Question for school teachers

[RazorRog]

For those of you who teach during the year but cut lawns/do light landscape for extra cash during your off time--How do you work out the jobs or keep your weekly schedule when school starts back in the fall? How exactly do you start your spring weekly cuts while school is still in session besides working on the weekends?

[CGC]

We get out @ 3:10, so I'm cutting lawns from 3:45 'til dark. My customers don't want me in their yard during the weekends...

[illegalandnotinsured]

Do you pay for the contractors pesticide license? Do you have an applicator's license?

[Skeelow]

I will only do anywhere from 5 - 10 accounts max. This year I am probably looking at 6. I'm off work at 3:30. I will do 2 accounts Wednesday, 2 accounts Thursday, 2 accounts Friday with late Friday and Saturday and if needed Sunday being my fall back days if rain or something else gets in the way. Summers are easy with all the time we have off. I have a good relationship with my customers I will mow for and they know the schedule I'm working with during May,Sept, Oct before they commit to me.

My advice is to take on only what you can handle. Pick customers that will understand your schedule. Get headlights for your mower sicne you may be working late nights. I got them installed on my Quick 36 when I ordered it because I knew some days I will be working late. Hope this helps. :)

[timmac]

i have 23 accounts and i also coach high school football. when school starts in the fall i mow after practice everyday until dark and finish up on saturdays. i love the extra money it brings in.

[horticulturedawg]

Just curious, do you part timers have the proper insurance, business license, pesticide license? I would think if you are a school teacher, you probably already bring home more than some small LCO's. Remember, if you spray roundup as you do maintenance, that requires you to have a pesticide applicators license as well as a contractors pesticide license.
So are you licensed or do you just pocket all the money? Also, do you pay taxes, pay your helpers cash?

[WJW Lawn]

Man! I sense a bit of hostility in your post. Did you have a bad high school teacher experience or something? lol

[horticulturedawg]

No, not really, just curious. Just lost some customers last year to some "teachers" I was charging $65 per cut and thought I was getting ripped off. They are doing it for $25. I would say no insurance and no taxes.

[LonniesLawns]

I am a school teacher. I do not mow however. I focus on doing applications and landscape installs.


I am fully insured and certified.

When I worked my business plan -- I decided that mowing would be too hard to fit into a schedule -- instead I sub-contract mowing for all of my full service clients. I maintain about 45 regular customers -- Plus do lot sof high quality landscape installs during the summer. Billed baout 300 hours of landscape installs last year.

[ribbie78]

How do you work out the jobs or keep your weekly schedule when school starts back in the fall?

I'm trying to cut about 18 per week after school, and in the summer I'll do them all on wed/thurs by moving Mon and Tues folks to Wedn.; and Thurs. and Fri all on Thurs. Hope it's taken w/out too much strife with everyone. I've mowed all of these under a previous LCO I worked with but this will be my first year on my own.

If I can't handle this all on my own may have to call in the Fam members for raking and leaf blowing in the spring and fall. Family members don't require any workman's comp. do they?


...and yes insured and taxed. Not applying/spraying anything (does peeing in the bushes count? :cry: :laugh: :cry: )

Good Luck! :drinkup:

[Stillwater]

Just curious, do you part timers have the proper insurance, business license, pesticide license? I would think if you are a school teacher, you probably already bring home more than some small LCO's. Remember, if you spray roundup as you do maintenance, that requires you to have a pesticide applicators license as well as a contractors pesticide license.
So are you licensed or do you just pocket all the money? Also, do you pay taxes, pay your helpers cash?

whats up with you dude, if you cannot help the guy why post, He is asking for help and more over he was asking for help from school teachers not you. I been in business since 1979 I think I could pick you apart without even trying.
Help or leave

[Stillwater]

i have 23 accounts and i also coach high school football. when school starts in the fall i mow after practice everyday until dark and finish up on saturdays. i love the extra money it brings in.

Hi Timmac

Do you live anywhere near the late Jim Varney?

[Steve's Mow & Trim]

No, not really, just curious. Just lost some customers last year to some "teachers" I was charging $65 per cut and thought I was getting ripped off. They are doing it for $25. I would say no insurance and no taxes.

Not either one of the last things you mentioned are required! You are not required to have insurance...it is each individuals choice, as well as paying the income taxes....Nowhere is there a law saying we must pay a federal income tax on our wages. Only Corporate businesses (public) are required to pay a federal income tax....not those in the private sector. I know in Illinois the first sentence of the tax law states those who are required to file for federal income taxes must file for state taxes....there is no law that states you are required to pay the fed tax, so nor are you required by law to pay the state tax in illinois. Are you familiar with the US Constitution horticulturedawg? You're screwin yourself by paying 15% of your wages to the national debt. If a teacher is capable of charging less than you and coming out with a good profit, then he/she is a better business man/woman then yourself. Go teachers! I am only 19 but am going to school to become a teacher.....

