This is disturbing

[Desoto_Lawn_Care]

From Craigslist:

I X'd out the numbers and website address.

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Monthly Lawn Service - from $60

CALL 727-XXX-XXXX OR http://www.XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.com/ we also offer Tree Trimming and Removal Stump Grinding Land Clearing Pressure Cleaning Property Clean Ups Junk & Debris Hauling Landscaping Etc.

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From the same guy that advertises "Most Yards $20 A Cut."

I don't understand how he can do this and make money with fuel costs and maintainence, repairs, etc.

[greg1]

Yup! That's about the going rate in brevard county, Fl. :dizzy: $60.00 per month for a 1/4 acre lot with plenty of trees, planting beds and other time consuming obstacles to slow you down. I don't get it! :hammerhead:

[kevinlane]

LOL I just saw that one, I have an ad on there too, but never a price. Then I get some guy e-mailing me asking me for accounts......plz

[Desoto_Lawn_Care]

EVEN WORSE

Yes, this is a real ad on Tampa Bay Craigslist

Feel free to look it up yourself under the labor & moving section


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LAWNS STARTING AT $ 40.00 A MONTH

WE ARE A PROFESSIONAL LAWN AND LANDSCAPE COMPANY LOOKING TO SHARE OUR BEAUTIFUL WORK WITH YOU, JUST TO NAME A FEW WE OFFER:

1. FREE ESTIMATES

2. COMPLETE LAWN CARE

3. GUTTER CLEANING

4. LANDSCAPING

5. WEEDING AND MULCHING

6. CLEANING AND HAULING

7. BUSH AND TREE TRIMMING

WE ARE LICENSED AND INSURED

INTERESTED THEN DON'T WAIT CALL TODAY ; 352-xxx-xxx OR 352-xxx-xxxx


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This is unbelievable. I'm at a complete loss of words. I don't even know what to say. Maybe someone else can?

[Ravenwood Landscaping]

I could put $40/ month too. It doesn't mean I'll give anyone that price...

Seriously though, I don't know how people can do that to themselves (both buyer and seller). I mean why don't they just advertise "1 case of Milwaukees Best per mow" and get it over with.

[gary6768]

The dang fool would make more money working at McDonald's . After all his expenses what is he making 12 bucks a lawn????

[Darrin A.]

EVEN WORSE



This is unbelievable. I'm at a complete loss of words. I don't even know what to say. Maybe someone else can?

Well, if you don't know what to say, I've got a couple of suggestions for when you call them...... "Hey guys, I'm an LCO too and you guys are not charging enough to make money.:hammerhead: That brings down the entire industry. We should get together and talk about your pricing."
Or....."I've got X number of lawns for you to do. If you bring your price down to $35 / month, they are all yours."

[GreenT]

Sad but very true.

The going rate around the largest developments here is $50/month.

I started this year and very quickly realized that there was no way in hell I was going to work for those rates. I changed my business plan and went after high-end properties, so far it is working out ok.

The worst part is that most of those guys don't last but by the time they go under, they have already done the damage. They condition the customers to expect those rates.

They can have them.

[Desoto_Lawn_Care]

Kevin, you know what I'm talking about. You know what kind of competition we are up against here in the Tampa Bay area. I'm not talking about established LCO's that provide quality service, I'm talking about clowns like these who come along and do a sorry job for little or no money, probably just breaking even at best, forcing the rest of us to bring our prices down.

But I've had enough. I'm not lowering prices, I'm sending a letter to all of my customers letting them know I have to RAISE prices slightly to cover fuel, maintenence and repair expenses. I have spoke to most of my customers already and they are ok with it. I made it clear that they will continue to expect the same kind of quality service with good communications PLUS I speak English!

I've taken on several new accounts because the previous LCO who came out 3 times a month for $40 did not speak any english!

[Desoto_Lawn_Care]

I could put $40/ month too. It doesn't mean I'll give anyone that price...

Seriously though, I don't know how people can do that to themselves (both buyer and seller). I mean why don't they just advertise "1 case of Milwaukees Best per mow" and get it over with.


LOL. Or one case of Natural Light, Keystone Light, King Cobra, etc.
Any cheap bastard would be satisfied for even just a quart of Old English.

