidder.


BTW- Those $180-$300 Aerators at the home stores do not hold a candle to my tow behind. MY tow behind will last indefinatly, with the only possible repairs being a new set of tines.

[Eric ELM]

I agree that the Lesco/Classen pull behind aerator is a great machine. When I looked at it, I thought that it was built with heavy duty angle iron frame, but when I got it home a looked it over, I realized the frame is built with BAR steel. I agree that it should last forever. Maybe the spoons might need changing eventually, but the rest should last forever. I got mine 2 years ago and it still looks like new. I have been using mine on the 430 JD 3 point hitch, but I might try towing it with the tongue hitch on some this season.

BTW, did you see how I have mine fixed so the wheels end up being guage wheels so it only goes in a certain depth? I have several lawns with underground dog fences, so I set it so it only goes in 2" on them. I drilled 2 extra holes in the plate the pin goes in when raising the wheels, one is set for 2" and one set for 3". All the way up with the wheels is 4". I have pictures of it on my equipment page.

[KirbysLawn]

Originally posted by Gary: 1. Fair-Good quality tow aerators you can purchase for $180-350. I do 4-5 core aerations and mine is paid off. All labor and money towards a new one after that.

A good quality plugger for $180-$350 dollars?? I thought we were talking about professional aerating, not Home Depot aerators. A $350 pull behind from does not have enough weight to plug soil here, I've re-done enough lawns from "lawn services" who tried with a lightweight pull behind and a lawn mower.

Originally posted by Gary: Same principle as a $300 spreader versus a $35 unit. A $300.00 spreader has to last me 8.57 years to be worth buying.. Think about it. The spedy green will last a year and be paid off after 2 jobs or 3 days.

You mean you only make $35.00 a year fertilizing and it takes 8 years to pay for a $300 spreader? If you are charging correctly you should easily pay for your $300 spreader in a week. What kind of width does you $35 spreader throw fertilizer? Oh yea Gary, if your "Speedy Green" only lasy a year and your paying $35 for it and you buy one a year for 8.57 years you've STILL spent $306.00 on 8 spreaders, fuel and 8 trips to Home Depot, and used a spreader that is MUCH LESS productive for 8 years now, it's your time & money

Originally posted by Gary: Rental costs are 45-65 p/hr.

My exact point, why charge the same rate to deliver the aerator and DO THE LABOR as the rental center charges to just rent the machine!!??

[Edited by KirbysLawn on 03-21-2001 at 01:47 PM]

[brandy]

Just glad to tell all of you , I cost more. I never bid by the size of the lot it is always by the job. If I don't make atleast 120 an hour when areating I would rather stay home!!!

[Ssouth]

<10,000sq. ft = $18/1000 sq. ft.
>10,000sq, ft. = $14/1000 sq. ft.
this is for aeration only. I use my 48" true core or rent a 19" Blue Bird. I also have a $100 min. I don't do alot of aetation only but when I do it's all good profit. The true core 48" paid for itself in one easy day.

[VLM]

Gary, you said:


Nickel and diming customers to death leads me to believe a company has high operating costs or just wants to get rich.


Gee fancy that, an entreprenuer undertaking great risk (as we all do) who wants to "get rich"!!!! Man, what are you doing, running a non profit? BTW, charging for your overhead is not nickle and diming someone. You charge based on the equipment you use, and the results speak for themselves.

[Cleve]

I agree with KirbysLawn regards using "professional" equipment for professional jobs.
A real LCO does not use a small homeowner type spreader for anything. If you are, you are just wasting time reloading the spreader and doing narrow streaks with it.
When I first started spreading seeds and fertilizer for customers the first piece of equipment purchased was a $300+ spreader. One of the best investments I made. Take care of it and it will last as long as you need it (10 years+).
Regards the aerator, I own a Jacobsen T6030. A true vertical coring type aerator. Does not roll into the soil like most other walk behind type machines. Can aerate in fairly hard soil. Regards overhead, try buying parts and new coring tools for this machine. Got to pay for them somehow.
If I can't get .02 sq. ft. I just don't do the job. Large areas (over 12k sq. ft.) might be done for a little less.
Cleve.

[MME]

We are a fairly new aeration business. I would like to know how to promote an aeration only business? How have some of you promoted this type of business? We do not do mowing or any other service at this time. Let me know?