# Rent or hire someone to core aerate... or liquid aerate?



## CTLawnNut (May 24, 2020)

Here's the deal...

I don't have a pick up truck and don't know anyone that has one. So I'd have to rent one. Also... none of my cohorts live near me so it'd be hard to find a helping hand without paying someone. Plus HD / Lowes rental fee. Thus, I'm thinking of hiring someone out to do it. I think a guesstimate with homeadvisor for my area was ≈$275.

Other option is to liquid aerate. In the end, is it as good as a core aeration?

Thx,
CTLawnNut


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## Wabos42 (May 22, 2020)

Do you have a trailer hitch on your car/suv? If so you can rent a small trailer from uhaul for <$25 and a walk behind aerator for <$100. I have done that a couple of times over the years. Most recently my lawn servicing company was running a special and they did my 16000+ back yard for $60, a no brainer.


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## Gilley11 (Nov 3, 2019)

An aeration should be less less than $100, no way it's close to $275.

Liquid "aeration" is not the same. Wetting agents are helpful but it is not aeration.


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## TulsaFan (May 1, 2017)

CTLawnNut said:


> Here's the deal...
> 
> I don't have a pick up truck and don't know anyone that has one. So I'd have to rent one. Also... none of my cohorts live near me so it'd be hard to find a helping hand without paying someone. Plus HD / Lowes rental fee. Thus, I'm thinking of hiring someone out to do it. I think a guesstimate with homeadvisor for my area was ≈$275.
> 
> ...


If you have a trailer hitch on your vehicle, you could rent the trailer and aerator from Home Depot at the same time. They rent 3x5 and 5x8 trailers. I have used both and they worked great!


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## jha4aamu (Oct 16, 2017)

CTLawnNut said:


> Here's the deal...
> 
> I don't have a pick up truck and don't know anyone that has one. So I'd have to rent one. Also... none of my cohorts live near me so it'd be hard to find a helping hand without paying someone. Plus HD / Lowes rental fee. Thus, I'm thinking of hiring someone out to do it. I think a guesstimate with homeadvisor for my area was ≈$275.
> 
> ...


theres no way id spend $275 to have someone aerate. you could rent a truck and aerator from HD for less than $100. its definitely doable as a 1 man job


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## DuncanMcDonuts (May 5, 2019)

Hiring a service to core aerate in my area is $80-$85 for <5k sq ft. I'm sure you could find a quote less than $275.


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## corneliani (Apr 2, 2019)

My 12k sqft can be hired out for less than $100.

Of note, some professionals use riders to aerate with which theoretically should pull better cores and have better control than the likes of the Ryan IV that Depot rents. If I knew for sure the contractor had a great tool like that I would choose that over the DIY route.


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## Jacks_Designs (May 4, 2020)

I like to do it myself b/c most companies in my area want to charge an arm and leg to go both directions.


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## Chris1 (Apr 22, 2020)

check Craigslist - services .


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## ScottW (Sep 16, 2019)

$90 for my 5K to hire it out (nothing is cheap around here). I have a truck & trailer to mule around a rented machine if I want, but there's no reason to bother at that price. They send a crew and three guys go to town on it simultaneously, N-S, E-W and diagonal passes. They're done and gone in about the time it takes me to drink a beer. No reason to spend half my day messing with a rental.


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## corneliani (Apr 2, 2019)

ScottW said:


> $90 for my 5K to hire it out (nothing is cheap around here). I have a truck & trailer to mule around a rented machine if I want, but there's no reason to bother at that price. They send a crew and three guys go to town on it simultaneously, N-S, E-W and diagonal passes. They're done and gone in about the time it takes me to drink a beer. No reason to spend half my day messing with a rental.


One of these days I'll smarten up and let someone else do this part of the job ... it tears me up like no other machine does! I think even tilling is easier on the body. 😂

I may have control issues. Or possibly trust issues. I dunno, but all of a sudden my wife's voice is reverberating in my head. 👀


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## coolturf (Mar 11, 2020)

Chris1 said:


> check Craigslist - services .


This (Facebook Marketplace, etc) common around here for guys to offer to do it for $50-$80.


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## dfw_pilot (Jan 28, 2017)

Gilley11 said:


> Liquid "aeration" is not the same. Wetting agents are helpful but it is not aeration.


+1


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## Passat774 (Oct 9, 2018)

This has worked for me:

https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=16435


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## CTLawnNut (May 24, 2020)

Thus far besides the one ball park quote that I mentioned at the top of the thread I've gotten a few quotes from Home Advisor - TruGreen says $209 for a single pass and some other company wanted $300 for a double pass. I'm in in pretty spendy area of the country, so it's not a surprise they want to take you for a ride.

A hitch will cost me around $300+ to get set up on my car so long term it seems worth it. Plus, it can be used for other things.

I'll have to check Nextdoor.com and craigslist to find a better deal or just pony up for the hitch and deal with home depot.


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## CTLawnNut (May 24, 2020)

@Passat774 That product looks like an interesting option. I'm working with rye/fescue mix with semi hard clay. I can put a screw driver thru it, but can't do the stick your finger in about 3/4" test.


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## CTLawnNut (May 24, 2020)

With regard to the liquid aeration, my understanding is to not go with the surfactant type products. What about Air-8? or something like this?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LB4B88Q/ref=pd_luc_rh_sspa_dk_huc_pt_expsub_1?psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFaTkE5SVZFTUJDUjcmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA5MjEwMzkyN1JJSFRXS0g2MDdLJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA2ODM0ODIxSk1QOFo3UEdIREZPJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfaHVjX21yYWkmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl


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## Gilley11 (Nov 3, 2019)

Get off of the computer and get on the phone....Call companies, don't just go off of homeadvisor type sites. You now know what a normal price is, go get it.


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## Cavan806 (May 2, 2017)

I just found a guy yesterday on Craigslist for $70. He was here this morning @ 8:30 am. He did an awesome job. Retired computer programmer who just does it to earn a little extra cash on the side. He did a double pass!

There are good deals out there just call around.

Cheers!


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