When you do a job for a customer there may a request or requirement to bag clippings. With that there are costs associated in time and materials when providing such a service. It may not be much to just providing 1 bag here and there but over a year it does add up.
In my business alone we used up $150.00 worth of plastic/paper bags last year(2017). I only have 1 customer that requires us to bag lawn clippings. The rest of the bag usage came from bush trimmings, flower bed cleanups and leaves. Keep in mind that my client base consists of only 50 clients.
By recuperating the cost of bags I can save towards equipment, invest in marketing, education etc.
I also charge for the time it takes to bag the clippings and place them in the area for trash pickup. In the cities that I work in we have brush/bulk pickups at the residents home. I don’t take the stuff back with me to dispose of it myself.
Back when I used to work for my brother-in-law he would collect mounds of plastic lawn clippings and then use a day to take them to the landfill. Those bags would get hot and stink until disposal time. Lots of lawn companies would do the same thing around here as well.
When I started my lawn service company I did away with bagging every lawn. Now, since we have very good lawn mowers that mulch extremely well, I don’t bag except when a customer requests it. Lots of lawn service companies followed suit and did the same. I rarely see companies taking that stuff back with them.
The key is to educate your customer that there is a cost of providing this service and this is what my company charges. It’s no different from when you get your oil changed. You get charged for the oil, filter, labor, disposal fee, and probably shop supplies. They are providing you with a service and this is what it will cost you. Likewise, your in business to make a profit, so charge your man hour rate on the time and markup materials needed in providing the service. Don’t do it for free or think your doing the customer a favor by not charging them. Your only shortchanging yourself, you business, and your family in the end.
I hope this helps you in your business service offerings. Now lets make a profit.