PDA

View Full Version : Weeding!!!



lemonhead
14-11-2012, 01:10 PM
Just wondering what the forum thinks on weeding....im finding i get a few calls,quite a few on do you hand weed?....I dont particulary like doing it,but your not using machinery so saving petrol their,and on your hands and knees listening to neil mitchell is not that bad..I tend to on ly quote for 2 hours as i run out of energy after that.....ye just wondering if their are any other weeders out their ?/

brodie
14-11-2012, 01:23 PM
We do it but hate doing it. If I can ill poison first then cut to ground level with a line trimmer. Not always possible but saves a huge amount of time when we can.

GrowCutMow
14-11-2012, 01:32 PM
We do it but hate doing it. If I can ill poison first then cut to ground level with a line trimmer. Not always possible but saves a huge amount of time when we can.

If I can I will cut with line trimmer first, clean up the excess, then poison. I do hand weed but often people will choose the cheaper and less time consuming option.

Kathryn
14-11-2012, 01:39 PM
i try to avoid it but that isnt always possible. i make sure that the customer waters that are the day before though. snapping weeds off at ground level is even more annoying than hand weeding

PaulG
14-11-2012, 01:52 PM
Saw this at Cunnings on Monday. Wondering if anyone has tried one yet? Don't see how it would work on hard, compacted soil or where weeds are very thick.


5693

Dazz1
14-11-2012, 03:43 PM
I do hand weeding! I have a fixed hourly rate for any garden work and green waste fee and I find its a good earner for the business becouse people who want garden beds hand weeded are house proud so it normaly leads to other jobs. i also cap the hours for the customer, that way they feel its a good deal.
I pull out what i can by hand first then use a hoe and pick out whats left, i have used the whipper but only feral jobs.

simo
14-11-2012, 03:50 PM
Do small jobs 1hr max for good customers...I also find the good customers keep on top of the weeds or let me keep on top so as it`s never a big job..every one else is weed spray or wipper or get someone else....(unless I`am broke or have nothing else to do, but very rarely happens )

lemonhead
14-11-2012, 03:52 PM
I do the fixed hourly rate too and capped generally to two hours...i know weeding is seen as scraping the barrell,but people hate doing it,so why not.im very young at 46 so knees can cope with it too....daz

Dazz1
14-11-2012, 04:22 PM
I do the fixed hourly rate too and capped generally to two hours...i know weeding is seen as scraping the barrell,but people hate doing it,so why not.im very young at 46 so knees can cope with it too....daz

One of the best ways of making money is by doing what others don't want to, or can't do. 4 hours weeding brings in what the average employed worker makes in 8 hours.
If i'm going to cap the hours on a job its 1 hour more than i think it will take me to do it.

ian
14-11-2012, 05:21 PM
i had a lady ask me if i did hand weeding and i said no,while talking to her she mentioned she had been given three quotes $120,$95 and $90 this wasn't for the job this was the hourly rate :) so remember if you are going to do what no one else wants to do make sure you get paid well for it

Lockie
14-11-2012, 06:03 PM
i had a lady ask me if i did hand weeding and i said no,while talking to her she mentioned she had been given three quotes $120,$95 and $90 this wasn't for the job this was the hourly rate :) so remember if you are going to do what no one else wants to do make sure you get paid well for it

Yep im doing hand weeding tomorrow 90mins = $200. Absolutely hate hand weeding, so if im going to do it i want big $$$

lemonhead
14-11-2012, 06:40 PM
Geez.....some of the hourly rates mentioned seem ludicrous...I mean good luck if u can get it but $ 200 for an hour and a half.....maybe i need to take a long hard look at myself in the mirror.......

Redeye
14-11-2012, 07:04 PM
those hourly rates seem ludicrous because they are - $120 p/h for weeding, pull the other one

imoww
14-11-2012, 07:06 PM
Damn. Im still charging the normal $50 per hr rate for weeding....
I usually use the dutch hoe.
The bigger weeds with stems, are pulled out.
Has the industry standard rate increased?

PaulG
14-11-2012, 07:17 PM
Is there an industry standard rate? No governing body for what we do so I doubt it. In my experience you charge what the market is willing to pay.

