Per Cut, Monthly, Yearly...What's your take on it?

[yardguy28]

Originally Posted by jrs.landscaping

At the end of the day the only person you are shortchanging is yourself. Rationalizing lower rates because you have lower than average personal expenses is just crazy. What happens when you have a family? Sit down and figure out what you are turning for a profit AFTER you pay yourself a fair wage, for all intents and purposes you are an employee of your business. I wish you luck dumpster diving with customers, myself I want to weed out the low payers for more lucrative opportunities.

first I will never have a family because that not something I ever want in my life.

second it's not that I don't want the higher paying jobs. but I'm against raising the market so high no one but the rich can afford to hire us just because we are greedy and wanna have our "toys" in life.

Originally Posted by MDLawn

The cause of the downfall



That's great and you know what, if this industry paid what it should most companies probably wouldn't mind cutting breaks to these people, or even servicing for free. But everyone wants to be treated like they're elderly or disabled!!



Fair for who? Why are people afraid and ashamed to make money??? Never have I ever understood "fair and reasonable" rates. You know how many products and services you probably pay for that you would consider unfair or unreasonable but still pay for anyways..... Also why should a customer always dictate what is fair? They don't even know what it cost you to run your business. They have zero clue what good equipment costs, employees, taxes, etc....




You're destroying someone's ability to create jobs and help others live a life who cannot get a decent job or even start a business. You choose to live with mommy and daddy and undercut a legit business who employess people and keeps them off assistance and gives them something to wake up for everyday. I understand your costs are lower but it's not like your a big business choosing to buy gently used equipment or more efficent stuff to reduce costs compared to the next guy. Sorry but that's shameful.

fair prices in the sense that people can afford us and we still turn a profit. it can be done. I know because I do it everyday.

if you wanna make $100,000+ a year for all your "toys" pick a career where that is a normal salary for the job. but don't try and jack up some market of another job.

service the elderly and disabled while the others pay outrageous prices.

I'd rather just have an affordable price for everyone. you must be a democrat. tax the hell out of the rich so the middle and lower class can sit on there @sses and reep free benefits the rich are paying for with there outrageously high taxes.

oh and who said I let the client dictate a fair price. you don't think I don't know what my cost of doing business is and that my prices aren't based off my cost of doing business.

well they are. they are based off my cost of doing business and what kind of profit I need to make. not what joe down the streets cost of doing business is or what he needs to make. that's kind of the whole point about what to charge. my cost of doing business is lower than a guy with 6 employees. the profit I need to make is lower than a guy with a wife and 4 kids.

I'm not gonna charge more just because I can. I'm not that type of person. I don't care if the going rate is $100,000 a year. if I only need or can get by with half that my prices will reflect that.

perhaps you don't know this is an every man for himself world. everyone wants to be there definition of successful in life and there going to do whatever it takes to do that no matter who's toes they step on.

Originally Posted by GMLC

I always get a kick out of those who say I lowball because my cost of living is lower. Does that mean if you worked for someone else and the starting pay was $20 per hour you would offer to work for $10 per hour because your cost of living is lower?
Posted via Mobile Device

maybe you aren't directing it towards me personally but I don't lowball to begin with.

in my market I'm middle of the road on all my pricing. I'm not on the high end because I don't need to be. I don't have a family to support. it's just me, myself and I I charge what I need to turn the profit I need for things like food, heat, water, electricity. the things I have like tv's, iPads, Xbox, etc were all gifts on birthdays or xmas. I would never work to make enough for those luxuries on my own. they arent necessities in life. that's why I don't set my prices at the high end.

I'm not in a race in life to make as much money as I possibly can. only enough to live a comfortable life. and I've been able to do that with prices in the middle range of the market.

[Groomer]

Back to the original topic, I've always charged first of the month for the previous month's service. So really, with fall cleanup and spring bed prep/mulch and prune, it turns out I pretty much bill throughout the year anyway.

[Blades Lawn Maintenance]

Originally Posted by MDLawn

Why?

It's so dissappointing because it shows why this industry is going into a further downward spiral.

A few of us will try to save it but it will be an uphill climb for sure.

B/c it's funny to see different ppls opinions.

[MDLawn]

YardGuy28, I'm just gonna say we agree to disagree. You believe in your way and I don't. Also whats this about taxing the rich BS?? I dont care if someone makes $15k or $100k this is my price. But again lets just agree to disagree. Sounds good end of story.
Posted via Mobile Device

[KeystoneLawn&Landscaping]

Originally Posted by cpllawncare

Well! let's see, I pay the same every month for my cell bill weather I use all the mins or not, I pay taxes for the school system that I don't use, I pay the same every month for Internet again weather I use it or not, same for cable.

