How do they make money?

[jlohouston]

Today I saw a F350 with NINE workers in it... They had only 2 mowers and 4 trimmers.... How does someone make any money paying a crew of 9.

[fulano]

Were the workers legal? Maybe he is paying low wages or maybe they were family of the lco or something.

[La Reina]

I've seen the same thing here w/ a well known company, many times had so many workers and at little sites too. I guess if they all ride crew cab together all day and hit site after site they are paid by the hour or a part of each site finished. As long as they have lots of jobs to be done and ride together it may pay off for the company, oh and no the ones I saw didn't look legal but who knows either way they are getting the job done.

[extlights]

I see that all the time. When we asked a crew about that, they said that they weren't all working out of that same truck. They were in a subdivision doing multiple homes and other trucks were following with more equipment. When the other trucks pulled up it made more sense considering all those trucks were regular cabs.

[SWD]

I run multiple crews every week throughout the year.
Occasionally, we freight to given areas with support vehicles carrying/trailering additional equipment.
Multiple/large crews allows for greater work load, less fatigue - very important in the 100*+ days we are already experiencing, and larger properties are completed much more quickly than with smaller crews.

[michael21]

Wish I had nine workers:usflag:

[SWD]

Wish I had nine workers:usflag:
You can have all of the payroll, taxes and insurance overhead too!
I have eight employees and my payroll is routinely above $4K/week.

[garth1967]

i think thats amazing.i would love to know the answer too.......i mean how do they do it .....this question has to be answered.the question often gets asked on this site but never gets answered.is there anybody on here that possibly knows of this great secret:walking:

[SWD]

There is no great secret to it. I am running a business and responding to the demands of such.
Customers require my services in ever greater amounts therefore I have to add employees to meet these needs.
I watch my numbers closely, provide superior services, have a adequately trained staff, good communication skills, and am busy all of the time.
There is a hell of a lot more to being a "LCO" than just mowing turf - it is a business - approach it as such!
Become more professional in your demeanor, knowledge and language, wear a clean uniform each day that matches, have professional appearing equipment, and learn to use the "spell" button on this site.

[nephilim0167]

Theres an LCO here in Phoenix who drives old beater vans. I've seen 5 guys sitting in the front of the van. Amazing to me as it's only meant to hold 3. People are strange.

[topsites]

Today I saw a F350 with NINE workers in it... They had only 2 mowers and 4 trimmers.... How does someone make any money paying a crew of 9.

Don't know, don't care, it's not my problem.
If they're gone next year, you have your answer.
If they're still around, I'm still not concerned.

Wave if you like, or don't.

For those who look at me or my truck, that's when I usually remember to go lock up my equipment.
That sends the lookers on down the road when they realize that I saw them looking.

Don't look, don't touch.
Keeps the pitas and the time-wasters away very nicely, for the most part.

[hostingdiva]

i think thats amazing.i would love to know the answer too.......i mean how do they do it .....this question has to be answered.the question often gets asked on this site but never gets answered.is there anybody on here that possibly knows of this great secret

As SWD said, there is no great secret. I'm sure companies that have 5, 6, 9 employees are not brand new - they didn't open their doors yesterday and get a whole bunch of business. Those that have made it have been around for sometime.

It takes time to get your name out there and build up your clientele. Don't ever forget that people DO talk and if you do crappy work it will get around quickly. If you do awesome work, that will also get around quickly. Pay attention to details, pay attention to your customers, and care about what you're doing. There is no substitute for hard form :dancing:

[Brianslawn]

maybe they do 15 acre appartment communities like we do. 9 guys would get ours done in 3 hrs @ $1500 a pop. 9 guys * $8/hr * 3 hrs = $216. $1500 - $216 = $1284. $1284 * 2 - $300 (gas & daily expenses) = $2268. do 2 of those a day and yes, ill take a $2k profitt every day.

it all about knowing how to run a biz. most do not.

[emil35]

maybe they do 15 acre appartment communities like we do. 9 guys would get ours done in 3 hrs @ $1500 a pop. 9 guys * $8/hr * 3 hrs = $216. $1500 - $216 = $1284. $1284 * 2 - $300 (gas & daily expenses) = $2268. do 2 of those a day and yes, ill take a $2k profitt every day.

it all about knowing how to run a biz. most do not.

Couldn't have said it better myself. It's not rocket science, just business and alittle common sense. Someday after college, I hope to be able to do just that, but on an even larger scale! Someday...:)

[jlohouston]

Ok I see everyone is going different directions on this...... Friday I saw the same truck with 8 guys... They were in the same subdivision.. I stopped and talked to who looked like the supervisor.... I asked him how the owner makes money with a crew this large... Well he was the owner... He said they can do 30 to 40 yards a day with that many people... AND THEY ONLY DO RESIDENTIAL.. I asked what is your average price he said $20 - $30... Next I assume they make $8 an hour... and they work 8am - dark which is around 8pm here... ok 2 people own the company he said brothers.... so 12 hour day at $8 hour = $96 each wo overtime... so $576 for the crew (the 6 workers not the 2 brothers who own it).. 40 yards at $25 (the avg of their price = $1000. If they pay $576 a day... How do they make money? And they are not a LCO just turf crew.....

[hostingdiva]

Uhh.. maybe he misinformed you so as not to give away his secret? :dizzy:

He probably isn't making any money - hey may be operating at a loss to take business away from others and then raise his prices? He may also not be paying his people $8/hr.

[Brianslawn]

a 4 man crew outta do 40 a day. send out 2 three man crews and they should get 30 done in an 8 hr day each crew.

maybe he hires whites from arkansas and he has to have twice as many as he should need cause theyre slow and everyday 2 dont show up. lol!

[SWD]

The dude was jerking your chain.
THIS BUSINESS IS NOT HARD.
Know your numbers, be skilled, have a bit of common sense and you can grow.