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re: Successful lawn service owners?
Posted on 1/16/14 at 3:32 pm to HeadyMurphey
Posted on 1/16/14 at 3:32 pm to HeadyMurphey
The insurance should get me pretty far with commercial businesses.
For instance, my office probably has 500+/- sq feet of grass to cut. We pay a commercial service $40/week (sometimes twice a week in the summer). They are in and out in 15 minutes or less.
My parents neighborhood has common area that probably takes 2 hours MAX with 1 man to handle and the HOA pays them $250 per cut.
The money is out there and I am determined to not only find it, but find it and keep it. I do not want to get rich, just live comfortably and enjoy my home life and outdoor hobbies.
At the moment I am researching the LLC startup process, obtaining tax certs, etc.
1
Posted on 1/16/14 at 3:35 pm to Polar Pop
need to factor in travel times. try to create a tight route. you don't get paid to drive
Posted on 1/16/14 at 3:39 pm to jimbeam
quote:
you don't get paid to drive
of course you do.
Posted on 1/16/14 at 4:29 pm to Polar Pop
quote:
Whether I cut 1 yard or 100, it will not keep food from being on the table.
You better be wondering about health insurance too if Obama isn't taking care of that for you. Hopefully, your wife will get good insurance and you can get on her policy.
A few of my buddies do this work. Both are married and the wives have the health insurance. Their bread and butter is the corporate accounts. Like it has been said, get this on a year round pay schedule. Give a discount for cash only to the residential folk. Rent then buy unless you have the jack to invest upfront. Labor is tricky to keep. Their Summers suck but they hunt their arses off in the Fall.
Posted on 1/16/14 at 4:47 pm to MWP
quote:
You better be wondering about health insurance too if Obama isn't taking care of that for you. Hopefully, your wife will get good insurance and you can get on her policy.
As of now, I have my wife and child on my insurance while she is in school. That will transfer to her having myself and child on her insurance for sure.
Equipment will be purchased over the duration of 2014 by cash. I definately do not want to enter this business with "new debt" other than gas and consumable products (trimmer string, spare belts, blades, etc).
Luckily I have a few buddies on the local fire department that are always looking for side gigs (or their co-workers) so I SHOULD be good on the help end of it.
Posted on 1/16/14 at 4:52 pm to Polar Pop
You handy with repairs? Because that'll happen. At the worst time possible.
Posted on 1/16/14 at 4:55 pm to bamafan425
In the middle of cutting a yard, on a Saturday afternoon, torrential downpours a mile away.
yep
yep
Posted on 1/16/14 at 5:01 pm to bamafan425
quote:
You handy with repairs? Because that'll happen. At the worst time possible.
I performed my fair share of repairs in the golf biz.
Fixing hydro lines on the fly after one gives out across a green
, simple blade sharpening, floating deck maintenance, electrical issues, cable snaps, belt replacement, etc. I started in that industry at 16, by 22 I was balls deep-hands on everything. I have operated every peice of turf equipment imaginable (wide area, reel, 5 deck, topdresser/tractor, spray rig, etc).
It was also my job to keep those pieces of equipment in their best shape each time I used them. Most people would be surprised at how much headache a simple oil level check each morning can save.
Posted on 1/16/14 at 5:32 pm to Polar Pop
I agree that you should target older folks and single moms/widows to get some stable clients. Do a great job, sweep the sidewalks, etc. Make your price too fair at first, then as you grow, you can increase a bit.
I do agree that getting into a startup lawn care business doesn't cost a ton to get started. I've considered it myself. Good luck.
I do agree that getting into a startup lawn care business doesn't cost a ton to get started. I've considered it myself. Good luck.
Posted on 1/16/14 at 9:28 pm to kywildcatfanone
Have you thought about looking for an established one that is for sale?
Posted on 1/16/14 at 10:05 pm to webman
quote:
Have you thought about looking for an established one that is for sale?
I have thought of that, but there are 2 things that have me steering away...