Dazz1
14-11-2012, 08:18 PM
now if you wanted someone to come and do some unskilled labour at you house what would you be willing to pay?
Thats the Rate!

ian
14-11-2012, 08:32 PM
Is there an industry standard rate? No governing body for what we do so I doubt it. In my experience you charge what the market is willing to pay.
and that's the truth the lady i mentioned still hasn't had her garden weeded and that was over 6 weeks ago

ASTRO
14-11-2012, 08:33 PM
Gardening hourly rates range from $10-$150/hour.
I vary the rate accordingly to the experience,tools + equipment utilized,risk involved,standard of work,effort required,and what the marketplace is willing to pay.
When hand weeding large properties i always add on a 6-pack levy for medicinal purposes.
Cheers astro.

ian
14-11-2012, 08:37 PM
those hourly rates seem ludicrous because they are - $120 p/h for weeding, pull the other one
if you don't ask for it you won't ever get it
It's amazing what price you can charge and people will pay if you are willing to walk away if they won't pay

jimrtl81
14-11-2012, 08:43 PM
Yeah, that's just crazy to think people actually charge around $100 an hour and get it all day everyday, and their customers are willing to pay.
Everyone should only be charging $20 an hour like me.
;)

cadase
14-11-2012, 09:06 PM
I hate weeding personally,
The going rate for weeding here in Adelaide is $220 per hour
For any member of the general public on this forum, i'll give a 5% discount
Click link below :rolleyes:

ASTRO
14-11-2012, 09:27 PM
Cadase if your getting those prices down the port Im crossing town.:bike:

Lawn Mowing Professionals
14-11-2012, 11:51 PM
I hate weeding personally,
The going rate for weeding here in Adelaide is $220 per hour
For any member of the general public on this forum, i'll give a 5% discount
Click link below :rolleyes:

is it Snapper Season in S.A? you've burlied up really well... now I'm waiting for a "live" one to take this bait :cool:

Simmo.

ian
15-11-2012, 06:00 AM
I hate weeding personally,
The going rate for weeding here in Adelaide is $220 per hour
For any member of the general public on this forum, i'll give a 5% discount
Click link below :rolleyes:
lowballing cheapscate how are we ever going to make good money if people like you keep discounting

imoww
15-11-2012, 07:18 PM
Pro gardeners tell me they charge $50 per hr here in Sydney. I thought bugger it. I hate weeding and if someone wants to pay for it, they pay the gardener's rate.
I found out later , that allot of lawnies charge the same rate for weeding....

GardenGuy
15-11-2012, 07:35 PM
Some weeding can be hard work, some can be a pleasure - it just depends on the soil, the weed and the obstacles to achieving the client's desired result. Something that you can hit with a suitable herbicide and come back a couple of weeks later to remove rapidly? Lovely. Fussy detailed stuff where an invasive undesirable species must be removed manually? Not fun, and not fast, and the fee for service matches the difficulty.

It's not my favourite work, but having had enough experience at it, I can set a fee for the project which usually makes the client and myself happy enough: they have a lovely result and I receive fair remuneration.

Cheapskates, living in the nineteenth century, are the ones that I dislike. If they think that difficult work is worth so little, it's time for them to taste the trouble on their own and then re-estimate what is a realistic fee. Don't get me wrong - I love many of my elderly clients and love working to their specifications. It's just the odd one out who has unrealistic and uncommercial expectations - I let 'em go. After all, underquoting newbies need sustenance too.

Cheers - GardenGuy.

Cranbourne Lawnmowing
15-11-2012, 10:36 PM
those hourly rates seem ludicrous because they are - $120 p/h for weeding, pull the other one

I was charging $50 hr but I'll only do hand weeding in winter and I find it is a pain in the a -hole. Half the time they complain that your not working fast enough so I just give a fixed price now. Get a damn site more than 50 an hour and the customer cant complain about the time you spend on the job. Well they can but bad luck thats the price they agreed to. Around a $100 hr is good for hand weeding in my book.

Cranbourne Lawnmowing
15-11-2012, 10:42 PM
Yeah, that's just crazy to think people actually charge around $100 an hour and get it all day everyday, and their customers are willing to pay.
Everyone should only be charging $20 an hour like me.
;)Lucky you had a little wink and the end .I was just about to have a go :p

Lockie
16-11-2012, 07:08 AM
I was charging $50 hr but I'll only do hand weeding in winter and I find it is a pain in the a -hole. Half the time they complain that your not working fast enough so I just give a fixed price now. Get a damn site more than 50 an hour and the customer cant complain about the time you spend on the job. Well they can but bad luck thats the price they agreed to. Around a $100 hr is good for hand weeding in my book.
Yep i've never given an hourly rate to a client.

