Anyone have experience in Lawn Care / Cutting (as money on the side)

[rust0r]

Hey,

I know there are a few of you here that have your own law care businesses, I've searched and read over a few past threads as well. I am just wondering if anyone can give me some tips or things to be aware of before starting.

Basically I'm a university student during the semester (still work a fair amount), and full time during the summer; I'm looking to earn a little extra pocket money while still being able to enjoy the nice weather.

I'm thinking of tackling 10-20 lawns on a weekly basis, seems to be $20 per lawn is a fair price for some average Joe to do it. Does anyone have any suggestions for pricing/packaging? (Would you do cutting and trimming together, or separate, etc). What about money collection, what have you guys done if you come by to cut the lawn and the owners aren't home, do you go back later for money, get it next time, etc?

Just looking to keep it to myself right now, if after this year it seems like there is enough business then I might look to grow it a bit, but for right now I'm just looking to get my feet wet and try it out myself.

I'm also tossing around an idea for referrals if I feel I can take on extra business, ie: refer someone in the neighborhood and your next cut is free or something to that effect

I'm mainly looking to go a few neighborhoods over from mine and do some door knocking during the day, looking for some older individuals/couples that aren't up to doing the simple cutting/trimming themselves anymore.

Only foreseeable initial costs I will encounter will be a decent mower and weed eater/whipper snipper and gas to operate them, both will fit in my car for transport.

Open to all suggestions, ideas, etc; I am thinking of going around door to door tomorrow and trying it out so any advice is appreciated

 

[s_x_i]

Look for lawns with long grass!

You probably want to charge in the region of $35-40 too... most importantly, BE RELIABLE! I guarantee if you are, you'll get a ton of referral business. I would love to find a reliable lawn guy, too many damn flakes.

Always blow / sweep away the clippings when you're done. Presentation is everything.

 

[lobra97]

Look for lawns with long grass!

You probably want to charge in the region of $35-40 too... most importantly, BE RELIABLE! I guarantee if you are, you'll get a ton of referral business. I would love to find a reliable lawn guy, too many damn flakes.

Always blow / sweep away the clippings when you're done. Presentation is everything.

+1 nothing like haviong a nice lawn w crap all over the edges. my mom paid my bro last time and her left stuff all over. she was like "you gonna clean it up"? he said "no you only paid me to cut it" lol :nonono::lol:

 

[lobra97]

thats a good idea many people around here find it too hot to do thier own stuff.
as far as cost hit up a pawn shop man, just change out the plugs

 

[rust0r]

Look for lawns with long grass!

You probably want to charge in the region of $35-40 too... most importantly, BE RELIABLE! I guarantee if you are, you'll get a ton of referral business. I would love to find a reliable lawn guy, too many damn flakes.

Always blow / sweep away the clippings when you're done. Presentation is everything.

Really? 35-40$ I would be looking at modest homes, 1200sq/ft, nothing huge, simple front and back yards. I have absolutely no idea, that just seems like more than I thought people would pay.

That's also what I'm hoping, being mid 20's and not 15 will give people a little more hope of me showing up lol

 

[lobra97]

Really? 35-40$ I would be looking at modest homes, 1200sq/ft, nothing huge, simple front and back yards. I have absolutely no idea, that just seems like more than I thought people would pay.

That's also what I'm hoping, being mid 20's and not 15 will give people a little more hope of me showing up lol

do some off the wall number like $23 or $46 lol....
i went to a festival and saw some paintings for sale for like $68. who the hell carries $68? three 20's , a five, and three 1's....:dw:

 

[RedDemon91]

Really? 35-40$ I would be looking at modest homes, 1200sq/ft, nothing huge, simple front and back yards. I have absolutely no idea, that just seems like more than I thought people would pay.

That's also what I'm hoping, being mid 20's and not 15 will give people a little more hope of me showing up lol

That's extremely cheap what you want to charge. Most starting prices for a professional landscaping company begins at ball park $125 a month and that's with mowing, weedeating, edging, and blowing. If you're good at what you do and don't skimp on anything than you could get that if you really wanted but you need to sell yourself since you're not professional and aren't well known. I've been doing this crap for a while and am trying to start my own business profesionally. Good luck man :beer:

 

[SVT-BansheeMan]

I cut commercial and residential for almost 2 years.

Pricing is based on what people will pay, time, ease, trimming, chemeical(round up, 24D, eraser) etc use. The less trimming and more spraying, the quicker the job can be done. It's a learning curve for sure.

$20 is too cheap unless it's a quick push mower job. You gotta figure it will cost you to drive there, unload stuff etc. That takes time, time is money.

 

[rust0r]

Hmm, I'm getting the idea that $20-25 might be fairly cheap, granted I'm not looking at huge lawns or anything though. Maybe I will try a little higher $30-35, the worse that can happen is they say no or we settle for something less (ie: what I originally thought of charging) and they think they are getting a "deal"

My parent's had their lawn taken care of professionally last year (in terms of fertilizing, etc, not cutting), and when I asked if they would pay someone $20 (to get an idea of what they thought), they were like 'umm, at least $20, we would expect more', I guess I really under-value having someone else cut your grass for you, or just how much some people hate doing it

 

[Todd03Blown]

around here in Ga, a 4000-5000SQ Ft yard commands right at $50. That is mow, edge and blow. Hope that helps.

 

[lobra97]

I cut commercial and residential for almost 2 years.

