Independent LawnMowing Contractors Of Australia Forum
Results 1 to 13 of 13

Thread: Turning over garden beds.

  1. #1
    Member Andy B's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Mount Waverley, VIC
    Posts
    2,911

    Default Turning over garden beds.

    Is there an easy way to quote turning over garden beds when you're not sure how long it's going to take or how hard it's actually going to be?

    I have a client and she's requested a price, I offered a few options, hourly rate, set price, day rate etc and she requested a price to turn over the garden beds and prune what needs pruning. I've got my head around the pruning and taking the waste but haven't got my head around the soil yet. I offered to spray all the weeds first then come back and turn them all over into the soil but she does not want any spraying done.

    Any suggestions/formula's etc welcome to help me get my head around it. Thanks in advance.

  2. #2
    Member Stevo56's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Sunshine Coast.
    Posts
    57

    Default Re: Turning over garden beds.

    Stick a maddock or a shovel into the garden to give you some indication if it's going to be easy digging or not. You won't have to go to deep once you do the job.

    How big is the garden bed?

  3. #3
    Senior Member BLACK BEAR's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    MELBOURNE
    Posts
    603

    Default Re: Turning over garden beds.

    Go and check some in different areas and see how hard/soft/clay etc it is. Estimate a small area ( ie. break it into sections ) and work out how long and add up all the individual sections. THEN GENERALLY ADD SOME TO THIS! Ask if she wants any regular garden maintenance?? There are going to be a heap of requests for this type of work in next few months Andy. Try to get them as a regular for maintenance AND then charge top dollar if you cant. You will not have enough time for all the requests you are going to get -TRUST ME. Even my regualars who do not want regular garden maintenance will fall under this category as I just dont have enough time to FIX THE PROBLEMS WHEN THEY HAVE BECOME A HUGE MESS DURING SPRING. I will request to have them on a regular program and clean it up over a period of time and then KEEP IT TIDY! Many people just dont know what they are in for if the rain keeps coming then the sun comes out About mid September its gunna go "bang" just before the mighty pies do it to whoever make it also - they also wont know what hit them!!

  4. #4
    Member Of Forum Wattle GC's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    446

    Default Re: Turning over garden beds.

    Check what sort of soil or Clay you are dealing with first..I use an hourly rate for this kind of stuff as you will find grub and possible bits and pieces that need removal plus any materials on top required..

  5. #5
    Senior Member geoff's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Clyde
    Posts
    3,528

    Default Re: Turning over garden beds.

    definately give her a fixed price because down here many people get scared if you say 60 to 80 bucks an hour...estimate time by breaking it down as mentioned by black bear and make sure you put a little or a lot depending on the sweat on top....when you give her the price and the go ahead so what if you are a little...its only some time...3 hours instead of two but hey on the other hand you may get it done quicker than you estimate ....
    plus if she wants garden beds turned over i would say its been done many times before so it may not be that bad Andy

  6. #6
    Member Andy B's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Mount Waverley, VIC
    Posts
    2,911

    Default Re: Turning over garden beds.

    Quote Originally Posted by BLACK BEAR View Post
    Go and check some in different areas and see how hard/soft/clay etc it is. Estimate a small area ( ie. break it into sections ) and work out how long and add up all the individual sections. THEN GENERALLY ADD SOME TO THIS! Ask if she wants any regular garden maintenance?? There are going to be a heap of requests for this type of work in next few months Andy. Try to get them as a regular for maintenance AND then charge top dollar if you cant. You will not have enough time for all the requests you are going to get -TRUST ME. Even my regualars who do not want regular garden maintenance will fall under this category as I just dont have enough time to FIX THE PROBLEMS WHEN THEY HAVE BECOME A HUGE MESS DURING SPRING. I will request to have them on a regular program and clean it up over a period of time and then KEEP IT TIDY! Many people just dont know what they are in for if the rain keeps coming then the sun comes out About mid September its gunna go "bang" just before the mighty pies do it to whoever make it also - they also wont know what hit them!!
    Thanks for that, some great suggestions, I'm going to arrange a time to got and dig up a bit in each bed and then suggest price. Better option than too hard basket. Might even re-visit with the regular maintenance package too.

