how many accounts do u solo guys have?

[turfsup]

Right now I'm solo and super part time with only 5 solid accounts due to a 50 hour work week at my full time job. This is my first legitimate year if you don't include the 3 years I put in from 14 to 17. Right now I can do all my accounts with just a 21" push on one of my days off. I know that if I step up to the bigger mower (probably a 36) I could possibly do twice as many. The average lot size for me right now is approx. 7500 sq. feet and takes me a little over an hour to complete. I do take a lot of time to make sure everything is perfect before driving onward. My question is how many accounts do you guys have total and how many are u able to do in a day? Just trying to see if I could make this my new full time job.

[Runner]

Again, this is one of those questions that are very vague, in a sense, because there are some on here that service 15 a day, and there are some that service 3 a day. All depending on the size, the amount of service one performs on each property, and what equipment is being used for each of these services. With a 21' mower, how big are these places you are doing? How far (long) do you have to drive to each one? etc.

[darryl gesner]

I've only got 5 that I service regularly too. Lost a few from last year. One moved to a nursing home, one died and one is just too cheap. I have many more that call me when they need something specific. I was part time last year but going full time this year, just ran an ad to try to drum up business.

[turfsup]

My farthest account is only 12 miles away and takes 20 minutes to get to. All the others are literally right around the corner (within 5 miles). If I go for more accounts they will be very close. I live in a small town with several smaller towns right next door. The two accounts furthest from each other would only take 30 minutes or so if I drove straight thru but I have 3 others inbetween. I have 5 more accounts lined up that are 2 minutes from my house and from each other but I currently dont have enough sizeable equipment to knock them out in a day. It takes me about 6 or 7 hours to complete all 5 but like I said all I have is a 21". I'm thinking that I could do 8 a day 5 days a week but if it rains I think I might be overloaded. I know there are a lot of variables to consider, I was just wondering what you guys have. Thanks for any input

[AielLandscaping]

my houses are anything up to about 6000 sqft but mostly between 2000 to 5000 and i only have a 21" right now. at my personal peak last year i was able to do between 60-65 by myself. i do a lot of them that are very close to each other and sometimes their yards are all one piece so it makes this go very quickly... i'm hoping to add a 32" or a 36" soon and see if i can do somewhere around 85 a week...

[Turf Technologies]

Im a one man crew have a 48" Lesco Wb and i do from 11 to 15 a day.When there was two of us we did from 20 to 25 a day.Only drive time was driving to our pick up spot. All 106 account where close. But really depemds one what you use and the size. Tuesday i only did 7 because i had a big ;awn that hadnt been done in 3 or more months , plus other big accunts. All how you work really.

[Runner]

I can say one thing...
That is, that the fact that you have these accounts close together, and close to you like that, you are DEFinitely on the right track! When I first started out on my own, ('83) I was driving 20 miles in any one given direction for work. I think back on that now, how foolish I was. My money was spent in gas, but I kept justifying it as; "Well, that's 30 or 40 bucks I didn't have before!"
I was blind to see the truth at the time. Over time, I condensed my work down to a tighter area, and referd the other stuff out, or just priced myself out of it. The best thing I ever did. If we are fortunate enough, there is always enough work right close to home. Good luck with it.;)

[johnhenry]

Runner you are so right but you neglect to say how much fun it was in the ole days. Sure we had to worry about gas but it was sure fun for me when I first started. Now I look back and say wow was I just plain dumb or what:)

[Lawn-Scapes]

At the moment I have 28. Average size 1 acre. I feel I can handle about 10 more comfortably. Comfortably = 45 hours/week

[Runner]

Originally posted by johnhenry
it was sure fun for me when I first started. Now I look back and say wow was I just plain dumb or what:)

John,
I equate this to the old adage; "If only I knew then, what I know now!":D

[GreenQuest Lawn]

35........1,245,988sq ft (give or take a few sq ft)

[Soupy]

45 can do them in 3 days (but take 4 sometimes) with 60" Dixie Chopper. I use the other days to do Landscapeing.

Soupy

[TJLC]

I currently do about 15 residential (approx 10,000-15,000 sf. each) and 6 commercial, (1 big and 5 smaller.) During the season it's all I can do to keep up, but that's when people start comming out of the woodwork asking for estimates. My route is all within about a 10 mile radius. I also remember starting out, driving wherever you could get the work. Now, getting about 12 miles to the gallon, it just wouldn't be practical. Good luck.

[MARYLANDMOWER]

I currently have 30 accounts that I do part-time. I just added a part-time guy who works by himself during the day while I am at my so-called "real job". Most of my properties are 1/2 acre to 3 acres. I am curious what you guys think is a good yearly salary to make if you were doing this full-time. I wonder how some people on here make any money mowing 5 or 10 lawns a week? I run 2 60" exmark lazers and a 52" toro walk-behind. Toying with going full-time. Peace to all!

[proline32]

good question..... Can also depend on how motivated you are to do them and how you are really going to feel when the heat starts to wear you down, I try to do 7 or 8 a day.. I got smart this year and I am doing only smaller yards, boy those big ones sometimes can really put the hurt on you when it's hot and you feel like your gonna die.

[Brickman]

It all depends on size, how close they are, etc. But that has all been mentioned. Get a rider, you will be amazed at how much time that saves. I am Walker prejudiced. When I got the first one, the time I was saving would have amounted to almost 2 employees with 21" WB. Now I have a bigger one, and that is equal to 2 or so 21" WB, no doubt about it.