I'm guessing you dont like paying for those things you arn't using all of, so why then charge your customer for something they may not receive all of. Your making my point, do for others how you would like......bill for what you do, not what you might do.....get billed for what you used or received, not what you might use or receive.......Just a note on the Internet and cable, you are paying for a monthly "license" to access those services, not for minutes used. On the cell.... if you are paying for many more minutes than you use, why not change to a lower minute plan?.....On the school taxes.....couldnt agree more. However, taxes are forced government seizure that are a completely different conversation all together.

[kyles landscape]

I don't get those who say its a luxury in my opinion you take the job for what its worth I have plenty of cheaPer homes I do for 25 bucks and a share of ones for 35 plus I'm not gonna tell the 25 people I won't do it because there not luxurious enough that's stupid. Also I have plenty of people who are more wealthy and willing to spend and less pain in the butt customers in 250,000 homes vs people in 500,000 and up
Posted via Mobile Device

[KeystoneLawn&Landscaping]

Originally Posted by Blades Lawn Maintenance

B/c it's funny to see different ppls opinions.

I would say its educational to see others opinions. One thing many on this site always fail to remember, we are all in different markets. I would love to charge based on a $60+ an hour rate, but that won't work here. I do try and make as much as possible from any job I do, mowing to hardscape. With that said, I do cut breaks to the elderly and veterans when I see the need. I feel its my way to give back to the community that I live in.

[cpllawncare]

Originally Posted by KeystoneLawn&Landscaping

I would say its educational to see others opinions. One thing many on this site always fail to remember, we are all in different markets. I would love to charge based on a $60+ an hour rate, but that won't work here. I do try and make as much as possible from any job I do, mowing to hardscape. With that said, I do cut breaks to the elderly and veterans when I see the need. I feel its my way to give back to the community that I live in.

I bet the other local service providers charge $60/hr+ check around, I'm not arguing here just trying to make a point. Your in business to make money at least I hope so, it has nothing to do with greed, I think a national standard of 60/hr+ would benefit all legitimate LCO's. Hell! even with all the guys that "claim" they have lower overhead which I don't believe if there operating legit, how the hell are you making a profit of any decent amount at 25-35 a yard? are you only paying yourself $10-12/hr after taxes,ins,legal, gas, office expenses, advertising, phone, maint, misc there's nothing left for profit, your probably in the hole. I've heard it all, we don't advertise we don't do this we don't do that, there's just basic overhead that adds up to 20- 30/hr then you gotta get paid then all the other crap that pops up.

[kyles landscape]

Originally Posted by cpllawncare

I bet the other local service providers charge $60/hr+ check around, I'm not arguing here just trying to make a point. Your in business to make money at least I hope so, it has nothing to do with greed, I think a national standard of 60/hr+ would benefit all legitimate LCO's. Hell! even with all the guys that "claim" they have lower overhead which I don't believe if there operating legit, how the hell are you making a profit of any decent amount at 25-35 a yard? are you only paying yourself $10-12/hr after taxes, gas, office expenses, advertising, phone, maint, misc there's nothing left for profit, your probably in the hole. I've heard it all, we don't advertise we don't do this we don't do that, there's just basic overhead that adds up to 20- 30/hr then you gotta get paid then all the other crap that pops up.

easy to profit being a solo op or 1 employee, id say my average lawn is 25 bucks. i park and store all my equipment at my garage i have areas i can cut 4, 8, or 15 homes without moving my truck. i do try and upsell my side work a little bit though and like someone else said my expenses are kept down best i can i dont have a new 50 thousand dollar pickup or new 50 thousand dollar dump truck

[KeystoneLawn&Landscaping]

Originally Posted by cpllawncare

I bet the other local service providers charge $60/hr+ check around, I'm not arguing here just trying to make a point. Your in business to make money at least I hope so, it has nothing to do with greed, I think a national standard of 60/hr+ would benefit all legitimate LCO's. Hell! even with all the guys that "claim" they have lower overhead which I don't believe if there operating legit, how the hell are you making a profit of any decent amount at 25-35 a yard? are you only paying yourself $10-12/hr after taxes, gas, office expenses, advertising, phone, maint, misc there's nothing left for profit, your probably in the hole. I've heard it all, we don't advertise we don't do this we don't do that, there's just basic overhead that adds up to 20- 30/hr then all the other crap that pops up.

Ive talked to many from solo on up, they arn't basing their prices on 60 an hour either. I'm making a good income. I was a printing press operator for 19 years before going full time LCO 8 years ago and I make more than I would be if still a press operator. My sales have been up, to my goals, every year. I believe when it comes to pricing, I know I'm a little higher for plowing than others. I believe my summer work is priced a little higher also. I get customers for the quality of service I provide. I was talking to another LCO about a job we both quoted. I was higher in price, $500.00, than he was and I got the job. I believe it was because of how I sold the quality of how the job was going to be completed.