Just won a big one...

[deereman]

I am glad that all worked out for you. I have been wondering how everything turned out for you.

[Kutz Lawns]

Man, I just read this whole frikken thread!

I'm glad it worked out for you and proved everybody WRONG!

I was wondering the whole time reading if you had a wife & kids to support or if you still lived at home or something but just towards the last posts you mentioned a wife & kids.

It took balls to put all your eggs in one basket and I hope your getting along OK with all the residents & the HOA guy too!

Thanks for the great story man!

[Richard Martin]

Originally Posted by Kutz Lawns

I'm glad it worked out for you and proved everybody WRONG!

A lot of guys were wrong but a lot of guys were right, especially those saying he couldn't get it done in 24 hours by himself.

His latest report says it take him 3-4 days (24 to 32 hours) with the help of his father (9 to 12 hours) and his wife at an unknown number of hours.

His hours are easily over 50. I'm not trying to bust him on this or anything but there were people that called this.

And we never did hear how many hours he had in bush trimming. It takes a while to trim 1500 bushes.

[jaybow]

While I dont like skipping house to house loading and unloading so much I would not want all my eggs in one basket either. Thats one of the reasons I started this buisness is to not have all my income from an employer who could lay me off at any time or move the buisness to another plant and hire cheaper labor. But im glad it worked out for him.

[LwnmwrMan22]

Originally Posted by jaybow

While I dont like skipping house to house loading and unloading so much I would not want all my eggs in one basket either. Thats one of the reasons I started this buisness is to not have all my income from an employer who could lay me off at any time or move the buisness to another plant and hire cheaper labor. But im glad it worked out for him.

This is true, but until you get into a property like this, you'll never get more.

About 9 years ago I put a bid in on an entire school district.

We struggled with my dad and I, along with some "help" when it would rain too much, or I would work 18 hour days, 100 hour weeks. After 3 years like that, securing more equipment, bigger equipment, I am set up to handle large acreage in a reasonable amount of time. What used to take myself and day 3 days (30 man hours) to mow and trim, I do with 4 guys in 5 hours.

Last year we secured two local cities with all of their parks and common areas to mow and I'm leading my company in that direction.

If you can find customers that are willing to let you build your business while servicing their property, you're going to make it or break it in this industry with those accounts.

[topsites]

Doesn't matter, like I said I'm glad it all worked out but it was still an awful chance to take,
one bid like this in my book is at least as likely to put someone's business under for good.
Am I wrong in saying this, hell some they don't listen anyhow so I just wish them the best of luck
and send'm on their way, hope it all works out, all I can do anyway.

The man took a big chance, he's super lucky it didn't do him in and we still don't know the whole story either,
likely never will know what all these folks went through to make sure everything went the way it was supposed to,
although if I had to guess there was probably some minimum wage involved ...
Yeah, some ...
Like for every one of these there's probably another 8 or 10 we will never hear from again.

But it's all good, I'm glad it didn't work out that way.

[jaybow]

Originally Posted by LwnmwrMan22

This is true, but until you get into a property like this, you'll never get more.

About 9 years ago I put a bid in on an entire school district.

We struggled with my dad and I, along with some "help" when it would rain too much, or I would work 18 hour days, 100 hour weeks. After 3 years like that, securing more equipment, bigger equipment, I am set up to handle large acreage in a reasonable amount of time. What used to take myself and day 3 days (30 man hours) to mow and trim, I do with 4 guys in 5 hours.

Last year we secured two local cities with all of their parks and common areas to mow and I'm leading my company in that direction.

If you can find customers that are willing to let you build your business while servicing their property, you're going to make it or break it in this industry with those accounts.

That is a good point. I will keep this in mind as I go in the future. I guess I am still a little scared to go in full time with landscaping. This will be my 4th year and I have been trying to bid on some commercial accounts. But I havent seriously tried hard enough. I have been hovering around just 25 to 30 residentials. I would like to stay around that for the residentials and go for small to mid size apartment/condo complexes retirement communities etc. I would really like to land just one this year and see how it goes. And then next year I could use them for a reference if I decide to try for even bigger things.

[johnnybravo8802]

Originally Posted by LwnmwrMan22

This is true, but until you get into a property like this, you'll never get more.

About 9 years ago I put a bid in on an entire school district.

We struggled with my dad and I, along with some "help" when it would rain too much, or I would work 18 hour days, 100 hour weeks. After 3 years like that, securing more equipment, bigger equipment, I am set up to handle large acreage in a reasonable amount of time. What used to take myself and day 3 days (30 man hours) to mow and trim, I do with 4 guys in 5 hours.

Last year we secured two local cities with all of their parks and common areas to mow and I'm leading my company in that direction.

If you can find customers that are willing to let you build your business while servicing their property, you're going to make it or break it in this industry with those accounts.

You're right. I haven't seen you in a while. Do you remember the Solo plant I consulted with you on when I first joined this site?-I'm in my second year now. It used to take us 12 hrs. to do and now we do it in 6 hrs. with the right manpower and equipment. Efficiency really makes a difference too+ sharp blades, enough fuel, working together in sections instead of spreading out. That has made the biggest difference-you'll get overwhelmed if you don't work together. I now have the Solo and a Wal-Mart DC. People will barely look at you if you can't prove you can handle large jobs. It was tough but we made it.My biggest problem now is good help-workers want the cushy residential and 8 hr. days.