How to get commercial property.

[TheChiefsLawnCare]

Ok, I am fresh in the Lawn Care Business, I have 9 accounts now and I would like to get some small apartment or small business. However, I dont know how to go about doing it. I have heard that you need to have a license and insurance. I would like to ask a business however i worry when i ask there gonna wanna tell someone and get me screwed. Does anyone no what you would need in Louisiana to cut small apartments or a small business.

[daveintoledo]

GET LEGAL OR GET OUT....

not many people here are going to support you trying to be a illegal lowballer......except others who arent legal.....

[Wells]

I have to agree with Dave on this issue. You need to be legal especially when looking at commercial accounts.

No commercial property owner is going to hire a company that doesn't carry insurance, if they did they would be taking on your risk and I doubt there going to do that.

They are also going to want to write off your service as a tax deduction for theirselves and in order to do so their going to need your Federal ID # which you don't have if your not legal.

[tamadrummer]

They will also require some sort of workers comp exemption so you don't file against them.

It is so cheap to be legal, why not just do it?

After that, trying to get it the fun of the job. I don't know either....:rolleyes:

[TheChiefsLawnCare]

ok, sooo how cheap are we talking, and how would i even go about doing it. i am clueless when it comes to doing any of this. i would love to be able to get a small business cause i no the money is there. and better than doin residental. i jus dont no where to start.

[Wells]

ok, sooo how cheap are we talking, and how would i even go about doing it. i am clueless when it comes to doing any of this. i would love to be able to get a small business cause i no the money is there. and better than doin residental. i jus dont no where to start.

1. Register your business with your local Dept of Commerce.
2. Apply for a local Business License at your City Office Building.
3. Apply for your Federal Tax ID# or EIN # through the IRS.
4. Obtain liability insurance - cost is around $500 per year for 1-mil of coverage which breaks down to approx $40 per month. (Less then the cost of 2 mowing cuts per month).

All 4 of these items could easily be taken care of in the course of one day.
Your local State should have info online to help you through this process.
Try this link: http://brgov.com/DEPT/finance/checklist.htm
After those items have been taken care of you will be ready to start bidding on commercial properties.

Also if you are going to have employees you are going to need to apply for workmans comp insurance.

If down the road you plan on applying fetilzers, treating lawn diseases, spraying weeds, etc will you need to certify as a pesticide applicator and will need to obtain a pesticide license.

[TheChiefsLawnCare]

thank u wells for ur help, ill start looking in2 it

[TheChiefsLawnCare]

what are the steps of being able to bid for commercial property once i have done those 4 steps, WELLS

[Wells]

what are the steps of being able to bid for commercial property once i have done those 4 steps, WELLS

You just need to make contact with someone from the company you are wanting to service, either an office manager, property manager or the person in charge of their property maintenance. Sometimes it might be a HOA or home owners association and sometimes it might be a property managment company that you'll need to contact.

You can do this by phone, in person or by letter. Some people will tell you that one is better then the other but the reality is they all work. Some commercial properties may have a bid process that you go through and some will hire on the spot. Some will hire in August and some in January so you need to make that contact and find out those thngs.

After making first contact then the rest is up to you, the commercial properties are going to want a full service package so be ready to bid on it all (pruning, sprinkler maint, weed control, fertilizing, etc.) If there is any part that you can't take on yourself you can sub out some of the work.

[Kingram52]

Would overseeding also be included?

[big bill]

Here is the advice you need to get going:

1. Set up a business, go to the Sec. of State website, the proper forms are there for you to fill out. Better than that, hire somebody like an attorney or cpa to do it for you. They can do it all for you, Federal Tax ID, register with the state, etc.

2. To get the landscape contractor license, pesticide applicators license, horticulture license, irrigation licesne (all are gonna be needed for commercial accounts), contact the Louisiana Dept. of Agriculture in Baton Rouge. Don't waste your time on the website, it has no information at all about any of these requirements, call and talk to somebody there. They will sell you the study guide books for taking the lic. tests on all of the above.

3. Contact an insurance agent about getting yourself general liability insurance and workman's comp. insurance. These are a must for commercial accounts.

4. Good luck.