Just Curious?

[John Deere]

I would like to see if I could get a an estimate from you all. I am putting in a burm at an apt. complex that we provide lawn care service to. Here goes!<p>The burm is 10 ft. in diameter so I need a bid for dirt, mulch and edging. I already have the cost on my shrubs but you can also tell me if you have a planting charge. I am going to be using a 3 man crew. Here is how I'm figuring it. I am bidding it at $40 per man hr. and am figuring it at 3 hours. Plus I will add the cost of edging and plants. So I am figuring $360 plus materials. Tell me how I measure up or if I'm high or low? Also, I mark up my shrubs and plants 75% Thanks!

 

[FIREMAN]

ARE YOU SURE 9 MANHOURS IS ENOUGH? IS THE JOB EASILY ACCESSIBLE? WILL THERE BE ALOT OF WHELL BAROWING? DON'T FORGET THE FUDGE FACTOR YOU MAY HAVE SOME UNFORSEEN PROBLEM THAT COULD TURN A SIMPLE JOB INTO A BIG HEADACHE, I WOULD ADD SOME LABOR TIME THIS WAY IF YOU ARE CONTENT WITH YOUR PROFITS ON 9 MAN HOURS FOR THIS JOB, IF THERE ARE PROBLEMS YOU MAY STILL COME OUT AHEAD OR AT LEAST BE WHERE YOU WANTED TO BE ORIGINALLY.

 

[John Deere]

We have a 10,000 lb. dump trailer so a wheel barrow is not necessary. I am pretty sure 9 man hours is what it will take. I just want to make sure their jaws won't drop when they see that I want $40 per man hr. I will give them an estimate at 9 - 12 man hrs. at $40 per. Plus the cost of my plants and materials. If anybody else would like to weigh in I would be much appreciative!

 

[Evan528]

i would just give them a final price... dont tell them how much per man hour.... since you only have a guess of 9 hours that it will take bid it for 11 or 12.

 

[John Deere]

Thanks Evan, but I'm two steps ahead of ya. One, it's not really a guess. I've done this work before, but have never had an opportunity to ask others which is what this forum is for. Also, I always give a final price and never put in writing my estimating procedures. If I could get back to my original question. Again, I would like to know where I compare to others in price! Is my bid out of line or am I in the right ballpark, preferably wrigley field. ha ha. Thanks again everyone.

 

[thelawnguy]

How high? Or, more specifically, how many yards of fill will you be needing (according to your calculations)? Can the area be accessed directly or must you cart stuff in manually?<p>Bill

 

[Lanelle]

Just to get to the dirt numbers, I'd need a little more info. Is this a circular berm? How high are you elevating it and will it taper to the edge gradually or drop off quickly? If you are giving a warranty on your plant material you may need to raise the price a little to recover any replacement cost incurred. Your labor cost per manhour looks good. Remember to include travel time, clean-up time and getting paid to haul soil to site. Trailers and gas cost plenty.<p>----------<br>Lanelle<br>

 

[John Deere]

Lanelle, your the first person to get close to answering my question. First, a burm in my opinion does not drop off, it tapers off. Like I said that's my opinion and figuered that was implied. Also you wondered if this was circular and in my first post I said it was 10 ft' in diameter. I apologize if I didn't make that clear that it would be circular. As far as what you said about my haul time etc. I do have that figuered into my hours. If my #'s sound ok that's what I want to know and for that - thanks! Lawn guy: I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but in a post 2 spots above yours I said a wheel barrow is not necessary. Like I said, we have a dump trailer and will be able to back up at the spot and dump it on the spot. I really didn't know this was going to bring up so many other questions. I thought this was a fairly simple question. I do appreciate your attempts to help, but I guess I was looking for someone to just tell me what they would charge to put in a 10 'ft in diameter circular burm with the cost of dirt, mulch and edging. Thanks again!

 

[cjcland]

did you sell them irrigation for the plants too? that would increase your profit margin quite a bit<p>----------<br>CJC Landscape Management<br>Winter Haven, Florida

 

[paul]

Ok we don't put in much edging but man hrs. seem right. Now for dirt why hual it just order it and make the money you would have paid someone from your company to hual and increase your profit. How about mulch? Might want to add that to bid package. As for Lanelle I to need to know how high the burm would be for my dirt calc( 1 ft high burm 10' dia =9 cu.yds)don't forget to figure settlement. Puliverized dirt will settle about 4&quot; for every ft installed. Just checked last price we had for edging was $16 per foot back in 1997 <p>----------<br>paul<br>