Just started this year.....a few questions

[Juan]

Hey guys,

First off great site, I just started this year and have been reading through the forums for advice on equipment and techniques, very helpful. I am currently running an ad in the local paper and get quite a few phone calls. So the ad is worth it. I have a full time job and only do this on the weekends. I have about 10 customers and would like to have about 15 - 20. I have one commercial account also.

So far I own a Redmax EB7001( probably going to purchase the 8000 soon) mainly for fall cleanups, also bought the top model gas hedge trimmer echo model from the Home cheapo. Very nice. I have a dodge ram 2002 1500 and just bought a 6' X 12' trailer with the 4 foot walls around it with dual axle and box in the front for my blower and other stuff. The way the trailer was built is it had a frame for a 14' so the box takes that space and doesn't cut into the trailer. I currently have a push mower toro 6.5 hp and a straight shaft echo trimmer(weedeater)

First question:
I am probably going to get the Quick 36 or exmark can't decide, do you really need a floating deck with a 36" and can I make my own sulky for the quick 36?

Second question:
I usually bid at 35 - 50 dollars an hour depending on the neighborhood, what is a fair price to clean gutters and do I use this same rate for Xmas decor, ( yesterday I went to bid on a gutter clean and I told her 50 and I haven't heard back did I bid too high?

Third question:
I am about to bid on a 14 condo commercial account and was thinking if the total area is goign to run me about 3 hours every weekend with 3 guys (includign me) is 300 a month to low? with an initial cleanup fee of 325?

I will be registering my own company this coming year as of right now I am under my Dad's company which he does Landscaping and Sprinklers so I use that for my business name and insurance since I am his employee it looks like it's his stuff keeping it legit, but at the end of the year the accountant we have has said I can claim my gains as personal income and expense my equipment also.

Last question(for now):
What is the rate you charge for power washing and somebody told me to try to get into window washing for some of the higher income places, what is the goign rate for this?



JUANS LAWNS

[srlawnservice]

Don't see how you're making money on the condo account, unless you are charging that amount year round (even when you're not working). At 300/month you are at 25/hour, not including the months that have 5 weeks. Just my thoughts....don't do commercial yet so maybe the rates are lower. Seems to me should be around 425 or a little higher if only charging in the months you service.
RL

[GrassMaster]

Welcome!

Hey guys,

Second question:
I usually bid at 35 - 50 dollars an hour depending on the neighborhood, what is a fair price to clean gutters and do I use this same rate for Xmas decor, ( yesterday I went to bid on a gutter clean and I told her 50 and I haven't heard back did I bid too high?

Last question(for now):
What is the rate you charge for power washing and somebody told me to try to get into window washing for some of the higher income places, what is the goign rate for this?

JUANS LAWNS

Welcome to the Lawn Service Forum Community, Juan!

Second Question: (Gutter Cleaning)
I hear a lot of folks getting $1 linear foot on 1 story & $2 a linear foot on 2 story.

Last Question:

Here's more info than you can shake a stick at on Pressure Washing...
Home Page: http://www.dcs1.com
Pricing Page: http://www.dcs1.com/del/pricing.html

Me personally, I would try not to mention hourly rate as much as possible. Folks (Customers) tend to Freak Out when they hear $35 to $50 an hour, let them figure it out on their own.

Window Washing:
My Guy that washes at the shop averages a little over $30 an hour, I would run a separate person for this. He does Commercial only.

The Homeowner is more problems & more tedious... Of course I had a customer about 20 years ago pay $200 on her 2 story house to clean her windows, the house was probably 4,500 sq.ft.

I asked my washer about it & he refuses to do Homeowner, he says he can make more money doing commercial. He did have around 200 monthly washing accounts & $15 is his minimum, my windows once a month he has quite a few that's once a week. He does my windows in 20 to 30 minutes LOL depends if I hold him up.

PS: He's a Window washing Scrub, he's about 60 something, he's on foot & works for cash only, no Insurance or anything. Most of the time we have to furnish him paper towels & Cleaner! LOL, He makes damn good money!

Find an attractive College Girl, let her sell the jobs, let her do the jobs. If you in big enough area you will be hiring helpers. Everybody hates to clean windows and in most cases such a low fee & most bosses are males, they would be looking forward to your beautiful window cleaner to drop by!