1. It will be a lot easier for me to throw down 10k on new equipment and go beat the bushes knowing my bills will be paid no matter what. I would rather put up 10 rather than worry about obtaining 20- 30k just to start out.
2. I do not see how the guarantee of business holds after a buyout. If "Chris" has 6k worth of equipment and 50 accounts - selling his business for 20k, how am I guaranteed that those clients are going to stay unless they are legally bound? I would hate to pay 20k for 6k worth of equipment...
Posted on 1/16/14 at 11:20 pm to Polar Pop
Come out to Ascension...subdivisions multiply like rabbits (and the house prices still go up).
If you can do gardening and stuff (hedges, pulling weeds) or even some landscaping, that's a nice plus too.
If you can do gardening and stuff (hedges, pulling weeds) or even some landscaping, that's a nice plus too.
Posted on 1/17/14 at 6:02 am to Overbrook
quote:
Come out to Ascension...subdivisions multiply like rabbits (and the house prices still go up). If you can do gardening and stuff (hedges, pulling weeds) or even some landscaping, that's a nice plus too.
I am actually in NWLA (Shreveport), but we have the same thing going on. New construction homes and businesses are popping up daily.
Posted on 1/17/14 at 7:57 am to jimbeam
quote:
that's really not that much
You are right, it isn't. Let me add that this was 15 years ago. It was just the two of us. This guy had nothing but a high school education, horrible work ethic and a pretty strong cocaine addiction. I would say that for him, grossing 120K at that time was pretty impressive.
Posted on 1/17/14 at 8:02 am to Polar Pop
quote:
NWLA (Shreveport),
Ditto on the landscaping end of it over there. With your golf course/turf background, you should be able to specialize and tap into bigger profits with landscaping and maybe sod installs and use your lawn service as the main revenue stream. Also, look into mosquito repellent systems. Those are big in Monroe. Make a deal with a tree service to take any of their oaks they cut down. Firewood in the fall can offset a slowdown when the grass quits growing.
Posted on 1/17/14 at 8:57 am to MWP
quote:
Also, look into mosquito repellent systems
Good idea, thank you. My FIL is good friends with a guy here that has his own business installing "mist" repellent systems....he is not starving AT ALL.
Laying sod is something I would like to branch into also. I used to do some contract work with my superintendent for a local developer. We would prep the yards with river sand and a tractor/boxblade for sod installation along with keeping the vacant lots mowed. (This was done using the developers equipment and we were on his payroll, so we really didnt have our own "business")
We would also maintain his developments irrigation systems (setting boxes, programs, light repairs and extra head installation on the flex hose branches).
Posted on 1/18/14 at 8:55 am to Polar Pop
quote:
For $10k I can start up very comfortably.
No you can't. Do you have a trailer and a truck to pull it? A good mower will run you $7500 add in weed eaters, blowers, and edgers and you have eat up 10K. Depends on the contracts you get when you start up you may need money for payroll.
It's a pretty easy business to get into. My buddy retired form Shell last spring and not even trying he had more yards than he wanted by the end of the summer.
Posted on 1/18/14 at 5:28 pm to offshoretrash
Buy a used walk behind if you'll be doing residential yards IMO
To start at least
To start at least
Posted on 1/18/14 at 6:07 pm to Polar Pop
quote:
I understand that the lawn care market is extremely saturated, along with a large turnover and multiple failures.
It is, I can count probably a dozen that pass through my neighborhood a day. You have to differentiate yourself from the rest, do it better or cheaper than I can find with someone that's been in business for 10+ years
Posted on 1/18/14 at 8:55 pm to yellowfin
quote:
You have to differentiate yourself from the rest, do it better or cheaper than I can find with someone that's been in business for 10+ years
There is just so good and so cheap you can get your yard cut with....I only looked for two things when I hired my guy 6 or so years ago.
1.) a referral from a friend
2.) made sure I was hiring a person I didn't mind chatting with and trusted to have around my house when my wife and kids were home by themselves.
I didn't want anyone with a 'crew' of shitheads coming in my backyard and having access to my shite.
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