Help with tree planting pricing please

[T14EES T14UNK]

I've been asked to do some planting and wondered if I could get some advice on pricing the labour up. Whenever I've planted trees before they have usually been just standards to replace a tree which has been removed. And I once planted a 5metre oak with the aid of a mini digger which seemed to go ok.

 

The trees I've been asked to plant are to create a screen ASAP on a near 45 degrees field, about 200 metres from the 'easy' access point. I explained that the bigger the tree, the bigger the invoice. So, we've come to a happy medium of planting approx 3 metre trees. Nursery told me they would be handleable by two blokes. Is this true?

 

Secondly, how long do you think it would take to carry up the field, dig and plant just one tree never mind all of them.

This is the list:

5 leylandii 3.5m

2 cedar of lebanon 3m

2 lombardy poplar 4m (ish)

2 oaks 3-3.5m

 

Thanks in advance. I know I can give a very ball park figure on time scale for the labour but I do like planting when I get the chance so dont want to be too expensive and frighten the guy off, only for him to spend £1500 on trees that some clown could just stick in a little hole and not care.

[Simon Rotheram]

They may be "handleable" but wont be fun hauling them up a hill for 200m!, if your using a mini digger to plant them cant they be carried with this?

[T14EES T14UNK]

I originally wanted to use a mini digger to plant larger trees but they were too expensive and down graded to smaller , easier trees. We probably would still use a mini digger but I cant quite decide how long it will take per tree in order to price it.

[John Shutler]

what support and watering systems will you be using

[T14EES T14UNK]

what support and watering systems will you be using

 

Support; we'll get a chap in at the same time to put cattle proof fencing round each one so I was hoping to incorporate that. He put some other trees in a while ago (planted a handful of standards himself) and fenced them and tied them up.

 

Watering; not entirely sure. Was thinking of a few pipes down to the roots.

 

Advice is very welcome.

[Simon Rotheram]

Have a look at these:

 

Anchoring

 

Platipus Anchors - Earth Anchor Manufacturers and Designers

 

Irrigation:

 

http://www.ewburrownursery.co.uk/downloads/plantsdownloadfiles/Greenleaf_Tree_Watering_Systems.pdf

[Stephen Blair]

3.5m leylandi, potted, handleable. haha. absolute nightmare mate. what is the ground like, stoney, sandy,??unless you dont want to bust your gutt and make a loss then price in everything you think you will need, stick on some more and take no responsibility for their survival unless you are pricing in watering aswell. i charge the same rate for planting as i do cutting/climbing. can usually make good money on the trees aswell. but dont price too low mate.

[gibbon]

I planted a coast redwood and 3 hollies this week. All in 70l pots and around 3m. The plants werent to heavy for 2 guys but perhaps a sck trolley would help in the feild.

 

I allowed 1.5 man days (long half day for 2 of 1/2 day for 3 guys). It only took about 2.5 hours in the end.

 

I charge my normal hourly rate for planting and collecting if necesssary, plus i add 10% to all trees and materials. If the client want a gaurantee I would add an appropiate % to the cost of the whole job based on what the kind of failure rate you may expect.

 

If he wanted a clown to plant them he would have gone to the circus not a tree surgeon.

Edited July 9, 2009 by gibbon

[T14EES T14UNK]

Have a look at these:

 

Anchoring

 

Platipus Anchors - Earth Anchor Manufacturers and Designers

 

Irrigation:

 

http://www.ewburrownursery.co.uk/downloads/plantsdownloadfiles/Greenleaf_Tree_Watering_Systems.pdf

 

Cheers for those. The 5m oak we planted had a similar anchoring system on it but that was installed after by a landscaper the chap heard about. Worked very well. However, if there is going to be cattle proof fencing, he isnt going to be bothered about aesthetics.

Watering, hopefully the guy will pay the extra for some watering systems and then hopefully go out there and actually water them.

 

I certainly wont be giving any guarantee for success whatsoever. He knows I'll do my best to do things carefully though.

 

In terms of cost and time for each tree. I was discussing this with one of the lads at work. If we get a guy we know in with his digger, he will bring it on a trailer on the back of his tractor. So if he starts digging holes, we can load up the trailer and drive up the field nearer to where they'll be planted. So, by the time he's dug a whole, we can start putting the first one in. And then so on. So whats your estimate on a one tree planting time scale.

[gibbon]

So whats your estimate on a one tree planting time scale.

 

Depends on how well you want to plant it. You could dig a hole and bang it in, in 15 minutes or you could take your time do a nice job.