off season??

[Brickman]

OK guys I am trying to find out what the rest of you do on the off season. Here in southeast WY the season is very short. About 22 mowings a year, give or take. And the winters get harder to make it thru every year it seems.
We don't get enough snow to come close to paying for equipment, let alone anything else. I have never been able to get another job, even minimum wage. They can always tell from my applications that I am self employed, and so will not hire knowing I am going to be quiting in the spring.
What do some of the rest of you do in the slow/NO work to do months?
You guys with snow removal to do, probably get tired of it after a while.

[HOMER]

I think # 1: I'd move
# 2: I'd move
# 3: I'd---------------well, you get the picture.

I wouldn't live in an area where the winters were longer than the summers................too cold for me!

[1grnlwn]

I run a home improvement service in winter. Almost no business this year (economy I guess) so we did direct mailings, business improvements and built new equip and racks in the shop.

Mark

[mxrdrvr3]

Do home improvements or minor home repairs,painting anything that you can yourself to do

[steelcity]

what i have done is talk to temp agencies. for the most part employers have been forgiving because they know i am only there for the winter or at least until it snows again. call friends who have businesses maybe they can also help, that is my plan for this winter as temp agencies do not always pay the best.
hope this helps

[Runner]

Boy, that makes bad even worse with that short of a season. Like someone else said, a temp service MAY be your best bet. With such a short season, that leaves even MORE time to work elsewhere. Some of the areas you may want to look into for supplemental employment would be retail. They are always hiring, and get real busy just about the time we shut down. Otherwise, and I hate to say this, because I've never really thought about that with that short of a season, but you are off for as much time of the year as you are on. You may just want to look into a secure job, and use your business to (heavily) supplement that. Either that, or go find some really cool seasonal job for your off seasons, like a ski instructor or something. I usually have enough to keep busy plowing, but this season was real slow, and I was a bit stir crazy. I substitute teach, which gets me out of the house, but is not enough to count on, so I have to budget into a slush fund.

[Russo]

Homer's post reminds me of that book "who stole my cheese". There is a reality to what he's saying. Heck, I'm now thinking about moving to Cal. That fellow on here from Salinas is kickin some but out there!

[mwhite6926]

Hey, we sale satellites! DIRECTV and Dish Network and the new DIRECWAY. It is not that hard to put a satellite in !!! If you can mow, and change blades, you can do a satellite system! Dish is the best deal right now! Check out the website! www.echostar.com :blob2:

Mark

[eslawns]

I work from March (usually 1st or 2d week) until Christmas Eve, and a few days during the winter. I save enough that between the year round billing and savings, I only need to make about $400-500. I have been delivering pizza, and make about $200-300 per week. I also do odd jobs. I've hauled away debris, cut down trees, cleaned attics and garages, built fences and decks. Things have a way of working themselves out.

[southside]

In the past few years,my work has been pretty constant year
round. In the years before,when winter would really slow me down, I used to drive tow trucks.
Loved chasing smash! :D

[The Lawn Choupique]

I work hail storms. It's easy work and all you need is a truck and a ladder. If you can measure a lawn you can measure a roof.

[bubble boy]

spring and fall clean ups of course help.

christmas lights?

www.illuminationscanada.com

[TGCummings]

Originally posted by landscraper
Homer's post reminds me of that book "who stole my cheese". There is a reality to what he's saying. Heck, I'm now thinking about moving to Cal. That fellow on here from Salinas is kickin some but out there!

Not yet, but we're on our way. ;)

[Raven]

I finish basements. There's a huge market for it in my area. I do much of the work myself, but I sub out the electrical, plumbing, carpeting, and drywall finishing. Get one of these a winter and you will sleep easy!

[Just Cut]

This winter I also installed Dish Network and Star band satelite systems:)

[A.U.steve]

I think l am pretty lucky in this regard we are going consistantly all year round except for about 6 weeks during the heart of winter when growth is slow.
The main reason why this occurs is that during the winter months all of the cool season grasses are active, they slow down in November and warm season subtropicals take over.

