[Lawngodfather]

Originally posted by Nebraska
I have always said that if my business evolved into all fertilizer and maintenance minus the mowing I would not loose any sleep.

That's where I am going, for many many reasons.

For what other LCO's are charging now a days, you must adapt to the way the market changes.

For a start up, it can be done very inexpensively.

If you have a truck $5,000 would get you a good mower, and other related tool. Also considering used for a start up is not a bad idea either, you don't like how it is doing, you don't take the initial hit on the mowers, the rest of the stuff, I think most any landscapers have anyways. You would just be short the mower(s).

$2400 for a belt drive 48" WB

$1,000 for 2 trimmers 2 blowers

$1,000 trailer

$500 for other.

1) you are ready have ins
2) you already have a name people trust
3) you already have a data base of potential clients
4) you already have most of the tool.

[Nebraska]

Here is an exerpt from an email from a current customer..... The crew that handles this property can easily fit this into their routine.....this one started out as mowing only....


I would like you to take care of two additional tasks for me each time you
mow;

a) Pull weeds in all flower beds and cracks in the cement of our back pool
deck around
the hot tub.
b) Check lights in back yard, under eaves of house and along front flower
bed and change if needed.
We can keep the bulbs in the garage at an agreed upon place so you can find
them when you come.

I am finding myself swamped with work and just not getting to these items as
needed.
I understand you just charge for your time, let me know your hourly rate and
increments for billing.

Lastly, do I recall correctly that you could also handling trimming of
bushes and adding mulch as needed?
If yes, let me know and I may just have you handle all maintenance

[site]

I would suggest against the maintenance world- unless you have a dedicated trustworthy employee who can take care of it for you. And if he she is too good they will try to steal it from you eventually. I tried maintenance for 3 years thinking exacly along your lines, but it was one big unprofitable hassle. How may complaint phone calls are you willing to field regarding clippings in beds, or long grass after a week of rain? Who will take care of the route when the main guy quits or gets sick? Who will drop everything and drive across town to show the main guy how to put new line in the trimmer for the 15th time? Who will apologize to clients after someone mows over prized petunias? Who will spend 8-10 hours a week billing (or chasing) clients who owe $90? Who will finish out the season when the main guy quits on October 15th? I had to answer all of these questions and a hundred more just like them repeatedly in my three long years of maintenance. I dumped it last year, and boy am I glad.

[mdvaden]

You don't need the money to start a 2 to 3 man crew from scratch. You need the cash to start a ONE man crew.

The maintenance starts with the first job. That's only enough for 1 man for 1/2 hour to 2 hours on part of a single day.

The main outlay is less for the one man than for 3, but maybe not massively different.

1, or 3 man crews will use one truck. And one trailer. That is the same.

But you will not start with 3 mowers, 2 edgers, 2 trimmers, 3 rakes, etc..

Also, 1 man can start with a truck alone, with a mower rack that inserts into the hitch reciever like a shelf, leaving room in the bed for trash cans of clippings.

Initial maintenance will need to start with one person from the construction crew shifting to the single maintenance account, and then the second as it comes in the second week and so on for a few months. Then a maintenance employee can be hired.

One alternative to jump start the process is to buy out a small company that had decent quality accounts already going.

[cutntrim]

Well, if you're interested in yet another opinion then here's mine. I'd say you'll be fine if you start up with ; one guy, one 36" belt-drive WB, one 21" trim mower, one straight shaft trimmer, one backpack blower, and a truck w/drop tailgate and bed racks for equip, or a 6x12' trailer.

Maybe a summer student can act as a "float" guy to help out the maintenance guy on days he needs it. Sounds like you'd have plenty of leads with current/previous landscape install customers and you can advertise inexpensively in local paper to corral some more.

Being a landcape install guy, I'd bet most of your leads would be interested in garden maintenance (i.e. weeding, pruning) at least as much as cutting & trimming, so you need someone who knows an annual from a perennial and is detail-oriented.

I'm sure if you go about it the way you appear to have done so with installs, that you'll do fine.

P.S. Oh, and don't mean to sound chauvanistic, but girls are generally better at garden maintenance (read-WEEDING) than guys. Most guys loathe it and do a half-arsed job while girls seem not to mind and can do a very thorough job. On the other hand, guys are physically stronger and perform much better at cutting and trimming especially with push mowers and belt-drive WB's. Good luck.