[cjm2783]

i agree, the commercial account is too low. i would go at least 125.00 per week. just think about it before you commit.

gutters, it really depends on how big the house is, you can do it by the feet or just figure how long it will take you to blow them out and clean up the mess. i told a lady 50 bucks and she never called me back, but i rather sit on my bottom than do a job for nothing.

pressure washing, i have a 175.00 min on homes. it really depends. it's just of those things when you do it several times you will know how long it will take you. i can tell you that pressure washing will fool you, it's a big job that takes time to do. i really try to get AT least 50.00 per hour.

i'm thinking of getting the Q36 also. I've heard great things about it for someone who's starting out.

good luck,

cjm

[Juan]

Thanks for the quick responses, my current ad reads like this.

JUAN'S LAWNS-Leaf removal, lawn service, X-mas
decor, property maint. Free est. XXX-XXX-XXXX.

Evertime I go see new prospective clients I am dressed in business casual and show up in my truck, I feel I portray a sense of professionalism also hand a busines card to them with my quote on the back.

My next purchase is the lawn mower and I still am undecided between the quick 36 and exmark

[Phil Nilsson]

Juan ... based on your feedback from customers ... will the "client" hire you because of low price? ... do they feel anybody can do the work? ... do they feel no expertise, education or experience is required? ... or that it's okay to be 15 and part time ... or 30 and full time?

[theweedman]

i bought the quick36, its a great machine for the price. it has an excellent cut quality. its compact, lightweight, and its a single hydro for the price of a belt drive.

Thanks for the quick responses, my current ad reads like this.

JUAN'S LAWNS-Leaf removal, lawn service, X-mas
decor, property maint. Free est. XXX-XXX-XXXX.

Evertime I go see new prospective clients I am dressed in business casual and show up in my truck, I feel I portray a sense of professionalism also hand a busines card to them with my quote on the back.

My next purchase is the lawn mower and I still am undecided between the quick 36 and exmark

[anderson_lawns]

Dont for get to write a business plan search the treads for business plan, because if you dont have a plan in writing you dont have anything

[Juan]

Thanks guys for the responses, sometimes I feel that people call me out and I give them a quote and it's like "ummm I think I'll just do it myself" - any one else experience this? Out of 5 phone calls I get I probably get 1 -2 that accept my bid, maybe they think they can get the neighborhood kid to do it. I like the work but I am not doing it for free.

[Mo Green]

Thanks guys for the responses, sometimes I feel that people call me out and I give them a quote and it's like "ummm I think I'll just do it myself" - any one else experience this? Out of 5 phone calls I get I probably get 1 -2 that accept my bid, maybe they think they can get the neighborhood kid to do it. I like the work but I am not doing it for free.

Happens alot. Just tell them that you understand, and that you will be happy to provide future services if they so desire. You have to be very careful with pricing. If you bid low just to gain a customer, they will expect your prices to be low on every service you provide. Then they will tell their friends how cheap you are, and then if their friends call, they will expect the same low prices. It's a vicious cycle. Give them a price you think is fair and let them decide. Some of those lower price customers turn out to be real pains. They complain about everything. Sell yourself on your professionalism and your ability to get the job done right. Let your customers tell their friends, " he may not be the cheapest, but he does such a good job, that I feel it is worth it".

[Juan]

Mo green,

everything you said is true, I just went to bid on a yard and I told the lady 215 for her front and back yard with the gutters cleaned out. This thing is dense with oak leaves throughout 3 - 4 inches its a normal residential lot size, I quoted it by thinking 3 men(including me) a little over 2 hours - 2 on blowers and one with the tarp dumping into my trailer so 35 X 3 = 105 X time = 215. She says after I drive out there that some guys where walking around last season and did it for 50 bucks I was like ? ? What the...."ma'am I cannot do it for that" So she wants the front for just 75 it should take me about an hour max ..........with me and my guys, so that's okay but no gutters, she is going to call in the morning.....we'll see.


It seems when I show up in person and talk to them I almost always get the bid I guess they think "this guy knows his stuff, and that is probably the going rate"...I don't know but it seems that, in person, I get more jobs than over the phone. when some one tells me to swing by there house is it safe to start saying before heading out there so I do not waste time "I clean leaves starting out at 105 for both front and back, but I have to see your yard to give you a true estimate, typically most resisential I average 150 and that includes the gutters?"

[GrassMaster]

I think you are doing GREAT!!!!

Thanks guys for the responses, sometimes I feel that people call me out and I give them a quote and it's like "ummm I think I'll just do it myself" - any one else experience this? Out of 5 phone calls I get I probably get 1 -2 that accept my bid, maybe they think they can get the neighborhood kid to do it. I like the work but I am not doing it for free.

