A local appratment complex asked me to meet them next Tuesday to give them a bid on their property. It's probably the largest complex in town but its mostly open areas with few obstacles. Theres a total of 27 buildings that would have to be trimmed around as well as a community pool. I am thinking between 8 and 10 hours with just 2 guys. No spraying round up or fert to put down. Trimming hedges will be a seperate bid. My main concern is this complex isn't the nicest one in town (i.e.: the tenants, welfare low-life type thing). I will have to leave the truck and equipment out of my sight for a while. I've got locks on the trailer and everything but what do you add to cover the risk? Also would it be better for both guys to mow, or one mow one trim? If I use the one mow one trim method, I can leave some equipment at the shop so I don't have to worry? So basically what would you bid and how would you recommend tackling it?
is that a picture of a picture? LOL.
you may want to think about an enclosed trailer if you get the job. Get your insurance up to date.
Its also hard to tell the acreage of the property so can't give you a bid.
I would put one guy on a trimmer, one on a mower....When the trimmer guy finished, he can start blowing down.
If it was up to me, I'll take what you only need for the job. Cut by sections, in another word, just mow and trim a large piece, then move everything to another location and do your next large piece and so forth. You may able to watch and mow at the same time by during this. Hope this helps. Good luck
Yeah I took a picture w/ my phone cause it wouldn't let me show the boundries. Total size of this property is probably 35 acres but the buildings and parkinglot take up over half. Already hav an enclosed but you can't always stop a thief.
I honestly don't think just because your in a low income apt. complex your equipment is any more danger of being stolen than anywhere else. We did 5 large low income complexes last year and never had a problem. These people don't want to work anyways so why would they want a mower or trimmer? It really doesnt matter if you have 2 guys mowing or each of them doing both as long as they are both working it will take about the same amount of time.
Yeah I took a picture w/ my phone cause it wouldn't let me show the boundries. Total size of this property is probably 35 acres but the buildings and parkinglot take up over half. Already hav an enclosed but you can't always stop a thief.
I mow a school district. To mow approx. 15 acres and trim, you're probably looking at 2 days with 60" mowers. I know we cover about 30 acres / day, but that's with 1 guy running a 15' tri-deck and another running a 72" mower, with no trimming.
I mow a school district. To mow approx. 15 acres and trim, you're probably looking at 2 days with 60" mowers. I know we cover about 30 acres / day, but that's with 1 guy running a 15' tri-deck and another running a 72" mower, with no trimming.
i have a friend with 3 60'' dixie choppers he has a 50 acre account and mows trims and blows it in one day. this apartment complex is a easy one day job with 2 guys and a looong day at that
My 52 inch stander running at 7 mph (will go 9) with 70% efficiency will mow 2.5 acres per hour. How can 15 acres take 2 days with two mowers, unless you are using 21" mowers.
He should be able to get that done with two guys in an 8 hour day.
My 52 inch stander running at 7 mph (will go 9) with 70% efficiency will mow 2.5 acres per hour. How can 15 acres take 2 days with two mowers, unless you are using 21" mowers.
He should be able to get that done with two guys in an 8 hour day.
If you can't trim 2.5 acres an hour with minimal obstacles then you were never the trimmer biT**. I'd say that you could get that done with 2 people easily if your Z is a discharge but I would still bring 3 guys. 2 mow 1 trim. If you got 2 guys and you have to run to the dealer for a broken belt, shear pins, etc etc then your 7-8 hours turns into 12 if not a second day. My general rule is anything thats an 8 hour job for 2 people bring in re-enforcements.
Albery - I personally think you're low on the $800 per cut.
If you have 2 guys there, and if you were going to charge $40 / hour / man, that's $80 per hour. IF you get it done in 10 hours, which I don't think you can from my own personal experience, not some efficiency chart in the back of a piece of equipment propoganda, that's your $800.
If you were to have 2 guys there, and be charging $50 / man hour, then that's $100 per hour and now you're at $1000 per cut.
Efficiency chart in some piece of propoganda? Man....Some people are clueless. If you mow at 7 mph and your width is 52 inches, you are GOING to mow a certain amount if you keep that speed. then, to compensate for turns and overlap, figure an efficency of 70 percent, which is low. Its not propoganda, Its physics and math.
Oh, sorry, I forgot where I was for a second. I take it all back.
And how can edging (which he PROBABLY meant string trimming) not be a factor. It has to be done. It won't cut itself. you have to factor in everything you need to do on these sites to make any money.
There I go again....I forgot where I was.....People do this for a hobby.
You said you have an enclosed so why are you worried about theft? I would have an extra mower there anyway just as a backup since you will be pressed for time. Just put a little speed in their water jug to be sure.
Efficiency chart in some piece of propoganda? Man....Some people are clueless. If you mow at 7 mph and your width is 52 inches, you are GOING to mow a certain amount if you keep that speed. then, to compensate for turns and overlap, figure an efficency of 70 percent, which is low. Its not propoganda, Its physics and math.