[odin]

plow snow and draw a general motors pension check

[rodfather]

Spend December in South Carolina (golf) and Florida (more golf).
Plow snow (January - March), read, surf on the web, develop marketing ideas for our business, visit family, and doing anything else to keep from going nuts until mowing starts again.

[LawnLad]

I don't care where you are located, you can make money plowing snow - assuming of course there is snow to be plowed. There are guys doing millions a year in snow - with only 2 or 3 pushes per winter for the average. A big winter is 5 pushes! And they don't own all the equipment! In fact, many use subcontractors to make it work.

Point is, it's all about your business plan. You could also do absolutely nothing all winter (30 weeks out of the year) if you make the money you need in 22 weeks!

I know guys who make enough snow plowing in 22 weeks that they don't do anything else during the summer except work on their business.

Wouldn't it be nice to spend so much time working on and developing a business? Do you want to own a company/business or own a job? Develop your business and make it work for you.

Examine your business plan and ask yourself if you're making the money you need to in order to live? What can you do differently? Are you expecting different results with the same inputs?

[Brickman]

"Providing you get snow"

That is the problem here. Some winters snow removal would be a good business. Other winters...................

I do some work during the off season changing locks, winterizing bank repo houses. And a trash out when they are approved.
I am not enough of a handy man to do home improvement stuff.

I have done some hot shot hauling with my truck also, but usually I ended up not getting paid good enough, so I am tired of doing that.

I am considering selling out lawn care this fall and buying a car hauling business.
Or maybe do both part time, that way during the winter I would have work part of the time, and a some what steady income, then during the summer work full time doing both three days a week or so, and have more income.

I could go to Tahiti and watch beach babes during the winter. (Yeah right, wishful thinking.)

[LawnLad]

With snow plowing/de-icing, perhaps commercial customers just don't plow/de-ice where you are located.

However, if commercials require it, you should be able to charge a retainer to keep your equipment available in the event of snow. You're selling a snow insurance policy.

In order to cover your expenses you may need multiple contracts with the retainers. This would then mean more work than you alone could handle in one snow fall. So you'll need subs to work with you when you get your one or two snow falls.

The volume of contracts and retainers is limited only by market size, availability of subs (you may have to create the need) and your ambition. The great thing here is that since you write the contracts and sell the jobs, you know what you need to cover and you'll make the money you need to assuming you know your cost of operating and your profit requirements.

Just my $.02. As you can tell, I'm a big believer in the snow and ice business. Hope you find something that suits you.

[MuskTurfKing]

Working would be tough for me in the colder months, I have practice until 4:00 and then I'm always at a tournament or a duel. Wrestling is life during the winter.

Hank

[anythinglawns]

I joined the reserves (Coast Guard) and volunteer for extra duty during the winter.
Jason

[Brickman]

In reply to "lawnlad" de-iceing isn't done around here. Plowing is. I have heard alot of complaints about contractors that ask for a retainer. People in this country don't think that sort of thing is needed, at least not much. From what little snow removal business I have run into, and talking to other guys that do it, I have concluded that is some thing that for me is too much headache. For some body else maybe not.

I think that the car hauling may be my best way to go. Or some thing like that, that would pay expenses. I did get my CDL last fall, so that I could drive commercial if I found work.

[Soupy]

I work on and build computers in the winter, Not to make money, but to keep from getting bored. I only build high end computers though, when somebody ask me what I can build them for $500, I tell them to go to best buy. then bring it to me in 2 weeks when it don't work.

I use to Wait tables and Bartend. You can make some good money, but it gets old after awhile. I quit doing this 2 winters ago, and was makeing $800 a week when I quit. Now I just sit on my but and play with Computers.

Soupy

[lawnworker]

For myself i have been doing small home improvement jobs in the winter. I also took on a big interior painting job that really helped out . I sometimes make more money with less work on these small jobs then i do with mowing and mulch work. I am thinking of one day becoming a pro handyman with all the tools to do small jobs such as locks ,addjust doors, miner trim,paint generally any job the big contractors think are to small. I have also worked for temp services they will send you to good and bad places depending on available jobs in your area .