what would you charge?

 

I have never done a job this big before, not even close to this size. I used to work for a company about ten years ago doing skidsteer work but never saw any of the invoices, all I did was operate the machine. I want to make a close bid but don't want to get soaked on the deal.

 

depends on a few things.. are they able to dump where the soil needs to go, or do you need to machine it from where its dumped to the pacement area. How far do you need to machine it? I can spread a load of dirt in about 15-20 minutes with a real close rough grade on it, if its dumped where it needs to go. With that, you need 8-9 loads of soil, thats about 2 hours rough grade time, with another hour for final. Then if you need to hand rake around trees or what not. Multiply that by what you want an hour, and there you go.

 

I will beat others estimates.

I am sure you will beat other estimates.

I come up with 216 yards

 

Since you will beat all others estimates, I think a good price to start at is $50 and then go down from there.......

 

You google material calculator its the easiest way of getting a rough total on material you need.

I came up with 216 yards :laugh:

So you figure a tandem axle will haul 14 yards of topsoil so you will have 15 truck loads.

Depending on the quality of the topsoil and how loose it is will change your costs. If its swamp muck that is sticky poo it will be time consuming to work with.

 

I come up with 213yd's.I could spread all that dirt in a petty open area and not having to move the dirt a long ways,I about 6 hours if all the dirt is dumped around the area first.You could easily be there a day and a half it you have to wait for trucks!I would rough spread and than harley rake it and be done.

minimax

 

I come up with 213yd's.

..........

 

I come up with 213yd's.I could spread all that dirt in a petty open area and not having to move the dirt a long ways,I about 6 hours if all the dirt is dumped around the area first.You could easily be there a day and a half it you have to wait for trucks!I would rough spread and than harley rake it and be done.

minimax

I imagine the rake makes short work of leveling and breaking up the dirt clods. I have always hated spreading topsoil with a skidsteer. I imagine a CTL would be better all the way around.

 

Here a very basic topsoil that barely grows weeds would cost 4300 dollars for 216 yards not including trucking or taxes. The trucking would be 1500 if the topsoil supplier is 30 mins away from the jobsite if its a more than that you would be looking at 3000 for trucking.

You need 15 loads at 100 dollars per hour.

Now if you needed a good lawn mix topsoil then you would be looking at 7500 dollars for topsoil.

 

Here a very basic topsoil that barely grows weeds would cost 4300 dollars for 216 yards not including trucking or taxes. The trucking would be 1500 if the topsoil supplier is 30 mins away from the jobsite if its a more than that you would be looking at 3000 for trucking.

You need 15 loads at 100 dollars per hour.

Now if you needed a good lawn mix topsoil then you would be looking at 7500 dollars for topsoil.

If I lived there, I think I would get into the Astro turf business.

 

To get a lawn seeded you need it hydroseeded or you go with turf. Trying to get grass to grow that is grown from scratch is next to impossible.

Hydroseeding works good because it can tollerate poorer quality soil.

 

Here a very basic topsoil that barely grows weeds would cost 4300 dollars for 216 yards not including trucking or taxes. The trucking would be 1500 if the topsoil supplier is 30 mins away from the jobsite if its a more than that you would be looking at 3000 for trucking.

You need 15 loads at 100 dollars per hour.

Now if you needed a good lawn mix topsoil then you would be looking at 7500 dollars for topsoil.

It would probably run about $2900 here for 16 tandem trucks of topsoil.

 

To get a lawn seeded you need it hydroseeded or you go with turf. Trying to get grass to grow that is grown from scratch is next to impossible.

Hydroseeding works good because it can tollerate poorer quality soil.

Why is that?

 

The cheap topsoil which is screened brown dirt is 20 dollars a yard and its not very good stuff. We also have swamp muck its screened soil dredged out of marsh and swampy areas. Its pretty sour takes alot of work to grow anything in it.

 

Why is that?

Hydroseed here uses a heavy fertilizer to help the grass to grow so it compensates for weak topsoil.

 

I don't hydro seed anymore. But I do Broadcast my seed and fert, then blow straw over it. I have way better results this way than I ever did with my hydro-seeder.

So tell me there all knowing GR. How do I get the results I get with out using hydro seed?

J.

 

Maybe where you live you can grow a lawn without hydroseed. Here growing it from scratch is next to impossible. For one most lawns are grown on 4 inches of topsoil and under the topsoil solid rock that needs dynamite.

What most people do is go with turf it may cost a little more but its the only gauranteed lawn.

If your going to try grow it from scratch your looking at using 35-40 dollar a yard topsoil.

I have laid quite abit of sod for people. Put some fertilizer down lay the sod and water the h*ll out of it and cross your fingers it takes root.

All the landscapers here don't even bother trying to hand seed a lawn its a waste of money and a waste of time around here.

Like I said the ground is hard you need a rock breaker or dynamite to dig it. To grow a garden it has to be above ground beds no taking a rototiller to the ground its not going to do anything.

 

I am so going to ship some black dirt up there, $35-40 per yard? Someone will actually pay that?

 

I don't hydro seed anymore. But I do Broadcast my seed and fert, then blow straw over it. I have way better results this way than I ever did with my hydro-seeder.

So tell me there all knowing GR. How do I get the results I get with out using hydro seed?

J.

I can get grass to grow without hydro seeding,
heck in the last pics in my thread, I got 40 yards of compost and it delivered for 300 bucks! that stuff will grow the greenest grass you have ever seen in your life! Smells like pure money when its dumped out.

Just like you said, broadcast, fert and straw and you will have grass is a week if it rains just right.

 

Without trucking around here: premium screened topsoil $15 a yard, mid grade screened $10 yard, screened fill $6 a yard. We did a job the other day and imported 150-180 yards of material. Had it dropped on the street, transported 75 yards down a driveway/hill and plopped in piles on site. Transported/rough graded/fine graded it in a day with two guys. Charged $1,500 which included skid.

 

I am so going to ship some black dirt up there, $35-40 per yard? Someone will actually pay that?

I would call Burlington Northern (or whoever they are now) and get some train cars lined up. Fill up 5-6 of those and your set.

 

Grass seed only needs 1/2" of cover and to be kept moist and it will grow..........maybe even in Canada! Wonder how they grow a new hay field up their Rat? Do they sod that too or, maybe, do they use seed? Your logic is out to lunch on that one.........

 

If you got 4" of top soil (good or bad) properly prep'd and seeded, grass seed will take. It doesn't matter whats under neath it. You just have to make sure it gets regular watering and have the right temp swings.

J.

 

I would call Burlington Northern (or whoever they are now) and get some train cars lined up. Fill up 5-6 of those and your set.

No doubt, there is so much dirt here that people want to get rid of. There is my winter money. So GR - who's buying up there?