Help with estimate

[Hayabusa007]

Cemetary, 9.5 acres, 2880 tomb stones to trim around.
What would you bid this on a per cut base?
Weekly?
Bi-weekly?

[darryl gesner]

I don't have any pricing input, but I have a friend with a cemetary account. Watch out for those broken off tomb stones hiding in the grasss...ripped up his z pretty bad last year. Good luck. Sounds like lots of work.

[tpl]

Sounds to me like a two man 4 day job. Whats it worth to you.
I'm curios as to how much you get and how long it takes you to do it the first time. Better get a backpack gas tank to go with that trimmer.

[robert fling]

i have two words my friend, GOOD LUCK. the back pack gas tank sounds like a great idea!! also a spool of trimmer line the size of small car sounds like a good idea also!

[walker-talker]

Sorry, cemetaries not in my vocabulary!

MATT

[Hayabusa007]

So from the replies, I take it everyone thinks cemetaries are to be avoided at all cost.
Darryl could you ask your friend the size of his job, and what he would bid it at.

So most think:angry: or:cry: would be what I'd want to do after getting a job like this.

[rodfather]

Almost 2900 head stones! Somebody's gonna be dizzy by the end of the day. I don't think I would touch that for under $1500...maybe even more.

This one I would definitely have to do once or twice before I gave a price.

just my 2 cents

[darryl gesner]

Sure, I can check with him, but he's a pretty busy guy and I'm not sure he'll tell me. He's the town public works director and does mowing on the side after 3:30 pm when they close up the town garage. His is a small historic cemetary, nothing like the size of yours. He rides the Z, one guy on old WB and one trimming. He seems to have a little trouble getting around in there with the Z.

[fastrunner]

The only way i would do a cemetery is if I put round-up around every stinkin headstone, but im sure that would take two days at that!!!! But round-up doesnt look that good, thats the downfall. by the time i got done trimming 2900 stones it would be time to start over trimming from the start!!! Bid high and see what happens.:cry: :blush: :blob2: :blob1: :blob4: :blob3: :alien: :mad: :rolleyes: ;) :( :) :cool: :eek: :angel:

[proline32]

That is a lot of trimming!! You might want to consider using one of those two wheel trimmers like the dr trimmers, that way you arn't killing your back, and figure 6 sq ft per headstone....... god that would make me dizzy, the other guys are right, you may need to cut it once just to get an idea as to cost.... WOW

[MuskTurfKing]

All I gotta say is if you bid that thing, don't go low or else your gonna be kicking yourself for a LONG time.

Hank

[Hayabusa007]

Keep the idea's coming. The bid is due by 4/10. No way to mow it first.
Proline32, I had already though of a 2 wheeled trimmer. I think it would be the only way to go. The rows are mostlt stright, so just walk down one side, then up the other.
Rodfather, I really like your estimate. That might work in NJ, but I don't think it would here in KY. I could be wrong, this is my first year, and have never bid something like this.

Here was my thinking, tell me if it seems flawed.

2880 stones, 15 seconds to trim each = 12 hrs trimming at $20 hr
9.5 acres, based on say $25 per acre, I'm guessing 1.5 acre per hr

$240 Trimming
$238 Mowing


That's $478 18.5 hrs

That's starting to sound a little low to me. Of course I'm on the receiving end, I'm sure the guy writing the check might not think so.
:confused:

Any other ideas ?

[leeslawncare]

if you think it is gonna take 18.5 hrs I get 35 per hr. so 35x18=647.5 but thats my .02

[tilly]

I mow 8 acres of death beds here in Oh. about 6 acres are in rows and 1 acre is an old section (placed every-which-way) and there is 1 open clean acre. it takes me about an hour to mow the old section and about 25 mins. to mow the sections in rows.
Oh and by the way I'm using a 61' dane.
As for trimming go's I average about 40 mins per acre.(buy lots of string) Also I hope your hyro pumps are under warrenty I smoked two this year. (lots of darting in-and-out of stones)
My only regret is not buying a mower without suspension, all them back filled holes seem to get your teeth loosened after the first 2 acres! Hope I could help? JUST DON'T UNDER BID!

[ProMo]

i did an 8 acre cemetery for 7 years took 4 hours by myself per week i sprayed roundup around stones about 1x per month used growth reg in hard to reach areas and a pre emergent around stones to keep weeds out of sprayed areas