Hiring College Studnets

[MOWANDGO]

I thinking about going to local colleges and speaking with department heads of horticulture program about getting some interns to do some landscape design work for my company. Has anyone done this before, any advice? I currently do very little landscaping and design work, but will start advertising for it this fall, and into next year and hopefully I can assume a more managerial role for the company and hire some supervisiors to take over the busy work.

Thanks,
Jeff

[MOWANDGO]

Are you kidding me? No one has done this?

[TinkerLawn]

Most colleges offer a senior design course in which the students do a complete design of an actual project. The only down side to this is that the project will not be finished for atleat one semester. So you would not be able to present a design to a client for about 6 months from either August or Jan.

[MASTERMOWER]

It's not worth trying IMO. Design majors, even the seniors, will take up to 2-3 weeks on any plan. When a client contacts you it means they are ready to buy. You can't tell them "it'll be about 3 weeks before I have a design for ya." By then they'll have grown cold and a lot less willing to buy into your proposed work. If you believe you have a 3 week window open, then by all means, give it a try.

I've sat through 4 different design courses in kolledge....some of the students' designs would scare you to say the least....

[Seascape]

I thinking about going to local colleges and speaking with department heads of horticulture program about getting some interns to do some landscape design work for my company. I currently do very little landscaping and design work, but will start advertising for it this fall, and into next year
Thanks,
Jeff

Sounds like a quick way to get in and out of the "Landscape" business.


Youll get away with that working with truck stops ,warehouses , and other low end commercial,,,,,,,,,, but screw just one upscale resi up and your toast.

Ive got design work backed up 4-5 weeks. I dont do it but hire it out. If somebody is serious about YOU performing theyre work,,,,,, theyll wait ,,, and usually cost is of not much importance.......................... but value is.

Typically in my experience those that want it right now and cant wait are thrift seekers and can be a bad situation at the drop of a hat. The worst are the ones that already have a plan,, but didnt like the cost so they purchased the plan and are looking for ANYBODY to install it cheaply.

Work is work. I take it all dont get me wrong. I have men to keep busy and sometimes i gotta do what i gotta do.................... but steering clear of these pot holes is alot easier now that my own designs are in demand.

i just looked at one a few weeks ago. New small business that must screen one side of theyre bldg and some other stuff in accordance with municiple guidelines for that particular commercial/residential zone. They had a plan and this guy was really cool about it. He actually came right out told me what kind of #s he was getting and what kind of # he was looking for. Said 15k i could have the job and that he would even pay up front,,, offered cash all that jazz. well the cash deal sounded appealing and made me think but after looking everything over i would have only made about 6k over 3 maybe 4 days, or something like that. I gave it to a guy that used to work for me and is now out on his own. I would have struggled getting it done because Im so busy i have been screening my calls and havent answered my phone since March but maybe 50 times. All because of word of mouth coming in and repeat.

I couldnt imagine ever getting that far had i installed bad designs. I really cant design. I know my limitations ,,,, and learned the hard way honstly. But i stepped back out of that arena and stuck with what i know until i found a more professional approach.

Pay a good arch what he asks,,, install his stuff right and always call before you sub anything. Old school archs are the best because they still have a "gotta be right" mentallity. If you have the same mentality (rare) and they pick up on that,,, they start calling you! Sometimes theyre already sold. And Oldschool folks dont have a problem with you making 4k a day off theyre work because your one of the few that makes sure everything is EXACTLY how they wanted it.

[MOWANDGO]

Mike thanks for the honest reply, it was just what I was looking for. I honestly have absolutely no experience in the design end of things. I completely agree with you that it's worth every penny hiring out an old school arch. Glad to hear your business is doing so well. Keep up the great work!