Monday's Project

[picframer]

I will take more images tomorrow, batteries died. Below we have started thinning, chipping and cutting up dead trees, we have 13 acres to do, a bit short staff for this project, it's a six person job but I only had two employees available for this site today, in one image you can see they finished thinning one area, we will add the chips from wood we chipped as ground cover. It should be the last image, this morning you could not even begin to walk into this area. Next is the scariest thing I have ever attempted, build a 6' wide path down over the lawn to the ocean, it's a 96 foot straight drop and with erosion over the years, nothing is stable, it is so much easier to dig up a hill, I am digging down, one slight mistake and it would be very bad news. Next is an area where we are using another excavator and chains to pull trees up over the bank. Image 4 is where the flagstone firepit is going. It went very well today, pleased with the progress as is the client, we are going to be here for months, once I get down to the ocean level, I start a rock retaining wall, probably 9 weeks to complete it, I will work at it some but I have two employees that are very good at it also.

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Andy
Halifax, Nova Scotia

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

These jobs seem to get bigger and bigger! Do you find that is because you are more comfortable taking on bigger jobs or is it because people talk about the work you have done and they think bigger afterwards? I wouldn't even imagine the idea of creating a road like that!

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[picframer]

Originally Posted by Steve

These jobs seem to get bigger and bigger!

Do you find that is because you are more comfortable taking on bigger jobs or is it because people talk about the work you have done and they think bigger afterwards? I wouldn't even imagine the idea of creating a road like that!

I think in part it's me, money isn't everything but we make a lot more when I don't have to move equipment. Every customer this year that we have done any landscaping/excavation/wood chipping has added more work, this client met with me today and added at least two more months of work there is no way we will finish this year but they are shocked at what we can do and the progress, as is the neighbour who has been over three times and wants similar work done at his place. These homes are 2 million +++, money doesn't seem to mean a lot to these people, my accounting system sends an invoice every evening for the days work, every morning they greet me with a cheque, I never even suggested this but this is the kind of people I want to work for.

[Byron3243]

Looks like you could use some bigger machines. We have a cat 305 mini excavator and is very strong to be a 10000 lb machine. We have excavators up to 70000 lbs and that mini excavator is awsome.

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Byron3243

Looks like you could use some bigger machines. We have a cat 305 mini excavator and is very strong to be a 10000 lb machine. We have excavators up to 70000 lbs and that mini excavator is awsome.

The CAT 305 is around the size of our larger mini excavator which is close to 13,000 pounds. Bigger machines would not be able to do this job, the client spent fifty grand with us last year landscaping, the 27D is ideal as I can drive across the lawn and the depressions are gone the next day and it will lift or move anything that I will have to. A heavier excavator would probably end up lying on the beach, this side hill is not stable at all, it will be when I am done but most would shy away from this, you need nerves of steel.

Our business has taken off because of the size of machines we use, if I ever need anything big I have access to a Deere 650D which is 140,000 Pounds, I have used it a few times but mainly on sites where he was short handed and needed an operator, it's rare that I am able to do this but if it's an interesting job I will consider it.

[Steve]

I don't know if this is possible or not, but at a certain point would it pay to only take on certain sized jobs? Or do you always need the smaller ones as a feeder to bring you larger clients later?

[B-2 Lawncare]

Originally Posted by picframer

The CAT 305 is around the size of our larger mini excavator which is close to 13,000 pounds. Bigger machines would not be able to do this job, the client spent fifty grand with us last year landscaping, the 27D is ideal as I can drive across the lawn and the depressions are gone the next day and it will lift or move anything that I will have to. A heavier excavator would probably end up lying on the beach, this side hill is not stable at all, it will be when I am done but most would shy away from this, you need nerves of steel.

Our business has taken off because of the size of machines we use, if I ever need anything big I have access to a Deere 650D which is 140,000 Pounds, I have used it a few times but mainly on sites where he was short handed and needed an operator, it's rare that I am able to do this but if it's an interesting job I will consider it.

Hay there i am the same boat. I have small equipment and have taken advantage niche market. But i have picked up some larger clients. The kind of work that i am after is the year round stuff. They have larger parking lots, i am looking at buy or leasing a tractor for this winters snow removal. I have a big peace of the lawn care pie here, but i want the hole pie. How did you know when to take that next big risk? buying bigger equipment hiring people?

[picframer]

Originally Posted by B-2 Lawncare

Hay there i am the same boat. I have small equipment and have taken advantage niche market. But i have picked up some larger clients. The kind of work that i am after is the year round stuff. They have larger parking lots, i am looking at buy or leasing a tractor for this winters snow removal. I have a big peace of the lawn care pie here, but i want the hole pie. How did you know when to take that next big risk? buying bigger equipment hiring people?

Pretty hard to find year around projects in the excavation and landscaping market, I go at it by exceeding the customers expectations and the referrals just pile in.

As for buying a tractor or any piece of equipment, I know what we have in projects and what we need, I manage the company debt and if a project will pay for 75% of the capital cost or projects within six months because I am trying something new, I buy it.