Tree Planting

[colin-roberts]

I know a lot of you guys do not offer tree planting, but we do. Got a bigger job coming up just wondering how you guys figure out how to charge for planting. On small jobs we just figured out how many trees we could plant an hour. but this contract requires a price per size.

 

[ruel]

I think I remember hearing "double the price of the plant" as a rule of thumb for how much to charge for planting. Cant recall if that is total, or added to the price, so somewhere between 2x - 3x for an installed plant

 

[NickfromWI]

Totally depends. What size tree? What if you're planting a 5 gallon tree you bought for $10!

If I'm planting a 24"' box tree- I'm buying it for let's say $200. I charge about $100-$200 to go to the nursery and pick it out then another $300 for crew to go get it and plant it. Ends up being about $700-800 usually for a tree that I bought for $200


love
nick

 

[Burnham]

Also depends on contract language regarding responsibility for post-planting care and/or ultimate survival. That is a big variable.

 

[treebilly]

I agree. I only plant a couple dozen trees a year, but I'll only guarantee them if I'm being paid to look after them. Most that don't want to pay for this also never water after I leave.

 

[colin-roberts]

We are not responsible for after care just planting. The double the cost only works on some Trees. Hopefully we can get this, planting is easy money

 

[sotc]

I don't guarantee and we charge 3.5 times wholesale and a tree magically appears. We can't even see $10 shrubs let alone plant them

 

[Bodean]

That 3.5 x wholesale includes labor etc per tree installed?


Handy metric there.

 

[Dave Shepard]

I used to do 3X wholesale with a one year replacement if it croaks. This would be modified depending on quantity, distance, difficulty, etc. Planting trees was good money.

 

[flushcut]

2X or 3X for me depending on location, distance, ect....

 

[sotc]

That 3.5 x wholesale includes labor etc per tree installed?


Handy metric there.

Yeah Deva, looks like it works well with Nick's numbers too. If a tree costs me $200 to buy it I buy it, deliver and install for $700. If my trees come in on a truck (I get good stock from up north) then I factor shipping costs into the wholesale price.

 

[Bodean]

Sweet. Here's a $ 200 olive.

 

[sotc]

There ya go! Here's a $350 cherry!

 

[NickfromWI]

That would be $2,500 here!!


love
nick

 

[vharrison]

Hopefully we can get this, planting is easy money

Not if you live on a rock. Sometimes we have to use jack hammers and back hoes just to dig the hole.

 

[vharrison]

That would be $2,500 here!!


love
nick

I agree!

 

[sotc]

Wow, $1225 here

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Wow. I guess the average HO won't be moving that thing.

 

[sotc]

Haha, yep, boxer wouldn't budge it

 

[colin-roberts]

Clay or sand mostly here easy digging

 

[treelooker]

Know the material, and the work needed to correct roots twisted in a container.

 

[NickfromWI]

75% of all trees we planted involved major tweaking, breaking or pruning of pot-girdled roots.


love
nick

 

[Bermy]

Interesting...I have maybe, possibly a major project in the offing...whole farm landscaping, two other arborists have cried off the planting side, maybe this is where my 15 yrs previous experience in landscaping will kick in?
Going to have tea with the owner in a couple weeks when they come back from the mainland...might pan out, might not, it would be a big step in a new direction for me.

 

[colin-roberts]

Exactly bermy I can plant a few ball , burlap trees and make same as a tree removal