Mulch is essential for your garden if you want to prevent weeds and sustain your soil with water and nutrients. Not to mention how beautiful your flower beds would look with a nice layer of mulch.
So, how much do landscapers charge to install mulch? Prices of hiring landscapers to install your mulch range from $210 to $400 per yard, with an average rate of $325.
However, many variables contribute to your overall bill, including the type of mulch you’ll use, the area of your yard, and in which state you are hiring landscapers.
How Much Do Landscapers Charge Per Yard of Mulch?
The price of having your mulch installed by a landscaper depends greatly on the type of mulch you choose.
According to InchCalculator, these are the recent prices of the commonly used types of mulches on the market:
- Wood chips, which cost between $35 to $100 per cubic yard.
- Straw, which costs between $30 to $40 per cubic yard.
- Gravel, which costs between $25 to $55 per cubic yard.
- Stones, which cost between $40 to $140 per cubic yard.
- Recycled rubber, which costs between $70 to $150 per cubic yard.
With these estimates, you could roughly determine how much you’ll need to pay to have your yard professionally mulched.
Usually, the estimate you get from your landscaper after inspecting your yard and determining the type of mulch you need is an all-inclusive bill. That means the price you get from your landscaper includes delivery to your location, cost of labor, and the added taxes.
Other Factors that Affect the Price of Installing Mulch by Landscapers
The type of mulch you’ll use and the area of your yard aren’t the only two factors to set up your budget. You’ll need to consider a few more factors that have a huge impact on your landscaping bill. These factors include:
Your Location
The state in which you’ll be hiring landscapers has a huge impact on your final bill.
For example, landscapers in California charge much higher labor costs than those in Alabama. Additionally, you’ll find differences in prices within the same state.
Some expert landscapers would have a higher hourly rate than others because they’re busy and everyone is trying to book them. So, as the rule of supply and demand states: high demand and low supply mean increased prices.
Then there are some landscapers who charge by the hour and those who charge you by cubic yard. It might not seem significant, but the way they calculate their work can affect your final bill.
The Time of Year
If you’re looking to shave a few dollars off your bill, try booking your landscaper away from early spring, which is the peak season for all gardeners and landscapers. During early spring, you might find your landscaper completely booked for weeks — sometimes months.
So it’s wise to either install your mulch before spring or later in the season when orders begin to slow down and your landscaper’s schedule starts to clear up. Otherwise, expect to pay more just to book a spot on your landscaper’s busy schedule.
How Much to Charge to Remove Old Mulch?
On the other hand, if you already have mulch installed and you’d like to hire a professional landscaper to help you remove it, how much would that cost?
The answer to this question is purely situational and depends on what type of mulch you’re using.
If you’re using organic mulch, you’ll notice that it becomes heavier and harder to clean up after it has been laid down. That’s because your mulch has begun to decompose.
You could always leave it a bit more to fully decompose and save some labor hours.
On the other hand, inorganic mulch doesn’t decompose as quickly. So, it’ll need to be removed and replaced every 5 years, give or take.
After factoring in the landscaper’s labor hours, the total area of the place, and what type of mulch is being removed, expect to pay something between $50 to $100 per cubic yard to clean up your old mulch and prep your yard with a clean slate for a fresh layer.
Final Thoughts
Your garden deserves the extra love it gets from a nice layer of mulch. Whether you choose to install it yourself or hire a professional landscaper to help you out, that’s your call.
However, if you decide to hire a landscaper, you should set a budget to prevent going overboard with the costs. After reading this article, you’ll know to consider the type of mulch you’re using, the area of your yard, and the average hourly rate in your state for your budget.
Additionally, if you have old mulch that needs cleaning up, you could hire someone to help you clean it up and prep your garden for a fresh layer of new mulch. Like the installation process, the type of mulch and the area they’ll work on are the two main factors in the service’s cost.
Ben has a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, you can find him at home with wife and two daughters. Outside of family, He loves grilling and barbequing on his Big Green Egg and Blackstone Griddle, as well as working on projects around the house.
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