[Pelican]

I run a 2 man crew, a truck/trailer loaded with small equipment.

I've got $25-30,000 invested in mowers, small equipment and hand tools. I haven't seen anyone mention leaf cleanups yet, I've got a truck mounted vacuum that cost me about $3500 to build including the box.

I don't make much money at all in this end of the business, there's a lot of competition from illegitimate businesses. It gets my trucks into the neighborhoods though, and I get a lot of work from my rolling billboards.

Finding quality help to run it is the biggest obstacle. I spent too much time this season going out and correcting complaints the my new foreman had generated. Figure on dedicating at least 2 weeks of your time to training before your crew is ready to solo. They'll probably need a "refresher" now and then too.

I've considered dropping that end of the business, but hang on to it for the reasons I mentioned, plus it is steady monthly income.

[cutntrim]

Leaves can be done using a backpack blower, a rake, and a tarp to haul them to the curb or dump them in the pickup. Then cut the lawn with the mower to bag any remaining leaf litter.

[Will Pacala]

Pelican---By rolling billboard do you mean the trailer or do you advertise with an actual billboard??

[Pelican]

Will, I'm referring to the trucks which are kept clean and lettered nicely. They attract a lot of business.

[Will Pacala]

So I've heard. Sorry,,I said that because there is a workout gym that actually has billboards mounted on small trucks and trailers. He just moves them around place to place, they get him alot of business. He started out with one gym now he's got about 20 locations.

[GLAN]

I don't know how many years some of you have been in the industry......I recall a thread about adding the accumulated years of the fourm.

Anyway......

You all maybe interested in this.


Remember Desert Storm? Fall of Communism in Russia? Down sizing of the Military?........way back in the early 90's?

The country plumeted into a deep recession......

Through out the industry, across the country the market for landscaping pretty much came to a screatching halt.

Install only firms were left high and dry.....those that could wait it out and continue with the severly reduced work load survived. Those that were not situated to ride it out closed up shop. Hundreds across the country closed up.

Well what is one to do in that situation? Many gave it up and found work else where or started other businesses. Some saw the maintenance field as a way of staying in and maintaining the customer contact base....So that is what they did......They went into maintenance and continued their installations of hard / soft scapes.

Ever since then I have read many times over the years in trade magazines that design install companies more and more are seeing the value of being in the maintenance end of the business. 5, 10, 20+ million $ design install firms identified the necessity and worth in providing maintenance. It made more sence to do that for their install customers.

I operate the same way........I do very little work outside of my established customer base......I market my listing heavily. I do it all for them......For the occasional out call for design/install.....we grab the maintenance........Why would I want an outsider responsible for my installation work?

Now as others have said.......The influx of new start ups is trememdous and competing with the Gypsy can be frustrating.....you are over looking one thing. Your name, your reputation. The name recoginition and reputation that you have already established...............That alone reduces the affect the fly by night will have on your efforts.

I am not competing with the new start up......They are competing with me........that is why they have to under charge me. And the same will be for you.... I am not worried about.............Potential customer tells me they have a guy less than me.........OK fine......I am not competing with them so my price is what it is take it or leave it.......only reason they called me is cause of Name recognition and reputation.


I wrote this not to necessarily have you all jump on the band wagon and do maintenance.....I want that for myself Just consider the potential

[Green4Me]

Excellent article for reference in Pro Magazine Set/Oct 2003, about Tim Snyder, Diamond Cut Landscaping in New York. This looks like a first class operation to study.

[NC Lawnscapes]

Glan you are 100% right

Now waht about us who Do mostly Maintenace and sub out BIG installs

[GLAN]

Originally posted by NC Lawnscapes
Glan you are 100% right

Now waht about us who Do mostly Maintenace and sub out BIG installs

That would be pretty nasty if the installer went behind your back and solicited your customer for maintenance.....after all where did the job come from? and who made the customer feel comfortable using the installer?

[GLAN]

To expand on my other post.

In the trade magazines........They often run an article on some outfit. Pending the type of magazine they feature Install firms or Maintenance firms......Doesn't matter.

When they do an article on install firms........how often do you see in the break down of the company that they list maintenance and that % usualy seems to run 10 - 20%.

I have been seeing more and more