Question about 'Part Time' hours

[schanz]

I am thinking of starting a part-time lawn care business. I have a nice full time 8-5 job so the only extra time I have is in the evenings and weekends.

My question is...

Do customers prefer to have their lawn serviced during the weekDAYS while they are not home?

If I work weekends, I would have to start early. I assume people don't want to hear a mower at 8am saturday morning....

Has anyone else encountered these problems w/ a part-time schedule???

Any solutions??? Thanks in advance.

[MGO]

I started part-time this year because I also have a full-time job.

I do all of my mowings during the week in the evenings (after my 8-4 job).
None of my customers have a problem with me cutting in the evening....whenever I get a new customer I tell them up front that they will be on our afternoon/evening schedule...."is that a problem...?"....not a single compalint so far.

Weekends.....I don't do Lawn Maint on weekends......

I do my one-time jobs on weekends...like mulch installs, clean-ups, etc. Just make sure you check with the customer before hand and let them know that is when you can do th ework...make sure it is o.k. with them,

Definately don't mow someones lawn at 8AM on a weekend....

[srlawnservice]

We do weekends, Saturdays we start at 8A.M. and if we have to go Sundays, no earlier than 9A.M.
Just be upfront with your customers on how you do business and what to expect. Our hours are within HOA rules in the neighborhood we work. So as long as the customer accepts it, the neighbors do not have a legitimate complaint.
RL

[highlander316]

Yes, just make sure you let your customers know when you will be servicing their lawn, and as long as you do a good job, you should be fine.

[Saig55]

I get off work at 3 and am cutting by 4 in the afternoon. I get home no later than 7:30 most days. Unless the rain has played tricks.... I try to save Saturdays for rain days and I never cut on Sunday.

[MortNuke]

When I first started, I did most cutting myself on weekends mostly, and some evenings. Customers (many were friends, family and neighbors) didn't care - they got superb service and a fair price.

This is fine for a part-time situation with little ambition for growth. But as you branch out to "strangers", and strive to obtain customers who have previous experience with professional lawn care, it becomes difficult to "sell" them on this schedule. They want you to be a ghost: In and Out quickly while they are at work.

Mort