[dan deutekom]

I think when it comes to those type of questions the answers are strictly on a "need to know" basis.

A guy that sells and prices work for you has to know specific information to price the job, most employees do not. And even the sales guy dosn't need to know your costs; just the price you want to get for a job.

If a employee wants to know how much you would charge for a certain job I might give a "ballpark" figure but that is the same information you would give to a potential client thinking about having you do the job for them.

[VoodooChile]

Good points Stone,
But still, I don't like to lie. Once he had my guard up, no real information was given, certainly not my labor rate!

Now that you've signed my permisson slip, I'll let the whoppers flow, and you can answer for me on judgment day!

[Stonehenge]

I'm going someplace warm on That Day anyway, so piling on won't do me any harm.

[Dale Wiley]

I personally think that guys with a full time job with benny's who mow 10 or 15 lawns on the side have a great concept and I often envy them...

So skipping liability insurances, licensing when required for spray, and other process's, not having reality pricing, using labor with no workmens comp is a great concept???? Roll the dice ??

These are exactly the guys I will hammer. I don't really want the low priced burnt up goat ranch's they take care of, but I just want a level playing field and skipping all the above is not level.

If those parameters were really a good business concept, then we all would be doing them..??

The service and contracting business is rife with these types..cheat as much as you can, get in , get out, don't pay the taxes, don't pay the workmens comp, the hell with the insurances.

As long as those of us who choose to operate "conventional" business that comply with all laws and requirements, and if we do not also exersize our legal rights to stop those types, and allow them to continue to operate in and prostitue our markets, then we deserve what ever we get in return for just bitching about it and not doing any thing that is avaliable to us.

[Bill Schwab]

Dale:

You are right on man! The same would apply to those who promise how a job will be done, cutting pricing by hundreds of dollars, and then not doing the parts no one can see, such as base under pavers, french drains behind walls, schedule 40 pipe (many use PSI 200 or 1/25th,) etc etc etc.

When we started we actually lost some money because our liability insurance cost more than we were mowing. WE had to get accounts to overcome that, which, we did.

One would also ask themselves if a company of the type we are discussing here is so quick to work without insurance, licenses, and alike, what would make them think corners would not be cut when they use that company? I'll say it again as I have before. If you hire a company and the companies owner does not think enough of themself to charge what they are worth to do the job correctly, what makes you think that the company won't sell your job short?

Time for a little acid in the diesel stack if you will!

[justgardens]

I agree the gloves are off when a former employee or anyone else for that matter tries to muscle in on your block. No insurance or Workman's Comp....a quick phone call to the right people and they are out of business, if Uncle Sam ( That check kills me every April 15th!) doesn't get to them first. Every business deserves the same playing field. We all have had to pay the piper. So should any competeing business should also. I would be the first to call!

[GLAN]

I had a couple kids that went on their own. One actualy did quite well but the business end of operations did not suit him well......He went into the police force and now fire department.....Still does 30 or so lawns.


Another just crashed and burned


And I have a couple friends in the business.


I have helped all of them.........lending equipment.....even lending them a laborer. Giving advice, what ever they needed.

Have to keep friends in this business. That way you won't always have to look over your shoulder.