Planting Estimate.

[AWJ Services]

I have a plant list that will have to be installed by hand.
The soil will need to be ammended during planting.
It is a small lot with a small stone wall that will hinder machine usage.
Very close too the street so material will be close to planting areas.




I also will be installing several pallets of sod.
What would you mark up the materials.
I am purchasing from a wholesaler and getting good prices.

[AWJ Services]

I have never installed this many plants at once.
I guess I will wing it.

[Critical Care]

That’s a nice list. Actually, this is similar to the old adage about eating an elephant, you really have to break this down into pieces. You’re the best judge of how long it will take you to plant these. Considering soil conditions, amendments, and location, how long will it take you to plant a 1 gallon container plant,? How long for a 3 gallon plant? Once you get your average time down per plant, then it should be easy enough to come up with a total job time estimate, and from that some dollar amount.

Just be sure you account for every time taking detail, such as where to deposit soil, blowing off or cleaning up the area, watering in, and so forth. Sometimes I have problems here and often overlook a simple but time consuming thing.

There have been a number of posts about what people are charging for sod. If you pay 20 cents per s.f. then maybe charge 40, or whatever. Material markup is subjective upon the market there, your discounts, and your personal objectives. I’m not in the business to make a big profit off of material, and most of the time what I charge for materials will be less than if they went down and purchased them themselves, but I do have to recoup my expenses and will charge accordingly.

[AWJ Services]

You’re the best judge of how long it will take you to plant these.

I have not always kept good track of my time while planting.
I am estimating with 3 guys it will take 2 days for planting.(10 hour days)
Or 60 Man hours.
The 3rd day will be to lay about 1500 sq foot of sod and clean up.

The soil was already brought in and is pretty good.
Will just ammend with some soil conditioner and top soil .

I will have around 3200 in plants,480.00 in sod and around 200 in incedentals.
I am coming in around 7200.00 dollars.

That is my best guestimate.
Irrigation is in place.

[start2finish]

I'm glad you are not in my market, and all hand work. Plants alone installed $8,200.00 assuming I have availability on all plants, soil ammendments I cannot figure because I have no idea how the soil is and what it needs there, what about a mulch or needle bed covering, there's an easy expense to overlook. the sod is another $1,000.00 to install 1500 sqft of fescue. so I would imagine over $10,000.00 or so.

[AWJ Services]

I'm glad you are not in my market, and all hand work.

This is the feedback I want.
I have not given the estimate yet.
Thanks for your advice.

The soil ammendmant will be very light.

What is markup on plants?

[hoffmanlandscaping]

Using your hours and material cost I would be around 10,000 also. One thing I can see that you may have not thought of is Are you picking the plants or are they being delievered? Thats quite a few plants to handle.

[AWJ Services]

One thing I can see that you may have not thought of is Are you picking the plants or are they being delievered? Thats quite a few plants to handle.

They will be delivered.

[gmenvirolawns]

This is quite a few plants. I would definately give a better price because of the amount of plants you will be installing. I wouldn't just give the normal installation rates. I would look at the quantity of work and shave off slight amounts per plant installed, this way you can show your customer the price it would cost to do the job seperately and what discount you can give them if they install all at once. This might get you more work in the future.