One of the most common questions people ask us is, “How much does Perma-Zyme cost?” The answer is that it depends on your project, but don’t worry. We’re here to help you understand the ins and outs of your application cost. Here are seven factors that are most likely to impact the price you’ll pay for a Perma-Zyme application:
We’ll walk you through each of these factors and explain how they impact the cost of your Perma-Zyme application. And when you’re ready to get a quote for your specific project, you’ll be able to do that, too.
Let’s begin!
The role project size plays in pricing may seem obvious, but sometimes it’s easy to overlook the obvious. So, we’ll say it just to be safe: small construction jobs that require less material generally cost less, while large construction jobs that require lots of material typically cost more.
One gallon of Perma-Zyme treats 160 cubic yards of soil, so the size of your project will determine how much Perma-Zyme you need and, therefore, how much your application will cost. Here are some common project sizes:
Of course, the three dimensions that will affect the size of your project are width, length, and depth. Let's take a look at each.
Standard roads have 12-foot lanes, and we base project size estimates on this lane width. That said, not all roads are standard—especially rural ones. Narrower roads mean less soil to treat, so you may need less Perma-Zyme or have some leftover post-application. Conversely, wider roads need more Perma-Zyme to achieve optimal results.
For Perma-Zyme to be effective, you must work it thoroughly into the soil. The deeper you treat your soil, the more stable it will become, and the more Perma-Zyme you will need.
Now, before you decide to do a shallow treatment to save money, hold your horses. The treatment depths are based on different traffic types:
Our Perma-Zyme usage estimates are based on the standard six-inch treatment depth, since that’s what most of our customers need. So, for light traffic areas, you’ll spend less because you’ll need to use less Perma-Zyme. For heavy traffic areas, your application will cost more because you will need to use more Perma-Zyme to treat the soil thoroughly.
Use the calculator below to determine how Perma-Zyme you'll need for your unique project:
Perma-Zyme comes in one-gallon jugs and five-gallon pails. While pails cost more in total, the price per gallon is lower when you purchase a pail. (Hey, it pays to buy in bulk!)
Most of our customers are counties and companies who need at least one pail of Perma-Zyme, so the lower price per gallon can be an excellent incentive for road commissions, county supervisors, company leadership, or stakeholders to use Perma-Zyme soil stabilization. Customers who buy one-gallon jugs are typically homeowners or individuals with small projects.
For extremely large projects, buying in bulk—such as our 250-gallon totes of Perma-Zyme—gives you the lowest price per gallon so you can maximize your budget.
Perma-Zyme works best on soils that contain approximately 15-80% clay, as well as soils that contain limestone and/or decomposed granite.
However, other soil types may need amendments before applying Perma-Zyme to them. For example, if your soil contains too much silt, you may need to import compatible clay-based material for the Perma-Zyme to bond the soil particles effectively. This may increase application costs due to the additional hauling, labor, and equipment operation.
We offer free soil evaluations to our U.S.-based public and private commercial customers, as well as free at-home soil evaluation kits for U.S. homeowners and international customers. That way, you can check your soil’s compatibility and get tailored recommendations for any amendments you might need—all without the hefty price tag of a geotechnical firm!
Applying Perma-Zyme can be a one-person job for homeowners or customers working on small-scale projects. But for larger applications, you’ll need a few more hands on deck. Many of our government and commercial customers have designated road or maintenance crews who handle the applications, while others hire outside contractors.
Here at Substrata, we also offer onsite consulting services. Most U.S.-based public or private customers can hire our operations team to come to their jobsite and oversee the application. While your crews and contractors will do the labor, our team will provide feedback and expert advice on the best practices that will help your application go as smoothly as possible. (Onsite consulting availability varies for international customers due to travel costs and restrictions, so be sure to talk to your sales rep to see if it’s available in your area.)
The number of people you involve—and who you hire—could raise or lower your Perma-Zyme application price. So, remember to factor manpower into your budget!
For most Perma-Zyme applications, our customers use four types of equipment:
Some paving projects may also require an asphalt reclaimer.
Missing some of that equipment? That’s okay! You can make substitutions, such as using a tractor with a tiller attachment instead of a grader or a full front-end loader instead of a sheepsfoot compactor.
Because substitutions are so easy, we rarely—if ever—recommend buying or renting equipment. The main exception is that you may want to rent or borrow a smooth wheel compactor, as there is no good substitute for this piece of equipment. Doing this may affect your application cost.
Additionally, remember to factor the price of fuel and machine maintenance into your budget so these expenses don’t sneak up on you.
There’s a specific process to apply Perma-Zyme, and the most successful applications follow this process. Those that don’t follow the process are more likely to need rework, which leads to higher costs.
Now, most people do their best to apply Perma-Zyme correctly, and we know you will, too. But, sometimes things happen that are outside your control. A rainstorm pops up out of nowhere, or something on the jobsite doesn’t quite go to plan. Maybe on application day, the temperature drops under 40°F and stays there, so the soil doesn’t cure properly. Or, perhaps an equipment operator stops a couple passes shy of maximum compaction.
In these cases, you may not get the results you want right away. The good news is that you can troubleshoot these problems and resolve them. The downside is that troubleshooting costs more time and money.
So, it’s important to use all the resources you have at your fingertips to help you apply Perma-Zyme successfully. And, ask questions! We’re here to guide you through each step of the process so you can reduce the risk of rework and enjoy cost-effective, eco-friendly soil stabilization for years to come.
All Perma-Zyme ships from our manufacturing facility in Henderson, Nevada. Domestic shipments within the U.S. typically cost less than international shipments. International customers often pay additional shipping costs due to the need for air freight rather than ground transportation. That said, domestic customers who choose overnight or express shipping will typically pay more for these services, so it’s wise to plan your orders in advance to avoid expedited shipping fees and stay within your budget.
There you have it, eight factors that affect the price of your Perma-Zyme application! Now, you can feel confident about talking to your crew—and ours—about how to plan for Perma-Zyme soil stabilization on your project.