Would you hire me?

[Gators_Aerator]

I only aerate lawns. (I may also get into seeding lawns too). I have no interest in mowing, landscaping, etc.

I am thinking of expanding my business this fall and I have a question for all of you. Would you be willing to hire or sub contract with my company to handle these jobs for your clients? You set the price and I work for a negotiated percentage of that. The only time they might see my company name would be on my trailer.

I am not going to take any clients, discuss prices, sell my company over yours to them or place my sign in the yard.

I am thinking of sending letters to local LCO and offering to provide my services.

Why rent, buy or borrow, when that is my specialty? You make money for doing nothing but selling the service to your clients.

In return I can sell your company to my regular clients too.

What do you think?

[dvmcmrhp52]

Subcontracting is always an option for services not needed on a regular basis, however I'd have to ask myself one question.................Even if I rent the equipment, why am I going to pay you rather than do it ourselves?
For occasaional use it may work, but I'm not sure I see a business here...............Maybe I'm wrong...............

[Charles]

I just wish it were this easy to make a living in lawncare. Ya I would aerate all day..
What do you mean "expanding your business" ? if you do nothing else?
You mean expanding from aerating to seeding?

[Gators_Aerator]

Gentlemen,
Why pay me? How many lawns can you mow for the time taken to aerate one? Even at a 70/30 split you make money doing nothing. Your clients are happy becuase of the extra service you offer and you are happy becuase you can spend time doing other things.

What I mean by expanding my business is adding more machines, and doing more work. Yes, I would like to expand to seeding too. So in the end I will be able to offer you and your clients something that you do not have spend time doing and still getting paid.

Leveraging your time and resources to keep your clients happy and make a profit is the ultimate goal in today's business environment.

I am offering just such an opportunity.

[MowerMoney]

This year I've been subbing lawn rolling to a guy I met at a college course we both took last year. He is more into industrial high pressure washing and only wants to cut lawns 1 or 2 days per week so he is no threat to my business. He has his own rollers and only charges $20 - $30 per average yard. I've been charging $50 - $60 per yard (I haven't told him that though). So he is making money , and I'm making money. I hate rolling.

Then I sell an aeration to those same customers. I have given up on trying to explain to people that rolling is not too good for the lawn. I just get them to roll first, then aerate.

[sheshovel]

Why should wtake money out of my pocket from my hard earned clients and just hand it to you?You have not done the trust building,rapport building and any work to get and keep the jobs.You want something for nothing you want us to hand you work and things don't
roll down that road so easy.30% big deal not enough to trust you with my clients yards and put my reputation in possible jepordy. Sheshovel

[PTP]

I think that it is a good idea. Many people want to provide all services to there customers though and make the highest gross per customer that they can. I don't want to do that. I like your approach much better and it would work well for most customers.

I have all the equipment necessary to mow a lawn. I would rather go out and mow one more lawn than purchase more equipment so that I could provice more services to one customer. If the customer wants other services, then I tell them who to call.

[Gators_Aerator]

Sheshovel - Ouch! - Put I can understand.

Usually you do have to work to make money. I agree. In this case you don't and still make 30% profit. I think that is the point of business is to make a profit. If you can sub the job and still make money, great.

I have a client base too, so saying I have not built up trust or rapport is only a reference call away. I would not hire anyone without first giving them a test or checking references. I can understand your apprehension.

But if I satisfy your client and your needs, then what is the problem? Let me know up front that the first lawn is a test. If any of your clients complain about the service, then I am gone, because you cannot risk your business. That would be reasonable to me.

I could easily place flyers in the same neighborhood and get your clients without you, so this would protect your clients (I keep records) and also show that you can offer more services, without extra burden on yourself. It would also add to my list of companies that I too can offer my clients.

The road to making money is two way. It can be a bumpy back road or a easy to drive four lane highway. I like to drive on the highway becuase it is easier to change lanes and there are more people out there to help if you are in need. Walking that lonely back road by yourself is not fun.

[Green Pastures]

No I own my own aerator.

[olderthandirt]

Sub out aerating ? I don't think so, it to common and easy of a service to sell or add to any of your customer base. I only sub the jobs that are infrequently asked for.

[Groundcover Solutions]

Subbing out work can save time and money! The hardest part is convincing the contractor in the long run they will be making more money by subbing the work out. Subbing is 99% of my business! They have to take into consideration the labor costs, equipment up keep, fuel, and the time they are losing that they could be doing other more profitable jobs. Why take a mowing crew or landscaping crew off of a job to lay a little mulch or a lot of mulch when you can just put a call in and for you still make a large profit margin. I would assume that aeration would be close to the same I would focus manly on larger jobs that take more time. If you have larger equipment and can get the job done faster then market that aspect also. It will be hard at first convincing the contractors but once you start getting work make sure you do the best job possible and on time. Then word of mouth starts happening and your phone will be ringing off the hook!!!

[googleplex]

Gators,
you might want to check out

http://www.spring-masters.com/

It's a company that only does aerations in my area.
They are now franchising across Canada, and will be expanding thoughtout America next year. The numbers they claim are amazing for a 45 day aeration season.

Hope it helps!

[Bull]

Gators, I would use your service in a heartbeat. Actually I already allow my brother-n-law to do all of my plugging. He knows where all of my yards are and I know what he charges. So I just cover his cost plus a profit for myself and the job gets done. I am currently doing the same thing with all of my mulching, spreading of lime / fert and roundup applications. I have already made close to $2,000.00 in six weeks and have done nothing more than secure the jobs, confirm their completion and send the bill. I have actually taken a day off and still made $250.00 profit that day with someone else doing the work. It only makes sense to use your time wisely and this increases my profit per hour ratio as well.

[sheshovel]

Well if you meet my criteria then yes i might give you a try,as far as placing flyers in my areas to easily get my customers that would not go down well as I already aeriate as part of my service to my clients,they would have no reason to hire you seperately.But as far as subbbing goes,you may have a point there and make some $.... is it sustainable income?I don't know.I cannot guarantee you the work next year or the year after in this biz.But give it a go and see what happens good luck!

[Gators_Aerator]

Thanks Everyone for your input.