what to do in the winter

[lawnboy]

Winter is here:( i know many of you plow like me, unfortunately it only snows a couple of handful of times. What else do you guys do in the winter time to keep busy. I am looking for ideas to expand off of the summer clients.

[Kingspointe]

you could possibly put up decorations, sort of like a rental to them and you take them down in the spring. Fall clean ups bring some cash in too. hope this helps

[1grnlwn]

During the summer, Do you find yourself saying "this wold be better if I _________"? Or I wish I had a __________? I could better my clientel if I __________? Well winter is time to fill in the blanks. Not enough mind you but some. My list is too long already!

Mark

[KenH]

Dump runs from garages and attics.

[darryl gesner]

Hibernate.

[Lawn Specialties]

I drive the Zamboni at my local ice rink.

[The Lawn Choupique]

Where I am at the reds are starting to school in the back bays so it is time to break out the gill nets.

[landscaper3]

Plow-plow and more plowing! 70% of income is from this service. Plus roof clearing.

[Guido]

Firewood, Junk Hauling, Tree / Stump Removal..........................

[bobbygedd]

the reds are sterting to school? what the hack are reds? and, what do i do in winter? drink beer, lift weights, talk trash on lawnsight. by mid feb i get tired of this, so i change my brand of beer

[lawnboy]

i like the beer idea, but i was looking for something maybe a little more inovative. Where i live it snows about 10 times a year. Hardly enough to make a living off of. I am looking for something to create a niche out of. To separate my lanscape business from the others in the area.

[scfreder1]

Here is what I have been preparing to do to keep myself busy this winter. I am not set up for plowing yet and really have no desire to get into it.
I have turned my basement into a woodworking shop and as a side offering to my lawn maintenance, I will be building wooden lawn furniture. My practice work has been pretty good so far and I have also had some refinishing jobs to work on.
I currently have 11 different product variations (chairs, tables, benches, footstools, etc) that I plan to have pre-cut and stained prior to the beginning of the season. Yes this is a lot of inventory and space consumed, but with the right marketing and distribution (yes including the internet) I should be able to turn it over by the time the market has passed in mid June.
And I never have to step foot in the white stuff.

[Jusmowin]

i sell firewood in the winter, service my year round contracts and work part time doing maintance at the horse farm I used to work at full time.

[KenH]

I sell bundled firewood for the winter. I live on a very busy road (approx 30,000 cars a day). I take a normal piece of firewood and split it until I cant split it anymore. Then I put about 9 or 10 of these pieces in a bundle and wrap them in plastic. I sell them for 5$ per bundle. I can get over 400$ per cord this way. I advertise this as being different from the store brands because mine is not kiln dried, therefore it does not burn as fast as a sheet of paper.

I get the cut logs for free at my landfill, and pay 90$ to rent a splitter for one day, plus the cost of 1 roll of plastic wrap. Thats it for expense.

[awm]

have chainsaw,hammer, drill,
tri square,
and many many other tools . u want it done. i can probably get it done for u.
this yr ill be working on next yrs fire wood . should be able to get about 25 - 30 cds.. its taken a while but i believe this winter i have enough handyman wk to get me thru the winter. then next yr ill have about 4000 or more exstra income from firewood.assuming ill be around next yr. :)

[PR0 TURF]

We do alot of small tree work

Its cold...and not enjoyable...but it helps pay the bills

[sirsweatsalot]

drink beer, cut fire wood, ice fish, bow hunt, plow (if it ever snows enough), hang out, take a few classes.

****does any one here collect unemployment?****

[GLS]

I do a lot of odd jobs during winter.

I mow a little gift shop in the summer. They asked me to deliver some christmas trees...they are going to try selling them this year. They talked to a guy that owns a tree farm about 40 miles away and got a deal on 35 trees. I managed to load all 30 in the 6x12 and 5 more in the bed of the truck.

PS...don't worry, I put a tarp over the trees and strapped em in. Here's a pic:

[LANDGUARD]

A lot of contracts are up for renewal on Jan 1. I find that this time of year I am calling property managers and setting up proposals for future additional work.

[landscaper3]

This is what we do!

[landscaper3]

#2 pic along with more trucks.

[greenman]

Originally posted by bobbygedd
the reds are sterting to school? what the hack are reds?

I think he is referring to bream. Big ,nice, fat red ear bream.:)

[bobbygedd]

bream? are they what we call sunfish?

[COUNTRYSCAPE]

I started about two years ago doing very high end garden structures. Mostly out of cedar, everything from arbors to pergolas,trellises,hot tub enclosers,patio bars(with sinks) etc.

arbors go for $ 695.00 trellis any where form $450 to $1295

great winter work nice and warm i have a 36x64 morton pole barn with about half being the woodworking shop and office and the other with storage for equipment.

as far as plans i have made my own and tend to over build every thing .

I also have two greenhouses great winter work warm but high $$$$$ input. the greenhouses are 30x96 and the starter is 8x16 both have lp heat with double poly. I used to sell everything from petunias in flats to large tomato plants. I have learned i cant keep up with the walmarts of the world,so this year im going to stick with wave petunias,hanging baskets and bags,and geraniums just specialize do things others can't.

