Goes straight through me!

[bmclouse]

I am guilty of doing this. When I first started my business I called around for pricing on every job I could think of. (Mulching, mowing, Tree triming, Driveway Sealing, Deck building, Fence Instalation, ETC...) The thing was I would give my phone number and even meet them at whatever time was good for them. I felt guilty for wasting there time but I wanted to know what the going rates where. I had talked to a few people that I knew were in the business but couldn't get a straight answer as to how to price Jobs. I also worked with a large landscape company for several months before going out on my own.

When I first started Mowing I noticed that a lot of the other people mowing where very unfriendly like I was steping on there toes.

My business is focused on maintenance. It is Lawn and Homecare.

I have about 20 Mowing accounts. (I use Great Dane Mowers 61" and 48" Echo steel shaft trimmers, Back Pack Blowers)

I also Mulch, Seal driveway, Pressure wash, paint, and build decks.

I did gutter cleaning the first year and decided it wasn't fo me.

PS. My wife did make me Hire one of the guys to build my fence, and clean out the flower beds. Since I always put my own Property off until I finsh everyone elses.

[cruelsummer]

bmclouse-you reap what you sow, perhaps in the off season you could have ask an LCO (that operates in the next county) if you could buy lunch, lots of us guys would give ya' an hour or two in an Applebees, IN JANUARY, and ya might make a long term friend that you could trade equipment or even jobs with, shoot straight

[clclawn]

2 of my best freind are lco owners along with anouther 1\2 dozen i can go to with questions or problems. all of these freindships have helped my biz and theres. all have meet in the industry. develope these freidships and you will gain alot more info then you can steal.

[bmclouse]

I didn't say it was the right thing to do, And I didn't say I was Proud of it.

And if I had to do it over again I would do things Differently.

I do admit my mistakes and I learn from them.

I had talked to 3 people I knew mowed in the next county. 2 told me there was to many people mowing and to do something else.

The 3rd I have known for years and consider a good friend. I guess People here would call him a scrub. He gave my his rates wich I thought were extremly low. "$25 per hour" I guess thats why he works a night job as well.

Not to mention I did Hire 2 people to do a couple of jobs for me that I didn't have time for myself. And have refered bigger Jobs to others that I did not want to do.

I like Small jobs that only take 30 minutes to an hour. I want to stay small for now 1 man crew. that way the only person I have to Blame if the job is not done right is myself.

I Charge $1 per minute. I mow the first time for free. That way I know how long it will take. After a few times on a yard the time comes down which brings the profit up.

I am sorry if I have offended you. I was just shareing.

Also at the time I did not know this forum existed.

[cruelsummer]

Hey Brian, no offense taken here, just saying when you do get covered up in work and some other "up and coming" lawn guy takes some of your precious springtime , just laugh it off, it's comin back to ya. Thanks for sharing your story as there are a lot more folks reading this forum than there is actually posting and so the word is spreading, this forum is awesome ,and even this thread, when I realize that seascape who is obviously way out of my league, is still having to deal with some of the aggravating ends of this biz, well I guess it makes me feel a little less crazy!