[maj9az]

After reviewing some numbers from 2022 (i'd call it my first full time year), I am noticing how little I made from mowing. I made 70% of revenue doing clean ups and maintenance. But after all I only had 15 properties to start to season with for mowing. I want to establish a business plan and goal for my mowing but it seems in my inexperienced eyes, everything is pointing to a loss cause for mowing.

So I ended with 12 customers for mowing. Most request and I signed up for it in 2022 for bi weekly. I learned my lesson. But not because of grass height. Honestly, some of these properties did NOT grow. I skipped one from June-August. It seems none of my customers even care about the lawn. None fertilize and absolutely no irrigation. Most are retired and never step foot on their lawn. Just cut because it needs it..eventually
The general area is pretty rual too, I travel almost 10+ minutes from some to another. and ONE is 18 minutes out. My instinct is to just get new customers. Don't attract the cheap customers. But seems hard as out of my 15 I had, maybe 2 are "good customers"....

So here is why I believe my area (North East CT) is bad for mowing. Not sure if my theory even makes sense, but hear me out. It seems this area, like all areas, gets many new "lawn care/landscapers" every year. Lots of chucks and a truck, like myself. Nothing wrong with that. But there seems to be NO established crew landscapers. Even a large company in town leaves for Mass where the Worcester metro has money and tons of nice homes. All of my customers have gone thru a new landscaper each year. they all quit it seems. Many joked how i am the first they are confident i'll return.... will I? So with not much "professional competition" around here, market price and the pool of customers are low. The price is low because, just like many of my customers, they always can find a suckers to do it cheaper and that will stick to their bi weekly requests.

Part of me wants to say just buckle down, get your numbers right, get your route right and just get a handful of good customers thats good for a solo mow and blow guy. But then I think down the road... is it possible my area is just limited on growth. Because as I mentioned above, 2 out of 15 doesn't seem like a good ratio, especially when this county only has 110K people.

 

[larryinalabama]

THe key for me is simply running my route, no estmates no advertising little hassle etc. The town I service has 15k people.

 

[Brucey]

After reviewing some numbers from 2022 (i'd call it my first full time year), I am noticing how little I made from mowing. I made 70% of revenue doing clean ups and maintenance. But after all I only had 15 properties to start to season with for mowing. I want to establish a business plan and goal for my mowing but it seems in my inexperienced eyes, everything is pointing to a loss cause for mowing.

So I ended with 12 customers for mowing. Most request and I signed up for it in 2022 for bi weekly. I learned my lesson. But not because of grass height. Honestly, some of these properties did NOT grow. I skipped one from June-August. It seems none of my customers even care about the lawn. None fertilize and absolutely no irrigation. Most are retired and never step foot on their lawn. Just cut because it needs it..eventually
The general area is pretty rual too, I travel almost 10+ minutes from some to another. and ONE is 18 minutes out. My instinct is to just get new customers. Don't attract the cheap customers. But seems hard as out of my 15 I had, maybe 2 are "good customers"....

So here is why I believe my area (North East CT) is bad for mowing. Not sure if my theory even makes sense, but hear me out. It seems this area, like all areas, gets many new "lawn care/landscapers" every year. Lots of chucks and a truck, like myself. Nothing wrong with that. But there seems to be NO established crew landscapers. Even a large company in town leaves for Mass where the Worcester metro has money and tons of nice homes. All of my customers have gone thru a new landscaper each year. they all quit it seems. Many joked how i am the first they are confident i'll return.... will I? So with not much "professional competition" around here, market price and the pool of customers are low. The price is low because, just like many of my customers, they always can find a suckers to do it cheaper and that will stick to their bi weekly requests.

Part of me wants to say just buckle down, get your numbers right, get your route right and just get a handful of good customers thats good for a solo mow and blow guy. But then I think down the road... is it possible my area is just limited on growth. Because as I mentioned above, 2 out of 15 doesn't seem like a good ratio, especially when this county only has 110K people.

I'm assuming you got those accounts by being cheap. If you need the income it's tough to say no. But sounds like you definitely need to increase your pricing. Especially as you've presumably shown you are reliable and show up every 2 weeks. Bi weekly mowing should entail a decent premium over weekly rates.

As you grow and get more accounts you can then drop the ones that entail too much of a drive time.

 

[FLC2000]

Mowing can make money. Its all the add on's for those mowing customers that make you REAL money.

 

[hort101]

here is why I believe my area (North East CT) is bad for mowing

Are the lawns irrigated in your area?
Anyone have irrigation there?
Any close by areas to get a higher level or better group in a development for example?

 

[[email protected]]

You’re going thru what I call the “ paying your dues” part of landscaping. As @Brucey inferred, as you grow, you shed these low price/time wasters for the next new guy to service.

if you have quoted a low price, you may find it hard to raise their price to a more profitable one. If they are as you described, they’ll jet you and find another low priced every other week guy!

