seeding & aereating

First off i wouldnt even think about aerating and seeding until late august, early september. Anything you do now will not live, if it comes up at all. Hard to tell you what to charge, i dont have a set fee for aerating and seeding.

Is she going to supply enough seed?

Better that you supply the seed. Buy more than you need, do that first. You may have extra and use that on your other accounts.

Price? maybe in the area of $700 - $900

yup, best time to renovate a lawn is late summer, early fall

If a customer says they have their own seed, it usually means it has been sitting in their garage for the past couple of years and they want to get rid of it. As a contractor, you should be able to get it cheaper than they can.

I would definitly supply the seed. Its cheap and you can make sure you have enough and you can pick a good quality seed that has a low weed content. Have you taken any soil samples? What type of spreader? Have you calibrated it? Are you going to slit-seed or use a de-thatcher? These questions answered might better help us help you.

And by the way since your new to this, turn off your caps. It makes every one on here think your shouting.

Spoke with my Lesco guy the other day just to see if he knew what some of the other lco's were charging to aereate and overseed in my area $65.00 dollars a thousand.

Aereate, seed, starter fert, 60.00 per thousand is what i usually charge, like everyone is saying wait untill the fall, Id also use my own seed, youll make a nice chunck of dollars on this one......Marks Mowing Service

Originally posted by T.E.
Spoke with my Lesco guy the other day just to see if he knew what some of the other lco's were charging to aereate and overseed in my area $65.00 dollars a thousand.

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Almost 3 grand to aerate and overseed an acre??? You're talking at the most $400 for the seed. $2500 to aerate then and broadcast? I missed something somewhere.

I may have been born at night...but it wasn't last night.

I agree rodfather. That seems a little steep.I charge for over seeding $25/1000 plus 65 service charge (more on service charge for anything over 8,000sqft). I may be a little low but I'm still making money on it and I just started. I also agree don't seed till september at least in my area. And always use your own seed or tell them there is no warrenty on the work if they supply the seed. and if it needs to be reseeded that the same charges apply. I usually include a spot seed in the spring for areas that didn't come in as well.

Rodfather This does seem high to me also,but that is what I was told they are getting around here. Also Mark P stated that he gets $60.00 per thousand. I'm curious as what you charge per thousand? This could be one of those instances where the prices are higher here for aeration & overseeding than your area. Because we cannot get nowhere near the prices to spread insecticides that i've seen posted on ls in the NJ areas.

$28 per k...$30 tops. And I work in an extremely affluent area as some other LS members know. I really can't believe someone is getting, or someone would pay, around 3 grand to aerate and overseen a lawn.

Originally posted by JTHutch
I usually include a spot seed in the spring for areas that didn't come in as well.

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Nice idea BTW.

How well does seeding after aerating work? I personally never coupled the two together, and I am curious.

aerating and seeding is good to thicken an exsiting lawn. The grass will come up in the holes. We usually do a 2x aeration to increase the # of holes. We always slice any areas that are totaly bare after aerating. This has worked well.
We are also getting 28 - 35 per 1000

Originally posted by mtdmaster
How well does seeding after aerating work? I personally never coupled the two together, and I am curious.

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Unmatchable. Been doing it that way for the last 9 years with exceptional results. We seed immedately after aerating for the best results.

Could it be that the $60 per thousand is a new lawn install by seed?

If not that would mean I would have to charge $240 average for my smaller accounts. That would not fly here........................not when we have been providing full service all season. And I am only spot seeding spring and fall.

Originally posted by kickin sum grass
We are also getting 28 - 35 per 1000

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Thank you...I was beginning to think I was a little "slow at the switch" there for a moment. I still can't see someone shelling out 3 grand to aerate and reseed an acre of lawn...unless they have more money than brain.

Originally posted by GLAN
Could it be that the $60 per thousand is a new lawn install by seed?

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No way John. New lawn install doesn't include aerating. Only established lawns are aerated. Even at a rate of 10lbs/k of new lawn area for seeding, 3 grand is still hosing the customer...big time IMO.

How well does just overseeding work. I have a customer who had part of his lawn leveled out, top soil added and then seeded. A few areas washed out slightly and I don't think they used a high enough seed rate because it is a little thin. They want me to thicken it up. It has about a 60% stand of fescue and a lot of clover which I believe migrated in with the topsoil( they tilled in the new topsoil). Will overseeding without aerating work or is aerating or powerseeding needed.