Pissed off about local lawn aeration pricing in SALT LAKE CITY, Utah

[Shaunsaltlakecityutah]

Hey everyone! I started my company in 2008. Started with sprinkler service the first few years. Now the last 2 years I started a lawn service side to it also, for the slow season in sprinkler service. Spring of 2011 I bought my first aerator. Really didnt now how to price it so I asked around. Everyone was charging anywhere from 25 to 45 a yard. I thought that was low but didnt no any better. I just ran into this site over the winter and I love it. found some other people on here that shared there pricing in there area out of my state and there prices ARE SO MUCH BETTER! I got an idea of what we should be charging. $12 per 1000 sq ft. And from what I can tell thats on the low end. But still that hella better then what everyone in salt lake city is charging! I called around to some of my competitors and all of them are telling me they dont charge more then $45 a yard. Most yard are $25 to $30! How the hell do you pay for gas? The time it takes to do a yard, there giving away the service! Plus your killing your body for NOTHING!!!! 1 company told me they do 1/3 acre lot for $35!!! If this is really how they charge, im going to sell the aerator and figure something else out! I hope people from salt lake city read this!!! My spelling suck I know, but I just want to vent and get this off my chest! Please leave comments! I want to hear what you have to say to this. Thanks.

[SECTLANDSCAPING]

Lawn care business tips

This is what happens in this industry when people keep lowering their price to get more jobs. Eventually everyone goes broke. Its like a pricing war with department stores. They lower the price knowing if you compete, your going to go out of business. My suggestion is to package the service in a yearly contract. I figure part of the reason the others are charging so less is to upsell other services. So do it that way and it wont seem like your doing it so cheap. The other thing is are you sure there using real machines? And not some el cheapo tow behind unit? If thats the case you just have to sell them on your machine and service.

__________________
South Eastern Connecticut Landscaping /Lawn Care /Pressure Washing /Snow Removal /Gutter Cleaning
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Case 1816 Skid

[Shaunsaltlakecityutah]

Thanks for replying. Im going to try to sell it the best I can this spring and see what comes of it.

[jonathan thomas]

I lost about 3 bids today!!! They where smaller sized yards and they wanted the basics. They where within my route and they wanted yearly service which would be 42 visits a year. I gave them est. Of 100 to 110 a month. They all about fell over. They said so and so up the street said 60 a month.
My first question was are they insured? Licensed? Bonded? And they said NO
and I tried to explain to them that this was for there protection.I Had a folder with all the paper work in had to show them I was. Then I asked how many visits a year are they going to receive and again they said they did not no.
Well long story short they all said they would call me back tomorrow (ya right)
This is killing are industry.
as I was leaving (wife and 2 year old son in the truck) I turned around and asked the last guy(wearing a business suit) if you where to hire a electrition, plumber etc. They would be appox. 75-100 an hour, and you would want the best possible service right?
And he said of course and then I said what makes your lawn different its the first thing people see when they come over and the last thing they see before they leave.
as I walked away he had the most puzzled face. (My wife called me an ***)
PEOPLE STOP LOW BALLING.

[Shaunsaltlakecityutah]

Right on!!!! I love it! That is a GREAT way to look at it! Thanks!

[Shaunsaltlakecityutah]

People we need to get out of this recession NOT DIG ourselves deeper!!! Like jonathan thomas said, PEOPLE STOP LOW BALLING!

[stevef1201]

When You called you cpmpetitors did you let then know that you were the compitition?

Heres an idea, have your neighbor call for an estimate, from several different companies. You will get a real idea of the rates.

If you charge more and these guys do it for less I see a money maker without the work situation

[CHEESE2009]

Charge whatever it costs to rent an aerator for a day. That's how most companies do it, regardless if they own the aerator or not.

e.g.;

It's about $50 to rent an aerator for 24 hours. So you would charge $50 per client.

[Ducke]

Man here I start at $45.00 for a 2500 sq foot lawn and go up from there.
If they don't want to pay 45 I walk away. I don't want to do it for less.

[hansenslawncare]

In MN we typically charge about 3x's the mowing rate. So if the mowing is $35/cut I'll charge about $100 + for the aeration. That size yard usually takes about 45 minutes max to aerate and that's with a 5.5 hp walk behind aerator. I don't typically measure it out by square footage but I think at 3x's the mowing rate it's a fair price for the customer and myself.

Just my two cents.

Thanks,


Rich