skennard
10-25-2009, 12:12 PM
I have only recently joined the forums and have been reading with interest and on another post I mention I am from England.
From the little I know about the states everything is a lot bigger than here in England this includes houses, gardens and just about everything else and there seems to be a huge living to be made out of lawn care and garden maintenance as you cut the grass, carry out seasonal treatments etc.
The lawn season is drawing to a close this time of year where I am but I want to plan for next year and was looking for some advice and guidance.
This year has been my 1st year in the Garden Maintenance business and I have gained some regular customers doing grass cutting but it is just that, cutting the grass. I suggest things like lawn weed and feed or top dressing, scarifying etc and have got very little interest as they think cutting the grass is all there is to it and they believe they are paying enough already.
I see that a lot of people on the forum offer packages throughout the year which cover the lawn cutting and the treatments. I'd like some advice as to how I would go about replicating this in the UK considering peoples gardens are quite often smaller than in the states and also how I go about raising awareness as to the importnace of a combined lawn care and treatment program that seems to be so popular in the US.
Is it just a question of customer education and awareness or do I need a whole different approach to this kind of business in the UK?
I get a lot one off work like hedge-cutting, garden clearances or tidy-ups but I don't seem to be that great in up-selling at the moment, but I guess it comes with practice and experience.
I've invested quite a bit of money in the getting the business started like getting a VW van, Hayter mower, combi Stihl Strimmer and attachments, Karcher pressure washer and other tools of the trade, also the insurance, diesel, tipping licenses etc.
I've also got to get it all serviced soon and I've worked out my break even cost from my projections are about £9.97 an hour and I base my charges on £15.00 an hour at the moment! in fact my projections were based on a minimum of £100 day 5 days a weeks 7 hours a day at lest but it is very rare to get my diary even to this level yet.
This being my 1st year I seem to be spending money as fast as it comes in and just as well my wife is earning decent salary that takes the pressure off a bit at the mo.
I'm looking forward to next year but would appreciate any tips or advice I could apply to running the business in the UK. After all you can't beat seeing how good a job you've done from arriving and leaving a customer site, makes the whole thing worthwhile, but at the end of the day it's go to pay the bills.
From the little I know about the states everything is a lot bigger than here in England this includes houses, gardens and just about everything else and there seems to be a huge living to be made out of lawn care and garden maintenance as you cut the grass, carry out seasonal treatments etc.
The lawn season is drawing to a close this time of year where I am but I want to plan for next year and was looking for some advice and guidance.
This year has been my 1st year in the Garden Maintenance business and I have gained some regular customers doing grass cutting but it is just that, cutting the grass. I suggest things like lawn weed and feed or top dressing, scarifying etc and have got very little interest as they think cutting the grass is all there is to it and they believe they are paying enough already.
I see that a lot of people on the forum offer packages throughout the year which cover the lawn cutting and the treatments. I'd like some advice as to how I would go about replicating this in the UK considering peoples gardens are quite often smaller than in the states and also how I go about raising awareness as to the importnace of a combined lawn care and treatment program that seems to be so popular in the US.
Is it just a question of customer education and awareness or do I need a whole different approach to this kind of business in the UK?
I get a lot one off work like hedge-cutting, garden clearances or tidy-ups but I don't seem to be that great in up-selling at the moment, but I guess it comes with practice and experience.
I've invested quite a bit of money in the getting the business started like getting a VW van, Hayter mower, combi Stihl Strimmer and attachments, Karcher pressure washer and other tools of the trade, also the insurance, diesel, tipping licenses etc.
I've also got to get it all serviced soon and I've worked out my break even cost from my projections are about £9.97 an hour and I base my charges on £15.00 an hour at the moment! in fact my projections were based on a minimum of £100 day 5 days a weeks 7 hours a day at lest but it is very rare to get my diary even to this level yet.
This being my 1st year I seem to be spending money as fast as it comes in and just as well my wife is earning decent salary that takes the pressure off a bit at the mo.
I'm looking forward to next year but would appreciate any tips or advice I could apply to running the business in the UK. After all you can't beat seeing how good a job you've done from arriving and leaving a customer site, makes the whole thing worthwhile, but at the end of the day it's go to pay the bills.