The Green Industry's Resource Center

CustomKare · #1 04-24-2009, 10:09 PM

Old timers of Lawnsite check out how many more people are logged into this site than years past! At any given time 600-1000 logged in. More shocking is how many LCO's I saw in the neighborhoods today. Anyone with a Craftsman on a trailer, in a trunk of a car or the back of a PU Truck. It's rediculous.

Only lost a few this year and kicked a couple slow pays and PITA'S to the curb. Can't believe how many new start ups there are this year. All of them probably thought like we did.....mowin is easy and it pays good.....yeah right.

Hope you all have a good season. Keep your prices up and don't be a low baller. Glad I do this only part time..........yes insured and legit.

topsites · #2 04-24-2009, 10:30 PM

Sorry, too late, I am booked for a week solid.

pinto n mwr · #3 04-24-2009, 11:36 PM

What do you mean? I own a craftman, 36" WB(basically Lesco model), charge less than the competition because my overhead is low, way low. Be careful, this might turn into YET another lowballer thread.

LouisianaLawnboy · #4 04-24-2009, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CustomKare

All of them probably thought like we did.....mowin is easy and it pays good.....yeah right.

Maybe your in the wrong industry.

GOOSEHANSON · #5 04-24-2009, 11:56 PM

mowing does pay good...but it is hard work...

hockeypro1411 · #6 04-25-2009, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CustomKare

Old timers of Lawnsite check out how many more people are logged into this site than years past! At any given time 600-1000 logged in. More shocking is how many LCO's I saw in the neighborhoods today. Anyone with a Craftsman on a trailer, in a trunk of a car or the back of a PU Truck. It's rediculous.

Only lost a few this year and kicked a couple slow pays and PITA'S to the curb. Can't believe how many new start ups there are this year. All of them probably thought like we did.....mowin is easy and it pays good.....yeah right.

Hope you all have a good season. Keep your prices up and don't be a low baller. Glad I do this only part time..........yes insured and legit.

Who cares? If you can't match the price of some other guy then get over it and move on. Maybe try picking up more hours at your regular job and leave the mowing to the big boys. If you're doing this as a part-time gig, then I don't put you very far ahead of the people with "lesser" mowers in their vehicles. Why do they do it?- Simple. To make money. Why do you do it?- Simple. To make money. I highly doubt you'd do this because you love it THAT much. If someone tells you they do something purely because they love it, call their bluff and tell them to do it free of charge for a week. I'm goin' to bed.

TheC-Master · #7 04-25-2009, 03:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hockeypro1411

Who cares? If you can't match the price of some other guy then get over it and move on. Maybe try picking up more hours at your regular job and leave the mowing to the big boys. If you're doing this as a part-time gig, then I don't put you very far ahead of the people with "lesser" mowers in their vehicles. Why do they do it?- Simple. To make money. Why do you do it?- Simple. To make money. I highly doubt you'd do this because you love it THAT much. If someone tells you they do something purely because they love it, call their bluff and tell them to do it free of charge for a week. I'm goin' to bed.

I do love doing it, I think it's fun and could do it 70 hours a week, but I got too much too many expenses to do it for free at the time.

CustomKare · #8 04-25-2009, 03:36 AM

Looks like the only ones that responded to my post are the exactly the ones I was talking about. low ballers that don't know thetr true costs of doing business. That's OK, most likely you won't be here next year. My guess is Tops Sites is the only legit LCO that responded. The rest probably not insured or pays taxes.

TheC-Master · #9 04-25-2009, 05:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CustomKare

Looks like the only ones that responded to my post are the exactly the ones I was talking about. low ballers that don't know thetr true costs of doing business. That's OK, most likely you won't be here next year. My guess is Tops Sites is the only legit LCO that responded. The rest probably not insured or pays taxes.

Um, it's a good chance that I've been doing this longer than you have. But nevertheless where did you get me being a lowballer by me saying I like to do the work? I work solo and I aim for about 50 dollars an hour, and i make up to 75 if I have everything close by. I think it's incredibly stupid to work for nothing or pay someone to work for them. I've let a commercial go for that reason after the first cut, or rather I told him I couldn't do it for that price. I had another customer who wants his yard beautiful and he tried to go down a tad, (not sure if he was joking or not), I told him my price AND he gave me a tip for the good job, and my client did too yesterday. People respect good quality work from a good businessman. I love to cut grass very much, but I also have bills to pay.

If you were joking, disregard this, but if you aren't then you are off by a long shot with no substantial reason but an assumption. That and I never responded to your post.

MOW ED · #10 04-25-2009, 06:36 AM

Hi Custom
What part of the city are you in. That is big country down there and I know there are lots of trailers because my family still lives in the area. It seems like everyone is employed doing some type of landscaping/lawn work.
Now for old timers, I guess I qualify. I remember me and another old timer who is with the mowing angels Eric ELM talking on the predassessor to this site waaaay back when. We were wondering if anyone else cut lawns and owned a computer. My how times have changed. There were still low ballers back then I believe the word of the year was "scrubs" and in our business there will always be. I don't begrudge people for at least trying to work because I know there is always a customer out there who is price based alone. The don't care how, they don't care much about quality they just want it cut cheaply. I don't want that customer anyway. I just do my thing pay my insurance and taxes and found a customer base that gives me a profit without alot of headaches. BTW I am what I like to call a dual career person also. I work an average of 80+ hours a week over the two jobs, one of which is lawn care. To me each job is as important as the other. I am a solo op except for the assistance I get from my lovely wife (which I couldn't do this without her)
So overall I like seeing people in the industry, my statement is that to me its not competition because I could never handle all of the work that is out there. Kind of simplistic but I use it. I have been hammered and lost jobs from cash only guys who pay no taxes and run around on their Craftsmans and initially I was mad but I have come to co-exist. They can only do so much with that stuff before they have to make a decision. Either way, I still have customers. Wow that was a long winded answer huh. Sharpen your blades, summer is coming.