Sub Division Pricing Question

[radracer]

Thanks for reading. I have been doing lawn service and landscaping part time for a year and a half but I am going to go full time this spring as it is very hard to mow, work a second job go to school and raise a family at the same time. That being said I have a few good accounts that are profitable but I need to add about 40 more to leave my job. I would like to get into the subdivisions because the neighborhoods around here are sparse and spread apart and the subdivisions are plentiful with thousands of homes and are very close together. The problem is the prices in these subdivisions are very low $15.00 per cut and most of the lawn services are servicing for these prices. I have 2 accounts that I do full service for, in one of the biggest ones and they are profitable. But most of the residents don't want full service they just want what they are getting mediocre service at a low price. The yards are very small and most can be mowed, edged, trimmed & blowed in 15 minutes or less including loading / unloading of equipment. I was thinking about doing them for 17.50 per service with a contract. Before someone jumps my case for considering to work that cheap, just remember I am in central Florida where all the companies have 10 Mexicans jumping out of the truck working for next to nothing doing the work while the owner / manager sits behind the wheel smoking a cigarette drinking a glass of tea and watches the money come in. I am just trying to get a piece of the pie for my family while I earn my degree. I would still keep my minimum price for the regular neighborhoods as I am not willing to cut my fellow LSO's throats in these areas. Please let me know what you would do and how much do you charge for subdivisions with small yards. Thanks in advance for all input.

Thanks
Rad

[echeandia]

There have been many posts that talk about making $1 a minute. If what you say about the time for unloading, doing the job, and reloading is correct then the price you have is right. Only you know if you can make money going after these lots though.

[Young Lawn Boy]

i see where you are coming from...everybody and there mom owns a mower and willing to do work cheap. If you can charge those prices and still run your business effictivley and make enough to pay the bills at home then you will be fine....it all comes down to what your expectations are for yourself...dont pay attention to people who tell you that your lowballin cus its your business not there's

[Down2EarthLawns]

Go with your gut instict on this one rad. If you can charge 15-17.50 per cut on these and still make a profit, get-r-done. Business is business, and nobody is thinking of you when they are pricing out their next job. I have the same situation over here in Spring Hill. And I will be setting prices to get more clients and make more $$.

[CkLandscapingOrlando]

I dont know where you live but I live In Orlando and 25 a cut is cheap.I charge 100 a month for 12 months,30 a cut for weekly,and 35 for bi weekly.

[daveintoledo]

maybe you should try and find a entry level job in your field of study from school..... many times you can get credits for this toward your degree

[echeandia]

...and 25 a cut is cheap.I charge 100 a month for 12 months...

You actually charge less than $25 per cut. You charge $23.08 to be exact and you are knocking this guy?

[radracer]

Thanks to all for your advice.

Rad

[GroundControlLawnCare]

Thanks for reading. I have been doing lawn service and landscaping part time for a year and a half but I am going to go full time this spring as it is very hard to mow, work a second job go to school and raise a family at the same time. That being said I have a few good accounts that are profitable but I need to add about 40 more to leave my job. I would like to get into the subdivisions because the neighborhoods around here are sparse and spread apart and the subdivisions are plentiful with thousands of homes and are very close together. The problem is the prices in these subdivisions are very low $15.00 per cut and most of the lawn services are servicing for these prices. I have 2 accounts that I do full service for, in one of the biggest ones and they are profitable. But most of the residents don't want full service they just want what they are getting mediocre service at a low price. The yards are very small and most can be mowed, edged, trimmed & blowed in 15 minutes or less including loading / unloading of equipment. I was thinking about doing them for 17.50 per service with a contract. Before someone jumps my case for considering to work that cheap, just remember I am in central Florida where all the companies have 10 Mexicans jumping out of the truck working for next to nothing doing the work while the owner / manager sits behind the wheel smoking a cigarette drinking a glass of tea and watches the money come in. I am just trying to get a piece of the pie for my family while I earn my degree. I would still keep my minimum price for the regular neighborhoods as I am not willing to cut my fellow LSO's throats in these areas. Please let me know what you would do and how much do you charge for subdivisions with small yards. Thanks in advance for all input.