[Desoto_Lawn_Care]

The dang fool would make more money working at McDonald's . After all his expenses what is he making 12 bucks a lawn????

Not even close. 40 dollars a month = 10 dollars a cut. And he may not even have any other accounts in the same area. He could easily spend 10-20 bucks in gas just driving to any location in Pinellas County with all the stoplights. Not to mention adding in the price of gas for the mowers, trimmers, insurance, maintenance, repairs etc. I would bet you top dollar this fool is losing money.

[Cathman]

Folks, in a competitive market, you have to have something that gets the call to you. I highly doubt they can do a lawn for 40 a month unless they do it with the trimmer and are done in 5 minutes. This is advertising...whether smart or not (read good for the business or not) I would bet they get many calls from people looking for cheap. In reality, they may go estimate and tell them 90-100 per month or something and the new customer not knowing any better think they are getting the best deal....afterall it was the cheapest rate they saw advertised. And this yahoo now has another lawn to boot. So, is it real??? I guess someone needs to call and get them to come bid their house and see if they are for real and if so, sub them out and watch em to make sure they do the job right lol.....outsourcing, its a very common practice.

On another note, i recently bid on a home, small lot and i offered to do it for 30.00....i do a couple others in the neighborhood and am trying to get more so i can knock out quite a few with minimal driving, etc. Anyway, i did not get it, he found someone to do it for 20. I drove by there today his lawn looked like crap. I may go by next time i have the time and show him the homes nearby that i maintain and ask him if he would like to have green grass, or continue with the nicely browned lawn from letting it go too long and them cutting it too low when they do...oh and they leave all the nice clippings...he should have a nice dead lawn in no time if they continue.

[GreenT]

I highly doubt they can do a lawn for 40 a month unless they do it with the trimmer and are done in 5 minutes. This is advertising...whether smart or not (read good for the business or not) I would bet they get many calls from people looking for cheap. In reality, they may go estimate and tell them 90-100 per month or something and the new customer not knowing any better think they are getting the best deal....afterall it was the cheapest rate they saw advertised.

You don't understand, these are not legitimate LCOs using this as a marketing scheme to get new accounts. These are real prices they charge for the crappy work they do.

I see them working around me all the time and know their customers and what they pay.

I have a customer in a Dell Webb development that has a 1/2 acre property and I charge her $165/month. Her neighbor next door has the same size property and pays $50. Now, my customer will be the first to tell you that she doesn't mind paying for quality and reliability, she will also tell you that the guy next door has gone thru a number of these fly-by-night operators.

And you should see his lawn. Looks like crap compared to the one I do. Scalping, wavy, uneven edging, cutting with dull blades, cutting too short, grass growing into the beds because they don't know how to keep edges, you name it.

This is just one example. There are literally thousands of these guys.

Florida is a whole different animal my friends.

[capelawncare.com]

we have a woman, down here that advertises on ebay for $9.99 and on craigs list for 20.$

Personally I wont unload my truck for 20.00 bucks

It is comforting to know that she is a new arrival to SW Florida. I am sure that by the end of the summer she will be thinking of raising her prices LOL

[Patriot Services]

This is why you cannot start an LCO down here and expect to be full of accounts in 1, 2 or even 3 years. You will go through hundreds before you finally get settled into anything comfortable. I get my best accounts this time a year after all the half-azzed monkey LCO's have screwed it up.The customers learned their lesson about hiring a 50.00 a month guy and what kind of service you get for that. If they still don't get it I don't want them. This is a great area to run this business but not for the weak, lazy, stupid clowns that you see every day out there. Ok enough ranting, finished early today, back to the pool and Corona.:usflag: :usflag: :usflag:

[BQLC]

There is no way i could do it for 40 or even 50 a month this guy is losing money no matter how you look at it. He is either just using it to bait in customers or he has no clue what the heck he is doing and will not be around long

[GreenT]

this guy is losing money no matter how you look at it. He is either just using it to bait in customers or he has no clue what the heck he is doing and will not be around long

I disagree.

Most of these guys are running cheap used homeowner equipment that they get at garage sales, pay not taxes, have no insurance, no WC, etc.