 

[sidemouse.ii]

It gets better but you have to put in the time, long story really short I had to learn to compromise.

 

[fivestarlandscapes]

The area your in is definitely a more rural lower income area. Big companies with big crews are not in your area because the market can't support many. My advice to you after 16 years is find hoa ,apartment and condo associations to get into. Larger contracts. One decent contract could replace all your biweeklys. One big contract could be a game changer. Once you get in kill them with kindness and top quality work.

 

[Timslawncutting]

I live in northwest CT. I travel 30+min to get to a group of accounts. Maybe consider traveling more?
Some lawns I cut are nice some are ...... just cut it so the neighbors don't complain. Both have their advantages
I think you're doing well for having 15 accounts in one year

 

[brydan]

I live in northwest CT. I travel 30+min to get to a group of accounts. Maybe consider traveling more?
Some lawns I cut are nice some are ...... just cut it so the neighbors don't complain. Both have their advantages
I think you're doing well for having 15 accounts in one year

I'm not in that situation but was thinking the same thing. It's less than ideal but with good marketing if you could develop tight routes at better prices 30 or 40 mins away that would at least give you a fighting chance at being profitable. Low prices with low density isn't going to work, have to figure out a different angle

 

[GRANTSKI]

After reviewing some numbers from 2022 (i'd call it my first full time year), I am noticing how little I made from mowing. I made 70% of revenue doing clean ups and maintenance. But after all I only had 15 properties to start to season with for mowing. I want to establish a business plan and goal for my mowing but it seems in my inexperienced eyes, everything is pointing to a loss cause for mowing.

So I ended with 12 customers for mowing. Most request and I signed up for it in 2022 for bi weekly. I learned my lesson. But not because of grass height. Honestly, some of these properties did NOT grow. I skipped one from June-August. It seems none of my customers even care about the lawn. None fertilize and absolutely no irrigation. Most are retired and never step foot on their lawn. Just cut because it needs it..eventually
The general area is pretty rual too, I travel almost 10+ minutes from some to another. and ONE is 18 minutes out. My instinct is to just get new customers. Don't attract the cheap customers. But seems hard as out of my 15 I had, maybe 2 are "good customers"....

So here is why I believe my area (North East CT) is bad for mowing. Not sure if my theory even makes sense, but hear me out. It seems this area, like all areas, gets many new "lawn care/landscapers" every year. Lots of chucks and a truck, like myself. Nothing wrong with that. But there seems to be NO established crew landscapers. Even a large company in town leaves for Mass where the Worcester metro has money and tons of nice homes. All of my customers have gone thru a new landscaper each year. they all quit it seems. Many joked how i am the first they are confident i'll return.... will I? So with not much "professional competition" around here, market price and the pool of customers are low. The price is low because, just like many of my customers, they always can find a suckers to do it cheaper and that will stick to their bi weekly requests.

Part of me wants to say just buckle down, get your numbers right, get your route right and just get a handful of good customers thats good for a solo mow and blow guy. But then I think down the road... is it possible my area is just limited on growth. Because as I mentioned above, 2 out of 15 doesn't seem like a good ratio, especially when this county only has 110K people.

I think you maybe right as far as rural mowing being a lost cause. But did the other 70% of your income … come from your mowing customers ??? If so then they can be considered a “loss leader” so not all bad since they lead to more profit in the long run.
Def depends on the area. My buddy lives in moodus and I can tell just driving through it would not work there. Caring for your own property is just part of living there it’s what you sign up for. there’s lots of trees - lots of hills - and lots of houses with crappy lawns and old foundations…so IMO what IS in demand in his area are drainage & foundation work - tree work - and (maybe) retaining walls. Even installing a proper lawn over new septic tanks and fields. But not lawn mowing.

 

[Trees Too]

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[RSG]

Yes. Jo

RE: Best Lawn-care Markets....

Uber for Lawn Care

Lawn Love is modern, on-demand lawn care. Get your #stressfree quote today at lawnlove.com

lawnlove.com

100% satisfaction guaranteed.
“ If you're not happy, we'll give you your money back. It's as simple as that.”
We are constantly fighting this “anything is refundable” mentality.

 

[maj9az]

I think you maybe right as far as rural mowing being a lost cause. But did the other 70% of your income … come from your mowing customers ??? If so then they can be considered a “loss leader” so not all bad since they lead to more profit in the long run.
Def depends on the area. My buddy lives in moodus and I can tell just driving through it would not work there. Caring for your own property is just part of living there it’s what you sign up for. there’s lots of trees - lots of hills - and lots of houses with crappy lawns and old foundations…so IMO what IS in demand in his area are drainage & foundation work - tree work - and (maybe) retaining walls. Even installing a proper lawn over new septic tanks and fields. But not lawn mowing.

