2662 Complete sod tear out and install too much for 1 guy? [Archive] - LawnSite.com™ - Lawn Care & Landscaping Business Forum
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Tha5150
02-19-2012, 03:03 PM
currently i am still building the business with only the weekends available to do any work. i have a full time job which doesn't allow me to work during the week. a guy locally to my house here in town wants me to tear out all his weeds, level yard and sod. area comes out to about 3900st ft. this is just the front yard. all i have for equipment is maintenance stuff. mower, blower, edger, etc etc. i have no cultivator or whatever i would need to take care of this. sure, i can rent it all but what i am fighting is time. he wants this done soon but i don't think a full weekend would allow me enough time to get this done. i don't want to worry with hiring someone for this and loosing money but may have to.

what i am looking for is honesty here guys. is this too much for me? any money to be made? i would need st Augustine grass for this and not too sure the cost per pallet either. i will have to call around i guess but not sure its even worth my efforts.

this guy had someone come seed the area a month ago and it isnt what he was looking for. now he just wants to tear it all out, start over and be done with it.

again guys, is this too much for me? how much to rent equipment for this? time? estimate?

here are some photos of the property.

https://picasaweb.google.com/117715227965940810058/SodJob

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yaU86GXhqy0/T0FUmY-x52I/AAAAAAAAtsU/5Zfm9SoNeZs/s640/IMG_0110.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-skqGkeCZjLA/T0FUik1kuMI/AAAAAAAAtsI/MoGWEaihHf8/s640/IMG_0108.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Loal7PAyKlA/T0FUYV7j1iI/AAAAAAAAtr4/szvHBT0-nKs/s640/IMG_0107.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-6qDTdudWc-U/T0FUMDwoLtI/AAAAAAAAtrk/XI-Rpk5JlBE/s640/IMG_0106.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-GDrloixiJM0/T0FUKEH6kfI/AAAAAAAAtrc/ZEvs8GwGYbA/s640/IMG_0104.JPG
spazfam
02-19-2012, 03:50 PM
Honestly for a solo guy that would be a lot of work especially trying to get it done in a weekend. If you have access or can rent a skidsteer with either a harley rake and bucket you can probably get the ground prep done in 1 day and your looking at about 6 pallets of sod, again a lot of physical work fo one guy not to mention if you have to add some soil that will add time. As far as profitable you would have to get all your cost down first and see if its worth the hassle for the time it will take you.
White Gardens
02-19-2012, 04:19 PM
Ya, the sod is what would kill you.

You could get the sod laid in one day with you and one other person especially if you don't have a machine to move pallets of sod around.

......
agrostis
02-19-2012, 04:52 PM
That's a lot of work for one man, but it could be done. But if there is no irrigation then i wouldn't even think about it.
White Gardens
02-19-2012, 04:53 PM
That's a lot of work for one man, but it could be done. But if there is no irrigation then i wouldn't even think about it.

I always offer a watering plan and charge for it if the customer wants it.


......
Smallaxe
02-19-2012, 05:24 PM
currently i am still building the business with only the weekends available to do any work. i have a full time job which doesn't allow me to work during the week. a guy locally to my house here in town wants me to tear out all his weeds, level yard and sod. area comes out to about 3900st ...

In this situation,, what you really need to do is to let the H.O. know that this is not like doing a 'restall' of carpet.
There are areas that grew well, leave them alone, for now... there are those areas that didn't grow at all... find out why and fix it...

Even if you have the 'time' never bite off more than can be chewed. "Haste Makes Waste", is truer in agriculture/horticulture than in any other field...

Life processes are much more complex than formula A or formula B...
Do it Right, rather than do it stupidly according to the H.O. delusions... (It didn't succeed the first time,, for a reason)... :)
Danscapes
02-19-2012, 05:38 PM
Not too much for solo. Just have to have a GREAT plan of attack. Before you do anything you need to find out why the grass died and figured out your amendments accordingly. You need to have all your materials and bobcat with tooth bucket and forks and dumpster or dump truck at the site on Saturday early morning. Can be done easily in a weekend.
Tha5150
02-19-2012, 08:20 PM
Update.

A good friend and LCO went back to the house with me. Remeasured and called a guy he gets sod from. He also offered 400 vs 650 to remove level entire yard. Giving me 2 guys at 150 total 6 hours. The sod company wants 400 delivery but I can get from another place without the delivery. Total is 1600 ish without install. Guy seems happy with the 2500 for job but shopping for cheaper per pallet tomorrow.

My buddy says this is very doable with some nice profit for 5-7 hours of work. Going to bring a proper estimate to him tomorrow and hope to seal the deal
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Tha5150
02-21-2012, 08:35 AM
Got the job. :)
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