Overseeding - How much $$$

[ERICKS]

Can you folks help me determine what the going price is for overseeding fescue w/ fescue?? I have a guy shooting me an opportunity to pick up some business this fall. I'm located in Kansas.

[EJK2352]

Are you slit seeding, core aerating & broadcast seeding or core aerating & slit seeding.? How much are you paying for seed? Are you putting down any starter fertilizer? ED

[ERICKS]

I expect to be core aerating & slit seeding. I expect seed cost to be about $0.90/lb and rates to be 6-8#'s.

[EJK2352]

I would charge $40-$50 per 1000 square foot. ED

[KirbysLawn]

Originally posted by EJK2352
I would charge $40-$50 per 1000 square foot. ED

:confused: :eek: :confused: :eek:
$50 per 1000????? A 10,000 sf lawn would be $500.00, are you serious?

Around here the going rate for aeration and overseeding is $24-26 per k with some discounts for larger lawns.

[EJK2352]

Yes I'm serious!!! Kirby you would only charge say $50 to do 2k.
Come on up here & I'll sub you out to do all my overseeding work. ED

[KirbysLawn]

Originally posted by EJK2352
Yes I'm serious!!! Kirby you would only charge say $50 to do 2k.
Come on up here & I'll sub you out to do all my overseeding work. ED

A small 2k lawn would be done in minutes, my machine covers appx. 483 sf per minute running full. Seed applied at 6 pounds per k would cost you $12.00 and fertilizer would be about $2.22, total expenses in materials is $14.22, charge $50.00= $35.78 profit for very little work over a few minutes.

Now, I do not have any 2k lawns, most are 12,000 - 43,000 sf. For the smaller 12,000 lawn I would charge $288.00, my expence is $72.00 for 72 pounds of seed, $13 fert and my profit fo this lawn is about $203.00 for this job!

Am I to understand you would charge $600.00, have the same $85.00 in supplies and you walk away with $515.00 profit for a small one hour lawn?

When I sell aera-vation service I charge $40-45 per k but that is a better, more through servicewith larger overhead. If you are getting that great, you must have some very uninformed customers who love wasting their money.

I'm all for a fair profit, but $515 for an hours work is the largest profit ratio for aeration and overseeding I have EVER heard of. :confused:

[EJK2352]

Kirby,
I don't see any allowance for fuel, equipment costs , insurance, labor, etc. etc in your senario ??? Why are you only charging a $1 per lb. for seed when it costs you $1 per lb. ? You did have to go pick it up didn't you? Fert for $13 ? Lesco 18-24-12 starter fert. costs me $13 per bag. You did have to buy your equipment right? And I will spend a little more time than 1 hr. aerating, fertilizing & slit seeding on a 12,000 sq. ft. lawn. ED

[kutnkru]

We have been signing contracts for this service to be performed this fall. Our prices have ranged from $25 to $31 per/m sf.

For the 12m/sf sized lawns we are getting $378. $174 for the machine and an additional $204 for materials. (seed$144-fert$30-lime$30)

I have seen competitors placing quotes as high as $46/m sf. ($40-for machine $6-seed.)

Kris

[KirbysLawn]

Originally posted by EJK2352
Why are you only charging a $1 per lb. for seed when it costs you $1 per lb. ?

And I will spend a little more time than 1 hr. aerating, fertilizing & slit seeding on a 12,000 sq. ft. lawn. ED

First, I said the seed cost me $1.00 per pound, I charge $2.00 per pound.

Second, I missed where he said he would be slit seeding also, so you would be correct in the charges. I was pricing for just aeration and overseeding. I do not slit seed fescue, if a lawn is so thin that it needs both services I simply aera-vate and get much better results. Since fescue grows up and does not spread out, I think thin lawns that are slit seeded and the grass grows in rows looks bad. When I area-vate I charge the same rate as you, however it is a much less labor intensive job with truely impressive results.

Thanks.

[Lawn-Scapes]

What's that?

[KirbysLawn]

Originally posted by TSG
What's that?

Click here for some info: http://www.unionturf.com/aeravation.htm

Their website: http://1stproducts.com/