Start A Lawn Care Business

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Archive for September, 2011

Lawn Care Estimates – Get Your Pricing Right

Sep 30

Posted by Lawn Care Business in estimating, how much to charge, lawn care business | No Comments

Mowing Grass for Minimum Wage - Make More Money

Mowing Grass for Minimum Wage? Make More Money.

Do you own a lawn care business? Are you undercharging for your lawn care services?

I am continually surprised at the number of new business owners who start doing lawn care and have absolutely no idea how much money to charge for the services they provide. Pricing is a tricky subject and if you are operating a lawn care business without a proper understanding of the estimating process, you are likely going to lose thousands of dollars. We received a comment recently in response to one of our free videos that we have on YouTube.

The commentor wrote:

I get paid $25 for a house with a huge hill that takes me 2 hours to mow. It takes me 30 minutes to get there and I have to mow around a bunch of stuff and trim alot and use my own gas.

I must point out that I do not know anything about this person’s business or why he is charging this price. However, on the surface, it seems to me that he is VASTLY undercharging for his lawn care services. According to his comment he is working for 2 hours and driving for 1 hour round trip. Additionally, he is providing his own gasoline and, I assume, using his own lawn mowing equipment. For his time, he is only getting paid $8.33 per hour. Subtract his gasoline and equipment expense and he is probably making less than minimum wage for this lawn care job.

YIKES!!!!

If you own a lawn care business you MUST get your pricing right. There is very little point in setting prices so low that you are working for close to minimum wage when, with a quick lesson in proper price estimation, you can learn how to make great money in your lawn care business.

Our lawn care business program is dedicated to teaching you proper strategies in lawn care estimation. If you are tired of mowing grass for less money than you should, visit our main website and consider purchasing our lawn care business strategy guidebook and estimating sofware.





Visit the link below:

Lawn Care Estimating Software
http://www.StartALawnCareBusiness.com

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Lawn Mower Maintenance – Grease is the Word

Sep 27

Posted by Lawn Care Business in commercial lawn mowers, lawn equipment, lawn mowers, maintenance | No Comments

Changes of seasons are great times to pay extra attention to your lawn mower maintenance schedule.

After a long, dry, dusty summer the first few weekends of autumn are great times to check all your grease fittings.  Proper bearing lubrication is very important to the longevity of your lawn mower.  I try to keep a weekly check on grease nibs but I have to admit that I often let them go neglected longer than I should.  So, if you are like me and have forgotten to check your grease fittings in a few weeks, take some extra time this weekend to make proper refills where necessary.

In addition to making rudimentary checks, if you are truly inspired (and have a few extra hours) to do proper maintenance on your lawn care equipment, consider pulling your bearings and  repacking or replacing them.  You will greatly increase the life of your lawn mower and you will have confidence in your bearings once spring rolls around again.

For more tips on how to keep your lawn mower running longer as well as a lawn care equipment buyer’s guidebook (new and used) check our main lawn care website for our lawn care business program:





http://www.StartALawnCareBusiness.com
Start A Lawn Care Business

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Estimating Lawn Care Jobs – Lawn Care Estimating Software

Sep 26

Posted by Lawn Care Business in lawn care estimating, lawn care estimating software | No Comments

Lawn Care Estimating Software

Lawn Care Estimating Software

If you own a lawn care company, you probably know of the difficulty in properly estimating lawn care jobs for your customers.

We get to speak with hundreds of lawn care business owners all over the country (and the world) every year.  The number 1 problem new lawn care business owners discuss with us is the concept of proper pricing.  Mis-estimating lawn care jobs is a very serious mistake.  Underestimating a lawn care job means you leave money on the table.  Overestimating a lawn care job means the customer will find someone else who will do it cheaper.

There are two pervailing schools of thought to lawn care estimating:

Estimating by the size of the lawn care job.

Estimating a lawn care job by size means that a lawn care business owner takes a measurement of the area that needs to be mowed (or raked or landscaped, etc.) and multiplies that size by a predetermined cost per square foot.

Estimating by the time it will take to do the lawn care job.

Estimating by time means that a lawn care business owner estimates the overall time it will take to mow a lawn and then multiply that time by a cost per hour for his lawn care services.

A better method of estimating lawn care jobs.

