First Big Bid

[Likestomow]

Tomorrow I'm making my first large landscaping bid. It's to completely re-do two subdivision sign areas. The plan was drawn up by a local nursery and is quite extensive. The plants will run a little over 3K. I was going to charge $1500 for labor and also put in a $700 "prep" charge. There will also be a hefty bill for topsoil to make burms and for mulch.

I was wondering if the labor charge and the prep charge seemed right to you.

Thanks.

[KirbysLawn]

Are you providing any warranty (such as one year) on the plants?

[Likestomow]

I hadn't thought much about that, but I believe the nursery does give a one year warranty. If a plant should die within that period, I would have to R&R it. Are you suggesting I build in additional dollars for that possibility?

[Scraper]

If the plants cost $3k then charge at least $3k to install. Then add yous mulch costs and soil for the berm costs. Sounds like its close to a $7k job to me. Although I don't know what the market will bear in Chattanooga.

[curlawngreen]

What are you going to do for the "prep charge?"

[Likestomow]

Thanks for your replies.

curlawngreen: I really don't know! I was told by a local nursery that a "prep" charge is always to be entered. I think he said for misc. and unexpected labor. I did not list it, however, but instead just added more cost to my labor.

Here's the breakdown:

Plants 3030
(this includes tax)
20 c.y. Topsoil installed 1065
(this includes a 1-day Bobcat rental)
14 c.y. Pine Bark Mulch installed 650
320 lineal feet of 4" Metal Edging installed 565
Labor 1900

TOTAL 7210

[FIREMAN]

BE SURE TO BE CLEAR WITH YOUR NURSERY AS TO THE GARUNTEE, THEY MAY NOT OFFER IT IF YOU ARE BUYING THOSE PLANTS AT WHOLESALE PRICES...LOCALLY IF YOU BUY WHOLESALE THE BURDEN OF A WARRANTY FALLS ON THE CONTRACTOR.

[MikeC]

Likestomow, I am in Chatt. what is your company name. would like to get to know you. I cut part time and am always looking for good advice.
Mike Clifford
488-0658

[tpirobert]

Ditto what Scraper said.

How many man/hrs did you figure on this job and what do you charge per hour. Cover all your time, no one else will! I would figure the job backwards and forwards till you're sick of looking at it and then add a 15% oops I forgot something to the total. Who is going to maintain these plants if you garuntee them. Most of my landscape install jobs seem to run 2-3times the cost of material. Any employees on job I expect to generate 2.5 times their salary in gross sales. Best of luck with this job and hope you get it AND make big bucks.

[YardGuy]

Did you get the job and at what price? Thanks for sharing info. This is the true value of a forum.Let1s do these exercises more often.