new guy here needing advice

[rob81]

hello i am looking to get started and just work for myself since i can't seem to find a job that don't go through a temp service.

so my idea to get going and get out there is just doing fall clean
for now so i am going to buy a back pack blower so can any of you tell me
what else i may need just to do the fall clean up i don't have alot of cash to buy every thing at once it may be a waste of time but i have to try and keep trying so i can maybe build it up slowly thanks for any advice or comments

[B&Clawncare]

You should probably have some type of mower with mulching capabilities or a bagger. Have you thought about where you will put the leaves? Ex truck, trailer, or street. Are you going to advertise? Just some things to think about
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[rob81]

hello B&Clawncare thanks for the reply so quick

but i do have a zero turn cub cadet mower and gonna pick up that back pack leaf blower

i do have a ford ranger and i can barrow a trailer from a friend since he never uses it and to get rid of the leafs i was thinking i would just bag them up and haul them off unless they just wanted me to blow them to the streets so the city can suck them up and sometimes it takes the city a while to get around so i would rather haul them off for them and yes i was going to advertise on our community boards where people sell,advertise and trade kinda like a craigslist

but i just have to figure out how to charge for this service

[B&Clawncare]

Its better to haul them off, in my opinion at least. I think it makes you seem more professional. Charging really depends on how you want to do it. Many companies make a lot of $ with fall/spring cleanups. You can charge hourly rate, or just give them a flat out right price. This will obviously very depending if it is just you working, and the size of the property.

[rob81]

yeah i think i would haul them off cause i know if i was paying i wouldn't want them to be sitting in my yard. but i was thinking just a flat rate and i will prob have a helper but how would you do it hourly or flat rate

[B&Clawncare]

Depends how you want to do it. Decide what you want to make hourly per person, and then multiply it by how many people you have working. Working hourly has the chance of people accusing you of "slow" work and all of that crap. I personally would say this x amount up front and not do it hourly. Flat rate you can THINK of it hourly and estimate and then give them the flat rate. If that makes sense... that just avoids people trying to say you worked slowly or something. You'll be able to guage what you should charge after you do a few and see how long it takes for a certain size yard
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[rob81]

yep i have thought about the people thinking your working to slow and i do hate that myself if it was so easy and fast then why hire some one to do it lol but yeah a flat rate is what it will be but i'm gonna also get into gutter cleaning and charge 50 bucks to show up then a 1.00 a foot and 2.00 a foot for two story homes unless the pitch of the roof is steep then i may add like 50cents to it just some things to think about and thank you for the advice and help you have given me

[GSO LAWNEN4CER]

Get a blower handheld or backback. You could use a mulcher deck to help but you can get away without it. Grab some large lawn bags.Your gonna need some rakes too. Good luck!

[spitfire3416]

First off you need customers so you need to market like crazy. Make up fliers and start putting them in stores that have bulletin boards, hand them out door to door.. i personally like door hangers myself, post an ad on craigslist EVERYDAY (preferably around 5pm because most people are online after that time) When you advertise, make sure you're highlighting the fact that you're doing FALL CLEANUPS. It's late in the season an nobody is going to call you for cutting. If you ad in your fliers that new customers will receive some kind of discount next season, then this gives them more of an incentive to have you cut their grass next season as well. Offer a 10% discount on their first month of cutting next season with a fall cleanup or something to that effect.

Honestly, all you need right now is a truck, trailer, blower, rake and some bags. Then if you still want to do this in the spring next year, advertise. Theres plenty of sites online that will design door hangers for you. I've used cheapdoorhangers.com in the past. Have 5,000 printed up for $300. You should be able to get about 20 customers from that next season. Make sure you start handing them out BEGINNING of february and get them out fast. If you can do that those 20 customers should make you roughly $30-35k your first year. Gross anyway..

Also I wouldn't start off charging too much if you're new at this.. I would charge $25-30 an hour. Personally, I charge $40 per hour per man but I'm more experienced and can probably get the job done a little quicker.

[elrod93]

Hey Rob81, I'm also a newbie to the biz. Just down the road from you, as a matter of fact in Livingston. Hope you have better luck getting business than I have, very discouraging. Lots of people mowing in our area. Good luck.