cant believe it

[Patriot Services]

Another noob that thinks he is going to dictate the economic climate the rest of us seem to be able to make a buck in. You go with the " I ain't dropping my gate for less than XXX". Only means your gear will have little wear when you put it on CL.

Reddens~ no offense but there is a reason we have our own subforum. Its just different down here. Amazingly it works for a savvy few. Steep learning curve but doable.
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[Greg78]

After a year of doing by the cut you'll get with the program......

[easy-lift guy]

Originally Posted by jeffwpayne

Why per cut?, cause If someone doesn't pay I don't want to work a month for free. And $200 a month in Florida is possible but that's for really nice lawns and top notch service most the time. Regular lawns its hard to get $100 a month. All depends on location and the customer. I found it less headache to collect by the cut. And stay away from the people that don't care about there lawns cause those people want it done for $10. Down here you see 3-5 lawn trucks at a stop light and maybe 1 is legit. Others advertise $15-$20 per cut but who knows there overhead.
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My monthly accounts only pay in advance for the months service. Only way to work and it keeps the customers honest. No drama. No chasing down dead beat accounts.
easy-lift guy

[Greg78]

Go back and search some and see how some of us bill, like myself, Patriot Services and easy-lift guy.

[ReddensLawnCare]

Originally Posted by mjlcare2

Your joking right.. you really do know nothing about Florida climate grass.. we can grow grass on concrete.. of course we mow weekly and provide full service.. we also typically service quarter acre lots depending on your local.

It really doesn't matter what answer we give.. your response is going to revolve around you charging $200+.. we do to.. just not on quarter acre lots that take 20 min a go..
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We're you trying to be an azz or did I just take it wrong. I admitted I don't know anything about Florida turf. I used to live there from birth until 12, so forgive my ignorance. I was just asking a question. And in all honesty, I want to learn how you make a living charging 60,80, or even 100/ month. If you can do that, and I can apply those principles to my business here, then I can become more profitable. Do can you give me a respectful answer
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[Patriot Services]

Originally Posted by ReddensLawnCare

We're you trying to be an azz or did I just take it wrong. I admitted I don't know anything about Florida turf. I used to live there from birth until 12, so forgive my ignorance. I was just asking a question. And in all honesty, I want to learn how you make a living charging 60,80, or even 100/ month. If you can do that, and I can apply those principles to my business here, then I can become more profitable. Do can you give me a respectful answer
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You already got you answer from MJ. The VAST majority of yards I service are 10k TOTAL. Minus out house, pool, patio, drive, sidewalk and beds. You end up with maybe 3~4k of actual turf. A crew of two can bang that in 10~15mins. Keep your route tight. Stay flexible, never say never. Too many guys speak in absolutes. If I can make money and work it in to the schedule, then yes I will take it. I have 50 dollar a month biweekly dirtbowl all the way to a 500 dollar a month mini mansion and everything in between. They all make money so why wouldn't I?
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[Florida Gardener]

Originally Posted by ReddensLawnCare

We're you trying to be an azz or did I just take it wrong. I admitted I don't know anything about Florida turf. I used to live there from birth until 12, so forgive my ignorance. I was just asking a question. And in all honesty, I want to learn how you make a living charging 60,80, or even 100/ month. If you can do that, and I can apply those principles to my business here, then I can become more profitable. Do can you give me a respectful answer
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You can actually make money here on bi-weeklies like patriot said, or full maintenance accounts. My lowest is $165/mo...which only gets 2 services/mo in the winter...it's about 3-K of turf...cutbacks, palms, flowers, fert, mulch all extra...my biggest is $1750/mo...most are 350-645/mo. There is money to be made in Florida, but you have to know what your doing...lot of jokers here, but the serious guys make $$.
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[Landscape Poet]

Originally Posted by ReddensLawnCare

We're you trying to be an azz or did I just take it wrong. I admitted I don't know anything about Florida turf. I used to live there from birth until 12, so forgive my ignorance. I was just asking a question. And in all honesty, I want to learn how you make a living charging 60,80, or even 100/ month. If you can do that, and I can apply those principles to my business here, then I can become more profitable. Do can you give me a respectful answer
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Here is a example for you. On my agenda for tomorrow I have 35 properties to complete. This properties range in price from $75 a month to $275 a month. All but 5 are in the same neighborhood, the other 5 are in the same neighborhood within a block of each other, two stops. They are all located within 8 minutes of drive time from my house.
The lawns that are in the lower $75 range - they take less than 13 minutes on average for my helper and myself to complete which includes mowing, edging, trimming and blowing the clippings off....there is 6 of them right next to each other, many others are next to each other or only one house separates them so loading and unloading and drive time are not a significant concern.

Most of these lots are less than 6K of turf, some owners choose to have us care for their shrubs, or weeds in the beds treated...this leads to the price difference. Each account is profitable.

The difference I think you may be seeing is you do not understand that our accounts pay all year long the amount we are talking about and we generally only work EOW or so during the winter months. So while you may make $200 a month - there are variable we do not face unlike you. We do not worry about someone calling us and telling us not to cut this week because it has not grown....that is not our concern.....our concern is to maintain the properties grass....if it does not need cut this week...so be it. Most of us do not worry about drought because the lawns are irrigated. So we do not have to worry about a loss of income because of a drought...the closest we come to drought is during our dry season if the home owners forget to adjust their irrigation system and the lawn is dry...at which point I leave a note and state that I will be back next week to cut and appreciate if the lawn was irrigated to allow me to do so...but I still bill them the same amount.

You on the other hand most likely have a limited growing season, get called by the homeowners and asked to go EOW during the growing season when rain is in short supply. You have to worry about many factors that we do not.

Our income is essentially able to be fixed...while yours is most likely very variable.

[jeffwpayne]

[QUOTE=Patriot Services;4486639]Another noob that thinks he is going to dictate the economic climate the rest of us seem to be able to make a buck in. You go with the " I ain't dropping my gate for less than XXX". Only means your gear will have little wear when you put it on CL.

Haha noob, ok. Every one does it different chief. And that's my way. And 2,022 hours is very little hours on my mower?

[ReddensLawnCare]

LP 85% of my customers are on contract so they pay year-round. It does not matter if there is a drought for a monsoon the property still gets maintained as needed which is typically every 5 to 10 days. In the wintertime I do not cut. I make an appearance once a month to check the property over for anything that seems out of place. I was not trying to disrespect anybody prices. Thank you landscape poet and patriot services for your well thought out answers. Diamond as well
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