For those who don't have a Dump truck or Dump trailer, how do you get mulch to your properties. Do you pay your supplier to deliver it or do you make multiple trips loading up the bed of your truck and trailer? If your just doing a spring refresher on a small property and using say 3 or 4 scoops, is it more profitable to make multiple trips or have it delivered? One buddy of mine thought I was crazy when I talked about using my truck and a trailer but then my other buddy said that his brother almost always uses his truck and a trailer(don't know what kind) to haul his mulch.
Mulch...Delivered or Haul it yourself?
Ecoscape01
1 - 20 of 31 Posts
Joined
·
393 Posts
For those who don't have a Dump truck or Dump trailer, how do you get mulch to your properties. Do you pay your supplier to deliver it or do you make multiple trips loading up the bed of your truck and trailer? If your just doing a spring refresher on a small property and using say 3 or 4 scoops, is it more profitable to make multiple trips or have it delivered? One buddy of mine thought I was crazy when I talked about using my truck and a trailer but then my other buddy said that his brother almost always uses his truck and a trailer(don't know what kind) to haul his mulch.
Joined
·
1,501 Posts
I will use my trailer (6.5x12 with 2' sides) and usually can fit 2 some times 3 yards in it. I like using my trailer because its a real nice level when shoveling it into wheelbarrows compared to bending over when it's on the ground. I will at times make 2 trips but that's it. Anything over 6 yards gets delivered. The sawmill is close to most of my work. Same for top soil but my trailer maxes out at 2 yards. Anything more and the tires can't take it.
As long as I can fit it in the back of my truck or trailer, I will pick it up. As long as I dont have to go out of my way to get it. If I have to make more than 1 trip to get it, or if I have to go out of my way to get the mulch, I will have it delievered. Time is money, it only costs $20-$25 for delivery, depending on distance. Multiple trips wastes gas and my time. I'd rather be working and making money.
Ron
Joined
·
1,697 Posts
Usually delivery however when I get my dump trailer I plan on delivering my self.
Cheers
Jeff
Cheers
Jeff
Joined
·
3,858 Posts
If your 1yd or under buy a couple of bags,it might cost more but you don't have to waste bulk mulch and you can store the bags for awhile.
Joined
·
4,172 Posts
Some mulch sellers offer free delivery if you order over a minimum amount. If i can fit it in the truck then i just get it but sometimes its better to just have it delivered once you factor in your time and expence to go get it yourself.
Joined
·
2,581 Posts
i will usually use the trailer. i can get 4 yards in my trailer, and another 2 in the truck. but anything over that it will be delivered. im actually thinkin im goin to start getting it all delivered, cuz im puttin alot of weight in the truck, and its already startin to fall apart. and it gets crappy fuel mileage.
Joined
·
176 Posts
I put it on the trailer! SEE, I think that load was 7 or 8 yards
![]()
![Image]()
Joined
·
2,726 Posts
I can get 2 yards in the bed of my truck if I tarp it. I can get 3.5 to 4 yards in my trailer if i am careful and not going very far. Anything over 5 though will normally get delivered. I prefer to haul it myself though so I can move the trailer as needed.
^^^ I hear you, i saved so much time by moving my truck around and not loading and un loading a cart, and saved my back too. I get about 2 yards in my truck, and will make as many trips as needed to finish. Now if i have help working with me i did get some drop off but that was over 10 yards. I think a Dingo would be nice and fast to load the cart up. I am going to try the Load handler this year and see how it works out.
Joined
·
1,198 Posts
Good topic to think about for me.... reason being... Last year, I did the plywood walls in the trailer thing and hauled my own... my calculations were ALWAYS dead on... as I always added one extra yard when putting the mulch down. Cept'... one particular mulch job last year, I had ALL mulch delivered. And happened to be two yards short... This year so far, the jobs I delivered myself were dead on calculation amounts. And the jobs I had delivered are coming up short... most recently, this past Tuesdays job consisted of 22 yards of mulch delivered by the store happened to be once again... almost 4 yards short. Wouldn't it be pretty hard to mis-count 4 YARDS OF MULCH?? I know I'm not the sharpest blade on the mower, but C'MON!?!?!?
Coincedence??? That everytime THEY deliver, I'm short mulch? But when I get it myself, my amounts are just right?