There are problems with both methods of lawn care estimating.  When estimating strictly by size, you will likely discover that some jobs are more difficult than other jobs.  The layout of the lawn will be intricate, there will be ruts or gullies in the yard that slow you down, or tall grass will require multiple overlaps.  On the other hand, estimating by time can give varying results because of variable operator efficiency, different sizes of lawn mower decks, and inaccurate time estimates.

After being associated with the lawn care industry since 1992, we have developed a lawn care estimating software package that takes into account time, size, and many other variables of your lawn care estimates.  The lawn care estimating software allows for size of lawn, quickness of your lawn mower, size of the mowing deck, operator efficiency, and difficulty of the job to be mowed.  The software also takes into account travel time, weedeating & blowing, and other time consuming tasks in doing any lawn care job.   The calculator even takes local pricing into account.  So whether you are in Alabama or Arizona the lawn care software will help you determine the best prices for all your lawn care customers.

For more information about the complete lawn care business program (including the lawn care estimating software) please take a peek at our main lawn care business website.  The website address is below:

Start A Lawn Care Business
http://www.StartALawnCareBusiness.com

 

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What’s that BUZZZZ I feel? Is lawn care about to experience a resurgence?

Sep 23

Posted by Lawn Care Business in foreclosures lawn care, start a lawn care business, unemployment | No Comments

Make Money Mowing Foreclosure Lawns

Make Money Mowing Foreclosure Lawns

The stock market is down.

Unemployment is lumbering over 9%.

And, the housing market is STILL in the doldrums.

Though it seems like every newspaper headline I read and every TV station I turn on are full of talking heads telling me how the U.S. economy is in the toilet and how the U.S. dollar is going to be worthless and how we all have no hope and we should just curl up into a ball and wait for the end of the world, why am I feeling a BUZZZZ about the current state of the economy and how it is set to affect the lawn care industry in coming months.

I try to keep up with the housing market, the foreclosure market, and the unemployment outlook and how they relate to the lawn care industry.  I have to tell you honestly that I am feeling a genuine shift in the “feel” that is out there.  I believe our economy is about to turn the corner to the upside.

So, what does this mean for people who own their own lawn care companies?  Well, I believe it means that homes are going to start selling again, more people are going back to work, and people’s general willingness to spend money on things (such as lawn care) is improving.   As houses start selling again, foreclosure yard cleanup will become a tremendous source of customers for lawn care businesses that successfully target  the foreclosure market.  Real estate agents, mortgage bankers, and individuals who are attempting to sell their backlog of properties clamor to get their properties cleaned up and made presentable.  Likewise, people who go back to work and work longer hours don’t have time to mow their own grass and they have the money in their pockets to pay for lawn care.

So, is this “feel” I have accurate?  Only time will tell.  But, I will say that if you are thinking about starting your own lawn care business, the best advice often is to ignore what all the doom and gloomers on TV have to say and follow your dream.   Keep your eyes on your goal, stay smart, and work hard.

I am a believer that RIGHT NOW is a great time to start a lawn care business.  If you need help in learning how to start your business, which equipment to buy, and how much money to charge your customers, my company has developed a professionally produced training guide and software program that will teach you practically everything you need to know about starting and operating a successful lawn care business.

For more information, visit our main website:

Start A Lawn Care Business
http://www.StartALawnCareBusiness.com

 

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Lawn Care Equipment Security Camera

Sep 21

Posted by Lawn Care Business in equipment, lawn care innovation, lawn care videos, lawn equipment | No Comments

Are you worried about someone stealing equipment from the back of your lawn care pickup truck or trailer?

A motion detection camera might help deter would-be theives.  And if someone is stupid enough to steal your stuff, your camera can provide you with photographic evidence.  The Canon (CHDK) script turns your Canon point-n-shoot camera into a motion detection security camrea.  Stick it in the back of your pickup truck to catch people trying to steal your lawn equipment while you are servicing your customers.

http://www.CHDKCameras.com
http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK

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The Last Few Lawn Mowing Cycles Of The Year

Sep 19

Posted by Lawn Care Business in lawn business strategies, winter | No Comments

Lawn Mowing End of Season

Lawn Mowing End of Season Mowing Cycles

The first half of September has passed us by and we are now into the last days of summer.  September 23, 2011 marks the official end of summer and the beginning of Fall.

For much of the country, there are still a few more mowing cycles to perform for your customers.  Of course, our friends in Florida will be mowing and mowing long after our friends in Minnesota (and our readers in Canada) are covered in snow.  Still, if you want to make money in lawn care (no matter where you are located in the country) you still have a few months to get rolling with your own lawn care business.

