fertilizing pricing

[JTS lawn care]

i was wondering what to charge for putting down fertilizer.

[tramahor]

1,000,000

[Derric S V L]

how much fert. how big of the area

[LAWNGODFATHER]

If you don't know then you shouldn't be doing it, or running your own biz.

Seems like a harsh statement to harsh reality, but it's all so true to ask such a vague question.

How much to charge to build a house?

There's the same question, how can anyone answer this question for you?

Lets put a little thought into this question.

I am going to apply fert, the cost of the fert will be $10 for a 50# bag, the bag covers 12,500 sq/ft.

How much should I charge?

Now we still can't answer that question due to different locations and overheads, but we can advise on what we are charging to apply product to a lawn.

I go by product per 1000 sq/ft times 5= my price per 1000 sq/ft that I charge. I also have a minimum of $36, so that's good up till I hit about 9,000 sq/ft.

So how did I do in helping you?

[plowboy81]

I understand your question. Sometimes you have to spell out every little detail to some people so their brain don't overload and blow a fuse. I just pretty much double the cost of the fertilizer. For instance, I get 10.00 per bag spread. I buy it for 4.25 and the other 5.75 is profit. Not a killing, but I can put out 10 bags in 20 minutes. 10 bags x 5.75 = 57.50 in 20 minutes. Works for me hope it does for you. If you buy really expensive stuff, then you won't be able to double it. I figure around 5 to 7 dollars a bag to spread. If you put out lime, then your profit and business doubles. Good luck.

[LAWNGODFATHER]

DOUBLE the price?????????????????

That's it? and 10 bags in 20 min?

I suggest you don't guestimate and write the time down from start to finish. It takes longer than 20 min to apply 10-50# bags of fert. Even on wide open going with a viacon pendulum spreader caring 600# of fert still takes about an hour.

[philk17088]

Ah, the birth of a possible scrub!

Do your homework on material prices, hourly costs, equipment costs, insurance costs, profit margins, mark ups. Then develop your own pricing structure.:blob4:

[muddstopper]

Dont know what your spread rate is but with my drop spreader I can put down a ton per hour. Yesterday 700lbs of lime and 200 lbs of granular fert and areate= 1 1/2 hours. Lime 50lb per thous. Fert. 25 lbs per thous. areate 14000 sqft. Part of a hay field.

[LAWNGODFATHER]

I don't use a drop spreader.

I do about 3m per a min.

If I am applying 3# per 1m then I am doing 9# per a min.

9 x 20 = 180#

1 hour that would be 540#

25# of fert per 1000? eh, what the heck are you using?

Lets get back to "real" world situation, not a hay feild that just got slammed with fert.

[muddstopper]

25#m using 10/20/20 is 2.5 lbs nitrogen per 1000sqft., More than you would put on your lawn I agree but good enough for a hay field. I believe even at 1lb per m nitrogen I can put it out faster than 1 hour as you are suggesting. Maybe the drop spreader is able to drop more than your machine can I dont know.

[plowboy81]

The thing I hate the most about this site is knowitall big mouths who have nothing to do but sit around and figure up other peoples losses. Never do you say hey, are you sure about your figures or man, you seem to have your ducks lined up. But no, its always your stupid, you don't know ****, your losing your ***, you'll never succeed, or I have something even better. This website is for advice and constructive criticism. If you ask for an opinion and I know something about it, I'll give it. If you like it or don't like, then fine. Just because you don't do something the same way as me, as fast or slow as me, or better or worse than me, doesn't mean that either of us are wrong but don't go off being a d*** about it. If you can do it so much better and you know everything about it, then maybe you should look up "publishers" in the yellow pages and write you a book on how to do everything that can be done. For the rest of you, I use a Evenspread backpack spreader and I hustle. I ain't to scared to do a little extra hard work to make better time.

[LAWNGODFATHER]

Maybe you should go buy your self a plastic wheeled spreader and you can apply fert just like a real pro.......

What you described is a chest spreader not a back pack.

Second if anyone knew it all then what would the purpose in helping, but no we got the loud mouth idiot who instead of finding out what he is doing wrong(everything) he types up a meaningless post about griping how he just got put down for giving away his services. I typed what is a suggestion, cause there is no way you just showed that you are a pro, hustling is not how you apply fertilizer to a lawn.

