[secondnature]

I do design work, and have considered taking on a few maintenance jobs for extra $$.

I am needing to give a bid for both design and maintaining the design. There is no lawn involved, just trees, shrubs and some annuals. It will be a low maintenance design so I am thinking twice a month during the summer, and once monthly (or less) the rest of the year.

Curious as to how others charge for this service?

Thanks!

[Dale Wiley]

Gentlemen..

Please answer Karlas question here with respect... I know this lady and she knows her stuff. She was my neighbor for a number of years.

Minimum charge always.

Probably at least 4 hours per month- 2 hours per visit.

I would acutually keep that rate even in winter, since there is pruning and leaves and all that.

I would say about $ 150 per month min.

Good Luck Karla... good to see you in here.

[secondnature]

Ha! Thanks, Dale (and Diane) from Dilley.....!

[jwholden]

Time and materials. You could set a maximum number of hours per visit if your client is nervous about the cost. I tried a set price per visit and always spent more time than estimated, don't do it. There is a post about this in the Gold Oak Section.

[GLAN]

Spring can be pretty intensive with the weed pulling.........We find most our involvement with planting beds is in spring.

[familyguy]

I was going to say the same thing as Glan. Consider Spring preparation to be the more intesive.

You might consider doing the job by the hour the first year just so you have a really strong idea of the time it will require, or, you could ask a garden maintenance company/person, to review the job on site and help you decide on an hourly commitment over the season.

[secondnature]

Dale, thanks for the advice! Hope you guys are doing well!!

This is for a condo building in NW Portland, for the beds surrounding the parking lot for the building. They say they want native plant material, so it wont need to be MANICURED or anything. I just want to over my bases, and not end up giving work away. So, you think even if it is just myself (I may have some help ocassionally), that $150 per month is reasonable?
Gentlemen..

Please answer Karlas question here with respect... I know this lady and she knows her stuff. She was my neighbor for a number of years.

Minimum charge always.

Probably at least 4 hours per month- 2 hours per visit.

I would acutually keep that rate even in winter, since there is pruning and leaves and all that.

I would say about $ 150 per month min.

Good Luck Karla... good to see you in here. [/quote]

[TrickyDick]

I have to agree with the T&M folks. If you don't have a lot experience doing that kind of maintenance you are better off with T&M for at least the first season and then you can put numbers to it the next year with confidence. Unless you do have experience with it and can look at it and know how long it will take in each season plus all your materials, etc. If you are confident in your total number for the year the easiest thing to do is prorate over 10-or 12 months. If less than 12 months than higher payments for the first month or two.

Your schedule sounds reasonable plus a day or two in spring and fall for clean up/ prep.

[concept]

Do you charge hrly or per visit? That is a difficult choice. We do alot of per visit pricing its easier to set a goal and then go for it. But remember in the mid to late spring through summer, the weed pressure can be tough so add 25% to 40% extra for those visits. Bed maintenance is the most problematic service we offer because of the fact every landscape has different demands time wise. so hrly is the safest route but hard to make money at but it pays the bills. Good luck

[PSUscaper]

I have had similiar notions on the idea of doing some maintenance, and came to the conclusion that t&m would be the the only way to go, at least for the first year. My only question is, how do you get the customer to go for it? I've been to places that you can weed one week and have a jungle the next. It seems like it almost takes 2-3 years of steady, consistant control to get a place under control enough that it is consistant. I just have trouble with T&M because it never, ever works for construction (as much as I would like it too!) and people never agree to the terms.

[FungusMudGrub]

I also normally do time and materials, with a one hour minimum per visit. I have never had a client balk at this arrangement, but I have been doing maintenance on perennial gardens for about 13 years now, so I can always give them a pretty good estimate.

I do have one client who had to move to Australia for three years for his job, and him I gave a yearly price. I figured that out by adding the one hour per month for eight months, plus a few extra hours for spring clean up and mulching, and fall leaf season. Of course materials (mulch, fertilizer, etc) were figured on a square foot basis. This is such a small garden that I really can't lose. It took me 15 minutes to weed and deadhead this month!

[jon korevec]

This has been what I have been working on for the past three years.......... I have found that working up your time for labor( weeding, pruning, mulching, annual removal/replanting, and fertilization).Add ten percent to CYA. take that figure and multiply it by your rate and divide by the number of checks you want. Let the client know materials are extra and give them an estimate for average material costs for each task and how often you plan on performing each task. This is what i have found both myself and the client to be COMFORTABLE with.

MAKE SURE you clearly state what your responsibilities will be because people and businesses love to get extras from you. Be concise about what they get for your price. That way when thay ask for extras they pay for it.
Jon