Should I do it?

[Patfo]

I have a 36 in belt drive 14 HP Snapper walk behind which
I can load into my truck with aluminum ramps, trimmer, and blower(all paid for except truck). 20 residential jobs currently from last year some pretty small made about $9500 last year mowing part time after work. Can I add to my accounts and make enough to mow full time with this equipment? How many guys have given it a go with limited equipment(full time)? I know I need to raise my current customer prices probably $2-$3 a yard and charge more for new ones. Considering Quitting my full time job to do this- my wife can carry medical insurance for us, big decision. Any feedback greatly appreciated! THANKS!

[mowerman90]

It's always difficult to make this type of decision. There are so many variables involved, the biggest of which is what do you plan to do to get you through next winter. If the area you live in is growing and/or needs a service like yours I'd say go for it. I'm sure many of the members of this forum started with much less than you have. You'll have to be a real go-getter and drum yourself up some business. Increase your price for your existing customers gradually, don't take a chance of loosing any of them while you're just starting out. Once you've established yourself you can start thinking of buying that new ZTR and a trailer. Then your productivity will soar. Good luck!!

[Eric ELM]

If you do decide to do this full time, I would call all my customers and tell them you have decided to do this full time and ask them if they have any friends or neighbors that could use your services. When I decided to get my first helper, I did this and doubled my accounts without doing any other advertising, so it can work.

[awm]

You might be able to make it,I dont know
how much you gotta have .There is another post
here that adresses your situation.It was
brought to the posters attention that he
would have to match the money he is making
at his job plus enough extra to match what
he is making mowing.That my friend is a lot
of walking.Good luck either way.

[TJLC]

"Don't sit upon the shoreline and say you're satisfied,choose to chance the rapids and dare to dance the tide". If my wife and I can leave our jobs of 20 years in Ohio and pick up and move to Florida and have things work out fine, than I say YES, go for it!!! You will never know until you try.

[Turfclippings]

Go for it, word of mouth and flyers will take you far. You might look into a ZTR and small trailer. U can find a used trailer cheap for a year. A monthly payment on a rider can be anywhere from $125-250 a month depending on what ya get. But usually it pays for itself in a days time each month. And then the sky is the limit how much u want to cut. Keep your 36 for gated areas, youll be set to go full time.

[Bassman]

Decide to get in the business whole hog if you are serious about making a living doing it. Depending on your ambition and business experience, you can make ends meet with your current equipment during the season, (April-September). During the off season you will need yearly accts. and a smattering of cleanup jobs to keep you eating and paying the mortgage your first winter. This biz is a slow grow as far as solid, well paying year round customers. If you make it thru your first year, you are on your way, cause your doing something right. Then you need to upgrade to a ZTR A.S.A.P. Try to pay as you go and incur as little debt as possible. This business has the lowest start up cost of any I can think of. That's why so many jump into it. Making a profit and staying solvent is another story. Many can't hack it for one reason or another, mostly in the first year's off season. The positive side of this biz is if you have what it takes to survive after 2 years, you probably have the "Right Stuff". As opposed to more traditional retail business ventures where it usually takes 3-5 years just to realize a profit from the original investment. Best of luck to you. Every business venture is a risk but if you don't go for it, you'll never know.

[Edited by Bassman on 02-13-2001 at 10:29 PM]

[65hoss]

I quit a job as a retirement plan consultant to do this fulltime. I was making really good money. If it wasn't for the cash outlay I would have never missed a dime. For that matter, I did it in 9 mths. verses 12 mths. Leave yourself a small cushion of cash and save money for the first winter. Forget the debt, save and pay cash for new equipment as you can. Be ready for leaves in the fall, these little things are like gold on the ground. :) You can pay for a new Ztr in one leaf season.

[Russ]

Ships in harbour are safe----But, that is not what ships were make for. Only you know if it's time to set sail.

[Greenkeepers]

I'm in the same boat as you... We had higher sales, but I'm getting married this year and need some security to pay for the wedding. I'll probably wait and see what the spring is going to look like and base my decision on that.. Good luck in whatevery you choose. My fiance wants me to do it so that makes it easier for me as well.

[dmk395]

I would think about waiting for another year, by that time hopefully you will be guarenteed enough customers to live, and live well. Its a big chance to take, but then again go with your gut instinct.

[KirbysLawn]

Are you licensed for pesticides? Do you have insurance (commercial auto & liability)?

The first will allow you to add higher profit services and the second will be another expense. Figure what your current expenses are now with ALL things considred v/s income, do the math and decide from there.

Bill.....Bill........LawnGuy, I know you love this subject, give a few words of support...

[Fantasy Lawns]

only you can really answer this one ... as you know what monthly income you MUST have to pay the bills .....with this in hand estimate the least amount of "extra" cash needed (that's your paycheck) all this info will tell you the least amount of monthly billing you must have coming in to survive .....good luck ;-)

[VLM]

I agree that you probably already know the answer to your question. I don't think you will be able to grow your business much more on a part time basis. I did that too for about 5 yrs. and the most I made was about 15k and I was putting in about 60-80 hr a week with both jobs. I went full time 5 yrs ago and have never looked back. Depending on the economy in your area, you can easily double your gross in a year. Your equipment is fine, just buy more as you need it and stay away from the debt monster.

