lawn care specialists: does “putting in a lawn” include fertilizer and mulch?
October 3rd, 2006 by admin
Traveler asked:
I was given an estimate from a local “lawn care specialist” to put in a lawn: spreading 20 yards of top soil and planting seed over and area that is 1/10th of an acre for $800.00. Just before putting the seed down he told me he forgot to add fertilizer and hay for mulch. He insisted that at the very least I need the hay which will cost and additional $200.00 and fertilizer would be “a bit more”.
I was given an estimate from a local “lawn care specialist” to put in a lawn: spreading 20 yards of top soil and planting seed over and area that is 1/10th of an acre for $800.00. Just before putting the seed down he told me he forgot to add fertilizer and hay for mulch. He insisted that at the very least I need the hay which will cost and additional $200.00 and fertilizer would be “a bit more”.
I assumed when he gave me an estimate to put a lawn over a bare already graded area, that fertilizer and mulch were included in the price. I have not paid the final half yet and want other opinions as to whether these items are typically part of an estimate.
I feel this to be similar to being told that a visiting nurse will cost $180.00 for a four hour visit that will cover an exam and dressing changes, then after she shows up be told that the sterile gauze and normal saline will be an additional $45 or the wound will just be left open!
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October 3rd, 2006 at 8:24 pm
hello. I do not know where you are. But to me, with ‘top soil and seed’ ought to have included the needed fertilizer. Again with hay included, I do not know where you are. good luck, and ask many questions at the beginning of any ‘extensive’ process. good luck
October 4th, 2006 at 9:40 am
Doesnt sound like he has much experience to me, he forgot two essential parts of seeding a lawn. However, thats no reason not to pay him for the first part, the $800.00 but the extra $200.00 is his fault. If you feel like he has done you a good job, then If you can afford it, you should offer him $100.00. Tell him if you had of known that it was going to cost $1000.00 you would have gotten other bids. Its a lesson learned for the “local lawn care specialist.
October 5th, 2006 at 5:47 pm
He’s right. I’ll tell you why. They are different parts of a yard and will have different labor costs. Going over and over and over the yard. I used to be a seamstress (gee I reckon I still am) and to make things easy for me I gave the bottom line price. If someone asked for an itemized list I gave it to them. This is what he is doing. Some people like to get the hard part done and seed, mulch and fertilize themselves.
October 8th, 2006 at 8:50 am
Well I think that 800.00 for 1/10 of an acre is fair. This company that gave the price should have all ready figured in the price of fertilizer and the hay used for mulch. Starter fertilizer is relatively cheap and hay is even cheaper. I believe that the top soil and the labor to spread the top soil would be your largest expense. Top soil can range in price, depending on how filtered it is. If you can find out how much you are paying for a yard of top soil you will have a better idea of his profit margin.He might of had cheap soil in mind but changed to good filtered soil for one reason or another. You should find out what you are paying for soil to get your better idea.
October 10th, 2006 at 12:31 pm
I own a LC and $800 for 20 yards of soil, labor and seed is not bad. The guy screwed himself by not putting in a complete bid. I would talk with him and try to split it with him. You need the starter fertilizer to get the grass growing good. Hay keeps birds from eating all the seed and is good mulch but still must be raked up.
October 11th, 2006 at 7:57 pm
why the question? you have already paid the man.
October 15th, 2006 at 2:23 am
Sounds like he under bid the job.
20 yds screened t/s @ $18yd = 360
labor to spread 20yds @ $ 25yd $ 500 assuming there’s no extenuating circumstances like the piles at the end of a 1/4 mile drive (things like that) so your at $860 already that’s not including the straw, seed, fertilizer and the labor cost to apply said 3 items. It doesn’t matter if the seed went down before the fert… Did you have a soil sample completed to see if the area lacked any other nutrients??
So I would work with him and make sure he used quality seed and fertilizer. If he didn’t than I would have my doubts weather he should have done the job in the first place. However If he did use quality material than help him out he could be new, as I was at one time and he just really blew his estimate. This job could easily have legitimately cost you 1200-1500 so work with him if he’s honest kick him to the curb if he isn’t.