new guy here needing advice

[smallstripesnc]

As far as clean ups as some have already said all you honestly need is a back pack blower, rake, and large lawn bags. Its not easy money but no one likes to deal with leaves so theres a market for it.

I started with a homelite 25cc back pack blower and it took awhile but it worked. Definitely buy the biggest back pack that you can afford because it really will cut your time down plus its nice to speed things up when your mowing as well if you plan to get into that.

Charging by the hour normally isn't the best option imo. Here in Charlotte I normally start at about $60 for front and $60 for the back if their the same size. Also make sure your view the property before making any deals because you can really get into a mess without viewing the property and people always try to say "its not that big or average" and then you show up and its a ton bigger than you though.

Good luck!

[RonWin]

I was in your same position last year. I could not find a job and didn't really want to work at any typ of job that I felt was "below me". This sense of pride was also matched with shear determination. I decided that I was going to start getting into the lawncare business and it was just too late into the season to try to get accounts for mowing. I went to home depot and got a husqvarna 150bt backpack blower, a tarp, a couple nice lifetime warranty wide rakes, a hedge trimmer, a large and small hand pruner, and a couple of gas cans. At the time I had a chrysler sedan and had to squeeze my equipment into it. I looked rediculous, im my own mind, when i arrived to job sites in a car pulling out all this equipment, but hey it worked. I got only a few accounts early and did some back breaking work cleaning up peoples properties. I didn't have any idea on how to price things, i had only used a blower a time or 2 before with no real experience but my desire to succeed and make a living being self employed in this type of work was too great to fail. I guestimated prices for cleanups and some i WAYYYY undercut myself, but i am GLAD that i did. Why? Because you don't know what you are worth until you step up to the plate and understand what your work is worth. I still sometimes under price myself, not on purpose, because i am new but that is ok. It is how you learn. So with the fall cleanups i got little work, but a big foot in the door. I no longer have that red chrysler sedan. I have an 09 Ford f250 with an 8' HD Series plow. I never plowed before in my life until last season, which unfortunately was a very mild winter. Again i got few accounts but just enough to pay the bills and get by. Come spring i invested in a 6x12 enclosed trailer. I never towed a trailer before in my life and now i dont even notice it when im driving and back it in off a main road into a small 10' driveway is done with ease. I also never used a ZTR mower before and got a snapperpro s50x. After time on it i would consider myself as good if not better than any other LCO in the million dollar neighborhoods as far as stripping/cutting skills ( i have some accounts in those neighborhoods). Why would i say that i am as good if not better than the other lco's in the million dollar neighborhoods that are well establishe with their businesses already? Because as you will begin to understand that time is money IS TRUE, taking your time and doing a great job is more important in the long run because it keeps your customers. Sometimes when you have such a big business and have crews out there they do no always care todo the bes job possible. I am financing this equipment. And before i jumped in head first i was on this website reading about not financing and not getting urself worried about making payments. Honestly If you have any doubts about getting into this type of business be it on the success leve, enthusiasm of this type of work, or not sure if you can do it physically/mentally day in and day out then I would agree 100% with the people shooting down financing all new stuff when your first starting out. I am not trying to push how you go about financing your business, rather trying to explain that if you want something bad enough you CAN get it. When you are putting yourself out there and attempting to be self employeed you CAN NOT let yourself fail. Failing is not an option; It cant even be thought of or else you WILL fail. When i started out last year this late into the season i started with fall cleanups and now less than a year later i have plenty of equipment, a good standing with my dealer, and have a small customer base of which i have GREAT relationships with. This is only the begining. I had no other job when i was doign this work and i depended solely on selling myself in order to survive. I recently just got a job working for the state and have a decent income with which i can fund my business 4 times quicker than with the short account listi have AND have benefits. Another thing i will say is this, try to do most of the work yourself if at all possble. I only take on a partnet in jobs that I need another person with me for. If you need someone with you to start your business out and on such a small level then dont even bother trying to get into this type of work. You cannot affordto pay someone to help you right off the bat and pay for equipmen/gas/materials. Good luck and I hope this gives you some insight/enthusiam to get out there.

Originally Posted by 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