[syzer]

My brother an myself are in the same boat. We started this out part time at the end of last year. We bought about 15k in equipment. We had to foot the bill through the winter =( which sucks, but we had allot more jobs last year then expected. Now things are getting old and more and more things are going down hill here at work. We have picked up some accounts and are about to seal the deal on an apartment complex. Hopefully he will quit by March/April and I hopefully will be able to follow suit.

We are currently having a heck of a time figuring out expenses as we have just gotten into this and don't have a whole lot of knowledge of how much these machines cost to run and maintain. Though we have a "general" idea this has been a pain in the but. We still have to price insurance, workman's comp for this apartment complex, add in all costs no matter how small and on top of all this pay for our existing bills.

It will no doubt be a pain in the butt but it will work because we will make it work. I have got to get out of this darned desk job. I watch these two guys (scrubs) cut the little bit of grass here at my site in the hood and it kills me especially on a nice spring day watching them bust the lawn up with a scag wb =(. I WILL MAKE IT!!!!!

Its tricky but if you want it, it is there. I suggest you do your bills see if its closely possible and go for it. You cant get much bigger working for someone else and yourself P/T.

Hope This helps just a little.

Chris

Precision Landscaping

[GrassMaster]

Hello Patfo:

You gotta do what you gotta do!

Sounds like you got a decent start, but when you go into this full time, to be on the safe side you need about 2 of everything, so if Equipment breaks down you can keep on doing it & get repaired later!

This is a little off topic, but you will get the idea!
I did it cold Turkey in 1985 & it was very tough on me, but I learned fast. I was the first company to have signs on truck, to be licensed & Insured, first Lawn Service to have maintenance agreements which was a big mistake for me with residential, first to have more than 2 employees, bill monthly, send out bills & etc...

Now this was in a town of about 100K Pop, in south JawJa & times stay hard there & still are. But I did very good, the first 2 years were hard & the 3 year God smiled on me & it was straight up at the speed of light! It grew so fast it almost wiped me out. Very fast Business Growth can hurt you if you are not very careful!

I went to Insurance Company in work cloths, LOL With Red & Black Raybans, Green sweat band, Mighty fine Looking Stetson Straw Hat. I told the Guy that I needed Insurance for my Lawn Service & he got up from his desk & looked at other people in office & started laughing at me & said it was the most rediculous thing he ever heard of.

I told him that I needed to know if they could handle my account that I was very busy & I was going to be eating next door in a few minutes. Again he laughed. I offered to take every one in office to lunch.

He was such a jerk & I asked him to walk over to the office window & look at my equipment. He said OK, well while we were talking the other 2 crews pulled up. 3 trucks with Dual axle trailers & loaded to the hilt. He asked me how much grass I cut, I asked him what month it was, he said July & I told him not much, arund $180K so far. He said your name is Mr. & what was your last name again? LOL, :-) It just goes to show ya that Money Talks & Shinola Walks?

Lawn Service business is one of the most Wonderful & Rewarding business out there. It's very hard when first going it full time, but the education is priceless.

If I had been able to come to this Forum back then, it would have saved me many mistakes. But making mistakes builds character & learns you fast right from wrong.

Don't be to concerened about medical insurance either, if you are self employed you don't have time to be sick. Just Kidding, butt very true. One more thing any job you work at in this great U.S. of A. you are not guarenteed a paycheck tomorrow anyway?

The word Globalization is what's making all of us work for each other & in 20 years if all the theives in politics have it their way we will not be making anything, LOL we will all just be working for each other anyway!

If you really want to learn about the business go the the Search link at the upper right of the page & click on it, then put in Keywords that pertain to what you have questions about? Then sit back & just read for weeks, possibly a month or so?

Just don't ask how often to sharpen blades, because we are not there to check them for you, because in 2 years you will be throwing them on the side of the road for scrubs to get. Please don't ask what kind of equipment to buy, because in a few years you will have 2 of each model?

Some folks cut $10,000 a year with a ZTR & others cut $100,000 a year with 21" walks it's yo life & you got to decide for your self? If ya worried about anything be worried if the doors will be open tommorrow at work. The grass will always need to be cut?

Remember this.

It easier to appologize for price now than quality down the road!

Money is work divided by time!

It's ok to say no & other times It's OK to say yes!

If you ever have a doubt about the price you are giving, raise it to enough to where you are almost ashamed to ask that much. Because if you under bid & get it, you are the only one losing out & it will come home to haunt ya!

If they try to talk ya down & you think you are giving a fair price. Hand them at least 2 of your business cards & thank them for their time & giving you the oppertunity to bid on their services they needed. Then walk away & never look back, probably 9 times out of 10 you will be hearing back from them if you are in business long enough.

If you look like a Pro, act like a Pro, work like a Pro, you will get paid like a Pro! That's a fact Jack!

[Mike Paulsen]

lawnsite.com + hard work = success

[cclllc]

I say go for it.I don't have that luxery right now.If your wife has ins.that means alot.I currently make 60 grand a year at my reg. job plus another 40 grand or so mowing.When the time is right I plan to quit also.

[Mike Paulsen]

I feel so little

[lawman]

I would wait a year or so and improve your equipment first. Get yourself a trailer. This will make your life much easer and a 48 or 52 inch mower. This will cut down you time and improve your profit.