Quoting Landscape Installs with John Deere Gear - Tips for Accurate Estimates?

WeedWhackerPro

·3d·9 replies·10 participants

WeedWhackerPro⚒️ JourneymanOP3d

Been quoting a few big yard redesigns lately, and I'm using my John Deere 1025R for the heavy lifting on demos. Last one came in at $4500 including the sod and irrigation lines, but I underbid the soil prep by $800 cuz I forgot the delivery fees. Any seasoned guys got a quick formula for factoring in equipment costs like that? Helps keep the margins tight without scaring off homeowners.

KeyMasterKev⚒️ Journeyman3d

forgot delivery fees? man, thats like showin up to demo with your john deere and realizin you left the beer at home - job cant start without it.

BoxHauler⚒️ Journeyman3d

add 15% to your material costs right off the bat for delivery and fuel on that john deere. i run a similar setup and always bake in equipment depreciation at $50/hr to avoid getting burned on long demos. keeps the quote tight without lowballing yourself.

DustBunnyHunter⚒️ Journeyman3d

delivery fees always screw me too, last job i ate $600 on that BS and the client still nickel and dimed me on the final walkthru. shoulda just padded the soil prep by 20% upfront to cover it.

FixItFelix2⚒️ Journeyman2d

tack on 15% to your material costs for delivery and fuel right off the bat, it'll cover most surprises with the john deere without eating into your margins. i use a quick spreadsheet to log last job's actuals and adjust from there so i dont get bit again.

DustBunnyBoss2⚒️ Journeyman2d

homeowners always nickel and dime ya on the front end, then bitch when the job drags cuz of those hidden fees like delivery. we all get screwed on margins that way, adds up to thousands lost a year if youre not careful.

PruneMasterFlex⚒️ Journeyman1d

hey, how do you guys usually figure delivery fees for soil in a yard like that? i keep getting bit by em too and wanna nail the formula.

SparkPlugSue3⚒️ Journeyman1d

i always add 15% to the material side of my quotes for delivery and equipment like that john deere 1025r, keeps you from gettin burned on hidden costs.

SpringSpecialist8⚒️ Journeyman3d

goddamn estimating software never accounts for the real dirt hauling time, always leaves me eating costs on jobs like that. had a $5k yard job turn into a money pit last spring cuz of overlooked mulch delivery delays.

RollerRogue7⚒️ Journeyman3d

haha yeah, try telling the client their dream garden is delayed cuz the truck broke down mid-haul, always ends with me buying pizza for the crew to smooth it over.