# Fair price to deweed and mulch flower beds?



## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Who is to provide the fabric, mulch, and other materials?

I think that the landscaper thinks that you are loaded, and not too bright.

That seems a bit too much for those beds. 

But I am not in your area, so the going rate might be in that range.

I would be looking for a local teenager, or even younger, to do the labor, and I buy the things needed to finish this.

A kid will do it for $150.00 easy, if you buy the mulch, fabric, and things.

With a little supervision, you can have it done to your satisfaction.


ED


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## maxmodder (Sep 30, 2017)

They would but the more I look into it the more I read that fabric shouldn't be used. What kid is going to know how to remove all the weeds properly and then mulch it properly? This is an 8 hour job minimum.


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## RRH (Nov 24, 2016)

maxmodder said:


> They would but the more I look into it the more I read that fabric shouldn't be used. What kid is going to know how to remove all the weeds properly and then mulch it properly? This is an 8 hour job minimum.


Only way this would take 8 hours is if they included a long nap in the time.

For me.
15 minutes to spray with roundup not the extended control type.
15 minutes to run a weedeater over it. After a week so can make sure all the small feeler roots have absorbed the roundup and are 100% dead.
30 minutes to rake debris and bag.
30 minutes to a hour to put down black plastic or your landscape fabric.
1 hour to put down the mulch.

Original roundup was invented so framers could spray weeds and grass one day and plant a new crop the next day.
Spend as much time as you want to pull the weeds. You will still have small roots break off that can reproduce.
I agree with other post get a kid. Just look at his shoes. As long as he can tie his shoelaces he should be qualified.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Since I tried to retire and started up a lawn care company about 10 years ago I get to do this lovely job weekly.
Hope you have better luck then I have finding anyone young or old to just pull weeds, I go through at least 6 or 7 a year.
Most I fire by noon time, there hiding talking on the phone, not pulling them out by the roots, or just to darn slow.
This is the way we do it, we pull all the weeds out by the roots, using what looks like a minature hard rake, spraying with weed killer then just cutting them off does nothing.
The killer needs to have time to come in contact with the leaves and work it's way down to the roots.
I never use fabric!
The weeds will just grow right through it and you can not pull them out by the roots.
Once the weeds are pulled we use Preen before the new mulch is put down to help stop new weeds from germinating.
Any new weeds that pop, then I use weed killer on each one.
If you use hardwood mulch, it's going to mold, and decompose making a great top soil for new weeds to grow.
Recycled tire mulch will never break down.
Cypress mulch will last longer then hardwood. 
That's a less then a day job for even one person, even if they supplyed all the materials that price is way high.
I just finished one about the same size and it took me 3 hours to weed, and an hour for the rest.
$25.00 X 4 = $100.00
15 bags of mulch $56.25
Preen $25.00
An hour to pick up materials $25.00
____________
Total $206.25


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## RRH (Nov 24, 2016)

joecaption said:


> Since I tried to retire and started up a lawn care company about 10 years ago I get to do this lovely job weekly.
> Hope you have better luck then I have finding anyone young or old to just pull weeds, I go through at least 6 or 7 a year.
> Most I fire by noon time, there hiding talking on the phone, not pulling them out by the roots, or just to darn slow.
> This is the way we do it, we pull all the weeds out by the roots, using what looks like a minature hard rake, spraying with weed killer then just cutting them off does nothing.
> ...


That is why you wait a week for the vegetation killer to work. You are not going to get all the roots by pulling.


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## John Smith_inFL (Jun 15, 2018)

maxmodder said:


> What kid is going to know how to remove all the weeds properly
> and then mulch it properly? This is an 8 hour job minimum.


*THIS* is what is wrong with our younger generation today.
nobody takes the time to mold them into knowledgeable men and women
so they can fend for themselves and actually do things that we take for granted.
I learned gardening and landscaping skills from my grandparents and parents.
I mean, really - - - - it is not rocket science to pull some weeds, smooth the
ground, lay some cloth, throw down some pine bark and make it look nice.
the only thing negative with the black weed barrier cloth is that it is not
UV tolerable . . . . it will break down quickly when exposed to direct sunlight.
so it must have at least a couple of inches of mulch over it.
(no big deal if/when it does break down - it is bio-degradable).