Thanks
Rad
THATS THE PROBLEM HERE,PRICING DEPENDS ON WERE YOU LIVE AND HOW MANY LAWN COMPANY'S AND MEXICANS WITH A CREW OF FOUR THAT WILL CHARGE HALF OF WHAT A SOLO GUY CHARGE'S JUST TO GET THE ACCOUNT.I SEE IT EVERY DAY AROUND HERE. I NO WERE YOUR COMING FROM.PEOPLE DON'T THINK ABOUT THIS BE FOR THE JUMP YOU FOR PRICING . AND YES THERE'S A SUB CLOSE BY ME WITH A CREW OF FOUR THAT DOES 3 1/4 YARDS FOR 20$ A POP.

[CkLandscapingOrlando]

You actually charge less than $25 per cut. You charge $23.08 to be exact and you are knocking this guy?

I'm knocking out 4 yards an hour.92.32 an hour is not bad.I did'nt knock any one.In fact how the hell could you even come to that when I'm doing it for the same price that I said was cheap?I can get even more into that hour if their all next to each other,so either your over charging or you need to work on production

[echeandia]

In fact how the hell could you even come to that ...

Okay, lets remember what you said before (which I quoted in my previous post) which was "I charge 100 a month for 12 months". Do you remember that? Now there are twelve months in a year right? How many weeks are in a year? No, not 48 but 52. Try to keep up. So, you charge a customer $1200 for the year right? Good, you got that one right. Now here is the hard part. How much do you charge for a week? Come on, I gave you the answer before. Here is a hint: $1200 divided by 52. What does that come out to? $23.08

Learn some math.

[CkLandscapingOrlando]

Look here re-tard.I did the math when I came up with the price.I dont charge per visit.....If you want it like that its 30.....If not its 100 per month.....Stay with me now.When the grass stops growing my money does not.I left this morning at 9 and was back at 2 but yet my pay does not re-flect such short hours.From Oct to Mar or even April your on a bi weekly basis except for a few leaves and those can be mulched with the mower.Thats about 10 weeks...Now I see your great with math so why dont you teach us all how to amortize that across those same 12 months.I think I'm doing all right for myself.

[Down2EarthLawns]

Hey eche.....I would get defensive if you came at me with the same condescending responses that you aimed at Chuck. lol Good luck with the biz, rad.

[echeandia]

I did the math when I came up with the price.....If you want it like that its 30.....

Wow 40 cuts a year. Good for you!

[CkLandscapingOrlando]

Dude I dont have a problem with you at all but this is the second post that you've come side ways at me.May be I need to break what I have to say down into laymens turns.May be you need to ask more questions before you talk down to people.What ever it was dont matter to me,my bad for my part.
It would be about 42 a year and at that rate it would cost them about 60 dollers more a year and less work.

[Ecoscape01]

Okay, lets remember what you said before (which I quoted in my previous post) which was "I charge 100 a month for 12 months". Do you remember that? Now there are twelve months in a year right? How many weeks are in a year? No, not 48 but 52. Try to keep up. So, you charge a customer $1200 for the year right? Good, you got that one right. Now here is the hard part. How much do you charge for a week? Come on, I gave you the answer before. Here is a hint: $1200 divided by 52. What does that come out to? $23.08

Learn some math.

That's all this guys does is pick fights. Ahhhh I can just see it now - echeandia puffing up his chest and getting tough with the computer screen. It takes a lot of balls to do that:hammerhead:

[Dempsey7]

It takes a lot of balls to do that:hammerhead:

:gunsfirin :gunsfirin

[lurch]

His keys are broken from hitting them so hard....Internet $#!& talking...gotta love it