Find the perfect fit for your mulching jobs
Knowing who to hire for mulch installation will save you time when planning a project. In most cases, your best bet will be to hire a mulching company that can deliver and apply mulch to your landscaping.
Hiring a mulching company for your yard can save a ton of time and labor. Depending on their available services, a company can handle everything from prepping the yard to applying fresh mulch. Some companies specialize in supplying high-quality mulch, but require you to hire a separate landscaping company to handle application.
One bag of mulch can usually cover 1.5 to two cubic feet and weighs around 94 to 125 pounds each. Depending on how much coverage you need, that can be a lot of heavy bags to lug from the store to your home. For large-scale projects, you could get a truckload of mulch delivered to your driveway, saving you a trip to the store. It might end up being cheaper, too, and you will not have to deal with all the plastic bag waste.
Passing off this labor-intensive job makes sense if you do not have the physical strength or time to handle it yourself. Mulching companies can advise you on the best mulch type for your needs, so you do not have to worry about details like choosing wood chips versus mulch. Furthermore, pros will apply the right amount of mulch, which is important to keep your yard healthy. They will also do a neat, clean installation with crisp edges, so your yard can look its best.
If you are planning a large-scale project, such as potentially converting your lawn to mulch, you should definitely consider hiring a mulching company to handle the heavy lifting. Additionally, if you need forest mulching done to clear acres of land, hiring a mulching company is usually your best bet.
If you are a DIYer, you can take on the installation to save on mulching costs. This is a fairly straightforward job, but there are mulching tips you should remember, such as laying mulch over wet soil only and doing a soil test beforehand. The test will help you pinpoint which mulch type you need.
From there, you will clear and weed the areas you need mulched before applying a new layer of mulch that is two to four inches deep. If you decide to buy two cubic feet bags of mulch, that will cover about 12 square feet if you are installing mulch two inches deep, and eight square feet for mulch that is three inches deep. Note that you will save $0.20 per square foot on labor costs by doing it yourself.
Depending on the area you need to cover, you may need as little as one to five bags or more than 50 bags. When deciding to take on a DIY mulching job, it is best to calculate how many bags you need before committing to the project. And if you are interested in DIYing the job from beginning to end, you can also learn how to make mulch from organic or inorganic materials.
Furthermore, if you are looking into forestry mulching, then there are safety risks to keep in mind. Operating large machinery safely requires skill and experience. In some areas, rental companies will not loan you a forestry mulcher unless you are a registered business. Even if you have experience operating construction machinery, if you have never used a mulching machine, you will need to account for the learning curve.
In the case you are able to rent a mulching machine, it costs $1,200 to $3,000 per day, or $5,000 to $8,000 per week. In comparison, hiring a pro costs $400 to $600 per acre. Depending on your property size and skill level, you can expect to clear one to four acres per day. So, crunch the numbers first before going the DIY route.
Most landscaping companies will take care of your mulching needs. If you are already working with a company, just ask them for a quote. Otherwise, you can hire a landscaping company near you.
Bringing in professional landscapers is especially advantageous if mulching is part of a bigger project—for example, installing new walkways and mulching around it. Or perhaps you want to spruce up your yard with new foliage and want to mulch at the same time. Whatever you have in mind, a landscaping company can help bring your vision to life.
Some tree service companies specialize in mulch delivery only, while others will apply mulch to your property. Even if you do not usually mulch your yard, if you have a lot of trees on your property, it is a great idea to call in a tree company.
Mulching trees has lots of benefits that keep them healthy. For example, mulch helps the soil to retain moisture, prevents weed growth, and insulates the soil from extreme temperatures.
The tricky part about mulching trees is knowing the soil composition and choosing the right mulch type. It is also easy to over-mulch trees, which can damage and even kill them. To help trees stay healthy and in their best shape, you should call in a pro to handle this job.
For clearing large pieces of land, you can hire pros to handle any forestry mulching project. During forestry mulching, workers use construction equipment to turn all the overgrowth on your property, like grass, brush, and saplings, into mulch.
Hiring a forest mulching company is a great idea regardless of the scale of your project because you will not have to deal with renting or operating heavy machinery.
For most projects, the pros start off by giving you a quote. Then they will conduct a soil test and help you choose the right mulch type for your yard. Once the details are figured out, workers will prep the yard by cleaning up debris, leaves, and removing old mulch. After the prep is complete, the company will apply a fresh new layer of mulch.
