Well that would work in an ideal world, but finding the solo employee that will work as hard as you do as the owner is a might challenging. Human psychology means that a solo employee with not be as productive as if there is someone else there with them. The second person helps to keep them accountable without even having it be an discussed issue. I think you will find that they just simply will not work as hard as you would and the productivity or quality will likely drop off. If you can find a source of the employees that work as hard as you do, please let the rest of us know where so we can start recruiting.

 

I mow two days a week solo 1 big commercial that takes 6 hours and 10 residential on Thursday. And 30 residential on Fri. Hardly any drive time between lawns on Fri. I tried having a guy weedwack for me and sucked on purpose because he wanted to ride the mower. I can concentrate better alone when mowing because I don't have to check work quality or babysit. Plus I like getting off the mower to stretch out. Now on M-W I have a 3 man crew to babysit doing landscaping. And it's like a preschool class sometimes. One man now crew is the best option I think less payroll and who is one guy gonna screw around with and waste time. When I worked at the my first company we would take naps, 2-3 hour lunch breaks. We even went on one guys boat for half a day. Idk how we got away with that craps. This is my second year at the company I'm at now and I was told that making the company more money. And I will be getting a percentage of it end of season
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I have one employee and he is solo. Using a 36 stander and 30" toro. Mostly 1/4 acre lots. It's working out very nicely. My routes are not that tight yet but he can knock out 12 in a 10 hour day hustling. He likes it. I like it. Pay him a variation of piecework. I have the same idea as you except less yards. Even on my one day with tight routes he can't fit in much more ( half day Innone neighborhood). My realistic outlook for next year is 11 a day for 4 days a week. I think about going to a walk behind but the stander saves so much energy it's unreal. Train them good and stuff will be less likely to get broke. Also I would say you should be able to handle more than 300 customers in a management position.
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I run one one man crew. I went through lots of guys to find the man I am using now. I feel very lucky to have him, and I fear the day he ever wants to move on. Finding the right guy(s) to run the route is a big issue. If you find the right guy it can be wonderful. If you can't, or they get injured, or some other issue that puts them out of work temporarily it's tough to quickly replace them, or even temporarily fill in for them. The thought of several one man crews and filling in when they can't do the work seems extremely stressful. Currently I can fill in if he can't be there. If one had several crews and a couple guys had to be gone it would make for some long stressful days. In my opinion it's doable, and I am doing it - but I wouldn't do it with several crews. I look at it as a temporary thing when not having enough work for 2 guys in the truck. I will also mention that I wouldn't expect the guy you hire to be as fast as you out on his own. I would be happy with anyone 15% or less slower than you.

 

I've timed my lawns with 2 guys vs solo and no matter how u do it..one mowing / one trimming // both mowing both trimming...solo works out better. Even on small lawns it adds up !! One example I have a tiny lawn that is 15min w 2 guys...but only 20min w 1 guy. Now u add the wasted 10min plus another 10min. windshield time to the next lawn...ur production is around 25% less w 2 guys vs one.
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I foresee stolen accounts. Why would someone pretty much do for you what they can turn around and do for themselves? You'd certainly have to find a unique kind of employee. How do you know they're not out mowing someone else's yards with your equipment?
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Try to run a two man crew on the mowing crew... Had a one man crew starting, then filled his schedule to where he needed a helper. Now its a two man crew. I don't want one guy being alone in the field all day, a lot can happen out there. Mower breaks down, can't push it up... Have to take off trailer for some reason... Who knows. I think it is safer, also boosts morale for the foreman.

Also, put the employees on Z turns to be more productive. Larger lawns/properties and it is easier on them. (Make sure they are trained, I learned a lesson with that this year)

 

I foresee stolen accounts. Why would someone pretty much do for you what they can turn around and do for themselves? You'd certainly have to find a unique kind of employee. How do you know they're not out mowing someone else's yards with your equipment?
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That's the risk you take... However, there are things you can do such as put a GPS tracker on the truck. (Times the amount of time they are at each property)... You are going to get a call back from a customer who says you mowed our yard before, or you didn't get the payment I paid you?. It will only last so long of the employee going behind your back

 

I foresee stolen accounts. Why would someone pretty much do for you what they can turn around and do for themselves? You'd certainly have to find a unique kind of employee. How do you know they're not out mowing someone else's yards with your equipment?
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technology. but how does this differ from 2 man crews? they can steal account too.