Thanks for the reply. I am familiar with Moodus too, and lucky for me, even parts of my area has more potential than that particular town. Although a short drive from there gets into the Hartford Metro, which is certainly a better area,

After reading some of the other replies, I believe I may have jumped to conclusion to say its not profitable, After all i'll have 12. not 20, not 30. My wife took the honors and wrote everything down for me on about ten of my properties. Size, price, time, ect. I was surprised how putting something on paper can really tell so much..
For example, I have a $80 weekly .7 acre lawn that gate down to up takes 50 minutes (1.60/minute). But I also have a tricky .4 acre with a hill my ZT cant go on that takes almost an hour for $60- but BI Weekly. So dumb of me. I was new and hungry?? $1/minute. COME ON MIKE. Then I have a bi weekly $85 .35 acre 35 minute. $2.42. But thats the 15 minute drive one way. so adding in 30 extra minutes...and lastly a .7 acre bi weekly $65 that takes an hour.

I am not looking for 100 houses, I am looking for 30 maybe. Its possible I can find them WITH better customers and get my pricing right. My breakdown really shed some light on how whacky I've been. Again, I guess I was hungry (for business) and excited back in April/May. I will be better equipped - pricing wise come 2023....

The additional money made (70%) was hardly from any of these 10-12 lawns. I had 26 fall clean ups and only 5 of them where my lawn customers. Which, as someone mentioned, its important to take that into account.. not necessarily how much mowing makes you but its the overall season of a particular customer....I can see how cherry picking those customers that want to include all of the avg landscaping with the same person can be beneficial. Although it seems I wouldn't price the lawn any different just because they may hire me in the fall, for example or any additional work....plus, they have no idea (neither do i..) how much I'd charge. Most clean ups are $350-$550. A few more of my customers did have me quote them, but even though I mow (at a extra low price- my fault) they still did not hire me for their clean ups- too expensive. They either do the leaves themselves or possibly hire me in the spring?

For anyone wondering I mow with a 52" gravely ZT and have a 21" that gets all of 15 minutes of use a trip.

I feel fortunate its still early and I can really brainstorm what works to improve for 2023. Whether I drop some, strictly go weekly, raise some prices ALOT and stay bi weekly on some. or raise some/keep some but go 10 day.....then slowly get new customers that ONLY meet certain requirements.

 

[Youngandfree]

Thanks for the reply. I am familiar with Moodus too, and lucky for me, even parts of my area has more potential than that particular town. Although a short drive from there gets into the Hartford Metro, which is certainly a better area,

After reading some of the other replies, I believe I may have jumped to conclusion to say its not profitable, After all i'll have 12. not 20, not 30. My wife took the honors and wrote everything down for me on about ten of my properties. Size, price, time, ect. I was surprised how putting something on paper can really tell so much..
For example, I have a $80 weekly .7 acre lawn that gate down to up takes 50 minutes (1.60/minute). But I also have a tricky .4 acre with a hill my ZT cant go on that takes almost an hour for $60- but BI Weekly. So dumb of me. I was new and hungry?? $1/minute. COME ON MIKE. Then I have a bi weekly $85 .35 acre 35 minute. $2.42. But thats the 15 minute drive one way. so adding in 30 extra minutes...and lastly a .7 acre bi weekly $65 that takes an hour.

I am not looking for 100 houses, I am looking for 30 maybe. Its possible I can find them WITH better customers and get my pricing right. My breakdown really shed some light on how whacky I've been. Again, I guess I was hungry (for business) and excited back in April/May. I will be better equipped - pricing wise come 2023....

The additional money made (70%) was hardly from any of these 10-12 lawns. I had 26 fall clean ups and only 5 of them where my lawn customers. Which, as someone mentioned, its important to take that into account.. not necessarily how much mowing makes you but its the overall season of a particular customer....I can see how cherry picking those customers that want to include all of the avg landscaping with the same person can be beneficial. Although it seems I wouldn't price the lawn any different just because they may hire me in the fall, for example or any additional work....plus, they have no idea (neither do i..) how much I'd charge. Most clean ups are $350-$550. A few more of my customers did have me quote them, but even though I mow (at a extra low price- my fault) they still did not hire me for their clean ups- too expensive. They either do the leaves themselves or possibly hire me in the spring?

For anyone wondering I mow with a 52" gravely ZT and have a 21" that gets all of 15 minutes of use a trip.

I feel fortunate its still early and I can really brainstorm what works to improve for 2022. Whether I drop some, strictly go weekly, raise some prices ALOT and stay bi weekly on some. or raise some/keep some but go 10 day.....then slowly get new customers that ONLY need certain requirements.

Can you convert any of those cleanup customers into regular maintenance customers?

