spring clean

[the maze]

Exicited, my first spring cleaning estimate. Curious about how some of you guys might price this(about) and any machines to use for the leaves and sticks, hard to get a big mower in backyard. Yard is about 19000sqft. lots of leaves and sticks wants all cleaned up. Line of bushes 125 ft long 4ft high, wants them cut down a foot. Edging sidewalks 268ft of edging. I'm thinking $300-$400 for the job. Giving quote on wed or thurs this week. Also, if the leaves were done with rake and tarp about how long. Thnx for any info

[Bobbygedd]

best of luck sir, but the sad truth is........spring + fall cleanups are the worst work to do, are the least valuable in the eye of the client, and the hardest to accurately estimate. not to mention that no matter how clear you are on what is included, you will always have people who will hold your money hostage cus, "oh, how come that isn't included? i thought it was." i had a lady one time refuse to pay me because i didn't take away her old washer and dryer that was in the back yard. i had to damn near break her leggs before i got paid. get ready for the butt whoopin of your life. best of luck, sir

[Getter Done Lawn]

the estimate sounds pretty acurate.. i would bring it down to $300.. tarps and rakes are eneficiant.. blow it out of beds and mulch with a mower and then bag

[Dreamaloud1]

the estimate sounds pretty acurate.. i would bring it down to $300.. tarps and rakes are eneficiant.. blow it out of beds and mulch with a mower and then bag

I think a mix of straight pricing (for the edging/hedging/dump trips) and hourly (leaves/sticks) is your best bet. That said since I don't know the condition of the edcges/leaves/shrubs/etc I have no idea but good luck!

PS Agree w/GDL that blowing+mulching+bagging is the best way to go by far. Even if you have to mulch them with a 22, blow the pieces into piles, and bag by hand you're saving time. Obviously mulching & bagging with a high capacity 48 or bigger is alot better.

[Seascape]

I would probally want $300 just to take the bushes down. The rest of the job i wont say sight unseen.

As far as what booby said,,, spring and fall clean ups yeild me more $$$ per hour per man than any other maintenance item besides mulch.

Just so you guys know,,, if you bid a clean up and you see old washers and dryers in the yard,,, put it in your bid. Your removing them will appeal to the home owner. Just be sure you know what you ask for it in case the first thing out of theyre mouth is "how much if you leave the dryer?" Just know what your answer is gonna be.

[Bulldozer]

Exicited, my first spring cleaning estimate. Curious about how some of you guys might price this(about) and any machines to use for the leaves and sticks, hard to get a big mower in backyard. Yard is about 19000sqft. lots of leaves and sticks wants all cleaned up. Line of bushes 125 ft long 4ft high, wants them cut down a foot. Edging sidewalks 268ft of edging. I'm thinking $300-$400 for the job. Giving quote on wed or thurs this week. Also, if the leaves were done with rake and tarp about how long. Thnx for any info

You could try two different ways to look at this. If you want to make your standard rate, then be up front and just say it's X dollars per hour for as long as it takes.
Or, you can estimate and take your chances. Now, since you are asking us, you probably don't have a good handle on what to charge. So, then I'd estimate what you think and add another 25% so you don't lose your shirt.

[jrservices]

Whatever you do, make sure you get good $$$$ for doing it. It's hard, hot, & dirty work, that's why they aint doing it. We average $40.00 per man hr, tarps, bp blowers,truck vac if needed. I'd have to see it before kicking out a price, clean-ups can get you if you bid sight unseen.

[PTLlandscapingIL]

I agree with seascape id be in the 550.00 to 600.00 Range myself,but i would have to look at the job sound slike it would take my crew of 3 2-3 hours jsut too clean yard so figure around 300 for that,then dump fee $75 and the bushes another 2 hours so yeah $500 to $600 sounds good

[yardman]

Exicted I dont think so! you wont be so excited to get $300 to $400 after all that work. I would charge the customer $ 70 per hr. and estimate your time high. its better to make some money after a days work than to loose your A** after a hard days work. Good Luck!!!!!!!!

[the maze]

I appreciate the advice. This is how I figured:

edging = $30.00 (no more than 30min)
bushes 4' high 1.5' deep, remove 1' = $100.00 (2hrs @ $50.00/hr)
leaves around house and beds = $120.00 (three times what a cut would be for 1/2acre
leaves in yard = $150.00 (3 hours @ $50.00/hr)

equals $400.00

I quess $300.00 is low

[steve-o]

Exicited, my first spring cleaning estimate. Curious about how some of you guys might price this(about) and any machines to use for the leaves and sticks, hard to get a big mower in backyard. Yard is about 19000sqft. lots of leaves and sticks wants all cleaned up. Line of bushes 125 ft long 4ft high, wants them cut down a foot. Edging sidewalks 268ft of edging. I'm thinking $300-$400 for the job. Giving quote on wed or thurs this week. Also, if the leaves were done with rake and tarp about how long. Thnx for any info

$1050 assuming the leaves were not done in the fall plus a dump fee if taking debris off site. i charge by the hour on the cleanups and by the job on edging and hedges. i try to give a worst case time on the hourly. if i say 3 and i finish in 2,that is their charge. if i say 3 and i finish in 5,then they pay for 3. this seems to work good for me and they are happy when you finish ahead of time and so far i have only been unhappy once this season. i said 3 for worst and it took 4.5 hrs. here in va. 19000 sq/ft. is a whole lot of leaves. i based this on a job that was 1/3 your size that wanted similar results except for the hedges which in my case just involved cutting new growth off. your hedges are a big deal here. be carefull !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

steve