Charge for initial edging?

Hey everyone. I am just starting out and was wondering when I get customers that edges are overgrown, do I charge a one time fee to get them in shape, then weekly after that would only be part of the lawn mowing charge? How much for one time fee? 40 an hour maybe? I am afraid of only cutting once and then they may stop so I hate to do it for free. I Don't think a contract would fly.

Thanks
Brad

 

I charge .85 per foot for reidential & 1.00 per foot for commercial for initial edge. I haven't had anybody ask me to maintain except a couple commercial props, if so I was thinking in the ballpark of .15 per foot for res. & commercial remains as is.

-Geoff

 

Just to be clear, are you saying that a sidewalk w/ curb 50 feet long would actually be 150' x .85? Since there are 3 edges. And thanks for the reply.

Brad

 

yep, every single foot edged is billed

-Geoff

 

yep, every single foot edged is billed. .85 is based upon the edge never having been edged before.

-Geoff

 

Recently did one that took me 35 minutes to edge, shovel up and bag. I charged $20 extra. Around 150-200 lbs. to haul off. I already have most of the customer's extended family and didn't want to push it too far. They are all very good to work for. Needed the fill anyway.

 

so 200 feet would be $170????

 

If its serverly over grown and I have to shovel it up and bag it I try and charge more if they will go for it. I cant get .85 a ft though. If they are willing to sign on a season long contract and its not an all day job I will just include it but If I bust a new edge for a 1 time deal its billed accordingly. A walk behind edger is my weapon of choice for overgrown edges. The stick edger is quicker for maintaining.

 

For me yes, since the lawn mowing around here has slowed down (drought) I have been busy with a variety of other landscape & maintenance projects. In the past three weeks (not positive on the time frame) alone I've edged nearly 1000' for folks, this is in addition to all the other services I provide. Here is a sample of the edging I've been doing. the last pic is an example of what we started with, on these last two we added, at customer request, softball size granite boulders for edge material. That particular job with the granite priced out at about 3.05 per foot.

 

i'm sorry, I thought you were edging the curb lines and side walks. Jobs look good.