%!@#%$!# leaves!

[highlander316]

what a mess here. I haven't seen the sun in days. It's cloudy and wet and doesn't stop raining/drizzling. So we went out today to try and finish up the few remaining leaf jobs. The first place was supposed to take about 4.5 to 5 hours max (leafs, final mow, etc). After 2.5 hours we only got 1/10th of the way done. Everything is so soaked that the bp blowers will barely move the leaves. Then raking the leaves onto a tarp to dump in the woods (property is just under 2.5 acres) was so heavy we had to drag it w/ one of the Z's.

We ended up stopping after that. Now they are calling for a potential nor-easter Saturday night into Sunday morning I'm never gonna get this year done. I'm just gonna stop until everything dries out even if it's in January (I only have 3 leaf jobs left). I'm gonna call the people and explain it to them:better off to let me wait or I'll be charging them hourly (with most jobs taking at least 3 times longer than should be cuz of the wet). Sorry, just had to rant was a *****ty day. The problem we had here was, we had a warm fall. Everything stayed on the trees. As soon as the weather went south in mid November, we started getting rain, freezing rain, and small, spotty snow storms right away w/ the leaves still on the trees.

[vaughnslawns]

same boat here..

[steve-o]

you got a boat vaughn?????

you boys could always move to hooterville. i'm guessing it was low 60's today and suppose to be back in the 70's tomorrow. crazy weather here too. last wednesday it was snowing. go figure. we knocked out 3 today.

steve

[lawrence stone]

It took my laborer and myself 5 hours (10 man hours) to do clean the rain gutters of just one house that was two stories and most of one side also had a rain gutter one story high. Hugh maple trees grow directly or the rear of the house. At least two seasons worth of leaves.

In this same hood I have two more two story gutter cleaning jobs and one need grounds cleaned up and debris hauled off.

Gutter cleaning has become quite the revenue stream and I am going to buy a new 32 foot extension ladder.

So it looks like it's going to be game set match for this season.

Next year I am putting two trucks on the street with three employees and myself. One mow and blow operation and one landscape maintenance, gutter cleaning, spring clean up, fertilization, aeration, overseeding, thatch removal, hedge shrub and tree trimming, and light landscaping truck.

[highlander316]

i've done minimal gutter cleaning. Most of my jobs are in areas that don't have huge trees yet.

[GeorgiaLandscaper]

Man it was 77 here today, and dryer than ever. It sure does make for our leaf jobs to go by quick. Those dry leaves just mulch right up and disapear with the mulching kits.

Good luck to you.

[safari lawn]

I am in the same boat, I did 2 jobs today, Cloudy and misting with a touch of Fog, going to get my helpers tomorrow and try to get what I can before the rain Thursday and the possible snow Sat/Sun, both days I am working full time job, just my luck it will be a big snow , I find the wheeled 9hp blower does a pretty good job with the wet leaves, but it is alot easier when they are dry. Think how nice it will be in the spring with the lush growing grass I know get bent...LOL

[Sammy]

I am in the same boat,

That boat can't hold many more ?
I must be in the one right ahead of you guys !

[Sandgroper]

Gutter cleaning has become quite the revenue stream and I am going to buy a new 32 foot extension ladder.

Sounds like fun when you fall off, the first 31 feet would not be to bad, its that last little bit at the bottom that hurts a lot.

[lawrence stone]

Sounds like fun when you fall off, the first 31 feet would not be to bad, its that last little bit at the bottom that hurts a lot.

Actually the rain gutters on a two story home are around 20 feet.

At 275 pounds I don't climb the ladder but steady the ladder as my 145 pound laborer does the climbing. The Mutt and Jeff team works well together for I have the height and strength to walk the ladder up to get it vertical while he foots in in place.

Gutter cleaning extends my business season to nine months of the year. Which pays for my eight week vacation for the months of January and February in SW Florida.

From a business standpoint the gutter cleaning provides the highest margin of net revenue for very little power equipment is needed. All I ever use on the roof is just an Echo hand blower with 1/2 of the extension tube.

Now take into contrast the mowron that buys a $10k ZTR that uses two gallons of fuel per hour, and is maintenance nightmare with a $30k truck and a $10 enclosed trailer that mows and trims an acre of turf for $40 (soon to be $35 due to increased competition).

My goal to provide all the exterior home service that a homeowner needs such as exterior window washing, home, sidewalk, and driveway pressure washing, driveway seal coating, exterior painting,
etc etc etc.

Customers want convenience. One call to me in March or April your grounds, turf, sidewalk and curb line gets cleaned up, trees/shrubs trimmed/pruned, rain gutters cleaned, and exterior windows washed.

[1Chavez]

I alrady factor gutters into my fall clean ups. It's another selling point to justify my rates.

[safari lawn]

OK Today I came across somethingI have not had to deal with in the past (Rotten Crab Apples) nwo I have to un glog the VElke Friday with helpers we got 7 properties done today. Only 15 more to go until I can pack it in for my long winters nap

[spotremix]

i have a few left over jobs to do but nothing big and if the weather stays like this for another couple days i'll be finished with leaves for the season. there a little damp now but i think they'll mow up with mower very nicely.