Early Season Help

[MWM]

I know spring is right around the corner so I wanted to beat the rush and help some newbies out there. This year after poring over my financial statement page I have decided to raise my times factor to 4. For example if I pay $2.00 for seed I sell it for $8. If I want to make $9/Hr I sell my time for $36. I already have six 1/2 acre lots to seed then maintain signed up this way. I know that there will be alot of competition this year but my costs are my costs. Any questions?;)

[Barkleymut]

Yeah I have a question. Your times factor for seed is 4x? That means if I apply 100 lbs and my cost is approx. $100 I should charge around $400. Does this include slit seeding and or aerating? If no then you would never get a job around here with outrageous prices like that. Just had to respond to this to get some more details.

[LAWNGODFATHER]

Not a good way.

Mark your materials up.

X5 is what I use for material mark up, plus aeration or slit seeding.

Now for your $9 to $36 does not work this way.

20% of what ever you do goes to the goverment.

40% goes to employees.

That leaves 40% for expences etc.....

Your method $7.20 and $14.40 = $21.60 gone before you even get to count it. So that leaves $14.40 out of every hour for all the other expences. shop, advertising, fuel, mower, truck, etc...we'll say that's $10 an hour.

That leaves you with $4.40 an hour profit. That's like 12%. and not much money to me.

Hell that's $7040 for 1600 hours.

Me thinks you need to rethink this pricing scale.

[walker-talker]

For overseeding and aerating I do the same as LGF, except for its X4 for me.

MATT