Lucky guys you are that don't have to drive more than 12 miles. I drive 18 just to get to town. In a typical day I can easily put 50 to 60 or more miles on my truck.

As far as big or small yards go, you will make more money for your time the bigger the yard is. At least for me the way I am set up. I am not making any money driving up the road to the next job. I was doing 45 yards a week last year after my only employee walked out on me.

My taxable income for last year was $30,000. Not bad, except when April 15 comes around. How much more of a salary do you want Marylandmower?




We are not in this business for our health!

[Soupy]

Marylandmower. Figure your average income per hour cutting grass. then divide that from your yearly income from current job. That will give you the total amount of hours it will take you to make up for the lost income if you were to quit. Now If you work 40 hrs a week x 52 you are working 2080 hrs at you current job. Whats the difference between that and the # of hours cutting. you might be surprised by now. OK forget about that #, it was just to see if you are over worked at your current job.

Lets say your boss isn't paying you half of what you make cutting grass. Take the # of hours it will take you to make the same money and divide that by how many weeks a year you cut grass and that will be the # of hours you need to fill just to break even. You could let your Employee go and that # will lower. Just take what you pay your Employee a year minus your current yearly salary and re run the #'s above.

I hope I haven't loss you. Here's an example you make $30,000 a year now, but you make $30 an hour cutting. Then it takes you 1000 hours (less then half) to make same money. take 1000 divided by # of weeks cutting. say it's 30 weeks. 1000 divided by 30 is 33.3 new hours a week cutting. If you pay your employee 10,000 a year then you only need to replace a 1/3 of those hours. because you really only made $20,000 at other job because you had to pay an employee to cut grass.

Sorry for going so in depth, but sometimes it hard to think outside the box without a push.

Brickman, $30,000 a year won't support a family, but it's good money for a single guy. personally I always want more.

Soupy

[LAWNS AND MOWER]

I have 60 accts. Average about 10 accts/day, 5 days/week. Most I ever did in one day was 20, not including my own at the end of the day. Was a scheduling dream that day. Had all clusters of accts falling on that day.

LAWNS AND MOWER

[Brickman]

Soupy


$30,000 a year is a lot better than what some people in this area support their families on. My point was that I made 90% of that in 7 months.
That was my best year so far, and I was able to make some head way in paying off old bills. That is good money for a single guy. And yes I always want more too, some times that can be a little hard to do with out going a lot bigger, and that isn't some thing that I want to do right now. I have enough headaches right now with one employee. Am really considering going solo, or selling out in a year or so.

[MuskTurfKing]

9 accounts, if I get up bright and early and work all day I can get em done in 10 hours. Of course bright and early hasn't been agreeing with me....

Hank

[lawnfire]

:blob2: I maintain 28 accounts, working around my 24 on-48 off fire dept. schedule. Can be tough some times.

[MATTHEW]

55 mowing accounts (mostly smaller ones) and 160 lawncare accounts. Makes for a busy May. Some weeks were over 80 hours. Summer hours are about 40. I have 22 plowing accounts which got hit 3 times this last year, so I do other work during the winter.

[Soupy]

Brickman I agree that it is good money and can support a family, just not as Comfortable as I would like. If he's working full time and running a LCO then I'm sure he's doing better then that now. I was just answering your question as to what more of a salary do you want? I want alot more. I wasn't trying to say you don't make Money. I didn't make much more myself last year. I'm just Glad my Wife works too. By the way I work on a 7 month schedule too.

Soupy

[accuratelawn]

I was doing 65 solo. 6-20k all with 20 mile radius. Small ZTR & 36 WB.

[Brickman]

Soupy I agree with you. We all want more. But for me without growing larger, or figuring out a way to have less cost I won't be able to make more. You know, less cost with the same gross income. We all get by with what we have. When I was younger and only made $15,000 a year, I got by. When I made $22,000 a year I managed to spend that too. If I had $50,000 I know I could spend that on some thing too.

Do you mind me asking you where you live. Zone 5 is a big area.
Thanks



We are not in this business for our health.

[Soupy]

Brickman, I live in Belleville, IL. Were just getting back to cutting full swing here. I had some other jobs lined up for the past month, but I'm glad that the cutting season is finally here.

Soupy

[MikeLT1Z28]

what was the question? 6-20k what? :confused:

[David Haggerty]

Twenty accounts, but some are huge.
I do fine cut lawn mowing on a big scale.
My son's helping this year.
We hope to add one account.
The new Wal-Mart distribution center.
Dave

[HOMER]

I believe what the man is trying to say is:

He performs maintenance on 65 yards by himself.

The lawns range in size from 6000 sq ft to 20,000 sq ft.

He has a driving radius of approximately 20 miles.

He performs these tasks using a small Z-T-R and a 36" Walk behind unit.

I am going to assume:confused: that he is asking others on this forum how many properties they service and what size are they. Are you a solo or do you have help. What type of equipment are you currently using.

This of course is just an assumption. Maybe he will come back and clarify!

[leeslawncare]

I got 12 some weekly some bi weekly I also have a full time job .I like the advantages of running a full time /part time biz (tax wise )lot of deductions

[accuratelawn]

Homer is correct.
I did not mean to start a new thread. This was a response to another, asking how many lawns a solo guy could handle...sorry.

[BOTURF]

I have 60 accounts that i service every week some just mowing some just mowing and a few extras and some full service accounts its what ever the customer wants !!!!!!