For the rest of you in the more temperate sections of the country, make the most of these last few mowing cycles.  Take extra time to mow well and trim to perfection.  Your customers will truly remember & appreciate your extra attention to their lawns right now.  They will be more likely to call you back in the springtime if you leave them with great looking lawns as the mowing season winds down.

Of course, if you want to run your business year-round and make money all 12 months, we have included a GREAT “guide to running your business through the winter months” in our lawn care business training guidebook.  You will be surprised how easy it is to sell customers add-on services through the colder months.  Providing lawn care and non-lawn care services during the winter months is very important.  Not only does it allow you to make additional money during the slower months but it also means you will keep your customers active and they will be raring to go once springtime rolls around again.

For more information about our business package, check out our main website.  The Lawn Care Business Training Package is on sale right now through the website:

http://www.StartALawnCareBusiness.com
Start A Lawn Care Business

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Filling lawn mower gas tanks.

Sep 14

Posted by Lawn Care Business in commercial lawn mowers, environment | No Comments

The USEPA estimates that as much as 17,000,000 gallons of gasoline as spilled each year during refueling of gasoline powered lawn mowers.   17 Million Gallons?  Can you believe that?

I believe that we, as lawn care professionals can use this number to our benefit.  I believe that most of these spills are caused by those annoyingly tiny gas tanks on residential push behind lawn mowers.  Surely lawn care professionals do not spill as much gas as the common homeowners.  Our tanks are bigger, our fill holes are larger, our refilling tanks have retractable spouts that give us better aim, and gasoline is the life blood of our comanies.

Next time a potential client tells you that he is just going to mow the yard himself, remind him about the frustration he will face by the simple act of refilling his lawn mower each week.  If you’re ever asked about your dedication to the environment, remind the questioner that home owners spill millions and millions of gasoline refilling their lawn mowers and you, as a lawn care professional, take care to refill your tanks properly to avoid spilling even 1 single ounce of lawn mower gasoline.

For more tips on how to run a successful, profitable, and environmentally responsible lawn care company, visit our main website and consider purchasing our Lawn Care Business Package.  We have it on sale this month.

http://www.StartALawnCareBusiness.com
Start A Lawn Care Business

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Employed? Better have a B plan….and a C plan.

Sep 13

Posted by Lawn Care Business in start a lawn care business | No Comments

Are you currently employed in a good job making lots of money?  Do you have a “secure” executive position with your company?  Have you acheived  professional licensure and think you never have to worry about losing your job?

Bank Of America’s announcement that 40,000 of their employees will be losing their jobs in the coming years should make us all aware that we are all vulnerable to the ebbs and flows of our turbulant economy.  No one is safe within Bank Of America.  Tellers will be losing their jobs.  Managers will be losing their jobs.  Upper level executives will be losing their jobs.

Even if you don’t work at Bank Of America you should heed this warning: Nobody’s job is secure, ever.

I have a unique opportunity to speak with many people who are starting lawn care businesses.  Many guys are in highschool and are just wanting to make extra money during the summer and many others have always wanted to own their own businesses and set their own schedules.  However, I have been speaking with many people lately with good jobs who have suddenly been laid off (or fired) and find themselves in the positions of having to make money immediately.   I have even spoken with at least two 6-figure executives this year who were suddenly unemployed and decided to start their own lawn care businesses.

No matter how secure you think you employment is, if the company you work for starts to flounder you may find yourself suddenly unemployed.  It pays for you to have a B plan…and even a C plan if you have any indication, what-so-ever, that you will lose your job.

Happy Labor Day Weekend

Sep 4

Posted by Lawn Care Business in leaf raking | No Comments

Hi Everyone:

Happy Labor Day weekend.

I hope you are able to take an extended break this weekend.  It’s hard to believe it is September already.  Yesterday we had 100 degree temeratures but today is only getting into the mid 80’s.  A bit of rain over the coming days will also help temper the heat and, better yet, give us some grass growth which will last for the next several weeks.

We are approaching a VERY busy lawn care season.  Grass mowing, leaf raking, overseeding, aerating, fertilizing, and other lawn care jobs will keep you very busy in the upcoming months.

So, take this weekend to rest up.

Happy long weekend to you all:

From Keith and all of us at: www.StartALawnCareBusiness.com

 

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