[Stillwater]

Not either one of the last things you mentioned are required! You are not required to have insurance...it is each individuals choice, as well as paying the income taxes....Nowhere is there a law saying we must pay a federal income tax on our wages. Only Corporate businesses (public) are required to pay a federal income tax....not those in the private sector. I know in Illinois the first sentence of the tax law states those who are required to file for federal income taxes must file for state taxes....there is no law that states you are required to pay the fed tax, so nor are you required by law to pay the state tax in illinois. Are you familiar with the US Constitution horticulturedawg? You're screwin yourself by paying 15% of your wages to the national debt. If a teacher is capable of charging less than you and coming out with a good profit, then he/she is a better business man/woman then yourself. Go teachers! I am only 19 but am going to school to become a teacher.....

Your right Insurance is not required. If a school teacher chooses to mow lawns and do landscape work to make ends meet more power to them. If a school teacher can mow cheaper than me and make their customers happy so be it, I do not consider them a threat to my business and I do not consider them my competition. I don't understand the hostility some guys have towards smaller operators. If a guy is running around town under bidding every other guy out their so what I am still working and I have not lost a customer to a lower bid in many years. I am occasionally told about guys who have tried to underbid me sometimes I am asked if I can match their lower prices the answer is always no I can't. I am on the expensive side for many reasons.

[Steve's Mow & Trim]

Your right Insurance is not required. If a school teacher chooses to mow lawns and do landscape work to make ends meet more power to them. If a school teacher can mow cheaper than me and make their customers happy so be it, I do not consider them a threat to my business and I do not consider them my competition. I don't understand the hostility some guys have towards smaller operators. If a guy is running around town under bidding every other guy out their so what I am still working and I have not lost a customer to a lower bid in many years. I am occasionally told about guys who have tried to underbid me sometimes I am asked if I can match their lower prices the answer is always no I can't. I am on the expensive side for many reasons.

Same here....I get people asking me to match others bids as well....My answer is also always no. I simply explain to them why my prices are the way they are...I usually jsut tell them you basically get what you pay for, they usually don't wan't to take the chance of recieving a poor or unreliable service.

[newtex]

I mow 3 after school every day, and then work all day Saturday and sometimes Sunday after church. I have 25 accounts. I pay taxes at the beginning of the year, but I have always received a check back from the government because I pay too many taxes under my teaching job. I'm looking into insurance this year...
I have to admit I miss my family. I have to mow to give my family what they need. I also paid way too much for college, and so did my wife, who is at home with the little ones. By the way, your is a personal pronoun. You're is a contraction that stands for you are. Sorry, I couldn't resist:)

[Stillwater]

Could I intrest you in a trade, my tax bill for your bill?

[CGC]

Insured ($200/yr = $300,000 general liability), pay enough taxes through regular check that I get a refund (yes I claim all $$$ from sole proprietorship)...

Anyhow, for those of you that are school teachers, what kind of equipment do you work with (commercial or residential)? I've got mostly residential, stuff I bought for personal use, but I hope to upgrade to commercial soon.

[Stillwater]

That is in line kind a give or take with what I am paying in MA. along time ago I had just a million dollar binder and it cost about 590 or 600, You may not think so but a million dollars goes fast in a freek accident. A lot of part time guys don't bother with Insurence.

Let me tell ya. it is probably 1 of the most important things to have for a ton of reasons, justifying charging more per mow is just 1 reason. 1 mishap and your premium is covered, lets see,......

A) your customer has a 75,000 Bens in the drive and your driving past it to get to the lawn in your ztr and your left wheel pump goes. In a nano second the machine takes a instant left turn straight into the Bens, you gouge the drivers door all the way across to the rear passenger door, 5,000 dollars worth of damage.

b) Your customer has grass for a border around their 60,000 dollar Gunite pool your cruising around trimming the edge of the border and you get stung by a wasp, "BAM" you drive your ztr right into the deep end of the pool

Hireing a crane to pick the ztr straight up and out without further damaging the qunite 1200
labor to remove and reinstall some of the custom fencing for crane access
400
pool contractors bill for draining pool and decontaminating it and flushing plumbing and filters from gas and oil 2400
Landscapers bill (you used to be their landscaper) to restore the severe lawn damage from the extreme weight of the crane driving across the lawn to get to the pool 1600.

Mowing a lawn you kick a rock up smashing a custom made gas filled NewPro Bow window,
window replacement and labor 4,000 oh!!!!!! don't forget the smashed rare Hummel figurine "that" "was" sitting on a shelf directly behind the window 800 smackers. Oh!! and that is just the mower. I havent even mentioned the mishaps 1 could have with a line trimmer. Anyway the above is 1 hell of a expensive day.

[mdvaden]

Sounds like mowing would be a great way for teachers to get excercise if they don't belong to a gym or go golfing.

