Price calculations

Discussion in 'Garden Projects and DIY' started by Jack Sparrow, Feb 22, 2020.

  1. Jack Sparrow

    Jack Sparrow Total Gardener

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    I am again looking into the best way to buy bark chippings in bulk. Before I get to serious I will try and work out a rough idea of the area I need to cover. Last time I ordered a bulk bag I had a lot left over. I would probably use it all in time but in the meantime it would be in the way.

    Online I have found a bulk bag 1000l for £130. The same company are selling 70l bags for £6.84.

    1000 ÷ 70 = 14.28
    14.28 x 6.84 = 97.68

    Am I wrong or would it be cheaper to buy 15 of the smaller bags for £102?

    G.

    Ps. I haven't looked elsewhere yet. It was just the maths part that puzzled me.
     
  2. andrews

    andrews Super Gardener

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    Cant argue with your calculations. It wouldn't make sense to put the extra effort in to processing into 70L bags and charge less for them but some things don't make sense

    Edit: are both prices including delivery ?
     
  3. andrews

    andrews Super Gardener

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    Gravelmaster have a bulk bag for £88 delivered, depending on postcode
     
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    • Jack Sparrow

      Jack Sparrow Total Gardener

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      Screenshot_20200222-191358_Samsung Internet.jpg

      So far, this seems to be the best deal. It would take me a long while to get through all that lot.

      G.
       
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      • Jack Sparrow

        Jack Sparrow Total Gardener

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        Today I did some rough measuring just to give me an idea of what I'm looking at.

        Site A
        20200223_135800.jpg
        Zone 1: 122 x 130
        Zone 2: 130 x 55

        Site B
        20200223_140040.jpg
        280 x 370

        Site B is a very rough calculation as I intend to incorporate a mixture of planting area and walk ways.

        The calculating bit?

        122 + 130 + 280 = 532
        ×
        130 + 55 + 370 = 555

        295,260 (cm)

        I am thinking of working down to about 3" or 75mm. That might be a bit more than I need but I want to ensure a good walking surface. I also intend to pack it down as tight as it will go.

        An online guide suggests this:
        Screenshot_20200223-143516_Samsung Internet.jpg

        Any help would be greatly appreciated.

        G.
         
        Last edited: Feb 23, 2020
      • roders

        roders Total Gardener

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        You might like to look at the Madingly Mulch website.
        They have several options and the stuff comes in cu/mts.
         
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        • shiney

          shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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          The screen shot of the calculation you show in post #5, resulting in 0.95cu m., looks to be about right (rough calculation in my head :noidea:).

          As your own calculation doesn't match that may I suggest, for your own satisfaction, that you do your calculations in a different way.

          Take each section as a separate calculation, add them together afterwards and work out how many square centimetres you have (I'm assuming your numbers were cms). As you say that you want it only 75mm deep that is .75cm. So then take three quarters of your total to turn it into cu cm. then Google to calculate turning cu cm into cu m.

          Good luck with it :dbgrtmb:
           
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          • Jack Sparrow

            Jack Sparrow Total Gardener

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            @shiney I did it as you suggested and my latest calculation comes out at

            0.95 cu m.

            I appreciate the help.

            It seems that I would need a bulk bag costing around £80. I am being drawn towards the Wickes deal I highlighted above. It would be far too much but at least it would be in manageable packets that can be stacked neatly out of sight.

            G.
             
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            • Scrungee

              Scrungee Well known for it

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              75mm is 7.5cm, not .75cm.

              For those unfamiliar with metric measurements, 75mm = 3 inches, and .75cm = 0.3 inches.

              Using that incorrect conversion would lead to lengths being incorrect by a factor of x10, areas by x100 and volumes by1,000 times out.
               
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                Last edited: Feb 23, 2020
              • shiney

                shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                Agreed :redface:. That's the trouble with typing things in a hurry :doh:

                122 x 130 = 15860
                55 x 130 = 7150
                280 x 370 = 103600

                total = 126,610 sq cm
                x 7.5 = 949,575 cu cm

                To convert to cubic metres, divide by 1,000,000

                = .95 cu m

                What an idiot! I did the calculation in my head correctly, came to the correct answer and then explained it incorrectly. :dunno: :sad:
                 
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                • Graham B

                  Graham B Gardener

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                  That's Madingley Mulch with an extra E. :) Their site is Gardening, Landscaping & Building Supplies – Madingley Mulch . Having lived around Cambridge for a while, I can vouch for what they do - decent company, decent products, decent people working there.
                   
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                  • Scrungee

                    Scrungee Well known for it

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                    Calculations with correct answers, but containing counterbalancing errors should always be corrected.
                     
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