A Little help!

[thorntonadvantage]

I'm having trouble pricing a job and I wondering if you guys had any ideas. I'm planting and reseeding a clients lawn that is in total 1900 Sq Ft. The area to be newly planted is 600 square feet and the rest will be reseeded. Here's what I have so far:

I plan to add a compost amendment to the entire area which I will need at least 8 yds of compost. Tilling the area to be newly planted and aerating the the rest really well. I will have remove some old leaves and grass and then apply the seed. The price I came up with is about a $1K for the whole job.
The time it will take comes out to be about $50 per hour about what I like to be paid in order to cover overhead and expenses.

Maybe it's just me but that seems to be a little high for such a small area. If you guys have any helpful suggestions or comments I would appreciate it.

[coolluv]

By newly planted do you mean sod?

Dave...

[thorntonadvantage]

The new planting is seeding a portion of the lawn that is total bare.

[coolluv]

Originally Posted by thorntonadvantage

The new planting is seeding a portion of the lawn that is total bare.

Ok I gottcha. I don't think you are going to get 1K for that job but if you can more power to ya.

Dave...

[thorntonadvantage]

any suggestions?

[coolluv]

What condition is the rest of the lawn in, the part you are going to just overseed? If it is less than half Fescue and mostly weeds you might be better off just laying sod.

Dave...

[thorntonadvantage]

Well, I was at the property today and the whole area doesn't have any established grass at all. No matter if I use see or sod the area will have to be tilled and soil amendment added. The cost of sod to cover that area is about $700. The cost of 8 yards of soil amendments will be around $300. Why don't you believe that this job is worth $1K?

[coolluv]

Originally Posted by thorntonadvantage

Well, I was at the property today and the whole area doesn't have any established grass at all. No matter if I use see or sod the area will have to be tilled and soil amendment added. The cost of sod to cover that area is about $700. The cost of 8 yards of soil amendments will be around $300. Why don't you believe that this job is worth $1K?

Well check out craigslist, lot of so called landscapes on there that would seed that for $300 Not saying I would but depending on access and soil condition etc would dictate my price. Is the existing soil that bad that you have to use amendments? Did you have a soil test done? I don't know where your getting your sod but at 1900 sq ft you could get 4 pallets delivered and placed close to the work area for around $500. I haven't looked at sod prices lately but during the spring and summer I saw prices for $99 a pallet. Like I said it depends on how close etc.

If your seeding it and adding 8 yards of amendment and tilling it and rolling it and fert etc then no I don't think you will get $1000. You might get $600 or $700, but that depends on the customer also. You throw a $1000 at them and most are going to walk. Too many variables to tell you accurately.

Dave...

[thorntonadvantage]

I could see doing a seed job that size for $300 if you did nothing but just aerate and put the seed down. This property has not been maintained in years and all it has is red Ga. clay which has no nutrients in it all. If you found fescue at that price during the warm months then it was only because they wanted to get rid of it. I called a sod farm here in Ga and the price was $157.00 a palet deliverd each palet covers 504 square feet.

I really appreciate you spending your time answering my questions.