[dannyc33]

I've been in the lawncare business for 7 years now and for the most part been only doing lawn mowing. I bill at $60-65/hr. and It's been good for me. But I've been getting alot a requests to lay mulch. I searched around here and found alot of guys a charging about $35-50 a yard to lay mulch. I was wondering how to come up with the measurements and prices for the jobs. Does a "yard" mean a square yard, a cubic yard, a linear yard, or would a bag at ny store that cantains 2 cubic yards be considered 2 yards. I'm just confused, because getting $35-50 a yard, depending on the method,seams like a gold mine.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you kindly,
Dan

 

[Let it Grow]

Normally when talking about a "yard of mulch" it is a cubic yard.

 

[NCSULandscaper]

I try to get $65/cu.yd which includes mulch and labor. Mulch costs me $12/yd and i charge $25/yd with $40 labor. a yd of mulch is a cubic yard, and the bags you talk about are 2 cu. ft each. To figure out the amount of mulch you will need just measure out the beds and find the area and a yd of mulch will cover 100 sq.ft at 3" depth. So basically just measure length x width and divide by 100. That will give you the number of cu. yds you will need.

 

[rodfather]

Edging and any other prep work is extra besides charging X amount of dollars per cubic yard.

 

[tsh1773]

If you can get away with it use the mulch given away at landfills. The landfill here in Greenville gives it away and loads for free Thursday through Saturday. It's like the single ground but not as good as the bagged stuff. Use the link below for material calculations.

http://www.upstatemulch.com/material_calculator.htm

 

[Lombardi]

In my area good mulch costs me $30-40 yd. If I can apply it directly off the trailer, I charge double the price of the mulch for my labor and material. If it has to be wheel barrowed to the site I add another $25 per yard.
If you want to keep your customers happy, DO NOT use free mulch from dumps. It is total junk. It is a combination of all the debris brought in to the dump and then ground together.

 

[tsh1773]

I agree Lombardi about the free mulch, but some customers around here like the rough look of the free stuff and some of them don't know I get free if you know what I mean.

 

[Lombardi]

After a large ice storm there was free mulch everywhere. I had customers request that I apply it for them, but after I explained what was in it and how bad it would look, not one of them wanted it.
If I got the mulch for free, I would explain this to the customer. IMO it is not ethical to charge someone for material that you get free. You can still make a good profit just from your labor costs.

 

[DUSTYCEDAR]

i pay $25-$30 for good mulch buy the yard
$17-$20 if i buy a semi load 60-80 yards
i charge 65-80 a yard instaled that includes light weeding and edging the beds
if you are only instaling 2-3yds. at a job u have to charge more just to show up, i never tell a customer a per yard price only a total job price. if they are tire kickers and you tell them how many yards they need they can now do it them self.
if you are instaling 20 or more yards give a discount per yard
see if any local company blows mulch it is a huge time saver.payup

 

[Grassmechanic]

Originally posted by Lombardi

If I got the mulch for free, I would explain this to the customer. IMO it is not ethical to charge someone for material that you get free. You can still make a good profit just from your labor costs.

Gee Lom, I grow alot of my own perennials for clients. Does that mean I have to give my plants away for free now?

 

[Lombardi]

Gassman, do you get your seed for free? Do you provide free labor when planting these? Are your growing houses provided to you free? Is your water free? Are your containers free? Think about what you said. Then respond with an intelligent answer as it prelates to the original subject. If you charge a customer for mulch that you have absolutely no overhead in, why charge them anything except for delivery and labor of spreading? Be honest up front and they will always trust you.

 

[T.E.]

I would love to get mulch at $17. to $20. a yard, called today about mulch for a customer. A whopping $35.00 a yard for cedar another place said $28.00. I asked for a discount if I bought 13 yards they said sorry. The customer can beat this price at Walmart or Home depot: dizzy:

 

[Cooper Landscaping]

Originally posted by Lombardi
Gassman, do you get your seed for free? Do you provide free labor when planting these? Are your growing houses provided to you free? Is your water free? Are your containers free? Think about what you said. Then respond with an intelligent answer as it prelates to the original subject. If you charge a customer for mulch that you have absolutely no overhead in, why charge them anything except for delivery and labor of spreading? Be honest up front and they will always trust you.

Lombardi-
He still has to move it from the dump to the customers property. At least where I come from trucks and trailers arem't free and neither is gas

-Coop

 

[GLAN]

Originally posted by T.E.
I would love to get mulch at $17. to $20. a yard, called today about mulch for a customer. A whopping $35.00 a yard for cedar another place said $28.00. I asked for a discount if I bought 13 yards they said sorry. The customer can beat this price at Walmart or Home depot: dizzy:

You mean to tell me it is cheaper by the bag, than by bulk?

For the same volume that there is in a bulk yard it would cost twice by the bag

 

[Grassmechanic]

Originally posted by Lombardi
Gassman, do you get your seed for free? Do you provide free labor when planting these? Are your growing houses provided to you free? Is your water free? Are your containers free? Think about what you said. Then respond with an intelligent answer as it prelates to the original subject. If you charge a customer for mulch that you have absolutely no overhead in, why charge them anything except for delivery and labor of spreading? Be honest up front and they will always trust you.

calm down. It was said as sarcasm, hence the laughing smiley

 

[T.E.]

Glan : That would be my thinking too,but I checked prices today I can buy mulch in the bag and come out at $24.03 a yard for the mulch verses the $35.00. I have tried every place I can to get mulch at a decent price (in bulk) and don't know where to get it,unless I get it trucked in.

 

[Mike Bradbury]

Originally posted by GLAN
You mean to tell me it is cheaper by the bag, than by bulk?

For the same volume that there is in a bulk yard it would cost twice by the bag

Bag or bulk, $30-35 for cyprus here. Everywhere.
15-20 for ground hardwood
20-28 for dyed hardwood

 

[Mike Bradbury]

that they process cedar, then it's going to be bagged (generally). Those mulch yards carrying it bulk (rare around here) are doing it special order and paying the freight. Not as much distribution as the bagged......

 

[GLAN]

Originally posted by T.E.
Glan : That would be my thinking too,but I checked prices today I can buy mulch in the bag and come out at $24.03 a yard for the mulch verses the $35.00. I have tried every place I can to get mulch at a decent price (in bulk) and don't know where to get it,unless I get it trucked in.

OK,

If I can ask? What is the per bag price that your paying?

 

[Mike Bradbury]

the "universal" price for cyprus is 3 - .3 bags for $10 (those are the big ones)
Works out to just more than 9 bags per cu yard = 30.00-35.00
We pay 33.00 bulk at the best (cheapest) yard here. Hardwood at this place is 13.00