I also have a business called the Hired Hand I found so many older people that have homes and don't want to go to assistant living but can't do the lttle things like screen door replacement, ceiling fan installs, and fixer uper things i charge 25.00 a hour they love it . just don't take them for a ride,be nice and do a great job and they have a ton of friends from church,etc. that need the service.

bottom line be creative and keep movin you don't stumble on anything sitting down!

[BOTURF]

After i take about 3 weeks off to do contracts and calls and getting caught up around the house , i go to work for a friend who owns a greenhouse operation. It is usally just me and him for 1st 2 months till we really get busy and have to hire help . we have 7 greenhouses 4 that are 25 x96 2 that are 15 x 96 one that is 40x96 and we stay plenty busy . We grown all types of bedding plants and baskets and bags , last year alone we grew over 5000 flats with about 1000 of thos flats being wave petunias and 12000 geriaums and 3000 hanging baskets . Come april 1 st iam done except on weekends so i can start mowing and spring clean ups , been doing this since 1993 and love it . When i get tired of one job its time to change for winter and then come april iam refeshed and ready to go mow !!!!!

[Gravely_Man]

Selling firewood and having snow removal contracts are the route for me. Customers pay me whether it snows or not. I have made out the last couple of years due to the lack of snow but I have a feeling that it will catch up with me shortly.


Gravely_Man

[timsjeep]

pressure washing. I do many places that have colored concrete. You have to wait till you have a few days with nice weather. In Colorado, we have many nice days (55 -60) that work great for this. Other then that, Plow Plow Plow.

[mklawnman]

Plow snow, shovel walks and snow blow walks and salt. Go to class. Also do tax papers :( and work on other paper work, and look through industry magazines dreaming of all the green that needs cutting later this year. Thank God for Turf Magazine, remember springs right around the corner people. Enjoy the vaccation as much as you all can.
Matt

[rodfather]

Originally posted by darryl gesner
Hibernate.


Ditto darryl...

[hole in one lco]

Re grip golf clubs and build custom clubs when im not plowing.

[Stihl036pro]

I'm a boat hauler in the winter. I work for a local company I have gotten to know over the years. We do the Boat shows in CT, Expo center and the civic center mostly. Works out real good. next year I want to turn my shop into a manufacturing shop for the winter. Making something, Have not decided what I want to make. Its in the works. Then there is everything else I need to catch up on. Like news bids for the new season. Winter sucks expect for hauling boats. Spring time is almost here!!!!

[darryl gesner]

Looks like Timsjeep has been in the archives.

Things have actually changed a bit since last winter. I got motivated, so I'm not hibernating!

I picked up a bunch more plow accounts. Last month I had my second highest invoicing month since starting the business 2 years ago. That was for two 3 inch and 2 six inch storms. I finially figured out that you can make some money plowing!!!!

I've also been trying to do more things around the house. You know, the leaky dishwasher, the dripping facets etc.

I've also been painting the inside of our house. It was pretty beat up looking. Here's what the living room looks like at the moment. I just finished the trim in there...just have to clean up and spray paint the radiator covers and hang some stuff up. I'm thiking about giving the floor a quick coat of poly too, before I put the rug back down. I already did the front hall, the stairs and hall to the basement, and the downstairs bath/laundry. Wifey is really happy with Darryl this winter!!

[GTLC]

Well, I just got a job as an outgoing freight manager for my grandfather's trucking company. Great pay, and I enjoy working for the family business. it's pretty interesting. We ship alot of power equipment. We get a daily skid of DR equipment including their trimmer mower daily. We also ship eXmark equipment and John Deere tractors.

[hole in one lco]

Originally posted by n1alx
Well, I just got a job as an outgoing freight manager for my grandfather's trucking company. Great pay, and I enjoy working for the family business. it's pretty interesting. We ship alot of power equipment. We get a daily skid of DR equipment including their trimmer mower daily. We also ship eXmark equipment and John Deere tractors.

How many are going to fall off the trucks and on to your trailer:D :D :D

[GTLC]

Well, actually the advantage is we can get really good deals from our claims department on damaged freight, which could include eXmark equipment...

[hole in one lco]

Originally posted by n1alx
Well, actually the advantage is we can get really good deals from our claims department on damaged freight, which could include eXmark equipment...

I would be budding up with the forklift driver :D :D :D

[GTLC]

hmm, well thats me!

[wriken]

we do this most of the weekends, tinker with it during the week

[wriken]

here is a action shot, hard to see at times.

[woodycrest]

painting is a good winter sport...I'm working on skim coating and repainting my kitchen.

nuthin more invasive than drywall dust, eh?

My house is way too busy during the warm months to do any painting/renovation work...but i always have free babysitters ;)

Besides, in the warm months, the mowing is a full time job :)

[Royalslover]

Here's what I do in the winter; waste my time on lawnsite and e-bay and play basketball.

Darryl, you need to run some crown in that living room.

[Lux Lawn]

Plow Snow other than that as little as possible just ask my wife:D

[awm]

the way i run my buisiness ,after christmas u mite find me doing any kind of work mostly handyman ,,im capable of.. u just got to beat he bushes in winter..sometimes u can stay real busy ,,sometimes not.

[juststarting023]

Go to South Carolina to golf 1 week a month starting in December and finish up the first week in March $425 a trip and most of the time its mid 50's to mid 60's and I cant get enough of it its cold as hell up here in winter.

[Q-Team Inc]

Plow, plow and plow. If I have free time I groom the local snowmobile trails!!!!