  7. #7
    Member of Forum starmow's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Carrum Downs, VIC
    Posts
    466

    Default Re: Turning over garden beds.

    Quote Originally Posted by Andy B View Post
    Thanks for that, some great suggestions, I'm going to arrange a time to got and dig up a bit in each bed and then suggest price. Better option than too hard basket. Might even re-visit with the regular maintenance package too.
    Andy you can try at your home in garden bed dig, on place 1x1m2 then you check how much you need time to do it!?

  8. #8
    MEMBER Fred's mowing's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    bayside melb
    Posts
    3,223

    Default Re: Turning over garden beds.

    Andy,why does she want the garden beds dug over?
    Is she preparing an area 4 planting?
    This to my way of thinking is possibly the only reasonable situation to do this. If its an established garden bed, its not neccessary as u are only disturbing roots of established plants & there is no real benefit. Digging over a garden bed other than to add fertilizer/compost/organic matter is an old fashioned notion that should have went out with button up boots!
    If its a small area u can dig it over by hand or use a wolf maual rotor tiller, u could also use the small multi tool rotary hoe attachment. If its a larger area, u will need to hire a rotary hoe.
    I asume being in the eastern subs it will be clay, so take that into account.
    If its an established garden bed, offer to run a dutch/pushpull type hoe through it to reduce the weeds. Unfortunately at this time of year u may need to repeat that process a few times as the soil being so moist will remain on the roots & the weed may re establish its self.
    Cheers Dean.

  9. #9
    Senior Member geoff's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Clyde
    Posts
    3,528

    Default Re: Turning over garden beds.

    good point Dean but as you know some older customers want turning of beds no matter what you say....best to spray wait and muclh heaps with a thick layer ...no root damage , weeds are gones and looks great ..but saying that some people want their way only ..so be it and charge as required

  10. #10
    Member Andy B's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Mount Waverley, VIC
    Posts
    2,911

    Default Re: Turning over garden beds.

    It may be a case of old fashioned as it is an inherited property. I suggested spraying the weeds first but she was strongly against that. Should I cut them off with the brushy then rake, then turn soil pulling out roots as I go?? or I thought pulling the weeds roots and all then turning the soil would give a better result?? And while I'm on a roll should turned soil be covered in a mulch or straw to stop it drying out when the sun warms up??

  11. #11
    MEMBER Fred's mowing's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    bayside melb
    Posts
    3,223

    Default Re: Turning over garden beds.

    Proly the most efficient way to do it by hand would be to, pull out the larger weeds, hoe in the smaller ones, then mulch.
    Dont mulch too heavily as this may retard water penetration, but it will help supress the weeds.
    If the weeds are long established, ther will be plenty of seeds yet to germinate.
    Cheers Dean.

  12. #12
    Dedicated Member Cranbourne Lawnmowing's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Cranbourne vic
    Posts
    2,680

    Default Re: Turning over garden beds.

    Is there already mulch in the garden beds? If so then I would be thinking the customer doesn't like the idea of weeding and have let it get out of control. Pull biggest weeds, spray then spread corn meal before turning over and finish with new mulch. Offer to break it down into sections on an hourly rate. The corn meal will help stop new seed from germinating.
    If there is no mulch convince them that it is a necessity if they want to control the maintenance.
    Otherwise if they are happy to have you regularly maintain the garden beds, you could just go over them with a hoe every couple of weeks to keep it under control. It can depend on the species of weeds because some make great nutrients in the garden bed.

  13. #13
    Member Andy B's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Mount Waverley, VIC
    Posts
    2,911

    Default Re: Turning over garden beds.

    Thanks for the advice etc guys, I've teed up a meeting with her, so we'll go over the whole garden together... my fault I was too flat out to do this when she asked. (I was trying to be on time for a new client).

    I'm thinking I'll be able to give her the option of a set price for the whole job or add an hour after each visit until it's done. And I'm going to pull some weeds and turn some patches while we're going over it. Should make for some good before and after shots cause it's easy to see it's former glory in days gone by.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •