Getting Started

[rcowart]

I am currently living in the Tampa, Fl area and seriously considering starting a Lawn Care Business. I have always been an entrepenure at heart. I am attempting to write a business plan and use the SBA as a source of revenue to start my business. Does anyone have a a sample business plan for a Lawn Care business? What things must I consider when starting my business. My short term goal is to do this from 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm Mon-Fri and of course Saturdays until I can get my client base established. My long term goal (2 to 3 years) is to establish enough client base so I can devote 100% of my time to this. Is that an unreasonable goal.

[GrassMaster]

Welcome to the Lawn Service Forum Community!

My long term goal (2 to 3 years) is to establish enough client base so I can devote 100% of my time to this. Is that an unreasonable goal.

No Sir, not an unreasonable goal in Tampa, Florida. I would think it could be done in less than 2 years. Maybe a year if you work it!

Isn't Tampa a fairly large town?

Target the neighborhoods you want, pass out a lot of fliers & keep that route in as small of radius as possible. Windshield time cost you money!

Good Luck to You, please start reading & participating!

[rcowart]

The county is currently the fourth largest in Florida with 1.2 million people and has one of the highest estimated growth populations. Development of residential housing is going crazy. The potential here has no limits.

Thanks for creating this site. I will be reading and participating alot in this website. I'm not going to reinvent the wheel if I don't have to. And this site looks like the directions for the wheel are here. It's just up to me to put it on the cart and get the cart rolling. I will be talking to you soon. Thanks.

VR
Rob Cowart

[likestomow]

RC -- mowing grass as a job has one of the lowest entry barrieres. Why would you need to make things so complicated?

Gather up $500, buy a used 21" mower locally, a used trimmer and blower off ebay and throw them in your trunk, then pass out flyers. After you have made $2000, which should only take you a couple of months mowing two yards a day for 40 days, buy some better equipment. Keep doing that over and over.

What you need starting out is experience. Get your experience with a small investment rather than spending the big bucks which you don't have in the first place.

[MBatcho1]

Estimating

My problem is that I have no idea how to estimate how to do these jobs. Such as small, medium, large residential lawns and commercial ones. Also I do not know how to estimate those landscaping jobs such as mulch and so on. Any information will help. Thank you.