It probably is a relief to get out from the indoors too.

[newtex]

Sounds like mowing would be a great way for teachers to get excercise if they don't belong to a gym or go golfing.

You're right, but I still weigh in at 264. I can do a lot of things other men can't do (except play basketball).

It probably is a relief to get out from the indoors too.

You wouldn't believe what seventh graders and their parents can do to you mentally. Mowing is therapy some days.

By the way, I use a 21" Snapper, an Echo 210 for a weedeater, and a Dolmar backpack blower. I will upgrade to Stihl slowly and surely. I can't justify buying a walkbehind yet.

[newtex]

Could I intrest you in a trade, my tax bill for your bill?

Only if I can trade your pay for my pay.

[WJW Lawn]

No, not really, just curious. Just lost some customers last year to some "teachers" I was charging $65 per cut and thought I was getting ripped off. They are doing it for $25. I would say no insurance and no taxes.

Ok..now I understand your animosity!

[mdvaden]

Sounds like mowing would be a great way for teachers to get excercise if they don't belong to a gym or go golfing.

You're right, but I still weigh in at 264. I can do a lot of things other men can't do (except play basketball).

It probably is a relief to get out from the indoors too.

You wouldn't believe what seventh graders and their parents can do to you mentally. Mowing is therapy some days.

By the way, I use a 21" Snapper, an Echo 210 for a weedeater, and a Dolmar backpack blower. I will upgrade to Stihl slowly and surely. I can't justify buying a walkbehind yet.

Just a small idea - I was a school bus driver for about 1 year when I was 19 years old.

[horticulturedawg]

whats up with you dude, if you cannot help the guy why post, He is asking for help and more over he was asking for help from school teachers not you. I been in business since 1979 I think I could pick you apart without even trying.
Help or leave

I am sorry you think you are the boss of me. You are not. And by the way, I could pick YOU apart... If you have been in business since 1979, bout time you got some insurance and got legit. If you worked for me, you would probably be a weedpicker.

[Stillwater]

I am sorry you think you are the boss of me. You are not. And by the way, I could pick YOU apart... If you have been in business since 1979, bout time you got some insurance and got legit. If you worked for me, you would probably be a weedpicker.

bout time I got some insurence? If I worked for you I would be a weedpicker? Wow your a sharp guy!

[BobbyKnight]

This is my fifth year in mowing and my 14th in teaching. When I got out of coaching (boys head basketball coach), I wanted something to supplement my income since ALL that basketball money was gone. If you know about coaching money, you will sense the sarcasm in that last statement. I have found that mowing is a lot more relaxing and easier money than coaching basketball in Indiana.

I have had as many as 13 accounts. I like keeping between 6-10 accounts. Like others, I do a few one evening, then a few more the next, etc. I try to keep the weekends reserved for my family or incase of rainouts during the week.

And, yes, I do have insurance and pay taxes on what I bring in. I don't think anyone in my area should be afraid of someone like myself. Those who are doing this for a living should not worry about the little guy. I live in a small town that has at least 5 or 6 full-time lawn care businesses, maybe more. When I say small, we have about 12,000 in our town and around 30,000 in the entire county.

Yes, I probably do charge a little less than those guys, but I don't have the overhead. My mower is paid for (JD 737 w/ 23 Kaw. and 54 in. cut). Trimmers, blowers, and edgers paid for, as well. A guy with all the overhead should charge more than me. They need it and deserve it. For those customers who don't like the higher prices I guess should try going into Wal-Mart and asking for discounts. Oh, wait, people accept their prices...never mind.

In the area that I live, however, I'm not too far below their prices. I do good work, so I price relatively close to the "pros." My work looks professionally done, so I price likewise. But, to keep getting good jobs, I price slightly below to win over a few customers. Just to give you an idea, if it takes me 1 hour to mow, trim, blow, etc., I will charge minimum of $40-45. I don't do any advertising. Word of mouth and friends and family have kept me pretty busy. I keep telling myself I'm going to attempt 18-20 accounts sometime, but I have yet to do it. My wife teaches, too, so 6-10 accounts usually does me pretty well. It is relaxing after dealing with junior high students all day, and it doesn't keep me away from my family for more than one day during the summers. Lastly, it pays for my golfing addiction!

[D&M Lawn Service]

I teach as well as coach baseball. I have 5 regular mowing accounts and have done several mulch jobs (most during spring break). I mostly mow on Sundays or Sat. afternoon. My customers know up front that until mid May that is when I have to mow because of my schedule. I have picked up a lot of jobs working on Sunday and people seeing my work. This is my first year. Eventually I will probably give up the coaching baseball and work more after school. Oh yeah, I have insurance and will be claiming money on taxes. My equipment all paid for: 61"2006 Scag Wildcat, Bunton older walkbehind (great for gates), echo trimmer, echo BP blower, kawasaki stik edger.