Thinking about starting lawn care next spring and have no idea on how to bid jobs? Several people have told me what they are paying now but dont want to go broke by undercutting them. Can anyone help me with this?
Brad, before someone else tells you or people just ignore you all together - here goes: Thats a really really really broad question. Use the search feature to look for recent discussion (many!) about this subject, then if you have any questions, they'll probobly be easier to answer. Hope this helps!<p><p>----------<br>"guido"<br>David M. Famiglietti
Brad,<br>Where are you located?<br>Describe your market.<br>Mowing, maint?<br>Lawn Care Chemicals? - get licensed ASAP<br>Employees available where you are?<p>Nilsson Associates<br>email Nilsson.Assoc@Snet.Net<br>
You are right that was very broad. Lets see if i can narrow it down. I live in a small rural area but Des Moines is about 20 min. away which is a large town. I have a partner that wants to start this with me. what we talked about doing is starting small, by that i mean doing cemetaries, around home which is 2 small and 2 larger. the bid for it this year was $6000. and try to pick up a few busines lawns to get started. Will keep full time jobs the first year and see what happens. May just mow and spring clean to start but would like to expand to spraying. hopefully this gives you an idea of what we have in mind. any help would be great. Brad
Hi Brad,<p>You don't need a partner.<p>Market seems big enough, so do it, enter slow, displace present income ... slow.<p>Advise getting the pesticide license ASAP, start there, more revenue, less hassle than starting with mowing ... add mowing later, much later, do fine pruning, lawn care, tree & shrub care, landscape installs (small jobs) look into irrigation service, get licensed, test your market prices on the mowing and if they are low ... don't go there and join a crowded market just to be another low priced outfit. Look at the green industry from a broader perspective ... lots of different ways to go, everybody goes into mowing, which is part of the problem. Crowded markets beat themselves up on price, compete on price, who needs it?<p>Lot of other things within the bizz that are less crowded.<br>Lawn care application programs, organic approaches to lawn care, tree & shrub, building hardscapes, water features, paving,<br>installs, look through a trade mag to see all the different ways to make a buck, mowing is just one. Less competition is direction to go. Plus what's wrong with going into golf course management?<p>Phil Nilsson<br>Nilsson Associates<p>