Third I pointed out where you are loosing money, and just how your numbers are incorrect which is common sense, you don't like go else where.

Fourth no body said you were stupid, or whatever.

So before you start crying to mama about how you're not making any money, why don'y you just sit back and take some lessons in how to make some money.

[LAWNGODFATHER]

1) applying fert alone is only part of a service, you are missing the weed control part, and leaving more than 3/4 of the money sitting on the table.

You will need to be licensed by your state to apply pesticides.

2) double the price won't pay for equipment replacement, much less overhead, labor, etc...

3) lawn applications is not as easy at it seems.

4) you're on my side where the real money is and I wont tolerate scrubs.

5) pricing contains more than just the price of product.

[plowboy81]

Sorry if I hurt your feelings. I'm not losing money. I have another job and I do this on the side. So while your sitting at home waiting for the rain to stop, I'm making money. It is up to the person doing the work to decide if he is losing money or not. Enough with the back and forth arguing. I just give my opinion, if you don't like it then to bad, someone else may. If I ever learn to make money, then maybe I'll send you enough to take spelling lessons. I have no overhead and no, I don't know as much about landscaping as the GODFATHER but I can tell you this, I will get out and bust my but to make a dollar and if for some reason I lose, I will learn and come back and make up for my losses and some extra. So if your still mad at yourself because you weren't good enough to date the prom queen in high school, then deal with it on your own time and not mine.

[LAWNGODFATHER]

I do this for a living, not suplimental income as yourself cause you can't make enough at your other job.

So you're a scrub, thank you and have a nice day.

[plowboy81]

Just for the record, I work for the Federal Government. When you are standing in line to get food stamps, I will still have a 50,000 dollar a year job and I can probably come buy your worn out junk exmarks so you will have enough money to buy gas to get back and forth to the unemployment commission.

[LAWNGODFATHER]

So you work for the fed gov making $37,500 a year?

You defiantly need the supplemental income, sorry you are hurting so bad.

Worse you're a scrub with a job.

Wont see me in line for food stamps, I price right. I don't price like a scrub.

I have never collected unemployment nor will I ever need to.

You seriously need to review how to run a biz and pricing.

Hopeless to argue with the supplemental income scrub.

Until the original poster replies, there is no need to post anymore.

[rkk95]

Hey plow boy I've never heard of anyone spreading 10 bags in 20 minutes but if you ever need a job let me know I would be able to get rid of three guys if you can do that much. As for pricing my min. price is $34.40 that is up to 5,000 square feet, anything over 50,000 square feet I charge $4.00 per thousand.

[TOTALLAWN OF KY]

omg i thought this is a helpful site??im here for advice not riducule. i always believed a true qeustion was not stupidity??? granite im very COCKY when it come to my trade LAWN CARE , oh thats rite im here to make money
i wuold like to think some people are here to learn from the best

[LAWNGODFATHER]

Originally posted by plowboy81
Last edited by plowboy81 on 03-16-2003 at 07:03 PM Awe, you went back and pointed me out, I am deeply touched.

TOTALLAWN OF KY, no one that wasn't 20% of the pro price scrub lawn care was ridiculed, he should have kept his mouth shut.

Lets show that again 20% of what a pro would charge = SCRUB.

Now you want to learn pricing and the real lawn care biz listen up to real pro's, not supplemental scrubs who can't make any money.

There is a whole lot more to this than throwing out 10 bags of fert in 20 min. uncalibrated, un regulated, and unexperienced.

To do it correctly it would take 3 times the amount of time, or you are on a golf course or a farm field in a field jimmy with ground controlled, synchronized, computerized application instruments.

This wasn't a ridicule thing till someone above made it one.

For the original question of "what should I charge", can we really answer that for you?

[HarryD]

It was a simple question. the so called pros are helpful most of the time :rolleyes:just skim over the replys you dont care to read.

Im not sure what the LCO's in your area are getting but call some of them and see what there asking for 5k Sq ft. They dont have to know who you are. you are joe shmoe customer compairing prices.