The Next step.. Expanding help!

[CHEESE2009]

when is a good time to start going out for clients for landscaping? The reason I can assume most companies fail, is because they stop advertising. You should never EVER stop. In all seriousness, you should hit advertising strong before and during the spring. do i need any other mowers or can i complete around 30 lawns weekly with the equipment i have if not what would you recomend for equipment? One lawn mower may be enough, but it's always good to have a spare. Depending on the abuse and what your equipment goes through on a daily basis will determine the true answer. One lawn mower WILL break down (I promise), having a backup/spare to use while your broken mower is being repaired is crucial to staying in business. There are even those dreadful times when even your spare mower gets broken, but this is usually only common with me because karma thinks I enjoy suffering.. In short, be prepared for the worst, because it does happen. It's not that rare either. I can go a season with maybe 3 major repairs, or I can go a season with 6 major repairs for only just one piece of equipment. On my last day of the season, I bent my tractor blades (maybe even drive shaft), tore the pull cord of one trimmer off, popped the primer on the other trimmer, and ran over a brick with one of my walk behinds. LOL, great final day! do any of you reach out to your clients montly via email? maybe sending out a news blast when your accepting new clients, saying clean ups are coming or try selling them new products to fertilize etc. Personally, I don't think our audience (not mine anyway) is familiar with using email. I could be wrong. It seems as those over 50 years of age have no interest in using email, and most of my clients are of that age or older. The choice is yours, and I suggest that you do whatever it takes. It's worth a shot. so it seems with two guys working in a crew for a little above min. wage i could manage 30 accounts? two (2) people should be able to manage 20 lawns per day (comfortably)starting their first lawn at 8:00AM and finishing their last lawn at 2:30PM including drive time. One person on the mower while the other trims (take turns if you want). Whoever is finished their task first will have to grab the blower to clean up, simple. It really isn't that hard once you understand your tasks and become familiar with the lawns. It's such a shame that employees only realize how easy it is after the first few months. It's repetition that makes us hate it, nothing else! I hope I have been helpful, I'm glad to see you around!

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Last edited by CHEESE2009; 01-11-2012 at 06:50 AM.

[Andrew's Landscaping]

Lawn care business tips

i really appreciate all the help throughout the next few months i will start researching lawn care buying books etc. i will learn what i can and then i will be getting t-shirts made for my company to look more ledgit i will be getting completly insured workers comp the WORKS and i will also be looking for another mower possibly a WALKER something decent and not to expensive i will start advertising ASAP because now it looks like doing a min. of 50 lawns is really nothing to do with a crew of 2 guys and the equipment i have so i will be still aiming for atleast 30 lawns but i will see what i can get for clients first i hope to get them as close as possible to save time now i have another question with the bank my company name is Andrew's Landscaping should i consider changing the name? maybe something more mature my last name CALORE LANDSCAPING OR C&A LANDSCAPING any ideas? much appreciated

[Chaz]

Originally Posted by Andrew's Landscaping

i really appreciate all the help throughout the next few months i will start researching lawn care buying books etc. i will learn what i can and then i will be getting t-shirts made for my company to look more ledgit i will be getting completly insured workers comp the WORKS and i will also be looking for another mower possibly a WALKER something decent and not to expensive i will start advertising ASAP because now it looks like doing a min. of 50 lawns is really nothing to do with a crew of 2 guys and the equipment i have so i will be still aiming for atleast 30 lawns but i will see what i can get for clients first i hope to get them as close as possible to save time now i have another question with the bank my company name is Andrew's Landscaping should i consider changing the name? maybe something more mature my last name CALORE LANDSCAPING OR C&A LANDSCAPING any ideas? much appreciated

I really recommend steve's lawn care business books. They have tons of ideas on how to get new customers, and what advantages certain ways offer.

Workers comp is more than general liability, I priced it the other day and kind of blew me away, minimum $750 for me.

Well, if your current clients know your company as Andrew's landscaping and you felt you have built somewhat of a brand (to anyone you think may have seen you), I wouldn't change it. Otherwise, its up to you. Sometimes people like the peronalness.

[dpld]

Originally Posted by Andrew's Landscaping

alright i will look into the mailbox laws, but that's one thing i have not done gone back to the same area i will have to try that when is a good time to start going out for clients for landscaping? do i need any other mowers or can i complete around 30 lawns weekly with the equipment i have if not what would you recomend for equipment? do any of you reach out to your clients montly via email? maybe sending out a news blast when your accepting new clients, saying clean ups are coming or try selling them new products to fertilize etc. so it seems with two guys working in a crew for a little above min. wage i could manage 30 accounts?

i agree with the others, you do not need 3 15.00 per hour workers for what you have.

plus as far as costs, what about insurance and taxes? what about if your worker gets hurt? your general liability will not cover that.

will your workers be paid cash or on the books? if cash then they are inelgible to be insured.
and if you decide to pay them on the books you will need workers comp because in my state if you start sending in payroll tax to the state they automatically check for workers comp.

if you were to do it as you plan with 3 guys at that rate and you are legal and want to make a profit with also taking into taxes, insurance, fuel and equipment you would need to be pulling between 85.00 to 95.00 hour.
unless your properties are big and paying good money i don't think you will hitting that mark if it is taking you 30 minutes to cut a lawn.

if you have people working for you don't ever under estimate the value and importance of paying your employee's on the books and having the proper insurances.
there are many things to go wrong for a guy to get hurt, like a stone from the string trimmer in the eye or rolling a ankle in a divet in the lawn.
i even heard of a guy that was using a walk behind on a hill and he was facing down and was trying to pull the machine back and he lost his footing and one of his feet went under the machine and mangled his foot.

i know it is tough starting out and sometimes we need to take some chances. but those are the chances you take when you are working by yourself and as soon as you got guys working for you the game changes. if you don't protect yourself the tough times you go through now will seem like a walk in the park compared to the trouble you will have if something were to happen.

and it always does.

[Steve]

i have another question with the bank my company name is Andrew's Landscaping should i consider changing the name? maybe something more mature my last name CALORE LANDSCAPING OR C&A LANDSCAPING any ideas?

I think your current name is fine. It's personable.

[Andrew's Landscaping]

Thank you steve could you recomend me some of yours books to help me? and i have no evidence of it taking me that long i had just figured 30 minutes a lawn but realistically a crew with 2 guys should be doing a lawn in 15-25 minutes? and if that i will be looking into different insurance policies and companies, i now have an accountant that will be helping me set up my landscaping company, only 2 guys in a crew paying both most likely 12-15 dollars an hour with workers comp all insurance and everything with expenses what am i looking at for costly running hours? i know i need to do this all myself but could someone give me just a round number an idea and another round number or idea of what i should be making an hour to cover that and make 30 bucks an hour plus? i appreciate all of the help

[Steve]

I'd put a list together of all your expenses and then from there you can break it down depending on how many hours you will be working during the year. From there you can get a rough estimate of your hourly expenses.

[Andrew's Landscaping]

Thank you steve can you do two things for me one where can i get insurance for my company? two what books would you reccomend for me?

[Steve]

Here is a link to a previous discussion on lawn care business insurance.

See if that helps.

Also as far as lawn care business books go, check out that link and I'd suggest start reading on titles that interest you most.