Salary Survey

[GrassRoots Lawn Care]

I was wondering what you the average Green Industry business owner makes per year. Guys. only answer if you want. Let's check the egos at the door and be honest. <p>Solo or crew(s):<br>Percentage of lawn care/landscaping or other:<br>Equipment:<br>Annual Overhead:<br>Annual Gross:<br>Annual Net after overhead:<br>Country & State (or Providence):<p>Just curious. I'm currently working with my partner and brother (yeah I know, everyone and their brother own a lawn business) and am contemplating hiring employees to run multiple mowing crews and a landscaping/irrigation crew. All imput is appreciated.<p>----------<br>Mike Reynolds,<br>GrassRoots Lawn Care, Florida

[HOMER]

MY WORK LOOKS LIKE A MILLION BUCKS!<p>MY WALLET LOOKS LIKE ITS BEEN RUN OVER BY A STEAM ROLLER.<p>I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY WILL ANSWER THIS ONE!<p>HOMER

[GrassRoots Lawn Care]

Like I said, only those who want can answer. Not like we are in direct competition from each other. I'm just interested the difference in combinations of landscaping and mowing, as well as solo or multiple crews. Perhaps I should have phrased the question differently? <p>----------<br>Mike Reynolds,<br>GrassRoots Lawn Care, Florida

[Guido]

Homer, I wish I could afford a wallet to run over with my roller! Got any spare change? Pepper nose Bill Clinton wasn't realy in favor of the military (F'ING DRAFT DODGER!!) especially when proposed raises came around, but once all you guys vote for Bush, I'll make a little more scratch!<br><p>----------<br>&lt;a href=&quot;http://communities.msn.com/guidosequipmentpics/&quot;&gt;&quot;Guido&quot;&lt;/a&gt;<br>David M. Famiglietti

[Charles]

My wallet was stolen. They returned it by mail and I found they had put 100$ in it and and a note that they felt sorry for me:)

[dhicks]

We're so poor that when the garbage man rolls around, we ask him to leave two cans. We also envy the Walton's pick-up.<p>----------<br>--Disneyland on the Potomac - ICQ 31223414<br>www.go-emerald.com

[Toroguy]

My mama's so poor the other day I seen her walking down the street kickin' a can, and I asked &quot;what you doin mama?&quot; She said &quot;movin'.<p>(From the movie: White Men can't jump)

[bill phagan]

Mike, the numbers will vary all over the place. Sad to say, it's estimated 30% of LMO's do NOT make money, just changes hands. Starting a consultation next week with a co who's owner does 2m per year and his salary is $350 per week. That's it. That's why he called me. Just finished one with a co doing 900k, owner salary 30k with two employees making more than him. YTD biz profits thru April were $1,328.00 Yet others.....900k, 80k income, 1.6m, 120K income. It's everywhere. When I was doing a million, personal income well exceeded $100k per year. Set your goals based on profit, not volume..........<p>Bill Phagan<br>Green Ind Consulting, Inc.

[Charles]

I agree with that Bill. We got a volume low price Lmo in out town. I can't see how he is making a living. Maybe he won't realize how little profit he has made until all that new equipment starts falling apart. He has been at it I guess around 4 or 5 years. 5 more years or sooner the trouble will start

[Bobby]

Bill may be right.I've been in this thing for twenty years.My wife was able to stay home and raise our two kids, then go back to school and become an RN. Beyond that, I feel like I've been a money handler. The bad part is I'm the expensive guy in my work area. South Fla blues.Ok, enough moaning for now.<p>----------<br>Yesteryear L/S<br>Hollywood Fla

[Richard Martin]

In reply to Phil's message: This year I finally have reached the point where I have more work than I feel comfortable doing by myself. I have hired a part-timer to work one day a week (Friday of course). It became instantly apparent to me that I would have to increase my new bid prices. Although I was able to cut an extra 4 to 5 lawns a day with my new helper I was only making an extra 10 bucks. The cure is price increases for nearly 50% of my existing customers (none of which complained), removal of distant customers and adding 25% to my gut feeling bids.

[Lawnworks]

Richard Martin,<br>One way to look at it is, even though it is only an extra $10 you do the easy work all day...mowing. Your worker is the one taking all the flying debris, dirt, grass and pain; not you. <p>Rick<br>LawnWorks

[grasscapeinc]

I'm so poor, I had to sell my truck for gas money<br>:)<p><br>Just kidding, Remeber biger is not always better, keep costs down, analyze your business plans. Listen to Bill<br>

[Mowin4cash]

I made $1,354,905 last year with my 21&quot; Lawnboy. Do you think I could possibly hit the $1,500,000 range if I went with a Dixie Chopper? I hear they are pretty fast, but are they that much faster than my 21&quot;? <br>Just had to do that! lol<p>----------<br>When the mowing gets tough, sharpen your damn blades!<br>

[Lanelle]

Just a suggestion here. If you really want solid information, you might want to do this as an e-mail response. Then letter-code the respondants, and gather the region where each is located since that is a big factor.<br>When you get done, post the results like Ray did but without naming names. This type of survey is done by one of the trade mags each year.