 

My one man crews have to bring in $475 per 8 hr to meet what I call "productivity"

I'm running two of them.
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Well that would work in an ideal world, but finding the solo employee that will work as hard as you do as the owner is a might challenging. Human psychology means that a solo employee with not be as productive as if there is someone else there with them. The second person helps to keep them accountable without even having it be an discussed issue. I think you will find that they just simply will not work as hard as you would and the productivity or quality will likely drop off. If you can find a source of the employees that work as hard as you do, please let the rest of us know where so we can start recruiting.

We found the opposite. The guys have a sense of ownership for the yards. They are versatile on all equipment, AND there is less "goofing" around
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I have one employee and he is solo. Using a 36 stander and 30" toro. Mostly 1/4 acre lots. It's working out very nicely. My routes are not that tight yet but he can knock out 12 in a 10 hour day hustling. He likes it. I like it. Pay him a variation of piecework. I have the same idea as you except less yards. Even on my one day with tight routes he can't fit in much more ( half day Innone neighborhood). My realistic outlook for next year is 11 a day for 4 days a week. I think about going to a walk behind but the stander saves so much energy it's unreal. Train them good and stuff will be less likely to get broke. Also I would say you should be able to handle more than 300 customers in a management position.
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That's great to hear in just about all aspects.

I also have a nieghborhood where I do half a day of work solo but it wears me out, so I hire an extra guy and we knock it out in 2-3 hours. That would be the purpose of the helper for times like that. Weed eating for more than 30 minutes can really wear you down and even I tend to get lazy and will rush through when I have to do a lot of weed eating.

Another reason I would switch to the 32" walk behind is because I sometimes barely can squeeze through gates with the stander. This morning I almost broke a fence picket from trying to get in a big backyard with the standers. A 32 would have fit no problem though.
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I foresee stolen accounts. Why would someone pretty much do for you what they can turn around and do for themselves? You'd certainly have to find a unique kind of employee. How do you know they're not out mowing someone else's yards with your equipment?
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Technology can easily keep guys from doing that while on the job with trackers and crap. I would only worry about them getting lawns next door. Neighbor asks how much and he says he can do it this weekend and gives him a price. To prevent that, I would give them a bonus for getting the neighbors lawn or I would find out a system where it rewards them more to mow it on the job versus when their off. I would also check up on guys occasionally. Trust is the main factor, I also wouldn't expect to keep guys longer than a few years.
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I don't think anyone would say having solo crews is less profitable. The problem is keeping them motovated or thinking they should start their own biz. My experience.

One man crew: profitable, equipment taken care of, easy to hold accountable. The employee left though to work for another guy running solo trucks. He didn't like working with the larger crews when his route dried out, helping with shrubs, or clean up time. But also said he needed the hours. Customers got to know him and trust him which is a good and bad thing. Didn't really have good people skills when interacting with customers.

2 man crews: 2nd most profitable. Equipment still is taken care of and issues of yards are still able to be accounted for. You sometime get he said, she said thing, and figure pointing but overall it's ok. You also are a marriage consoler since that's basically what is happening with the two guys. Overall that what I currently run with the trucks.

3 to 5 man crews: while we got off huge properties quick holding anyone accountable besides the crew lead was pretty hard. Miscommunication between them means missed areas, etc. Just less production and equipment damage was hard to trace. Adding a 3rd guy to help a crew works on big properties if they are the right people or to train in guys.

For 2 man crews seem to be working the best.
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do what you want. i work 6hrs a day and go home. make about $250 a day on average solo.

if i worked 9-10 hrs a day i'd get burnt out and quit. sure i can work that long if needed to catch up from rain or whatever but if i did that 5 days a week i would hate this career. too much of anything is bad. any job for 10hrs a day sucks and makes you want to quit. that's my experience anyways. :laugh:

 