Scooby Steve
21-11-2012, 11:57 AM
Love hand weeding one of my favourite jobs, if anyone gets them in my area pass them on more than happy to do them.

great nature
21-11-2012, 05:31 PM
I'm with you Scooby.
I grew up weeding, so for me its theraputic.The more weedy the better it looks after. Although i weeded in cement-like clay yesterday. It broke my hoe. Hated every minute of that one.
Heres one i did last week. Sandy soil. Loved it.
5709571057115712

courty
21-11-2012, 06:10 PM
I'm with you Scooby.
I grew up weeding, so for me its theraputic.The more weedy the better it looks after. Although i weeded in cement-like clay yesterday. It broke my hoe. Hated every minute of that one.
Heres one i did last week. Sandy soil. Loved it.
5709571057115712

That is one fine job right there:clap::clap:

great nature
21-11-2012, 06:35 PM
cheers courty. you do some mighty fine work yourself, ole chap.

Redeye
21-11-2012, 07:49 PM
I'm with you Scooby.
I grew up weeding, so for me its theraputic.The more weedy the better it looks after.

me too, easy money/easy work - headphones on

Andy B
21-11-2012, 08:15 PM
Yeah totally do it, do it properly and I reckon I'm worth every cent of it! And here's why the price is what it is, spend the greater part of a day hand digging out freesias out of a rose garden and see how you feel over the next few days. In effect you're using the most expensive tool you have, the one you can't buy bits for, the one you can't replace, what's it worth? Every cent and some!

LGGF
21-11-2012, 10:06 PM
Here's one I did a couple of weeks ago, hard work, but good money.

57225723

ian
21-11-2012, 10:16 PM
gee bet you got a surprise when you found the dog :)
looks good

PaulG
21-11-2012, 10:43 PM
You beat me Ian. I was going to say "Wow there was a dog in there!"

great nature
22-11-2012, 05:40 AM
very impressive,scott. what a difference.
did ya have to pull the weeds out of the tiles or chip them away?
lol ian.

great nature
22-11-2012, 05:43 AM
In effect you're using the most expensive tool you have, the one you can't buy bits for, the one you can't replace, what's it worth? Every cent and some!
well put.
i gotta start charging more.

LGGF
22-11-2012, 09:01 AM
gee bet you got a surprise when you found the dog :)
looks good

No, he's just the site supervisor, as seen in attached photo, checking the weather5724

LGGF
22-11-2012, 09:04 AM
very impressive,scott. what a difference.
did ya have to pull the weeds out of the tiles or chip them away?
lol ian.

Where the weeds could be pulled out, they were, the others were whipper snipped and a quick spray with round-up when I was done on the ones that could not be removed completely.

Andy B
22-11-2012, 07:27 PM
5734573557365737

This is the sort of stuff we target in winter when there's plenty of time to quote it and do it. All by hand, no shortcuts, except for a few couch roots it's mostly roots/bulbs n all. :)

Redeye
22-11-2012, 07:47 PM
they're the ones Andy - great sense of accomplishment when you see the end result

cadase
22-11-2012, 09:36 PM
No, he's just the site supervisor, as seen in attached photo, checking the weather5724

Better get some spf60+ on Boofhead, maybe a site vest as well. Better still, leave it home, it looks knackered :)

Jippo
26-11-2012, 08:12 AM
$50 per hour + waste removal .

Wyadra
26-11-2012, 03:27 PM
If you have your chemcert certificate you can easily get $200ph for weeding. For me it is normally an on sell. I explain to them I have many restricted herbicides and I know where to use them. What may take 4 hours and be ineffective can be done in 5 mins and easily charge $100 for. People will pay for professional service. I'm not interested in competing against $20ph because I know they can't offer what I can.

head1956
26-11-2012, 04:39 PM
If I charged some of my customers $100 for 5 minutes work no matter how professional it was they would have a hearty.....

courty
26-11-2012, 04:46 PM
If I charged some of my customers $100 for 5 minutes work no matter how professional it was they would have a hearty.....

