Top dressing price rates

[chevytrucks84]

I did a quick search and couldn't come up with what I was looking for and am in the middle of working on sales material for a trade show this coming weekend. I am adding topdressing to my list of services this year. My question is what is the average per 1000 you guys are getting for compost topdressing. I have a local supplier of garden compost for $10 per yard. I will more than likely doing the old wheelbarrow shovel method unless I get more response at the trade show this weekend.

Also do you include aeration in your price or do you list it seperatly.

Thanks for your response

Sorry for not taking more time to search
Patrick

[treegal1]

27 x 48 =1296 or .77 cents per sq in compost, then add the labor, tax ins costs profit, market comps..............

[chevytrucks84]

I know how to do the math but as far as I know there is no one else in the area providing this service. I dont want to undercut myself but I want to charge a fair rate. I am just looking for a ball park figure some of you may go off of (somewhere to start from and adjust accordingly to my costs).

Thanks
Patrick

[treegal1]

oops sorry it should have read .0077


about an hour per 5 k so, what like $40 on dirt, and then your time, say 35$ hand raked, maybe 2 hours, say 110 $ for a 5 K lawn, do 4 per day that's 440$ take out your 160 for dirt and the 80 in fuel = some other- so 2+ bones a day truck and shovel so to say........

on a complete service with fast tools like a top dresser and aerator, 2 man crew, say 4 to 8 k per hour15 -25$ per k for the works , maybe some seed so 30$ per k??? 200$ per hour???

how far is the dirt?? does it spread thin?? good test#'s?

[Prolawnservice]

We charged $80per k all last fall, and spread 70+yds wheelbarrow, shovel and blower, about half wanted seed under it for $40per k extra. I'm also in NJ everything is more pricy here.

[Puttinggreens]

This past fall we spread 500 cubic yards at an average of $50/M. Each cu yd covers 2 to 2.5 M at our spreading rate.

Aeration and seeding are done first at a separate price and topdressing is an encouraged option.

Keep in mind it took us several years to become efficient at this process. We are spreading on all but the smallest lawns with a Cushman topdresser. Anything we cannot get with the topdresser is done by hand.

This is a shot of a job we subcontracted on spreading another 200 yards of their organic material on athletic fields. Much less money per M.

http://www.lawnsite.com/album.php?albumid=94

[Puttinggreens]

Here is the pic for the last post I made.

http://www.lawnsite.com/picture.php?albumid=94&pictureid=595

[Barefoot James]

Putting greens - what is an M - is that 1000 sq ft? How do you like yur cushman top dresser? Where did you get it? what are they worth?

[treegal1]

M=K in the GC world

[Kiril]

M=K in the GC world

It is a pesticide thing ... drives me crazy too ... f'n stupid abbreviation.

[Puttinggreens]

I love the Cushman topdresser.

I found mine used for $2000 ($ is dollars) probably 6 years ago. I have seen a few on used golf course equipment websites for 2 - 3 thousand. The expensive part is the Cushman. There just are not any used ones floating around, new ones are 18+ thousand. I would not recommend the three wheel Cushman, the four is much more stable.

I really do use this set up on lawns down to about 4 or 5 M (M = 1000 square feet), because the next lawn that day will be larger. The Cushman also acts as a wheelbarrow in some jobs when we are cutting in the remaining edges with organic matter. One man driving, 2 following with shovels is much faster than wheelbarrows.

($ is dollars) is only for those with a sense of humor.

[Barefoot James]

How much material will your top dresser hold? Do you only build live grass greens or are you also building synthetics? Is this a FT (for Full Time - LOL) gig for you? Either way that is awesome.

Check out my golf green in my front yard. I hit almostGOLF balls to it up to 75 yards away - they don't break windows and fly and spin like a live ball.

http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=251332

[DUSTYCEDAR]

Cushman = fun

[treegal1]

Cushman = fun
no sh*t, I am the sand trap long jump queen.... donuts......

[DUSTYCEDAR]

A 3 wheel one will go down a snow covered hill like a toboggan

[Puttinggreens]

The Cushman topdresser is made for topdressing golf turf with a sand based material which is much heavier than the organic matter we use. I extended the sides with angle iron and plywood and it now holds an even one cubic yard. A cubic yard covers 2.5 to 2M at our rate.

I started out concentrating on putting greens and have grown more business towards high end lawns and athletic fields. Only real greens, no interest in synthetic.