Coincedence??? That everytime THEY deliver, I'm short mulch? But when I get it myself, my amounts are just right?
Joined
·
9,671 Posts
I pick it up. But around here there are many mulch places and its only about a 10 minute drive from wherever I am. Makes it easier than shoveling off the ground. I did 15 yards once delivered, then the next year did it out of the truck 3 yards at a time and it was quicker and easier doing it out of the truck. It depends on the account though, becasue this was a commercial property that we could reach everything with the truck so didnt have to wheelbarrow anything.
Joined
·
901 Posts
Have you brought this up with the dealer?
2 yards or less I hual anything more I have delivered. Same with debris, if I am doing a renovation I will have a 10-30yard dumpster delivered. There is no greater waste of time than unloading your trailer at the dump one stump/branch/sod pile at a time. + I have the company bill the customer directly so if we go over weight I don't have to fight with the customer for the extra money.
Joined
·
1,198 Posts
No, not as of yet. I don't like pointing the finger at someone... ugh... That's a tough thing to do .... specially since there are only a few mulch suppliers here. The latest job was the kicker for me though. Unfortunately, these guys seem really cool, and are always willing to work with me because the jobs I get are decent jobs... 15+yards/house... If I ask for morning delivery with 24 hours in advance... I get it. They always deliver RIGHT where I want, never had a problem with them as far as courtesy goes. And I'd hate to think they were skimmin', because, that just too unethical. But I KNOW how to count mulch. Hell, I grew up at a garden/mulch center my uncle owned up in New Jersey. I was the "Mulchin' Fool"
I'm pricing another job this weekend... 15+ yards again... gonna double count... Order... and see how it goes.
I have the opposite problem with delivery, I seem to get 'hooked up' with little extra mulch...so really I have no need to have 3 yards left over and have to load by hand into the truck bed. Going with bagged mulch has eliminated this
Hey if that supplier is shorting you TELL THEM....you think if you kept cutting only 75% of a customers lawn they would just put up with it because you're a nice guy???
Hey if that supplier is shorting you TELL THEM....you think if you kept cutting only 75% of a customers lawn they would just put up with it because you're a nice guy???
For those who know they're going to do quite amount of mulch each year, if you have space at your yard/lot/shop do you have loads delivered in bulk and then use ss/dingo/etc to load on trailer and/or truck at your place and then go to the job?
e.g. You know you're going to do at least 50 yds this year, would you just have 50 yds delivered to your shop and then just load it yourself with your equipment for each job?
I have been thinking of doing this to allow me to purchase larger loads for a bigger discount and also purchase from cheaper supplier farther away and have delivered to my shop.
e.g. You know you're going to do at least 50 yds this year, would you just have 50 yds delivered to your shop and then just load it yourself with your equipment for each job?
I have been thinking of doing this to allow me to purchase larger loads for a bigger discount and also purchase from cheaper supplier farther away and have delivered to my shop.
Joined
·
393 Posts
I read on another site, a guy saying just to use bags for residential jobs and he said, "ya it's a little more expensive but it's a lot less of a pain". Just an FYI for the newbies - I found this site and I'm gonna try it for my first mulch job. I see so many threads about estimating mulch jobs. Hopefully this calculator is accurate. Maybe the experienced guys could go to this site and check it out for me. Just plug in a number that you know how much you would use and compare it to what the site's calculator comes up with and let me know how accurate/inaccurate it is.I have the opposite problem with delivery, I seem to get 'hooked up' with little extra mulch...so really I have no need to have 3 yards left over and have to load by hand into the truck bed. Going with bagged mulch has eliminated this
Hey if that supplier is shorting you TELL THEM....you think if you kept cutting only 75% of a customers lawn they would just put up with it because you're a nice guy???
http://www2.yardiac.com/list_categories.asp?tgs=1588845:36160859&cart_id=&id=374
Joined
·
913 Posts
I haul my own and always buy bulk. I do nto have a dump, but I use a 7X16 flatbed. I real flatbed (not with the 1ft rail like in Buckeye's picture) with 2' high sides built on it. I can put at least 8 yards in it and the sides are removeable, so as we work up the trailer, we take the sides off and load from the side of the trailer. Works well.
1 - 20 of 31 Posts
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
