1. The job
2. Seed, mulch and water per 1,000 sq ft
3. Crew, tank and travel
4. Hydroseeder, overhead and margin
Enter your numbers or load the example, then click Work out the bid.
Result
The same costs at different job sizes
| Job size (sq ft) | Tank loads | Crew hours | Cost | Bill | Profit | Margin |
|---|
The season at different volumes
| Volume | Jobs | Revenue | Profit after fixed cost | Crew hours |
|---|
The arithmetic, and what it leaves out
- Materials are seed, mulch, fertilizer and tackifier, and water, each per 1,000 sq ft of the job. Tank loads are the slurry gallons divided by your tank, rounded up.
- Crew hours are setup, spraying at your rate, and a refill for every load after the first. Labor is those hours for the whole crew at loaded pay. Travel is round-trip miles at your truck cost.
- The bill is your price per 1,000 sq ft (with the steep-slope premium averaged over the share of jobs that are steep) or your minimum charge, whichever is higher. Fixed cost, the hydroseeder spread over its years plus overhead, belongs to the season, not the job.
- Not modelled: your own pay as owner, sales tax, permits and bonds, seed warranties and re-seeding callbacks, card fees, insurance beyond the overhead you type, and income tax.
Common questions
How much should a hydroseeding contractor charge per square foot?
Add up seed, mulch, tackifier and water for the area, the crew hours (setup, spraying and every tank refill) at loaded pay, and the drive to the site, then divide by one minus the margin you want. Residential hydroseeding is usually quoted per 1,000 square feet or per square foot, and the number that works depends heavily on job size, because setup and travel cost the same on 2,000 square feet as on 20,000. Type your own costs and the result prints the price per 1,000 square feet that earns your margin.
Why do small hydroseeding jobs lose money?
Setup, travel and a tank mix are close to fixed for each job. A 2,000 square foot yard can take most of the day's overhead for a few hundred dollars of revenue. The size table shows where your minimum charge is doing the work and where the per-square-foot price takes over.
How many tank loads does a job need?
Gallons of slurry per 1,000 square feet times the area, divided by your tank size, rounded up. Each extra load costs refill and mixing minutes with the crew standing by, which is why a closer water source or a bigger tank can matter more than spraying faster.
How many jobs does it take to cover the hydroseeder?
Divide the season's fixed cost (the machine's price spread over the years you keep it, plus insurance, shop and other overhead) by what one job earns after materials, labor and travel. The result prints the break-even job count and the season at 50 to 150 percent of the jobs you expect.
What does this leave out?
Your own pay as owner, sales tax, permits, erosion-control bonds, seed warranties and re-seeding callbacks, insurance beyond the overhead you type, card fees and income tax. Seed and mulch rates vary by mix, season and site: use your supplier's numbers. It is a planning aid, not a bid of record.
Is my data uploaded?
No. Everything runs in your browser tab and nothing is sent anywhere. There are no accounts. The share link keeps your numbers in the link itself, which you choose whether to send.
Hand the customer a proposal
The price above is for you. This is the page you print or save as a PDF and give to the customer — your details, their details, the scope, the deposit split, and a line for them to sign. Your business details are saved on this device so you only type them once; the customer’s details are never saved.
Everything on the printed page is text you typed or a number this calculator worked out. It contains no warranty, lien, or cancellation wording — those depend on your jurisdiction and your contract, and this tool is not the place to invent them.