ᐅ Is the landscape gardener’s price justified – can anything be omitted?
Created on: 10 Sep 2019 15:18
C
chrisw81
Dear forum members,
Next year, we plan to start developing our garden:
Plot size 600 m² (about 6460 sq ft), house footprint 100 m² (currently being completed), shed 24 m² already on site.
Paving for the parking area about 50 m² (about 540 sq ft), plus a path to the house around 10 m² (about 108 sq ft).
Deck made of Bangkirai wood, max. 30 m² (about 320 sq ft).
Rainwater infiltration via drainage (concrete rings 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in) deep).
Also need to level the ground (parts require raising by 10–20 cm (4–8 inches)).
The landscaper plans to remove and transport 15 cm (6 inches) of soil everywhere, with excavation for the parking and terrace being a bit deeper.
Due to the 15 cm (6 inches) excavation and ground raising, several cubic meters of new soil will be needed.
Rolled turf will be laid on top.
The total price for everything including materials is 48,000 euros gross, calculated for only 250 m² (about 2690 sq ft) of garden area, with a minimal estimate for the filling as well.
So, it could easily end up costing even more.
Transport costs for removal and delivery represent a large portion, and building the terrace alone costs €10,000 (which seems a bit high to me).
My question is: Is this price justified? I expected it to be considerably less. I would estimate material costs and transport fees at about €15,000 (maybe €20,000) net, leaving a rather high labor cost of around €15,000–20,000 net.
That seems quite a lot for roughly two weeks of work.
Unfortunately, the offer does not separate material prices and hourly wages.
Maybe there’s room to save in some areas, for example, is it necessary to remove 15 cm (6 inches) everywhere if some areas are going to be filled further anyway?
Have you paid similar amounts?
I look forward to your opinions and experiences.
I can also share the offer document if needed.
Next year, we plan to start developing our garden:
Plot size 600 m² (about 6460 sq ft), house footprint 100 m² (currently being completed), shed 24 m² already on site.
Paving for the parking area about 50 m² (about 540 sq ft), plus a path to the house around 10 m² (about 108 sq ft).
Deck made of Bangkirai wood, max. 30 m² (about 320 sq ft).
Rainwater infiltration via drainage (concrete rings 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in) deep).
Also need to level the ground (parts require raising by 10–20 cm (4–8 inches)).
The landscaper plans to remove and transport 15 cm (6 inches) of soil everywhere, with excavation for the parking and terrace being a bit deeper.
Due to the 15 cm (6 inches) excavation and ground raising, several cubic meters of new soil will be needed.
Rolled turf will be laid on top.
The total price for everything including materials is 48,000 euros gross, calculated for only 250 m² (about 2690 sq ft) of garden area, with a minimal estimate for the filling as well.
So, it could easily end up costing even more.
Transport costs for removal and delivery represent a large portion, and building the terrace alone costs €10,000 (which seems a bit high to me).
My question is: Is this price justified? I expected it to be considerably less. I would estimate material costs and transport fees at about €15,000 (maybe €20,000) net, leaving a rather high labor cost of around €15,000–20,000 net.
That seems quite a lot for roughly two weeks of work.
Unfortunately, the offer does not separate material prices and hourly wages.
Maybe there’s room to save in some areas, for example, is it necessary to remove 15 cm (6 inches) everywhere if some areas are going to be filled further anyway?
Have you paid similar amounts?
I look forward to your opinions and experiences.
I can also share the offer document if needed.
We received two quotes for exactly the same service here: one landscaper wanted 6000 Euros, the other 17,800 Euros, both excluding materials. They completed 60 sqm (645 sq ft) of paving and 36 sqm (388 sq ft) of terrace (porcelain stoneware set in drainage mortar). I believe price differences are always very significant in this field; even for our garage foundation, we had huge price variations.
Best regards
Sabine
Best regards
Sabine
The prices seem to vary quite a lot.
Probably the companies are so busy that they can charge those rates.
I was wondering if it’s really necessary to remove and haul away the existing 15 cm (6 inches) of lawn.
Due to the construction work, there isn’t much intact lawn left anyway, so maybe I could just dig it up and spread it over lower areas. Then a layer of topsoil would be added everywhere in the end. That way, no soil would need to be hauled away.
That should be fine for turf grass, right?
Probably the companies are so busy that they can charge those rates.
I was wondering if it’s really necessary to remove and haul away the existing 15 cm (6 inches) of lawn.
Due to the construction work, there isn’t much intact lawn left anyway, so maybe I could just dig it up and spread it over lower areas. Then a layer of topsoil would be added everywhere in the end. That way, no soil would need to be hauled away.
That should be fine for turf grass, right?
As already mentioned, an assessment is really only possible by comparing multiple offers. Otherwise, it means either accepting the price or reducing the scope of work and doing it yourself. Whether it is expensive or not is hard to judge, as the exact circumstances do have an impact.
H
hampshire11 Sep 2019 20:04Comparing quotes only makes sense if you can also compare the quality, and there are huge differences in that regard. Take a look at sample work or visit a construction site of the provider. Only then can you truly tell if the offer is good value or not. Comparing paperwork for services where proportions and aesthetics play a major role is pointless.
Something that just came to mind:
In this area, there are two "building caretaker service providers" who also do landscaping. Trained landscapers really cost a lot. For paving, though, you don’t necessarily need that level of expertise; if someone has done it for 1–2 years without formal training, they can pave almost as well as a professional landscaper, but they only get paid around $9.50 per hour.
The same goes for pouring concrete for foundations or building anti-climb spikes. Oleg can do these just as well for $9 per hour as a trained landscaper. Check out sites like eBay Classifieds to see what kinds of all-around tradespeople are available.
In this area, there are two "building caretaker service providers" who also do landscaping. Trained landscapers really cost a lot. For paving, though, you don’t necessarily need that level of expertise; if someone has done it for 1–2 years without formal training, they can pave almost as well as a professional landscaper, but they only get paid around $9.50 per hour.
The same goes for pouring concrete for foundations or building anti-climb spikes. Oleg can do these just as well for $9 per hour as a trained landscaper. Check out sites like eBay Classifieds to see what kinds of all-around tradespeople are available.
H
hampshire12 Sep 2019 12:51fragg schrieb:
Oleg charges 9€ per hourA 9€ hourly wage is below minimum wage for good reason, especially for hard physical labor—it’s simply unfair. Oleg surely earns more than that, especially since he clearly delivers good work. Those who can’t afford this either live beyond their means or build their luxury at the expense of others. Selfish people, cheapskates, and those who believe in the "law of the strongest" might be able to accept that.Similar topics