The Green Industry's Resource Center

smallstripesnc · #1 09-05-2012, 05:48 PM

I have posted about this topic a few times but didn't post in the right section of the forums.

I am currently in Charlotte, NC and have 24 weekly accounts and 5 bi-weekly accounts right now and of course the phone keeps ringing. I have completely stopped marketing and even took my website offline but I still keep getting calls. So as you imagine I'm pretty busy in Charlotte and I know I can make money here.

I am relocating to follow my dreams of moving to the beach. I have been surfing since I was little and I have always wanted to live at the beach. Sure its a dream but I'm all about making dreams come true. My wife is on board with the idea of moving and we honestly can't wait to get out of Charlotte.

As the season in Charlotte only has a month or so to go we're getting closer to moving. I'm pretty nervous about getting accounts there because the main turf type is centipede which doesn't grow as fast as fescue and from what I've been told most people get their lawn cut bi-weekly down there so I'll need to get more accounts than I have here to make the same amount I am now.

I'm just hoping there's a market down there like there is in Charlotte. I actually got a lot of accounts from marketing on craigslist and some from fliers and a lot from word of mouth. I've talked to a few local guys in the business there and they all say its not like Charlotte where theres a lawn guy on every corner but there is some competition. I'll offer a wide service area from Wilmington to Calabash, NC so that should help me get some accounts.

Of course I'll be re-creating my website and changing my business name and starting to market online at the beginning of 2013 and we'll actually be moving March 1st and I'll start to put out the fliers as soon as we move.

All I offer at this time is leaf removals, light hedge trimming, and the mowing/edging/line trimming/all hardscapes blown off, fertilization.

Any advice?

Nate'sLawnCare · #2 09-07-2012, 12:18 AM

You might want to target some of the golf/retirement developments in that area, along highway 17. There are some pretty large ones and you could possibly get 20 or 25 accounts in a very small radius. Good luck with the move and starting up your new venture.

smallstripesnc · #3 09-07-2012, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ndr_lawn_care

You might want to target some of the golf/retirement developments in that area, along highway 17. There are some pretty large ones and you could possibly get 20 or 25 accounts in a very small radius. Good luck with the move and starting up your new venture.

Your right about that. My grandmother lives off Hwy 17 in Shallotte and her neighborhood isn't very wealthy but there's others that are. Especially around Sunset Beach/Calabash area. Sea Trail is very big as well.

Thanks for the reply!

Florida Gardener · #4 09-07-2012, 11:55 PM

Congrats, good for you, and much success! I know we talked in an earlier thread. My dream is to move to San Diego and start a company out there, which I will. I don't know the area your moving to, but I would look for the higher end areas and try to gain customers there. People with money will generally pay for quality work and extras. Sorry I can't help anymore. Again, best of luck to you.
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JBNC · #5 09-08-2012, 07:37 AM

Another thing is vacation homes, a lot of people rent them out and do not maintain them themselves. They also have to keep them looking good for renters, so they usually get them cut weekly. I would focus on Brunswick and New Hanover county beaches.

Oak Island is awesome, good luck living the dream!

94gt331 · #6 09-08-2012, 07:59 AM

Good luck in your move. Oak Island is a very nice beach. I've been there before. It's not that expensive of a place to be at either, Good luck just market yourself throughly and I'm sure you'll get work.

smallstripesnc · #7 09-08-2012, 08:42 AM

Thanks so much guys! I am just so nervous because I'm moving my wife and kids and here in Charlotte I'm making good money now when I move I'll be starting all over so to speak. I have been surfing since I was little and I just love the beach. I have surfed Oak Island a handful of times and have family in Shallotte and Wilmington so hopefully they'll help me get going as well. I've been trying to find the going rate and how frequent most people get their lawn cut. Its centipede mainly from what everyone tells me and from what I've seen the years I've been going down there and we all know it grows slow but some people say they do like it cut weekly so theres no seed heads and it looks neater.

Oak Island is unique from the other Southern NC beaches because you have the beach houses which are mainly rentals and then there's the millions of rows of homes towards the inter coastal water way side of the island that many people live in and not so much rent out from what I've been told.

What makes me nervous is here in Charlotte every home either has a lawn full of weeds/grass mix or pure grass. There's not many "bare" lawns. It looks like the grass is often patchy down there and some lawns do have a ton of grass and some don't. Now I'm speaking about Oak Island in general. I know most neighborhoods in Wilmington all have a lawn full of grass so that will probably be where most of my work is and Southport isn't too far.

Sorry for ranting! Thanks again for your input! Any advice on how to contact the landlords of the homes rented out?

clydebusa · #8 09-08-2012, 08:50 AM

On the finance side you should have a years salary saved up before the move is made.
If not it will be tuff, and you will have to be extremely lucky to make it. Does you wife work?

smallstripesnc · #9 09-08-2012, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clydebusa

On the finance side you should have a years salary saved up before the move is made.
If not it will be tuff, and you will have to be extremely lucky to make it. Does you wife work?

We have plenty saved up but I hope I'll be able to start making money pretty quickly like I did here in Charlotte.