I love the long work days. Started at 730 am yesterday morning and mowed til 8pm than did maintenance on two mowers sharpened blades and changed trucks oil. It was 11 pm when I finally showered and ate dinner. But my boss lets me take the equipment home to do maintenance and I'm closer to where I have to start my Saturday mowing. So I usually roll out if bed at 930 and now til about 2. And I even get paid to mow my own lawn. And I now the lawns as I would if it was my company. I take pride in my stripes and nice crisp edges. I treat mowers and truck like u would mine. My truck is actually cleaner than bossmans.
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I foresee stolen accounts. Why would someone pretty much do for you what they can turn around and do for themselves? You'd certainly have to find a unique kind of employee. How do you know they're not out mowing someone else's yards with your equipment?
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Very smart man . This example happens all the time. I have seen companies split in 2 because a solo guy got to comfortable with the accounts solo.
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Very smart man . This example happens all the time. I have seen companies split in 2 because a solo guy got to comfortable with the accounts solo.
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So you have systems of checks and balances right? Explain how this is any different than a 2 man crew.
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I love the long work days. Started at 730 am yesterday morning and mowed til 8pm than did maintenance on two mowers sharpened blades and changed trucks oil. It was 11 pm when I finally showered and ate dinner. But my boss lets me take the equipment home to do maintenance and I'm closer to where I have to start my Saturday mowing. So I usually roll out if bed at 930 and now til about 2. And I even get paid to mow my own lawn. And I now the lawns as I would if it was my company. I take pride in my stripes and nice crisp edges. I treat mowers and truck like u would mine. My truck is actually cleaner than bossmans.
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No kids? Haha
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No kids? Haha
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That was my thought.
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There's preventative measures for most of those concerns. Stealing accounts?...do the entire route the first few times with any new employee and let them know you have timed it solo and with 2 ppl and know the expected time to complete the route (give or take 30min). Offer a commission for any new lawn references they get u off your route. Also let them know stealing accts is grounds for termination. In the same conversation sneak in that most lawns are only @ 40% profit after business expenses...so they don't think u just take in every dollar they make for you. I dont agree w 2 man teams being less likely to do shady stuff either...ppl give each other stupid ideas. As a highschooler I pulled a real stupid move w the first company I worked for I shoulda been fired. And it was Mostly me and the other guy convincing each other what we were doing was ok when it wasn't.
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There's preventative measures for most of those concerns. Stealing accounts?...do the entire route the first few times with any new employee and let them know you have timed it solo and with 2 ppl and know the expected time to complete the route (give or take 30min). Offer a commission for any new lawn references they get u off your route. Also let them know stealing accts is grounds for termination. In the same conversation sneak in that most lawns are only @ 40% profit after business expenses...so they don't think u just take in every dollar they make for you. I dont agree w 2 man teams being less likely to do shady stuff either...ppl give each other stupid ideas. As a highschooler I pulled a real stupid move w the first company I worked for I shoulda been fired. And it was Mostly me and the other guy convincing each other what we were doing was ok when it wasn't.
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What did you do at the company?
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What did you do at the company?
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It was a d*ck move. We were those guys that were running the entire company saying "why cant we do this ourselves?". Got an offer for an acct so took it before we had our own equipment...and went and mowed it with our bosses stuff. Of course his wife happened to drive by and knew that wasn't his acct lol.so we got caught quickly. He yelled at us but also kinda said he didn't care if we were gona start our own thing - but not on his time or w his equip. I went n bought a mower the next week and we quit w him shortly after to start our own business. The guy was nice and easy to deal with...but didn't take care of us exactly...if I saw a future with real pay and benefits I prob would still be working w him.
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It was a d*ck move. We were those guys that were running the entire company saying "why cant we do this ourselves?". Got an offer for an acct so took it before we had our own equipment...and went and mowed it with our bosses stuff. Of course his wife happened to drive by and knew that wasn't his acct lol.so we got caught quickly. He yelled at us but also kinda said he didn't care if we were gona start our own thing - but not on his time or w his equip. I went n bought a mower the next week and we quit w him shortly after to start our own business. The guy was nice and easy to deal with...but didn't take care of us exactly...if I saw a future with real pay and benefits I prob would still be working w him.
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Oh that's funny lol
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I think it is realistic. 2 Single crews will get more done than 1, 2 man crews. The biggest thing is that you are payed 2 guys to sit in the same truck going to the same location. My solo guys will go 80% of what I can do. 2 guys do about 130% of what I can do.
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