[Kiril]

! FAWC, M TPS & DNC. TAFN YR :rolleyes:

[Prolawnservice]

no sh*t, I am the sand trap long jump queen.... donuts......
I've had my clubs fly off the back a couple times too, the landings hurt though, not really too good suspension.
You don't get ice by you but they are also fun to drive on the water hazard and do four wheel slides, just make sure the ice is thick:laugh:

[DUSTYCEDAR]

ice????? i like the splash down

[treegal1]

i did not even mean to jump the thing, here I am cruising along the course getting ready to inject some trees, and then it hits me just as i hit it, and I flew over the sand trap. the guys that work the course( not management) put orange rapping paper all over the cart and called me red neck or BO the rest of the time.

also, golf course is just a driving range with a cart, i putt the same as i tee off, 150 yards and its gone, next ball....... I always get the bucket at the desk

[Prolawnservice]

they were just jealous they couldn't clear the whole trap like you:weightlifter:

[cspaugh]

M is a roman numeral for 1000, its not "a stupif fn abreviation".....just my .02:)

[treegal1]

not to many Romans running around.............. metric I can dig on.................K

[Kiril]

M is a roman numeral for 1000, its not "a stupif fn abreviation".....just my .02:)

I need 2#/C of N on my L

[cspaugh]

weeeeeeeeee! see how easy it is to ruffle feathers.....negativity at its best, thats why I havent been here in a year....my way is the only way hahahahahahahah...:walking:

[Kiril]

weeeeeeeeee! see how easy it is to ruffle feathers.....negativity at its best, thats why I havent been here in a year....my way is the only way hahahahahahahah...:walking:

Don't go and pat yourself on the back .... simply pointing out the absurdity of your post.

[Smallaxe]

weeeeeeeeee! see how easy it is to ruffle feathers.....negativity at its best, thats why I havent been here in a year....my way is the only way hahahahahahahah...:walking:

Yeah, I was wondering where you got off to. :)

Back for a while??

[cspaugh]

Absurdity, absolutly my point. There are differant ways to say the same things all over the place, to hate "applicator slang" or "roman numerology", simply absurd. I let others pat my back Kiril, thanks. Smallaxe, I might just be lurking we will see. Treegirl, i miss your insights and humor. Have a nice weekend!:drinkup:

[Barefoot James]

Well at least we know where the M is from?? Ceasar. Did he play golf? - does seem weird the golf industry adopted roman numbers.

[Smallaxe]

Well at least we know where the M is from?? Ceasar. Did he play golf? - does seem weird the golf industry adopted roman numbers.

Lazy fatcats chasing a ball around a pasture, enjoying Pax Americana -- Makes sense to me. :)

[Kiril]

Absurdity, absolutly my point. There are differant ways to say the same things all over the place, to hate "applicator slang" or "roman numerology", simply absurd. I let others pat my back Kiril, thanks. Smallaxe, I might just be lurking we will see. Treegirl, i miss your insights and humor. Have a nice weekend!:drinkup:

Well lets see, I believe we measure area using either English or metric units. I don't know of any area measurements that use Roman numerals, do you?

[bicmudpuppy]

The nomenclature or the "m" (not capitalized) is not a "GC" thing but a pesticide literature "thing". All of the texts I saw those many years ago in college used it. The study materials for the NM restricted use applications uses it. The amazing thing to me is that so many here, in a professional forum that deals with the ground application of products are ignorant or offended by the usage. My opinion has always been that using "K", a metric term to describe anything done in US English units is a bit tarnished and uneducated, but we make our conversation "fit" the level of the conversation taking place.

[dishboy]

the nomenclature or the "m" (not capitalized) is not a "gc" thing but a pesticide literature "thing". All of the texts i saw those many years ago in college used it. The study materials for the nm restricted use applications uses it. The amazing thing to me is that so many here, in a professional forum that deals with the ground application of products are ignorant or offended by the usage. My opinion has always been that using "k", a metric term to describe anything done in us english units is a bit tarnished and uneducated, but we make our conversation "fit" the level of the conversation taking place.


+1.....................

[Kiril]

The nomenclature or the "m" (not capitalized) is not a "GC" thing but a pesticide literature "thing". All of the texts I saw those many years ago in college used it. The study materials for the NM restricted use applications uses it. The amazing thing to me is that so many here, in a professional forum that deals with the ground application of products are ignorant or offended by the usage. My opinion has always been that using "K", a metric term to describe anything done in US English units is a bit tarnished and uneducated, but we make our conversation "fit" the level of the conversation taking place.

Actually Bic, the international system of units is metric, it is the arrogant American's who are ignorant and uninformed. Last I checked this forum is open to the rest of the world .... no?

[Smallaxe]

Multicultural - and KNOWING it is - is what made us the smartest superpower in the world.
What makes us the stupidist today? Or 34th stupidest? I should say.

