Frequently Asked Questions

1. Q – Who will provide the service?

A – St. Joe County Recycling provides leaf collection for residents and neighborhoods. 

2. Q – Your prices seem high?

A – See Home Advisor Pro.

The average national price for leaf collection is $ 389.00 for an average home and does NOT include disposal fees of $ 4.00 per cubic yard. To collect your leaves requires a truck that costs from $80,000 to $95,000 depending on make/model plus a leaf vac that today costs $80,000 plus $5,500 avg for recommended annual maintenance plus a crew that costs an average of $95.00 per hour with benefits/taxes. Gas is 100 gals daily for the truck and vac at over $4.00 gallon.  

Currently, You can’t even get a single tradesman, let alone a crew, to even visit your home to give you an estimate to do work today for less than $89.00. We have over $200,000.00 invested in equipment plus $95.00 / hr (CDLA driver plus Labor) plus disposal fees for every vac crew.  

Plus a reasonable profit if you want them to stay in business. We charge just a 20% profit on all costs. 

3. Q – What if it snows?

A – We will collect leaves when weather permits. Weather permits when leaves are not frozen at the bottom, not the top of the pile and temperatures maintain a constant 38 degrees above freezing at night for a minimum of three weeks. 

4. Q – What if you do not get my leaves collected due to weather?

A – Collection will occur as soon as conditions permit. No Refunds for any reason.

5. Q – Why do you charge for disposal & How do you measure disposal volume?

A – Disposal costs real money. The South Bend Organic Resource Facility is the rate used. That rate is currently $3.60 per cubic yard + tax and subject to change.

We record length x width x height and then take a picture of the pile. Piles should be raked long and low along the curb line to provide a consistent measure.