Mulch Labor

[blankenshiplawncare]

Hey all,

I have a job pending for 190 cubic yards of pine bark. I am factoring the labor at $10 per yard. Is this close? I only deal with smaller amounts which is obviously easier.

Phil

[LawnScapers of Dayton]

My labor is always at least $25-$30 per yard. That job, I would never attempt manually.....that would get subbed out to a outfit with a mulch blower. Then I would probably add $5-$10 per yard on top of their price.......

$10 per yard is not worth it.......no matter the volume of mulch.....IMO

I guess I am not sure pine bark works with a mulch blower......

Derek

[Davis Lawn Mowing, LLC]

My labor is typically $30/yard on mulch. 10 yards to install, $300. To be honest, I have never installed more than 10 yards anyway. I am mostly in the 4-10 yard range on my mulch installs. 10 yards by myself takes me about 4 hours roughly, sometimes 5 depending on the number of plants in the way. So I am making a good per/hour wage.

[mole]

Has anybody used one of the mulch blowers that I see at the rental places now?. I have seen the finn brand at three rental places. Just wondering how well they work. There smaller ones that hitch up to your truck. The tubes look a little small to be shooting out hard wood mulch.

[A+ Lawncare]

solo u can spread 3yrds of mulch if your efficient... i'de always estimate 2 yrds/hr that way you don't sell yourself short on your time....
190yrds/2 yrds per hr= 95hrs
190yrds/3 yrds per hr= 63.3 hrs

if i was you i'de hire a full crew of at least 4 other guys & urself... u & another guy could spread, while 2 guys bring wheel barrowl loads of mulch back & forth.... the other guy could be the loader of wheel barrowls... w/this method you can spread 5-7yrds of mulch per hr...

190yrds/5 yrds per hr= 38 hrs.
190yrds/6 yrds per hr= 31.67 hrs.
190yrds/7 yrds per hr= 27.14 hrs.

it would be either 3 or 5 days of work of 8hr days w/a full crew... and i don't recommend doing this job solo... if solo, this job is 2.4 weeks or 1.5 weeks of 8hrs... at you rate of labor $10 per yrd you'de be making $30 an hr solo (sellling yourself short) or w/a crew you'de be making $60 an hr, but thats 5man hrs! even if you hired some temp. workers @ $8 an hr... $8 X 4(workers)= $32 labor cost... so you'de be clearing (not fully clearing though) about $28 an hr... but u have alot more expense, direct & indirect costs for an example...
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properly bidded, this job should be estimated @ $8,500-$9k
$45 per yrd, labor, delivery/materials
materials for example @ $16 per yrd X 190 yrds= $3,040

$8,500-$3,040= $5,460 for labor...
5man hrs (crew) X 35hrs= 175 solo hrs...
$5,460/ 175hrs= $31.2 per man hr...

[Markf]

Do what A+ says. We spread manual 310 yards on my property. It was a summer project. By the way, there is a total of 5 in my family. Yes, even my wife was busy.
Mark

[blankenshiplawncare]

yea I was afraid I was too low. I haven't bid on the job yet but was going to this week. I agree it would be crazy to attempt this on my own. I will have 4 workers and a bobcat for this. The yard is 3 acres but only about 150ft wide. It goes on for ever. The mulch will be dumped at the entrance. This would be the purpose of the bobcat. I would just as well sub this out to a blower company, how ever I have never seen or heard of one in or around Savannah.

Phil

[Groundcover Solutions]

try using www.mulchblowing.com they will link you uop to a contractor in your area. You could also try contacting someone at EB just go to www.expressblower.com and give one of the sales guys a call or email.

[blankenshiplawncare]

Originally Posted by Groundcover Solutions

try using www.mulchblowing.com they will link you uop to a contractor in your area. You could also try contacting someone at EB just go to www.expressblower.com and give one of the sales guys a call or email.

Thank you, I put in my request this morning. I hope there is one close. Again Thanks. Phil