That's the customers problem not yours :)
A lot of chemicals aren't cheap.Explain the differences to the customer and let them decide-weeds or no weeds that is the question

Redeye
26-11-2012, 06:30 PM
$100/5mins.....:big grin

sterlo
26-11-2012, 06:51 PM
That's the customers problem not yours :)
A lot of chemicals aren't cheap.Explain the differences to the customer and let them decide-weeds or no weeds that is the question

+10000

Sterlo

DavidS
26-11-2012, 07:34 PM
Chemicals are not that expensive. I really think some people go overboard with chemical applications and costs. Roundup is only $90 for 20litres that $4.50 per litre, at 10ml per litre for spraying that works out at $.05 per litre of spray, where do you get $100 for 5 minute work????? I certainly would not be charging that and I really think someone on this forum giving that sort of advise to Newbies is wrong. Weeding you can make good money but just don't overcharge and it will be what you can fall back on in Winter to get you through the quite time.
Yes if you are going to use specialised chemicals for a certain job you can charge a bit more but I would not buy special chemicals just for one job. I ring my local Ag suppliers and see if they have any out of date chemicals, if they do you can buy them heaps cheaper than the indate chemicals.

Jayk
26-11-2012, 08:59 PM
Chemicals are not that expensive. I really think some people go overboard with chemical applications and costs. Roundup is only $90 for 20litres that $4.50 per litre, at 10ml per litre for spraying that works out at $.05 per litre of spray, where do you get $100 for 5 minute work????? I certainly would not be charging that and I really think someone on this forum giving that sort of advise to Newbies is wrong. Weeding you can make good money but just don't overcharge and it will be what you can fall back on in Winter to get you through the quite time.
Yes if you are going to use specialised chemicals for a certain job you can charge a bit more but I would not buy special chemicals just for one job. I ring my local Ag suppliers and see if they have any out of date chemicals, if they do you can buy them heaps cheaper than the indate chemicals.

i think his point may be that even though the initial cost is more expensive, the eventual cost will be cheaper. if they are switched on they will realise they are saving money. if he does actualy charge that good on him. all about being open minded and seeing what you can actually achieve!
wouldnt you be breaking oh &s and the law using out of date chemicals? work safe will have a field day with you pal if they are not decanted!

Lawn Mowing Professionals
26-11-2012, 09:26 PM
I know people that have paid a plumber $200 to change a single tap... those plumbers that charge $300 must also think those plumbers that charge $200 or even change them for free with any other work done are insane ;)

If you target a niche market and solve people's problems in a prompt and professional manner, you can usually charge your price without negotiating.

I have people that i can charge $50 for 5- 10 mins of spraying, some only $30 and a handful that don't really care and struggle to get $5 from them... you can tell that i don't focus on this upsell... doesn't mean there aren't any other business owners out there who have a nice niche market out there!

To all the confused newbies... Charge what you are happy to perform the job for and add another $5 to negotiate with! Learn to ask specific questions before quoting to sus out what they want and always wait for there reaction... For example, if you charge $20 and they say, yep go do it and they walk away quickly... they think they have a bargain... if they stand there ground and look firmly at you there ready to negotiate! Sell the benefits and say you can do it for $15 (inital price you wanted to do the spraying for anyways) if your not happy to drop your price lower and they are still negotiating ... simply walk as this isn't a customer you want anyways!

Simmo.

Wyadra
27-11-2012, 07:59 PM
Depends upon your market, plenty of my customers live in 5m+ houses. $100 is nothing if you provide the solution to their problem. I'd like to see anybody try to hand weed cooch out of mondo grass. Believe me plenty try. Bit of fusilade and problem solved. I would be a fool to charge any less. 5 min may be spraying time, but when you add up all the time spent talking, mixing chemicals etc. it's more than reasonable. Cut down a palm yesterday, had to climb it and block down, that was $150, took no more than 20 min. Anybody think that is unreasonable? Doubt it, those are specialist skills which people expect to pay for.

You simply have to invest a lot of time and money developing your skills, qualifications, equipment, etc.

