Aeration survey price

[cleancut]

What's everybody charging per 1000sq ft. to aerate a fairly level lawn..???Also what are you charging to spread tall fescue per 1000sq ft..??Thanks..Clean-Cut

[KirbysLawn]

I charge $24 per 1000 sf to aerate/seed fescue/fert. Discounts for larger lawns down to around $17 per 1000 at the lowest.

Ray

[JVS]

We charge $9.99 plus tax per 1000/sq ft. Minium charge is $75 for properties under 3,000 sq. ft.
We like the Lesco Aeration machines beacause they have the Honda motors. If we are to fert ./seed ect.. then each item is charge accordingly.

Joe

[HOMER]

I bought a 5 lb bag of tall fescue and it cost me over $9.00. How much can ya'll get it for in the great white north? I couldn't spread much of that at nearly 2 bucks a pound!!!!!!!!!!

gee wizz

Homer

[Vandora Lawn & Landscape]

I get my fescue from lesco, about $50 per 50lb bag.

[KirbysLawn]

Where did you get those prices?? I get mine at Lesco for $0.94 a pound.

[leeslawncare]

I charge 25per k seed aerate, fert. i get my seed at lesco for 1.10per lb

[65hoss]

At 3000 sf or less I got min. of $120. Based on larger sf I would charge between $30 and $35 per 1000 sf.

If you guys did a 3000 sf aeration, you should get around $50 considering we all use something like 2.5 to 3.5 times the cost per cutting.

Then on 3000 sf, the seed will cost you around $15.
The fertilizer around $3.

That $68. If you only got $75 for the job, where is the profit? $7 is not a profit on the seeding. You only made $7 profit for you time of putting out seed and ferterlizer?

If the customer goes to buy the seed himself its going to cost about $2 per lbs. I get mine for $1. If he rents an aerator, they are about $75 for 4 hrs.

[Currier]

Aerators here cost $11.00 per hour with a 2 hr. minimum to rent. I would dearly love to be able to look at my 5000 sq ft. cutomers and say "$120.00" but come on! There is a point there where you don't want to alienate customers or potential customers. We get 40 for a 5000 sg ft lawn. It takes maybe 15 to 20 minutes to do. Maybe my market is depressed, maybe there are too many guys running around with aerators

[65hoss]

$40 for 5000 sf?? Over half that is cost of seed and fert. alone. Not to mention gas and depreciation on aerator. 15 minutes? How many people? 1 person will take longer that 15 min. 2 or more people at 15 min. each adds up to 3/4 of an hour. You would only make about $10. You better have another job part time. Most anyone aerating alone would make more than that without any seed. Sounds like you've sold into the theory that you're not worth anything more. You can find customers that will pay more. Leave the cheap skates alone and find some better paying customers. I had people this year that thought I would do all that aerating and supply seed and fert. and do it for almost nothing. I gave them my bids and some I got the jobs and some I didn't. But I made more overall and had less expense. Word of mouth that you are that cheap will get you plenty of business but no profits.

[KirbysLawn]

Originally posted by 65hoss
At 3000 sf or less I got min. of $120. Based on larger sf I would charge between $30 and $35 per 1000 sf

Agree on the base price, I forgot to list that. I sometimes go a little lower if I have multiple lawns near by.

$40 for a 5000 sf lawn..yikes...> 50% charges is expenses!

You need a new plan! The customers could not rent an aerator and buy seed/fert around here for <$97 and do it themself!!!!

Aerator rental...............$50
Seed 25 lbs @ $1.35 lb.......$33.75
Starter fertilizer...........$14.00

No way your should charge less that it would cost them!

[Currier]

Do you always seed when you aerate? What about fertilizing? Sometimes we are aerating here early in March and our irrigation water doesn't come in until mid april. It would seem ineffective to fert. a month before irrigation is possible. (we will aerate to open up the ground and get the roots an early start. Most fertilizers need to be watered in.)
Also we never seed when we aerate. It never comes up as most bluegrass lawns around here are well established. Aerating is seen as a way to loosen the soil and stimulate root growth. We have a fert. program that is recommended by our extension office. It is called the late fall fertilization program. One app in June, one in August, one in October. (works great)

I run a lawnaire V and a 5000 sq. ft. lawn just does not take that long. Prices around here are based on a minimum charge $(40) and then 9 - 12 per 1000 sqare feet.

Obviously seeding would be extra charge but there doesn't seem to be a big need/demand for it.

I love fertilizing after aerating, but I will aerate without fertilizing.

After reading these other posts I'm thinking next years pricing schedule is going up considerably! Thanks! You all have been an inspiration too me. I would rather work for less people and make more money. It is time.

[Edited by Currier on 12-11-2000 at 05:41 AM]

[KirbysLawn]

Currier, the topic was aeration and seeding prices, I thought you were quoting those prices. I do aerate without seeding, but not often. I never aerate or seed in spring, waste of time due to hot/dry summers, however I have started aerating in the summer.

You never seed when you aerate? When do you seed? I still think you should not charge less to do a job on site than it would cost the customer to do it them self.

Ray

[Poplen]

Ray, what are the benifits of aerating in the summer?

Len

[65hoss]

Well, I thought it was including seeding also. Yes, I aerate only also. Depends on what part of town I'm in and the layout of the property. I figure the amount it would be to cut weekly and then multiply by 2.5 to 3.5. If you do a search for "aerate" you will find many topics and pricing info here.

[KirbysLawn]

Originally posted by Poplen
Ray, what are the benifits of aerating in the summer?

Len

Over the past 2 years during the heat drought of the summer I have aerated a few dry, non-irrigated lawn. The purpose is to break open the hard dry ground to assist water absorbtion. I try to do this just after a rain to increase plug depth.

After I've done this improvements were very positive.

Ray

[cleancut]

I aerated about 20 lawns this fall..I seeded and put down a winterizer with almost every aeration..Most of the yards were 1/4 acre lots and my average charge was around $200...Some were higher if they requested more expensive seeds such as a Rebel blend,or if they requested different types of fertilizers...Last year, I only aerated approximately 8 yards..I'm making strides in increasing this part of my business, but some people just don't understand the process and are skeptical..I guess that's where we have to educate our customers...I've been mailing out Bluebird literature to my customers to explain the benefits..Seems to be working...Thanks for the help with priceing..I didn't want to be overpriceing or underpriceing..Clean-Cut