It should be apparent to everyone that when landscapers undertake a project they will require all kinds of materials to fulfil it. What specific materials they will need, and how much of them they require, will depend on the needs and wants of the client who has hired them and the scale of the landscaping design that is going to be created.
When it comes time for a landscaper to purchase the materials they need, those purchases will be subject to rules, regulations, and standards set out by the Australian government relating to wholesale trade measurements and specifically those which apply to garden landscaping materials. When purchasing garden landscape materials the order can be fulfilled in one of three ways which are:
- By weight
- By volume
- By lot (e.g. loader bucket, heap, and trailer load)
As for the types of landscaping materials that are subject to wholesale measurement laws, these include:
- Pebbles
- Crushed Rock
- Soil
- Mulch
- River Stones
- Pacific Coral
- Pine Bark
- Crushed Tile
- Crushed Material Mixes
When a wholesaler is selling these materials in smaller quantities but charges customers a surcharge or handling fee to do so, they must have a sign displayed nearby that clearly states what those fees or surcharges are so that customers are fully aware of them before they make their purchase.
Also, if a wholesaler is selling quantities that are smaller than the usual unit of full measurement (e.g. 0.5 tonnes vs 1-tonne units) the price charged must be proportionate to the full price. They must also display prices for the smaller quantities which they sell.
Selling Landscaping Materials By Volume
Landscaping materials are most commonly sold by volume and as per Australian wholesale measurement regulations, all materials must be measured and priced using cubic metres. To make this more practical a seller can base the price on a certified volume of material in containers such as a bucket, loader, trailer, or any other container capable of holding a quantity of the material. The container/volume verification is signed off by a servicing licensee.
An example would be a rigid container that is capable of holding 1 cubic metre and which contains pebbles. The wholesaler can justifiably state that the amount being purchased is 1 cubic meter of pebbles based on the verification.
Selling Landscaping Materials By Weight
Provided that any weighing takes place on a weighing machine or weighbridge which has been approved by the National Measurement Institute (NMI), a wholesaler can sell landscaping materials in either tonnes or kilograms. As well as the rule relating to using only NMI approved equipment, other regulations apply to the weighing equipment which is being used as set out below:
- Weighing equipment must be installed correctly
- Weighing equipment must be verified by a service license
- Staff and customers must use weighing equipment as per the manufacturer’s guidance
- Customers must be able to see the weight display clearly throughout the weighing process
- Weighing equipment must be kept in good working order
- Weighing equipment must be kept clean
- After a repair or adjustment, the weighing equipment must be verified again by a servicing licensee
A further recommendation is that all weighing equipment is checked and serviced regularly by an NMI licensed technician.
Selling Landscaping Materials By Lot
If a wholesaler wishes to sell any landscaping materials by lots, such as a loader bucket or truckload, it can do so provided that they do not refer to these landscaping materials by weight or by volume in any way.