 

[hort101]

Thanks for the reply. I am familiar with Moodus too, and lucky for me, even parts of my area has more potential than that particular town. Although a short drive from there gets into the Hartford Metro, which is certainly a better area,

After reading some of the other replies, I believe I may have jumped to conclusion to say its not profitable, After all i'll have 12. not 20, not 30. My wife took the honors and wrote everything down for me on about ten of my properties. Size, price, time, ect. I was surprised how putting something on paper can really tell so much..
For example, I have a $80 weekly .7 acre lawn that gate down to up takes 50 minutes (1.60/minute). But I also have a tricky .4 acre with a hill my ZT cant go on that takes almost an hour for $60- but BI Weekly. So dumb of me. I was new and hungry?? $1/minute. COME ON MIKE. Then I have a bi weekly $85 .35 acre 35 minute. $2.42. But thats the 15 minute drive one way. so adding in 30 extra minutes...and lastly a .7 acre bi weekly $65 that takes an hour.

I am not looking for 100 houses, I am looking for 30 maybe. Its possible I can find them WITH better customers and get my pricing right. My breakdown really shed some light on how whacky I've been. Again, I guess I was hungry (for business) and excited back in April/May. I will be better equipped - pricing wise come 2023....

The additional money made (70%) was hardly from any of these 10-12 lawns. I had 26 fall clean ups and only 5 of them where my lawn customers. Which, as someone mentioned, its important to take that into account.. not necessarily how much mowing makes you but its the overall season of a particular customer....I can see how cherry picking those customers that want to include all of the avg landscaping with the same person can be beneficial. Although it seems I wouldn't price the lawn any different just because they may hire me in the fall, for example or any additional work....plus, they have no idea (neither do i..) how much I'd charge. Most clean ups are $350-$550. A few more of my customers did have me quote them, but even though I mow (at a extra low price- my fault) they still did not hire me for their clean ups- too expensive. They either do the leaves themselves or possibly hire me in the spring?

For anyone wondering I mow with a 52" gravely ZT and have a 21" that gets all of 15 minutes of use a trip.

I feel fortunate its still early and I can really brainstorm what works to improve for 2023. Whether I drop some, strictly go weekly, raise some prices ALOT and stay bi weekly on some. or raise some/keep some but go 10 day.....then slowly get new customers that ONLY meet certain requirements.

Irrigation?
Irrigation in your area?
Maybe I missed it

 

[maj9az]

Irrigation?
Irrigation in your area?
Maybe I missed it

None of mine. None of probably 80 properties I've visited either. Many wells. Something to consider searching out for my additional customers...

 

[hort101]

None of mine. None of probably 80 properties I've visited either. Many wells. Something to consider searching out for my additional customers...

It's something to look at usually needed for demanding 1 week or regular mowing

You will either want additional services from the current customers like already said

Or will need to take into account maybe more every other week or skipping cuts in the summer so will need more customers to fill a schedule

Edit
To add usually every other week take longer and you should charge more then a weekly mowing per cut
Ymmv 👍

 

[maj9az]

It's something to look usually needed for demanding 1 week or regular mowing

You will either want additional services from the current customers like already said

Or will need to take into account maybe more every other week or skipping cuts in the summer so will need more customers to fill a schedule

Edit
To add usually every other week take longer and you should charge more then a weekly mowing per cut
Ymmv 👍

Only once did a bi weekly give me issues. We had a drought otherwise..when one property that holds water really grew... I made one comment and boom. They called and said "their nephew" will take over. 1 month later, someone had their sign out from. By August their grass was 1ft tall.

So it maybe a tough sell to convince some to go weekly, even in the late spring, they didn't grow a crazy amount. Two for example is $60 and $65 bi weekly. Both almost take an hour. A weekly $80 takes me an hour.. geez I'm all over. Those $60's are even below a weekly price, let alone bi weekly which should probably be $90 or more.
That's why I keep having 10 days come to mind for the requirement of bi weekly so I can keep them...3x a month VS 2.

 

[Youngandfree]

Only once did a bi weekly give me issues. We had a drought otherwise..when one property that holds water really grew... I made one comment and boom. They called and said "their nephew" will take over. 1 month later, someone had their sign out from. By August their grass was 1ft tall.

So it maybe a tough sell to convince some to go weekly, even in the late spring, they didn't grow a crazy amount. Two for example is $60 and $65 bi weekly. Both almost take an hour. A weekly $80 takes me an hour.. geez I'm all over. Those $60's are even below a weekly price, let alone bi weekly which should probably be $90 or more.
That's why I keep having 10 days come to mind for the requirement of bi weekly so I can keep them...3x a month VS 2.

10 days is harder to keep up with IMO. If you get enough Bi weekly accounts then you can fill both weeks with alternating routes.