Hello Juan:

If you are getting 1 to 2 jobs per 5 bids, you are doing great. In fact I would consider raising my rates & be happy with 1 out of 5 bids...

Because the only way you are going to get more than 1 or 2 bids per 5 given is to lower your rates? Think about it? What do you want? I hope you want more money per job! That's what I want!

Listen, if your appearance is good, you look like a Pro, have decent looking & well kept equipment, don't look like a rolling junk yard & want more money... Raise your Rates.

When I got enough work to keep my crew busy, I raised rates to the point I was only getting 1 or 2 bids out of 10, but at least I got paid for what I did & that's what it's all about!

I made sure I got with potential clients soon as possible concerning biding jobs... Early Bird gets the worm!

I gave my bids on the spot, yes I was even able to give written proposal or contract on the spot! Remember time is very precious these days with everybody. He who hesitates is lost!

Appearance, getting there quick as possible, give the bid on the spot, being & acting like a Pro, got me a lot of work!

If my appearance wasn't that good, It looked like I had a rolling junkyard & I dragged my feet giving bids, I would have lost out on a lot of high dollar work.

To make the bucks you need...

Knowledge
Salesmanship
Being there in a timely manner
Give bids on the first visit to your potential client
Have the Manpower & Equipment to get the job done...
That's the name of the game!

If you are getting more than 2 bids out of 5, you're too cheap & giving your work away! Don't do that, be fair to Yourself & Your Family, You both deserve it & your worth it!

If you have enough work, charge as much as the market can bare & then some, because 10 years from now you will wished you did if you didn't!

PS: You really need to look at each job before bidding. I did try to weed out price shoppers over the phone because they are a waste of time!

[Juan]

Grassmaster,

That makes me feel better, being new to the business it's just that I have all this equipment, don't get me wrong I do not expect to pay it off in a week, but I know what I am doing and I just need a little bit more experience with bidding.

I am thinking about going door to door aroiund the houses on my route and offering a neighborhood discount for leaf removal and who know perhaps get a lawn added to my route.

So Grass Master is floating necessary on a 36 inch walk behind?

Also can I rig a sulky to the Quick 36?

[Mo Green]

Mo green,

everything you said is true, I just went to bid on a yard and I told the lady 215 for her front and back yard with the gutters cleaned out. This thing is dense with oak leaves throughout 3 - 4 inches its a normal residential lot size, I quoted it by thinking 3 men(including me) a little over 2 hours - 2 on blowers and one with the tarp dumping into my trailer so 35 X 3 = 105 X time = 215. She says after I drive out there that some guys where walking around last season and did it for 50 bucks I was like ? ? What the...."ma'am I cannot do it for that" So she wants the front for just 75 it should take me about an hour max ..........with me and my guys, so that's okay but no gutters, she is going to call in the morning.....we'll see.


It seems when I show up in person and talk to them I almost always get the bid I guess they think "this guy knows his stuff, and that is probably the going rate"...I don't know but it seems that, in person, I get more jobs than over the phone. when some one tells me to swing by there house is it safe to start saying before heading out there so I do not waste time "I clean leaves starting out at 105 for both front and back, but I have to see your yard to give you a true estimate, typically most resisential I average 150 and that includes the gutters?"

I think that is fine. It's what I do. When someone calls me for a leaf clean up, I tell them over the phone that the average yard costs $150.00 for leaf clean up. This tends to weed out the cheap seekers.

[Juan]

Yeah I think I will do that, who needs cheap customers all they do is want you to throw stuff in, I have one cheap customer and the only reason I keep him is because I am still building on my clientele....he always wants me to do stuff and I tell him well that will be extra and he doesn't like it sometimes he pays for the extra stuff and when he doesn't agree I don't do it....ohh well I can leave that to the scrubs with a mower in the back of there maxima....no joke I have seen this. Don't get me wrong I treat every client very good and do my best on there yard....but on the same note I am not working for free and I still have my costs to calculate on top of my employees when I use them. I did start out yesterday telling a guy that I would charge him 110 for his yard (not very many leaves, should take me an hour and a half with another guy) and for evry client he gave me in his neighborhood I would give him a 10% discount, this got him excited and he started telling me that he could defintely get me into his neighborhood and he was on the board of directors for the neighborhood organization....I think I will be offering a lot more of this promotion,,, you have to give them an incentive for them to talk to their neighbors, in addition to the qulity of work. But we'll see how it works out........keeping my fingers crossed.