First Landscaping Job

[Totally Green]

Steve, Actually, there was no need to sell to this lady. Let me tell you a story. About a month ago, we quoted a yard which we looked up on Google Earth. The lady wasn't home so I looked at the yard and spoke to her neighbor since he seemed curious. He said she was only there on the weekend. The lady accepted our quote and we took care of the yard the next day. That evening, I called to see if she was happy. She said it didn't look like we had mowed. Well, it didn't take long to figure out that we had serviced the wrong yard. I freaked. I went back to the house and saw the neighbor outside. I explained what had happened and asked him to let her know and to call me if she was upset. Well, she did call a couple of days later. She was ecstatic. She said her yard had never looked so good and even her dog was happy. To make a long story short, she fired her lawn service guy and hired us. Then she told her mother (my landscaping client) who was thrilled with our work and gave us free reign landscaping her home. Plus we kept the lawn of the original lady who called us for a quote. That's how we got our first landscaping job and three new clients.

__________________
Totally Green Lawn Care, LLC
http://www.totallygreenlc.com

[Totally Green]

Lawn care business tips

Originally Posted by StartALawnCareBusiness Brandon: Thanks for pointing that out. I have been taking aboriculture classes the last few weeks. I have really been surprised how little I actually knew about trees. Do you find yourself driving down the road thinking "gee, look at how horribly that tree is being treated"? I do that all the time now. In the Southeast, mulch piled high around a tree base is called Volcano Mulching. Tree roots will grow up and into the mulch in an attempt to find air and water. When the mulch is inevitably washed away, tremendous damage to the feeder roots that have grown into the mulch will occur injuring the tree. Keith Just so you'll know, we did not mulch that high up the tree. The mound was old. Our mulch is actually only an inch or two deep at the tree trunk.

__________________
Totally Green Lawn Care, LLC
http://www.totallygreenlc.com

[StartALawnCareBusiness]

Originally Posted by Totally Green

Just so you'll know, we did not mulch that high up the tree. The mound was old. Our mulch is actually only an inch or two deep at the tree trunk.

Speaking of mulch; have you tried any of the new recycled mulch products? I've always used organic mulch but the selection of recycled products is getting better and better.

I am wondering about long-term viability of recycled mulch. Does it keep it's color? Does it attract slimy mold or other bacterial *****ies? Does it wash away easier than organic mulch?

I'm planning to use some this spring. I guess I'll have my answers in a few months.

Please let me know if you have any experience with it.

Keith
PS: I took a look at your landscaping pictures....very nice job.

[Steve]

Gary,

Another thing I think a lot of new lawn care business owners get stuck on is when they mulch.

What advice do you have for them as far as charging for mulch jobs. Should they add a 25% markup to the mulch and then charge for the amount of man hours to install it?

[Totally Green]

I read a comment on another forum and this landscaper said he charges a flat $50.00 per yard of mulch. That sounded good to me since I usually about $32.00 in bulk and $45.00 if I buy retail. I also charge my normal hourly rate.

Gary

[Steve]

$50.00 per yard of mulch

Ok so $50 per yard of mulch plus X amount of man hours to install it.

Do you have any thoughts on the average amount of time it takes you to remove old mulch and install the new mulch per yard?

[Totally Green]

Originally Posted by Steve

Ok so $50 per yard of mulch plus X amount of man hours to install it.

Do you have any thoughts on the average amount of time it takes you to remove old mulch and install the new mulch per yard?

We can clean a 400 sq ft bed in about 20 minutes if its not too deep. Laying new mulch takes about the same if we can pull up close to the bed.

[Little's]

Originally Posted by StartALawnCareBusiness

Brandon:

Thanks for pointing that out.

I have been taking aboriculture classes the last few weeks. I have really been surprised how little I actually knew about trees.

Do you find yourself driving down the road thinking "gee, look at how horribly that tree is being treated"? I do that all the time now.

In the Southeast, mulch piled high around a tree base is called Volcano Mulching. Tree roots will grow up and into the mulch in an attempt to find air and water. When the mulch is inevitably washed away, tremendous damage to the feeder roots that have grown into the mulch will occur injuring the tree.

Keith

Yes all the time. I actually notice dead and dangerous trees more often. Many times I will stop at the houses and inform them of the danger, or drop them a price to remove it. I can remove trees for $500 that the big companies would charge $1500.
People are so used to thinking that trees cost a fortune to remove, that I will surprise them with the cheaper price, and sometimes they jump on it.

Originally Posted by Totally Green

I read a comment on another forum and this landscaper said he charges a flat $50.00 per yard of mulch. That sounded good to me since I usually about $32.00 in bulk and $45.00 if I buy retail. I also charge my normal hourly rate.

Gary

that was me, ya that is the norm around here.

[Totally Green]

Thanks for all the advice. One thing though. Did my bottom line seem reasonable? Too high? Too Low?