[Will Pacala]

I recently read in a great book that I picked up for reference a great idea. The guy who also wrote the book was looking for some work. He went out and bought a bunch of fill dirt (5-10 yards or so) and put an ad in the classifieds in the newspaper. FILL SITE WANTED. that's all it said. The majority of calls he got were people looking to get some dirt and start a landscape project in their own back-yard. What a smart idea. The people saw his truck and realized that all they had to do is ask him to spread it. Little did they know that they would ask for more and more. That would then turn into a landscape job.

I thought that this was a very smart idea for anyone who needs a little work for extra dough or to get back on track.

This is also great for anyone who is just getting started.

For further reading check out the book. It's called Start Your Own Home Based Landscape Company. It's usually in the business section. I would definitely recommend it.

[Stonehenge]

That was an idea presented in a book?

I don't mean to beat up the idea, but that one sounds a little hokey. Even with 10 yards of dirt - that's what - ninety bucks? Place the ad, it's another $20-50. And then you cross your fingers that when you deliver this 'fill' dirt that the client will want you to spread it?

I dunno, Will. That might something to try if you just have a pickup truck and wheelbarrow, and not much experience to show your client base, but if you have dump trucks and equipment and overhead, you'd never get your money back out of that one.

[Will Pacala]

Yeah thats what he had a pick-up truck and a shovel basically. I think that since this book was meant for people just starting.... You know. Around here you could get fill dirt for free with all the development. Sometimes the builders don't want it so it's free! Just thought that it was a good idea for a little extra cash. Even if they don't ask to spread it the author said that half those home-owners wanted to start some landscaping and if your a landscaper then... Why not!! You never know where the money is sometimes. You don't even have to buy the dirt just save it from another job or site and use it for this.

[Tim]

I liked that! That was a neat story Will. America has definitely been built on such simple principles. I wish things really were that simple, but life in the dirt business however, will take much more than just a dump, or pickup and some ambition.

Generating a large enough profit margin just to stay in business from the delivery rate would be very tough. If an owner/operator average 15 loads per dump, per day(above the average here), you are kickin some butt on deliveries! If you do the math though, that isn't much capital to work with. A very large percentage(about 90% or more) of your customers, are other contractors, or home owners that will spread the dirt themselves.

I used to be a foreman for buddy that had a full time dirt business as well as a concrete company. Pug mills and wheel loaders are definite necessities in this business if you want to make any real living at it. These will take huge amounts of cha ching to get! Even then, the mills are very time consuming, and labor intensive due to weather, maintenance, relocating, and set-up/tear-downs.

Some other pit falls will be finding developers that will even sell you their top soil in a marketable location. Also, estimating and negotiating the cubic yards of material any given plot of land will yield is definitely not for the beginner either! My old boss learned his guesstimating skills from his father who had the business before him for 30 years. He still gets burned estimating once in awhile.

Here's mud in your eye! LOL Tim