Trimming Hedges

[kilgoja]

here's a few pics of my hedge trimmer

[Hook and Ladder]

Wow-
How long does that battery last?

Save up some cash and get a gas powered one - you will like the difference and the amount of time it cuts down of your labor. I bought a Sthil trimmer on a pole and it can mow down hedges at ease and its easy to shape them as well.

[kilgoja]

what do you mean?...this thing speeds up the time because it's so light and easy to use...each battery lasts like 45 min or more...gas powered trimmers are alot heavier...you can sling this thing around with ease...it can't get any easier

[means09]

Originally Posted by davis45

Have a little more respect for yourself and your business. To be successful you need to know your price..give your price..dont negotiate your price, especially on these small jobs where you are not making a whole lot.

To me I would not just jump to the conclusion that to negotiate on a price after an intiial bid is the "wrong way" to run a business. Im not saying if the price starts out at say $100 and the customers says no that too much and then you say how about $75..... $50.... and so on. What Im sayin is that how about seeing if there are other options for the customer. Explain whats involved and what you going to do. They might only do one or two steps involved in trimming while you are bidding the job as doing a complete /professional job. Steps like pulling weeds in landscaping beds to make blowing out easier so clippings dont stick to the weeds. The customer may not know that you are going to do that which this reflects on the price. Maybe negotiate cut back on steps. Some may think that is a hack job,skipping steps. because they only do million dollar homes and this is unacceptable but some people only want the basics trim the bushes thats it. The mower will make the clippings disappear.

Maybe you can trim some bushes now and then come back later when you are cutting grass and trim the rest of the bushes that are better suited to be trimmed in the later part of fall. This may make the bill more manageable by splitting it up into two parts. Another option could be if they clean up and you trim only. I know this sounds unprofessional only doing half the job, but if the customer is concerned about it being a high price then this might get them to think about the work involved.

Negotiate by giving other opitions is fine in my book. Just because some said you should not lower your intial price does not mean that they lowballing and hurting youre industry

[midsouth grass master]

That thing may be light, but i guarantee you that it will not keep up with a stihl hs81 or comparable gas powered trimmer. If u get a job with some real bushes on it that thing is gonna be slow as hell. Once u get used to the weight and work ur muscles, your body will adapt to the gas powered ones. We have a dude that is 65 about 5'9" and maybe 130lbs and he runs em all day long everyday, but he has been doing it for quite awhile.

[kilgoja]

well hedge trimming is not a big part of what i do...i've only done 2 jobs this year...the big 40 bush job and a small job of like 5 bushes so it works fine in my case...i'm a one man show...i don't have crews of people or anything...i mostly cut grass, trim/edge, and blow and that's it...these side jobs as i call them are rare for me...and it's not really what i want to get into...i may do the occasional hedge trim or bed mulch but it's not like a regular thing...i'm just a mow blow n go lawn care service for the most part...i'm not into landscaping or fertilizing and all that...sure there's more money in those things but it's more work as well and requires more licenses and more manpower...it's just not something that i focus on...my goal is to have 50 residentials that i mow blow and go....that will be plenty enough money for me...that 40 bush job was too big for me as a one man operation but i did it since things were slow right now...it basically took half a day to do it and i made $150....if i had enough yards i could work half a day and make the same amount of money doing alot easier work..and that job was not a regular customer...as far as i know that was a one time deal

[rockycrab]

Well , if you have enough money. Don't be shy, I will help you deal with any surplus you have. LOL