How to Make a Bid for Landscape Work
A lot of work goes into a beautifully manicured garden or a gorgeous yard -- and landscapers are the ones who do it. Landscaping is a great way to make money by turning properties into works of art through lawn mowing, weeding, planting and a variety of other outdoor maintenance tasks. But bidding on a landscaping job can be a little less pretty. A good bid requires careful research into the market and a sober assessment of your operating costs and the nature of the job.
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Instructions
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Evaluate your local market and standard prices. Prices for various landscaping services vary depending on the area in which the services are delivered and the type of work done. Assess what other landscaping companies or services in the area are charging. If necessary, contact one of these companies yourself and ask for an estimate for the type of job on which you are going to be bidding. Frame your bid according to market prices. Price a job too high, and you won't win jobs or contracts. Price it too low, and you won't make money.
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Visit the property where the work will take place. This step is essential for determining a fair bid. You may find that the lawns you need to cut are irregularly shaped or that other landscaping duties are impeded by obstacles, such as rocks or trees. Factor the extra time these obstacles will tack onto your job when you come up with a bid.
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Factor your operating costs into your bid. No matter what kind of landscaping work you are bidding on, factor the materials needed for the job into your starting bid. Although this may increase your bid price, it is better than making no money on a job at all. Everything from gas costs to hiring extra help should be calculated beforehand to give you an idea of what you need to charge to make money.
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Consider the benefits of a per-hour bidding strategy. Some companies charge per square foot of landscaping. For regular lawns and properties, this can be lucrative. For irregular ones, it can be a headache. By calculating what you need to make per hour to take home a living wage, you can ensure your efforts are lucrative and that any obstacles or delays will still be accounted for.
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