I just bought an older home with nice mulching around the front.
I removed all the mulch to find that the landscaper used his plastic
bags that the mulch came in as the weed barrier - instead of cloth.
I removed all that junk and am in the process of doing it right.
the ground has to breathe and get water in order to be healthy.


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## maxmodder (Sep 30, 2017)

Ok, I got two more quotes.

$450
$500

Both places said 5 hours minimum to pull all those weeds out. These beds are overgrown.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

Please listen to the opinions that pulling is a waste of time. Spray the crap, let it die and rake it up. I see at at least 2 plants in there that will come back from root bits and the fabric is not going to stop them.


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## maxmodder (Sep 30, 2017)

They are talking about pulling them all by the root. There are some rose bushes starting to bloom in there that I want to keep. Not big on spraying next to stuff that I want to keep.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

maxmodder said:


> They are talking about pulling them all by the root.





YEH.


The checks in the mail.


I'm from the government and here to help you.


You will never get all the creeping Charlie roots, even if you dug the dirt and screened it.


I realize you only asked about prices but people here with years of experience often expand on the answers in a desire to protect the newbie from cost errors. Whether the poster listens or not is completely on them.


IMO, all 3 prices are a ridiculous waste of money. Of course you did wait until the time of year when these folks have more work than than they want.


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## maxmodder (Sep 30, 2017)

I'm not going into this thinking that after mulching I can just kick back and not have to worry about pulling any weeds ever. I'm sure they will come back but by the 3rd year of re-mulching my hope is that there will be fewer to pull each year.


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## maxmodder (Sep 30, 2017)

Found another landscaper that will do it for $150 + cost of the mulch. Thanks to all who saved me from overpaying.

Done and done.

It's comical how much the prices all vary for the same job. Talked to a few co workers in the area and they said the same thing. One guy got quotes from $1200 to $400 for his project.


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## 3onthetree (Dec 7, 2018)

Johnny_inFL said:


> the landscaper used his plastic bags that the mulch came in as the weed barrier


LOL, now _that_ one I haven't come across. Hmm, maybe there's a business case for a "green" mulch package that has no waste.

That photo looks like a Shutterstock image, or did you enlist your daughter's girl scout troop to do some hard labor around the house? :wink2:


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## 3onthetree (Dec 7, 2018)

joecaption said:


> This is the way we do it, we pull all the weeds out by the roots, using what looks like a minature hard rake, spraying with weed killer then just cutting them off does nothing.
> The killer needs to have time to come in contact with the leaves and work it's way down to the roots.
> I never use fabric!
> The weeds will just grow right through it and you can not pull them out by the roots.


I also do this to a T (but use a closed loop rake). I see others use weedwackers and chems with success also, but have to drag out the time it takes. Either way can work, because after this initial clearing it requires lots of maintenance anyway. But if you observe commercial maintenance it's all hard labor, not scorched-earth chem style.


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## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

When I worked for a living and someone asked me about a job I really did not want, I would give them a shocker price. If they accepted I was very well paid for a job I did not want.

Sent from my Moto E (4) Plus using Tapatalk


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## maxmodder (Sep 30, 2017)

rjniles said:


> When I worked for a living and someone asked me about a job I really did not want, I would give them a shocker price. If they accepted I was very well paid for a job I did not want.
> 
> Sent from my Moto E (4) Plus using Tapatalk


Exactly, which is why the name of the game is to get many quotes as possible. 
Chances are the lower ones are the ones that need the work and are willing to do it right. My favorite is the old saying:

"well I have many jobs lined up so if you want me to do this I'm going to need to know really soon...." 

Click


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## Cedrus (Feb 25, 2011)

Yes, the more bids the better off you will be. Also, pumping the bidders for info as they talk to you is good. You will learn something.

Had 5 fence installers here last week. 100 feet of 3 foot high, Regal, powder coated steel fence. Simple design. High was $10,000.....low was $3500 Other 3 were $5500.....$6485 and $4200.


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