Redeye
27-11-2012, 08:35 PM
you can't compare 5mins/$100 weeding to a tree lopping job - apples and oranges

lemonhead
28-11-2012, 09:44 AM
I ll be honest...im charging $35 an hour for hand weeding without really knowing wether im too cheap or too expensive..I cap it at 2 hours as i get a little knackered at the 2 hour point..I put a little NEIL MITCHELL on and get stuck in..Im going to see wether i can start getting 40 an hour soon..people seem with their responses a little guilty handing over 70 dollars after they see the ood job ive done,so ye will try for 40 when i get the next enquiry..daz

Lawn Mowing Professionals
28-11-2012, 10:12 AM
I ll be honest...im charging $35 an hour for hand weeding without really knowing wether im too cheap or too expensive..I cap it at 2 hours as i get a little knackered at the 2 hour point..I put a little NEIL MITCHELL on and get stuck in..Im going to see wether i can start getting 40 an hour soon..people seem with their responses a little guilty handing over 70 dollars after they see the ood job ive done,so ye will try for 40 when i get the next enquiry..daz

I suggest you charge a minimum of $60 per hour for mowing, weeding, hedging etc to run a profitable business... I know it's difficult to get the right mindset when starting out but at $35 per hour it wont even cover your business expenses. This is why lowballers and beer money bob's don't even last in this game charging under the minimum rate to run a successful business.

Simmo.

jimrtl81
28-11-2012, 04:59 PM
That's one of the most sensible things I've seen on this forum Simmo.
Anyone that doesn't follow that advice must enjoy being broke.

Wyadra
28-11-2012, 05:36 PM
Tree lopping and weeding are different sure, but how much I am prepared to work for doesn't change. Never met a customer with chemcert, plenty have chainsaws. How many lawnies have destiny and fusilade in their arsenal. There are companies that only do lawn maintenance programs, no mowing. coochie hydrogreen is one. I think you would be surprised to see what they charge. People are prepared to pay a lot of money for these services. Depends upon what skills you have to market. Like anything it takes time to develop skills and newbies have to put in the hard work until they are in a situation to earn good money.

Lawn Mowing Professionals
28-11-2012, 07:54 PM
Tree lopping and weeding are different sure, but how much I am prepared to work for doesn't change. Never met a customer with chemcert, plenty have chainsaws. How many lawnies have destiny and fusilade in their arsenal. There are companies that only do lawn maintenance programs, no mowing. coochie hydrogreen is one. I think you would be surprised to see what they charge. People are prepared to pay a lot of money for these services. Depends upon what skills you have to market. Like anything it takes time to develop skills and newbies have to put in the hard work until they are in a situation to earn good money.

You are exactly right... It's targetting niche markets where the real opportunity is.

I've had plenty of flyers for tree removal around here, only 1 mowing flyer ever and ZERO for weeding or lawn maintenance.

Demand vs supply is the main variable to determine how much work there is available out there (and sometimes price) however, these results can be easily skewed with a bit of effective marketing.

Could i get $100 for 5 mins work spraying a chemical i have never heard of before? Not at the moment, most of my clients would shake there head if i did it for $30. Does this mean it isn't possible? If i got the certificte, gained the knowledge, purchased the chemicals and educated the marketplace and focused on the target market requiring this service i'm sure i could.

I'll ask this question - how long would it take the home owner to do the same job and how much would it cost them (if they could actually do it)?


Simmo.

ian
28-11-2012, 10:00 PM
you can't compare 5mins/$100 weeding to a tree lopping job - apples and oranges
don't see why you think they're apple and oranges in reality they are both the same thing simply services that solve a problem for a client
5 minutes spraying fusillade to kill couch in mondo grass or $150+ for someone to hand weed the same from the mondo grass with a nearly complete guarantee that the spray will kill it and the hand weeding will need doing again in a few weeks i know which i would take :)

ian
28-11-2012, 10:06 PM
Tree lopping and weeding are different sure, but how much I am prepared to work for doesn't change. Never met a customer with chemcert, plenty have chainsaws. How many lawnies have destiny and fusilade in their arsenal. There are companies that only do lawn maintenance programs, no mowing. coochie hydrogreen is one. I think you would be surprised to see what they charge. People are prepared to pay a lot of money for these services. Depends upon what skills you have to market. Like anything it takes time to develop skills and newbies have to put in the hard work until they are in a situation to earn good money.
i have destiny on my side and if you try to tell me different i will unload a fusilade of abuse on you :laughing: