The Green Industry's Resource Center

mdlwn1 · #11 10-13-2009, 03:08 PM

The average lco is far from an MBA. They usually cant comprehend that they need to accept a lower margin on increasing revenue. On a side note..up here $14 gets you a little more than a heartbeat. Top foreman with OT will make 50-70k

turfrider1020 · #12 10-13-2009, 06:04 PM

dont you love those a-- holes people are too greedy and just dont want to work im so sick of lazy f-cks who want a free ride and screw the company that gives them a shot at making a decent living doing a fun job

alf500series · #13 10-13-2009, 08:15 PM

i have somewhat the same problem here. nobody wants to work, unless it is easy and doesn't involve getting sweaty and hot. i could expand my business a little more but --no good help. i get lucky every now and then and get a kid from the college that works out great for awhile but then they graduate or move or something else and then your screwed again. hopefully someday well all find someone.

turfrider1020 · #14 10-13-2009, 08:32 PM

you know 2 well 3 years ago i got a temp who worked out great for a while , but last year i found out he was a convicted stalker and he was always breakin his neck looking at anything with tits,no matter how young
i hired another guy at the end of the season to help out and they got in a fight in front of a customers yard so they both had to go
got another guy last year, he was awsome, and fun to work with but he went to school, f-kin higher education.....lol

anyway the biggest dissapointment is not being able to grow because it is so hard to find good help

snowman55 · #15 10-22-2009, 12:00 PM

be careful of what you post. as far aas i know you cannot salary any type of labor and are open to litegation.

rkbonz · #16 10-25-2009, 08:04 PM

you have to check into the bigger co. to get more money i work for garrick-santo landscape in malden ma. and get pd 18 hr plus benefits,but ido run 6 2mn crews and also have pest.lic.,hydro lic. osha cert. and twic card if you are interested in helping us expand look us up.

rkbonz · #17 11-14-2009, 04:36 PM

Thanks,did not realize that

jeffslawnservice · #18 11-14-2009, 05:59 PM

I am in the process of trying to expand from a solo operation to at least 2-3 guys for next year. The work is there the help is not. I have gone threw about 8 guys this year. Most said they knew what they were doing and were gone with in one day. Some got to the shop I said edge the lawn out front and thats as far as they made it. i have tryed to teach some but they just argue that they know how to do it. I had 2 guys who were great could do everything, and if there was something that they were unsure of (which was rarely) they would just ask real quick. But both of them went off to college. So now I'm scrambeling working crazy hours to get all the work done. I'm currently in school too so it is hard.

ponyboy · #19 11-15-2009, 09:41 AM

one of the problems is that in just cutting grass you not make a huge profit, and with the price dropping year after year how can you afford to pay guys $15+ an hour when most lawn get $30+ a lawn 3 guys on a lawn for 20 minutes start to finish minus all your business expenses what does an owner make?? These are not my prices but most companies out there. Even the guys who do big landscaping jobs have had to lower prices to keep work this year(I know for a fact when I was told i got the contract then 2 hours later while waiting for the fax the call comes in and says my old landscaper has lowered his price so we will keep him it doesnt matter your company has been around for over 20 years it sucks being used as tool to get the mgmt company to save money) This industry is a luxruy and has been hard hit (illegas,lowballer,illegals compaines etc) where all our expense go up(workers,trucks,insurance,taxes equipment) SO YES A GOOD EMPLOYEE IS WORTH MORE THAN $15 AN HOUR BUT MANY COMPAINES CAB AFFORD TO PAY THAT AND WE HAVE OURSELFES TO THANK

Springmeadows · #20 11-15-2009, 10:41 AM

ponyboy is right. As companies scramble to keep accounts and there seems to be no good accounts out there, it is difficult to pay anything worth while. From my experience, the mowing industry is not progressing into a legitimate trade. There may be other aspects of the industry that show promise, but I think we are on a severe downturn. Other areas may be alot different, I have other skills I can try to use in other industries so practically speaking I am closing up shop for a while. Spring 2010 will be the real test, if the economy rebounds it may improve.