Starting lawn care service!

[bigcof06]

Hi,
Im looking to start a lawn care service pretty soon and i was wondering if you all could help me with how to best price/estimate properties? As well as what equipment i should be looking to buy..mowers/blowers/trimmers etc..I will certainly appreciate any and all feedback.
THANKS!!

[dpld]

you might want to talk to some peeps in your own state because from a business standpoint its apples and oranges from state to state.

for example, i live in jersey and our season is ending now as well as we are the tax state and the over regulation state.

i have to have a license to be in business, a license for pesticides, a license to do any type of home improvements ( IE, patio's walkways ) permits from each and all of the towns i work in as well as pay a fee ( of course ) and affix a decal to each service vehicle for each town i service.
and thats just the beginning i could talk all day about this dump of a state.

i have been very fortunate and thankfull for the blessings but my only advice is don't asspire to be some small little guy with you and one helper because the only thing its gonna get you is a slightly better paycheck then if you work for someone and a lot of aggrevation.

obviously you have to start somewhere and you can't start on top but your goals should always be onward and upward and never settle for less.

also, commercial corporate settings are the best and pay the most.
i have a lot of high end home owner accounts where the people are well off but they come with alot of headaches and i have been slowly switching over to commercial, less customers and bigger paychecks.

and by commercial i mean corporate headquarters and office buildings stay away from retail like big box stores and fast food places because they don't pay as much and they usually have more trash to pick up then grass to cut and that gets old every week.

also get all the insurance you need and go LLC to protect yourself.
LLC is the best way because it gives you all the protections of a corporation and the freedoms of a proprietor and is easy to manage in the beginning when you are not making much money.

its a highly competitive industry and you must be good to survive and you must always make yourself better and always increase your knowledge of the industry because knowledge is more key then the type and amount of equiptment you have as well as its the cheapest part of the industry to obtain.

as far as prices are concerned, it boils down to once again check out the dudes in your area and what they charge because i don't think guys in my state and yours charge the same because of median houshold income, property taxes and just overall cost of doing business.

on the equipment end the best way to determine what is the best to buy is see what all the high end quality landscape companies in your area use not what the weekend warriors use.

on average do landscapers in your parts bag a lot of your grass clippings or let it fly or even do both depending on the season?

on average will you have big properties or little ones?

is your area mostly flat or do you have hills top contend with?

without anyone even telling you what to buy equipment wise you will find out by just looking at any real proffessional outfit and what they use and just by sight you will see that there only really 3 to 4 brands of blowers and trimmers that you should only consider to buy and several mower options.

trailers are another story, everyone has their preference. i like heavy duty and enclosed and if you buy enclosed get one that is rated at a car hauler and not a cargo trailer, there is a major difference and it will cost you a pretty penny more but you will thank me in the end if you did and the only thing i can say to change your mind is you have to own one to understand what i am talking about and i am just trying to spare you from buying two trailers to end up with one.

my properties are decent 1 to 2 acres on average but they also have sheetloads of plant beds and usually take 40 to 50 cubic yards of mulch on average and so its not all grass.
but all the lwans are like golf courses and need to be spotless and i use mostly walker mowers because they suck up everything and they are compact and good on hills.
exmark lasers are good but they are heavey and the vac system makes it to wide and bulky. they would cut the grass faster then the walker but would not be as clean.

but thats my preference and in the end we can all rattle off things for you to consider but in the end you have to be focused and determined and willing to do what ever it takes to succeed and not take no for an answer and always make your decisions on a sound business minded basis without emotion. the only time emotions and your heart come into play is in your determination to succeed and making decisions based on what is right morally. you have to spock, highly logical with no emotion.


good luck.

[lingst]

Perhaps try Googling landscapers in your area and gauge their pricing structures. Initially you will be challenged to properly estimate the size of properties and thus your cost of service, but try to resist the urge to under-price your services unless you really can't get any business.

-------------------
Joe M, Director
YardUp
Free Landscape Design

[lorencarls]

Rotary mowers, String Trimmers, Edgers, Blowers, Rakes, Sprayers and Aerators are good tools for landscaping. For pricing, you can visit landscaping company in your area. They will let you know about the pricing.

[JosephArehart]

Blower,Line Trimmer,Hedge Trimmer,Commercial mower,Hand Tools,Truck or some type of transportation such as pick-up truck,Trailer,Edgers,Chainsaws these are the equipment used in Lawn services business and for its prices you should search on the Google according to specific area.

[loganmartin1]

I am Giving you services list please check this-http://www.landscapestructures.ca/services

[walterprice]

JK Property is a name in the field of huge property service provider with maximum investment quality service.Jk property management provide lawn care service at cheapest rate.

[landscapestructures]

Lawn maintenance services usually include mowing, trimming and fertilizing lawns. In addition to regular mowing and lawn maintenance services, think about providing seasonal services like fertilizing and winterizing. At the minimum this includes lawn mowers, trimmers, and manual tools. Charge lower prices in the beginning to build up referrals and portfolio work. You'll need regular collision, liability, and damage insurance on vehicles. Advertise your services

Take Reference from this-http://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Lawn-Business and Green Lawn care

[OscarKane]

Re: Starting lawn care service!

When you think back to the long, lazy summers of your youth, chances are some time was spent trudging along behind a lawn mower, pushing with all your might and sweating profusely, just so you could make a few bucks to buy some baseball cards.Other potential customers include:

Lawn maintenance:
-Homeowners who are frequently out of town on business
-Retirees who don't care to do their own maintenance any longer