PLI1MIL,
I know where you're coming from. I am currently running a mowing crew this usmmer...will be my first summer running a crew, but my second with this company. Before highschool got out last year I had my own little company goin...about 15 yards...nothin big...stuff i could do on a weekend and take $400 home a week for a lil extra dow.
Love what i do, always have, always will. I just hate the bureaucratic bullshit that goes alone with it. Yeah, there are many jobs with more of it that you have to go through...but i tend to see that people who love mowing yards don't like sitting at desks filling out paperwork and applying for licenses and insurance and such. thats why i quit my own business, I had the opportunity to actually turn it into something...stop working out of the back of my s-10...get a trailer and the whole works...big step for me, then. But when i had the opportunity to go work for this company i took it. I'm glad i did. I have learned sooo much about the green industry and whats available to the contracter. But i'm starting to get the itch to mow on my own again...
I've been going through some numbers to answer the same question you're asking right now.
Now...i'd set my minimum price for $25. But lets say i get $30 for the average yard. i set up that i should be able to make $60 an hour if i can work nonstop...not taking into turns, drivetime, downtime, lunch, ect. That means that for the $30 yard it'll take my 30 minutes give or take 10 minutes. So...30 minutes for $30.....you're wanting 60 yards a week. thats 12 yards a day. 12 so 12 yards...30 minutes each....6 hours of mowing...add 10 minutes between each yard for drivetime, add 30 minutes for lunch...and you have like what...another 2.5 horus on there? So 8.5 hours a day between when you leave the door to when you return...gotta add more time...maybe an hour...for maintenance. 9.5 hours a day...12 yards...$30 each..$360. Oh yeah...add another 3 hours a day for calls, accounting, marketing, estimates....12.5 horus a DAY that you're putting into these 60 yards a week. So you make $360 gross in 12.5 hours of work nonstop...thats... $28.8 an hour...gross...take away insurance, equipment costs, maintenance, your daily lunch (if thats how you wanna work it) and don't forget uncle sam's taking and you're not gunna make much more then what you would as a crew leader for a local company.
Ok ok...so thats enough money for you. do you wana spend half of your life on those yards?
Let alone you want 60 $50 yards...thats a whole lot more time.
I'm looking at 40 $35 yards idealy. 8 regulars a day...not bad at all...allows time for rain, estimates, and side jobs...maybe some landscaping here and there. I'm even getting into tree removal at work...aint nothin like cutting down a 40 foot oak tree thats standing 3 foot away from an all glass building...
this'll keep me to hopefully 40 hours a week with 1.5x's what i'm makin now workin 60 hours a week at $9 an hour.
I know i'm rambling...just how i put my thoughts down on paper.
If i were you, i'd stick to maybe 15...20 pushing it of your $50 yards. That'll be about 20 hours a week that you're workin along with another part-time job. And do believe me that it takes a long time to get your name out into the community...i was in my own little company for a good 5 years before people started calling me.
Good luck in your decision making.