I have no problem in relating to 'm' any more than a 'g'. :)

[Prolawnservice]

I've seen some stupid threads but...........WHO CARES!!!:rolleyes:

[greenstheway]

$50 to $80 per thousand? Wow. We're new. We know the importance of compost, but worry that our community will NEVER agree to those prices. If you are able to collect that rate, you must be making a load of money. We just fear that no one will be willing to pay for the top-dressing. MUST we do it? Can we just get by with the teas and other organic methods, like leaving the clippings, mowing to the right height, overseeding, corn gluten, etc? In our corner of the state (SW MN), we have great soil so can we get by without the compost? Finding a cheap source has been a whole other headache!

[Smallaxe]

Leaving the clippings is a given...

Compost is cheaper than "Corn Gluten".

... so...

If your soil is cool the way it is -then why would you add NPK now?
Add it later in the spring/summer - or as a winterizer if necessary...

The deal is : that you do not need tons of NPK to get the grass to grow into the fall....
Not to complicated.

Is this a rhetorical question or what???

[Barefoot James]

We charge about $100 for a yard of compost spread out over 6K to 7k sq ft so thats about $15 bucks a 1000. Even better compost could probably go 25K sq ft or 30/40 pounds per 1000. We probably apply t oo thick and are shooting to do 12K sq ft with a yard of compost. but since we spray out of a wheel barrel we have not got down the technique yet - but working. I believe tree is getting up to 25k per yard of post.

[greenstheway]

Barefoot: Thanks for sharing your prices and app rates. It was our understanding that 1/8 inch topdressing was minimal, so we figured it'd take .375 cubic yards per thousand. You must be spreading much less than that; in your experience you must feel that is adequate and are achieving good results? If we don't need to spread at 1/8 inch, then our prices will be greatly decreased. We are pioneers in organic lawn care in our community...we will have to do a lot of educating on the matter and want to get it right. We are just concerned that customers may have some sticker shock and compost seems to be the spendiest part of the plan because of the intense labor.

[Barefoot James]

Whn we cover seed with compost we do 1 yard per 5/6K but we have done lots of post top dressings and with good post it can stretch to 12K plus. More is not better with good post. tree???

[JDUtah]

Barefoot,

How often are you topdressing at that rate?

Thanks. :)

[Barefoot James]

No more than one a year. I'm looking to use higher end posts and do a heavy humate dressing every 3 or 4 years and do the post every couple.

[dennys-lawn]

$.25 sq.ft. here. Any soil amendments are extra.

[ExtExc]

$.25 sq.ft. here. Any soil amendments are extra.

250 per K?!

[Smallaxe]

... We are just concerned that customers may have some sticker shock and compost seems to be the spendiest part of the plan because of the intense labor.

$25.00/pickup load and 2 people 1 hour to spread. It saves time to just stop by and dump a yard on the truck and unload from there directly onto a wheel barrow. Then continue your day. So yeah, $100.00 bill is quickly spent, once or twice a year.

What does Squirt&Fert charge every month, with excessive, unnecessary spray apps?

Overall cost for the season should be down. Especially, once the weeds are gone. :)

[Pistol]

I believ Tgal is spreading a bit more than 3/4 cu. yd / 1000 sqft. I asked an application rate question about a month ago - at 1/4" = 3/4 cu yd/1000 sqft - she said that she would apply just a bit more.

[Barefoot James]

Noooo. she said she can spread up to 5 acres a day - solo with hr ecolawn. she is just dustin it. Nobody is doing 3/4 of a yard on 1000 sq ft. You would have a few inches of post???

[Pistol]

Barefoot,
A cubic yard is 46,656 cubic inches. Spreading 1 cu. yd. at 1/4 inch X 1000 sqft is 36,000 cu. in. or about 3/4 of a cubic yard. I don't know how you can spread 1 cu yd over 12,000 sqft. That equates to a thickness of less than .03" (3/100"). Is my math wrong?

[JDUtah]

You are right pistol.... 1/4" is about 3/4 of a cubic yard

[Kiril]

Yes, I would shoot for 1-2 yards per 1000 per year, which gives you roughly 1/4" - 1/2" application.

[TMGL&L]

.... http://www.safelawns.org/video.cfm

Tukey uses a half inch too. I would do like 1/4" so nobody gets suffocated and the place doesn't look too messy for too long. Count up your time and materials after your done and charge exactly the same rate as you always do plus your expenses and add in a little bit extra for paper work or error. I guess if you have a HUGE demand that you cant handle for compost apps then you have to raise prices because of scarcity of supply.

....here is a conversion in case there is a cultural barrier.:)
.1/4 in. = .6 cm
1/8 in. = .3 cm
1/2 in. = 1.3 cm