Pricing is based on what people will pay, time, ease, trimming, chemeical(round up, 24D, eraser) etc use. The less trimming and more spraying, the quicker the job can be done. It's a learning curve for sure.

$20 is too cheap unless it's a quick push mower job. You gotta figure it will cost you to drive there, unload stuff etc. That takes time, time is money.

i like the way this guy thinks, nice.
do you make good money from it, just wondering

 

[lowflyn]

I've got a buddy that does it on the side, he charges 35-40 for a small lot and it goes up from there. He does mow, edge, weedeat, and blow. Doesn't do edging and weedeat every time, but makes sure he keeps it up. I just tell him to mow when it needs it....luckily it hasn't needed it yet.

Your best customers will be people like me who just don't have the time or would rather spend it other ways.

 

[blwn306]

I charged 20 bucks when I was 12...lol thats too cheap man starting price is 35 and goes up from there...It just depends on how good you are. Start high and they will bring you down or hell they may say okay! I would say 45 and let em bring you down ten bucks...lol You never know till you try....let us know how it goes..

 

[65fastback2+2]

im fixina try to get back into it

one thing Im thinking about doing is charging $30 and then doing 10% off for every referral they get on their street. this % is good because it gives a good incentive but also, the likelihood of you losing money is slim/none. Think about it....if they get 4 referrals....thats $120 + the person's $19.68. the original person who referred the 4 thinks they get a steal, and you get lawns within quick walking distance which cuts your costs and increases your revenue.

the key to making good money is knocking a ton out on the same street....no drive time, no load/unload time....just mow and weedeat your brains out.

 

[!!!PainTrain!!!]

$20 is way too cheap considering what it will cost you. You have to figure in driving cost, up keep on the mower, fuel, not to mention what it will cost you in terms of your own time (that could be spent at another job making xxx amount of money).

Your biggest ally is going to be your reliablity. People have to know that you're going to get the lawn taken care of before it needs it, not when it's already long/shaggy.

You'd be suprised how willing people are to $30-$50 to get their lawn taken care of, simply because their time is worth more than that.

 

[tj04cobra]

im fixina try to get back into it

one thing Im thinking about doing is charging $30 and then doing 10% off for every referral they get on their street. this % is good because it gives a good incentive but also, the likelihood of you losing money is slim/none. Think about it....if they get 4 referrals....thats $120 + the person's $19.68. the original person who referred the 4 thinks they get a steal, and you get lawns within quick walking distance which cuts your costs and increases your revenue.

the key to making good money is knocking a ton out on the same street....no drive time, no load/unload time....just mow and weedeat your brains out.

When i was 13-16 years old I mowed the same 6 yards a week on my street. Those stay at home moms referred me to other stay at home moms in the neighborhood and before I knew it I was pushin my lawn mower, blower and weed eater to 14 yards in the neighborhood at 20-30 bucks a yard per week. Damn I remember it being hot as hell and me pushin my stuff allllll the way across the neighborhood. Saved up a couple weeks when I was 14 and bought my own nice mower. My dad didn't give two sh*ts about me using his other stuff cus I used it on our yard.

The summer I was 15 me and a friend who already had a truck would drive to really nice neighborhoods and knock on doors with tall grass and say we lived in the neighborhood let us cut your sh*t. In the nice neighborhoods we'd get 40-50 bucks a yard and use both our mowers, weed eaters and blowers and knock em out in 30 minutes or less. We would do a great job , use our manners and they would fire their lawn crew and we'd get hired cus we were nice neighborhood kids lol. I made good money for being a piss ant but it was hot and alot to keep up with.

Had one customer, she was 94 and I charged her 15 bucks to do her yard up nice for her and she would fry me some of the best chicken I ever had about every other week. Showed up at her house one afternoon and she had passed away the day before.

 

[rust0r]

Some really good ideas and suggestions on here.

The one thing that I am skeptical of is the suggestions of $35-40 due to the income levels that most of the members of the board fall into. No one in nearby neighborhoods has a vette, cobra, etc, income levels are probably 80K combined, I imagine that will largely influence the $35-40 votes

 

[harry gilbert]

I used to do landscaping as a sideline, and made great "off-the-books" money. There are some things you might consider:

1. Get some estimates on your own lawn, and see what the prevailing rate is per square foot. Then adjust based on the grade, obstacles, height, etc. I used to give a break when they mowed once weekly as opposed to the skinflints who tried to stretch the time out 2-3 weeks.

2. Consider getting some kind of insurance; it is very easy for a mower or weed wacker to fling a rock or branch and injure people, pets, or property and then be behind the legal 8-ball.

3. Remember in setting your rates that you are not just paying your wages; you have to consider transportation to/from the site, gas, and maintenance / wear and tear on the mower and weed wacker.

 

[WireEater]

Ummm, why hasn't anyone recommended him to Grant?...

OP, ask Grant218, he is a lawn expert. He makes 80k a year doing lawns.

 

[65fastback2+2]

Some really good ideas and suggestions on here.

The one thing that I am skeptical of is the suggestions of $35-40 due to the income levels that most of the members of the board fall into. No one in nearby neighborhoods has a vette, cobra, etc, income levels are probably 80K combined, I imagine that will largely influence the $35-40 votes

most people are willing to pay 1 hours worth of their wage for their lawn. it takes $35-40 an hour to make ~$80k/yr....so I dont see how its that far off