hedge trimming

[CooperLawncare]

How do you guys charge for hedge trimming?


Dustin

[David Haggerty]

Per shrub

Dave

[geogunn]

Originally posted by CooperLawncare
How do you guys charge for hedge trimming?


I figure out how many hours it is going to take from arrival untill departure and multiply that times $50.

I also have a minimum charge if the job is less than an hour.

GEO

[Doc Pete]

IMO, it depends on the equipment you have. If you have a normal gas trimmer (chain saw style) I'd guess $45/hour is OK. On the other hand, I have two different size pole trimmers, and a trimming ladder, for which I charge $60/$65 per hour.
Pete

[gogetter]

I charge by the hour and factor in time to haul debris away to dump, usually another 30 to 60 minutes depending on distance.

[odin]

no guess work we put em on the clock 60$ an hour and a cleanup charge for the clippings .
Cleanup time is the factored in at the same rate when the job is done and everything is cleaned up thats when the clock stops.

[Doc Pete]

Originally posted by odin00
no guess work we put em on the clock 60$ an hour and a cleanup charge for the clippings .
Cleanup time is the factored in at the same rate when the job is done and everything is cleaned up thats when the clock stops.

I don't have a problem with that, but it still depends on the equipment. Using electric powered trimmers as has been stated many times, or those clunky standard style gas powered trimmers can't hold a candle to pole trimmers. It's liker using a 21 inch mower and charging the same rate as a 72 inch rider, which can done, but either you are losing money using the rider, or the customer has a hole in their for paying for using a 21 inch mower.

Pete

[robert payer]

We charge $30.00 per man hour for shrub trimming and cleanup. I do not like to quote a contract price. Personally will not trim shrubs against a profit clock. I like to reduce the size of shrubs almost to the brink of being bare. Shrubs that are in any sort of series must also be corrected to be to be same height and diameter as each other. Flat prices just do not work for job or per piece. I wish more home owners could understand that someone who charges less removes far less. In the end a higher price can be a better value hands down.

Love to prune! Would do it all day every day.

Pruning is one of the few opportunities to really show what you got! Discipline, and lots of it! Yet there is still room to grow.

[Green Care]

$75.00 a hour + Disposal fee!!!!!!! That's all

[TGCummings]

I usually get $45-$65/hour trimming, but I always charge a flat rate. I can live with $45/hour but I'm always looking for ways to speed up the process w/o losing quality.

I have a large shrub job I do 4x/year and get $175 each time for it. The first year it took me nearly 4 hours each time ($43.75/hour) but now it takes me about an hour and a half each time (about $117/hour) because I've been able to speed up the process with better equipment/technique.

Unlike Robert, I hate to trim. I used to love it but the labor is so much greater and so much harder on the body. Particularly jobs where you have to go up and down a ladder.

Speaking of which... Switchless, what is a "trimming ladder"? Is this just an ordinary ladder used in your trimming operation or is there some wonderful ladder out there designed particularly for trimming tall shrubs that I need to know about??? :)

[Turfdude]

Originally posted by TGCummings
Speaking of which... Switchless, what is a "trimming ladder"? Is this just an ordinary ladder used in your trimming operation or is there some wonderful ladder out there designed particularly for trimming tall shrubs that I need to know about??? :)

I'm not exactly sure if he's referring to a ladder w/ only one leg in the back side. They are primarily use for fruit picking, but a lot of guys like them as they are easier to place in and around tall shrubs when pruning at heights.

As for me - I love to prune!

Got some ink w/ Taz and a nasty pair of gas shears. Great conversation piece.

Bob

[odin]

tg cummings

I dont know what kind of ladder switchless aol uses we use versalader it can be a 9 foot step ladder or be made to be scafling.
I like the step ladder haveing steps on both sides unlike a regular step ladder.

[TGCummings]

Odin,

Tell me more about this mini-scaffold/ladder! How much does one cost? Where can I get one, or at least check one out? How easy is it to work off of? How high does it set up? How long?

Details! :D

[Doc Pete]

Originally posted by TGCummings
Odin,

Tell me more about this mini-scaffold/ladder! How much does one cost? Where can I get one, or at least check one out? How easy is it to work off of? How high does it set up? How long?

Details! :D

This is not the fruit picker ladder which I use, but this is the scaffold type ladder, it's neat. Try this website.
http://www.skylax.com/countrem.htm

Pete

[odin]

switchless@aol
yep thats it just a different brand

[TGCummings]

Thanks fellas! ;)

[awm]

5 dollar per chest high or lower shrub.
with varying cleanup fee.
this is assuming these shrubs have been kept up.to some this might seem high ,to some low . but at my pace of working, its the way for me.

[TGCummings]

$5 a shrub does seem awfully low...

[rodfather]

$65 per hour for me and $30 per hour for my help.

[dmk395]

40 bucks or so an hour per man, thats what I shoot for, usually just price by the job and make more.

[JimB]

for small shrubs, charge $50 an hour which includes cleanup which is no big deal. For those big tall hemlocks that nobody wants to do, charge em heavy for it, they'll pay.



...jim