So, in reality their only real expense is gas. If they spend an average of 2 bucks per yard, in their mind, they are "making money"

You are right about not having a clue. They usually quit when their equipment breaks down and can't afford the repair and/or or replacement or the heat gets to them.

However, like I mentioned earlier, by the time they are gone the damage is done. Cheap customers will look for other cheap lawn guys and, like Economics 101 will tell you, when there is a demand.... supply will follow.

And the cycle starts all over again with the "new" lowballers that think they are "making money" at 10 bucks a cut.

Unless they are willing (and able) to pay my rates I stay away from subdivisions and cookie cutter type properties.

[Waterscapes By Design]

With as many Tampa, and central Florida guys in agreeance over price setting, why isnt there any organization?

It only takes a person to start a movement.....:usflag:

We should try to make being an LCO somethin ya have to jump through some hoops to be able to do....Get it regulated just a tad bit...

[Patriot Services]

Oh but we are regulated just a tad bit. If the county went around and checked every LCO for their Occupational license over 1/2 would be up the creek. Impose a 5,000 dollar fine and confiscate the equipment. Most if not all the lowballers don't bother with the 26.00 piece of paper because no one enforces it. It is strange as Florida regulates the hell out of some professions IE. barber, auctioneer, tobacco sales. INS would have a field day mopping up illegals posing as LCO's. But alas this is America where any criminal, illegal alien or just plain dumb-azz can open a business usually for the purpose of ripping off hard working folks like us. God I'm ranting again, I miss IMUS:rolleyes: :usflag: :usflag: :usflag:

[Mike821]

Hey guys….just a thought.

This clown is undercutting the market……OK so we all have these types of people in every aspect of the service business. In my past experience, the people whom this idiot will attract are not the type of people whom you want as customers. So they want to go cheep…..let them. You buy a shirt from the dollar store and it holds up for a day or so. Do you go to the dollar store and say I am not happy….no. You go out and find a good quality shirt…but you will not pay a dollar for that shirt ever again. Keep your market edge by presenting yourself as a professional whom bases your reputation on your quality of work, client base, level of satisfaction, and a portfolio that will WOW any customer.

The last thing I want is some dirt bag coming to my home and offering me a service that has traditionally been higher in price and is now dirt cheep. Any person with good judgment would question the service that is going to be provided.

I understand your pain....but keep your head up and don't fall into the trap that this dirt bag has set.

You can always ask him to go hunt birds and pull a Dick Cheney on him. (just a joke)

Mike

[nickdurk]

I'm just starting up and I don't know how these companys can offer $60 a month a stay a float. I ran numbers and the lowest price i could do would $25 a cut but thats even pushing it.

[TGM]

always sell quality or don't work at all. i'll just keep to working for someone else instead of working $15/hr self employed (or whatever low pay). it's still hard for me to gets certain jobs since people expect me to cheap (nevermind the $30k worth of equipment and me dressed in a nice tucked-in shirt with -usually- a professional attitude). it frustrates the hell out of me, but i just have to move on and try to ignore those $40/month people. heck, my minimum cut is $30 or it's not worth me dropping the door.

[Waterscapes By Design]

Theres actually a guy across the street froma customer of mine who has a work vehicle and on the back window it says "El Illegal"

Man I cant believe how blatant that is..........:dizzy:

[HOOLIE]

You know I think you Floridians are just trying to discourage anybody else from moving down there...:laugh:

[ed2hess]

I'm just starting up and I don't know how these companys can offer $60 a month a stay a float. I ran numbers and the lowest price i could do would $25 a cut but thats even pushing it.

So what did you figure your labor cost at?

[IndustrialGreen]

Actually, these guys are great. By the time the customer is through putting up with them, they don't bat an eye when I quote more than double what they were paying. When I see the scroungy truck, poor cleanup, missed spots/days, poor cut, etc. its a signal for a great place for a flyer to go. I picked up two customers in the last two weeks by just being observant this way.

My toughest competinion comes from the customer service oriented good businessmen, not the lowballers.

[Dave_005]

I'm a solo LCO in my second season, there is no way i would give a price of $40 a month, i would be bankrupt and out of buisness before i got started. i can't see how they can make anything at that rate !