Hi all, I just joined on to this forum and looks like I found the right place!!!!!! Anyway......here is my question...... Years ago I did some lawncare on the side for about a half dozen or so consistant customers. I enjoyed being out in the elements and being able to turn around after completing a customers lawn and seeing a finished product! Well, the area I live in has really gone to the dogs!!! We have SO MANY imigrant (legal and non legal) workers in my area and even wonder if I can even be competitive? I notice alot of people say that these guys will move on, but their population in my area is growing faster than rabbits reproduce!!! Is there a chance for a middle aged (35) white male to make a living in this field anymore? I need to live, and to do that, it requires making some money as well. It seems like EVERY lawncare truck in my area (100's), is all being dominated by low income wage earners! Should I waste my $$$ and invest in this career change or look to elswhere for a change?
If people want quality work, they will pay good money for it. If all they care about is being charged the lowest price possible, those aren't the kinds of clients you want. To have quality customers though, you have to know your sh@t. If you know just as much as the other guys, and do the same work that they do, then YES you will have problems with them. However if you are constantly learning things which will benefit the properties you work at, by increasing their beauty, value, and function. If you implement those things, cutting edge technology, etc. then you shouldn't have a problem. What I am talking about, is learning how to do IPM, how to properly establish a lawn and care for it, how to design landscapes properly and install them, how to care for those plants you have installed without using chemicals, etc. Things like that will set you apart from the competition, if you are good at it. Any 12 year old kid can cut grass. I don't think you want to be competing on their level.
yes, there are many levels in this game.... How many of the guys you are seeing in those trucks are reading lawnsite.com on their computers? How many books on lawn care do they have on their shelves? It is not hard to set yourself apart from the competition.
I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea here, but I would play up the American thing as much as possible if I were you. You know things like: ENGLISH ONLY SPOKEN HERE, AMERICAN BORN AND RAISED. Things like that. Alot of people want to be able to carry on a conversation with their lawn man. So play it up.
The problem that I'm seeing is that these "GUYS" get out 5+ workers per truck and do the job fairly fast and to tell the truth....it looks good!!!! Most of the town that I live in has gone to he!!, I have some VERY WEALTHY surrounding towns that these "GUYS" are working in and the lawns they do look GREAT!!! I'm talking 2+ acres with a million dollor home on it!!!! I really question that I can be competitive enough to make a living and still have a life in this industry. The worse part of the whole thing is I really like being out there doing this!!!! Oh well,......Time will tell.
If you have million dollar homes around that is where you want to be.But....you have to start somewhere.It is your drive and determination that makes the difference.you have to WANT to succeed.Start part time and build from there.Maybe you can help turn your area into a better looking place in time.By the way,we have some rather high end neighborhoods that we work in,and there are no "imigrants" working those areas. Just my observation.
No, just trying to save myself $60k worth of business start up equipment. I really want to do this and I know I can get home owners to sign on with me......my concern is WHEN, if ever , is an area OVERPOPULATED with LAWNCARE companies? It use to be that when you looked in the yellow pages, DOCTORS and Lawyers dominated the pages...in my new YELLOW PAGES....LAWNCARE and MOWING sections combines overtake the DOCTORS and LAWYERS for amount of pages occupied!!!! I do have another "CAREER CHOICE" thatI would like to go into, but LAWNCARE would have to be my FIRST CHOICE!! I thank you all for your input on this subject, but you need to understand my concerns on investing into something I enjoy doing and making it a profitable business as well. All may work just as planned, but I thought I'd ask the experts (you guys) first. Thanks again and keep'em coming!