Oh, sorry, I forgot where I was for a second. I take it all back.
And how can edging (which he PROBABLY meant string trimming) not be a factor. It has to be done. It won't cut itself. you have to factor in everything you need to do on these sites to make any money.
There I go again....I forgot where I was.....People do this for a hobby.
If he meant trimming, then he should have SAID trimming. There's many many people on this site that think that every yard has to be EDGED. I haven't edged a yard in 19 years.
On an area this size, I guarantee you cannot keep up 7 mph for the whole day. You also have to factor in lunch and potty breaks. Yes, it may only be 30 minutes total, but it's still 30 minutes that you're not going 7 mph.
Also, you're going to have garbage. You're going to have toys that people have left out. You're going to have 9.99 swimming pools that people buy, blow up for the kids. These pools aren't going to be right in the middle of everything, but they're going to be next to the building, yet not far enough that you're going to get a mower between the pool and the building, therefore more trimming time.
You're going to have people that are going to be wanting to lay out in the sun. You're going to have kids playing in the grass. This is not a 15 acre sod field where there's no one around.
Even IF you had a perfect day, kept up your 70% effeciency at 7 mph, if Albery keeps at his $800 / cut, for 2 guys for even 8 hours, that's only $50 per man hour. If you want to keep at the "magical" $60 / man hour, Albery's gotta bid it at $1,000 / cut, no less. Any less and there's no margin for error.... albeit I have no idea what Albery wants for a profit margin.
BTW, you're right, I do this as a hobby. 60-80 hours / week for the last 19 years. I DO love not having to go to work every day.
you just don't seem to get the meaning of my posts, which is fine. I didn't say YOU did this as a hobby, so don't take it personal. And of course you have to pick up trash, you have to mow around pools, you have to factor in every little thing to come up with a price. Thats why it is so difficult to price anything without seeing it. We can go round and round for days saying why we feel we are right and they saying why they are right when it all boils down to what He wants to make on this property. When I post, I am trying lead him in the right direction, making sure he takes everything into account, just as you are doing. We are not on opposite sides here, yet you want to get confrontational with me.
As far as how long you have been doing it, it doesn't matter. Not saying this is you.....but you can go years just getting by and not making any money, just paying bills. I gave him a way to figure how much his mower can mow per hour......its nothing more than a guideline. I point out he has to factor in trimming (which he mistakenly called edging...an honest mistake) You pointed out some very good things. He has to take what we all said and come up with his own solution.
I edge my yards with a blade edger. I do it on most of my properties, not all, but most. I think it looks better....If you disagree on that....so. Others will agree. Point is, we all don't do this the same. We have 50 states and 3 countries, maybe more, represented in here. We all have opinions and solutions that work for us, and if we present them, they may work for others. Whether eveyone agrees is irrelevant.
If any of you would go back and read the first post I said trimmed. However I would also edge sidewalks, but I thought that was common sense. I edge every yard, every time I am there. This property can be done in 8 hours with me and one helper. For trash they have several trashcans placed through out the property, I would simply mow and carry a 5 gal buscket and a extended reach gripper to pick the trash up while mowing. No private pools are allowed here also as they have a public pool.
you just don't seem to get the meaning of my posts, which is fine. I didn't say YOU did this as a hobby, so don't take it personal. And of course you have to pick up trash, you have to mow around pools, you have to factor in every little thing to come up with a price. Thats why it is so difficult to price anything without seeing it. We can go round and round for days saying why we feel we are right and they saying why they are right when it all boils down to what He wants to make on this property. When I post, I am trying lead him in the right direction, making sure he takes everything into account, just as you are doing. We are not on opposite sides here, yet you want to get confrontational with me.
As far as how long you have been doing it, it doesn't matter. Not saying this is you.....but you can go years just getting by and not making any money, just paying bills. I gave him a way to figure how much his mower can mow per hour......its nothing more than a guideline. I point out he has to factor in trimming (which he mistakenly called edging...an honest mistake) You pointed out some very good things. He has to take what we all said and come up with his own solution.
I edge my yards with a blade edger. I do it on most of my properties, not all, but most. I think it looks better....If you disagree on that....so. Others will agree. Point is, we all don't do this the same. We have 50 states and 3 countries, maybe more, represented in here. We all have opinions and solutions that work for us, and if we present them, they may work for others. Whether eveyone agrees is irrelevant.
If any of you would go back and read the first post I said trimmed. However I would also edge sidewalks, but I thought that was common sense. I edge every yard, every time I am there. This property can be done in 8 hours with me and one helper. For trash they have several trashcans placed through out the property, I would simply mow and carry a 5 gal buscket and a extended reach gripper to pick the trash up while mowing. No private pools are allowed here also as they have a public pool.
That's what I was thinking. After the first couple cuts I should be able to knock a couple hours off. My total costs involved would be around $250 (includes employee pay, fuel, trimmer string, wear and tear, etc.)
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Lawn Care Forum
7M posts
202.7K members
Since 1999
A forum community dedicated to lawn care and landscaping professionals and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!