us lawns franchise

[grandview]

Anybody have good or bad on them.
Thanks

[jgc8fan]

Don't know what they charge for a franchise, but I checked Lawn Doctor this year, and they want $80,000 + start up operating capital. They finance $35,000, so you'd have to come up with an excess of $55 - $60K to get running.

Don't know what US Lawns charges, but I doubt it's worth it to pay them for some graphics on your truck.

[grandview]

Your probably right.
Scott's sent me some info last year you had to buy their truck 35,000.00 their product plus 6% royalties plus 10-15% advertising it was going to cost something like 100,000.00 for the first year.And that was for only an area of 100,000 addresses.

[jgc8fan]

Your probably right.
Scott's sent me some info last year you had to buy their truck 35,000.00 their product plus 6% royalties plus 10-15% advertising it was going to cost something like 100,000.00 for the first year.And that was for only an area of 100,000 addresses.

Lawn Dr let's you use an "approved model" of vehicle, but you have to buy their gear which looks like Lesco with Lawn Dr logos all over them.

In two years I've discovered that I can generate enough business on my own to keep me fed, and would rather do that than pay somebody for this type of thing. We do have an LCO here that bought a US Lawn Franchise last year... Haven't spoke to the guy before, but it doesn't appear that he's doing any better than any other LCO in town... At least I don't see it... He still only has one truck working, and I figure if it was getting him ahead of everyone else then he'd be at least running a second crew by now.

[Team Gopher]

How come we rarely ever see anyone who owns a franchise, post on here ?

[MASTERMOWER]

I'm glad grandview started this thread. I've been wondering about this "US Lawns" myself. I'm not surprised it is expensive to have a franchise. I've heard that to become a dealer for Gutter Helmet is $100,000, and that is just to acquire a franchise, no equipment or nothing!

Are people this crazy to buy into these franchises? The money could be better spent with up-start costs of your own business.

Team Gopher, perhaps noone with a franchise posts here because the franchise doesn't allow them too??? Afterall....I'm sure they'd think they are better than us riff raff. :p

[turfman]

Team Gopher:

This may sound crazy but it is my thought as of now.
I started a lawn care business this year obviously with hopes of doing well. What I want from this opportunity is to possibly grow it into the franchise direction. In a few years I don't want to be behind the wheel of a truck servicing lawns. I want to be attending Job Fairs hunting for prospective interns. I want the business to grow outside of my home town. Hopefully along the east coat and so on.
Have you ever heard of anything like this? Do you think it's possible to do with this type of operation?

[grandview]

us lawns update

Got the call today from us lawns.
29,000.00 to start
3-4% yearly fee
1% advertising with amax of 250.00 per month sounds to cheap.
need white trucks only I have black f250 2002 told me i could have it painted white (wasn't kidding).
They want 100% commercial.
must have min. 3 crews.
For that much money I could do alot on my own.
oh I forgot you do things their way just like mcdonalds.

[Team Gopher]

Hi turfman,

Do I think it is possible? Sure why not! I rarely see anyone interested in this either. If you want to come up with a plan for this further, let me know. We can start a new thread on it.