Typically, I just mow lawns but from time to time people ask me to add mulch to their beds. I figured there wasn't anything to it but now I have read that alot of LCO's prep the beds first. What does this entail?
Clean out and removal of weeds, cutting a clean fresh edge, then adding mulch to a depth of 2"-3". Be careful not to create any mulch volcanoes and keep the mulch away from the trunks of trees and shrubs, a few inches, to prevent rot, insect and rodent damage. Kirk
Beds, prep, edging and refreshing are a service by themselves. If you are going to get into it you, get informed and get the right equipment. Beds can make you some real money if you treat it right. But if you start out doing it just to be a good guy for your customer.....YOU LOOSE...They will want a free service and you will be a bad guy in the end...Make it clear to your customers that it is an added service, get the right equipment and do it right.
Ryan: When they are asking you to add mulch to their plant beds this is an excellent opportunity to "upsell" the bed renovation. Our program is very similar to others on this site, in that we cut a new edge & in some cases enlarge the bed edge a bit, remove unwanted material, and add mulch. I price it as follows Mulch $xx per yard, bed edging and material removal $xx per foot. I carry a three ring binder in my truck with a few example photos of each service/type of work we do, when the opportunity arises I find it to be a very easy upsell to client simply wanting to freshen up mulch in plant beds after they see before & after pics. High profit margin in this as well.
Personally I price the prepping of a new bed by the hour, plants are priced per plant which includes picking up, arranging, adding any amendments to the soil, and actually planting. I charge for mulch and borders separately. Extending would be the same but on a monetarily smaller scale
For me or you? My cost per hour is based upon the cost of running my business, ( paying Commercial liability ins., work comp ins., equipment maintenance & replacement, vehicle maintenance & replacement, health insurance, retirement, materials to complete jobs, etc., etc., etc. All this has to be paid for in addition to making enough to support my family. Get the picture? I can't tell you what you need to charge, you need to base this upon your costs and what you need to make. I see by your profile you are 18, I would encourage you to check out these two organizations to "learn" the steps you need to take in starting a business, both are free and excellent resources: www.sba.org www.score.org Lawnsite is a great source for information & help, but do more research, use all/other sources for info. The more you put into this the more you will get out of this.
renovating beds I use a stick edger, shovel, wheelbarrow, dump trailer to haul mulch. New beds I use a stick edger, sod cutter, shovel, wheelbarrow, and again the dump trailer for hauling. IMO there is really no right or wrong equipment to use as long as it helps accomplish the objective. The difference lies in the efficiency of the equipment you use and thereby also becomes a part of the $$ equation.
