Speading topsoil

[perezl]

I got a call to put in a bid to spread out topsoil for a yard that measures around 6000 sq ft. If any of you guys or girls do this kind of work can you please help me how to go about pricing this job. This is diffently not a one man job. Any help at all will be helpful. Thanks
Perezl

[jschlenker]

if you are ambitious this is easily a one-man job.
--6000 isn't huge but it depends on how thick the layer is--
I would think you could get a blower truck to come out--companies here have them--like blowing insulation.

or you could rent a skid steer to distribute soil into piles then disperse the piles and level with a drag of some sort, but this would be the easy, costly way

or get a shovel, wheelbarrow and a rake--this would br the cheap, work hard for good money way. . .
. . . and pricing, pricing, for that It would help to know how much they want applied.

At least $50 an hour with a wheelbarrow--you could do a couple inches in half a day--

at least $250 labor if I was doing it

anyone else?

[Woody]

Not even close to enough information. I don't care how big the yard is, I want to know how much dirt needs to be spread. Is it 10 yards, or 300 yards? Until you know, you will have no idea if you can do it with a wheelbarrow, or if you will need a skidsteer.

Woody

[perezl]

thanks for the help guys, In referance to Woody, I am thinking 12-15 yards. They just want a topcoat no prescribe depth. Again thanks for the help.
Perezl

[Seascape]

sift it in w/ a cat. Than if its a new install hit it w/ a harley rake.

[perezl]

What is the going rate for wheelbarrowing and raking(spreading) in topsoil? The ground is to soft for big equipment to work. Any advice is welcomed.
Perezl

[Acre,s Lawn Service]

It takes at least 55.00 per hour to get my butt off the mower seat mulch, topsoil, hedge trimming, sand topping, etc. I would go with wheelbarrow, shovel and rake also
12-15 yards.

[Alpine Naturescapes]

A small loader like a dingo, shouldn't be too heavy, and will definitely speed up the job. Usually rents for around $100/day. No heavier than a mower. great for moving dirt around.

[btammo]

It takes at least 55.00 per hour to get my butt off the mower seat mulch, topsoil, hedge trimming, sand topping, etc. I would go with wheelbarrow, shovel and rake also
12-15 yards.

Will take an awful long time to wheelbarrow and shovel 15 yards. You might price yourself right out of it if you charge by the hour. The 15 yards of topsoil is expensive let alone to throw some serious man hours at it. Just my thought.

[jrservices]

Will take an awful long time to wheelbarrow and shovel 15 yards. You might price yourself right out of it if you charge by the hour. The 15 yards of topsoil is expensive let alone to throw some serious man hours at it. Just my thought.

Yup. Even a small landscaping tractor with a york rake could spread that out in an hour or so.

[nohhousefire]

soil

Yup. Even a small landscaping tractor with a york rake could spread that out in an hour or so.

6000 sq ft with a one inch coverage is 33 tons of topsoil. I can spread 2 tons an hour with a shovel wheel barrow and garden rake.
price of labor would be 4 to 5 hundred dollars by hand or 250.00 spreading by skid steer (2 hours)and then raking(2 hours).

[Lawn Werks]

I just spread 20 yards of loam on a job, We had just build a patio and raised it up slightly on a base of stone, ect. I had a bobcat to prep the site and move the stone around, worked great. After the patio was complater, he decided he wanted to bring up the level and smooth out the rest of the yard, as it had always been a little rough and unsightly. I spread the loam in about an hour and a half then did about an hour of raking. i can get a bobcat around where i live for 150 a day plus 25 delivery, pick up. so 175 a day roughly. I was able to get it done fast with very, very little man hours just around 125 in man house plus the dirt cost and bobcat rental, It seemed to be the best way to do it , but thats just my 2 cents