Listing Prices on Brochures

[mpetro]

As I start to see a lot of advertising brochures coming to my house I've noticed that a lot of lawnservices give their prices depending on sq. ft. For Example:<p>$28 for 4,000 sq. ft.<br>$32 for 5,000 sq. ft.<br>$36 for 6,000 sq. ft.<p>Those prices are for mowing only they tend to differ when it comes to aerating and fertilizing. Is this a smart thing to do or should you just list your services and give a phone number for free estimates? I know you have to take into account all trees and other obstacles to trim around and add that to your cost of service. Thanks for your replies. Good luck this season guys!

 

[Lazer]

$36 for 6,000. I've gotta move into your market! <p>The only service I could MAYBE see listing prices is fert programs like Barefoot grass used to do.<p>I would NEVER list prices for mowing or other services.<p>Okay, well never again.

 

[Retro67]

Lazer- <p>I didn't want to be the one to say it, but I agree with the price being high. I'll work sunup to sundown for that kind of money. If the payscale increases accordingly, I want only one acre+ properties, please. &lt;p&gt;John<br>

 

[Lazer]

Different markets and areas require different practices. (Bagging, HOC, amount of trimming & edging, etc.)<p>But, if I could charge those prices, I'd go into the lawn business!

 

[Retro67]

If those were to include other maintenance they would seem more realistic to me. But how do you bid maintenance you haven't seen? Maybe average it out and hope you don't get stuck. Doesn't seem right to me. Those lawns could be $15-$25 lawns in my market. Not many lawns qualify as $15 in all honesty. At least not with my company. But I have done one or two. &lt;p&gt;John<br>

 

[nlminc]

In my area, $35.00 is a minimum and that includes cut and trim only. Even if the lawns are together the price is still in the $30.00 dollar or more range. I you go lower than that you are just selling yourself short.<p>Chris

 

[yardsmith]

I'm already finding out people could really care less about &quot;how much I gotta have&quot; for their lawn. I've raised my price on new customers coming in this year, but everyone's got a feel for what lawns are worth.<br>As long as I can swing it, I charge what my costs are + profit margin. But alot of people are thinking everyone is too high (they're too cheap to pay for quality service).<br>We can trot about on this forum about how much we're all worth, but if the public doesn't buy it, we either adjust something somewhere or do without. I'm starting to find out already that most homeowners are price-oriented; I would be too. Actually, unless I was old or crippled I'd do it myself. So I have to come down a tad (or re-arrange something), or keep looking. If I keep it up for long, I won't have ANY new customers.<br>I guess my bottom line is I can say I'm worth this or that, but if nobody buys it, something will need changed. Either cut my expenses, lower my profit margin, or become even more efficient.<p>----------<br>Smitty ô¿ô<p>

 

[Finecut]

Smitty,<p>Sounds like common sense to me, if the customer doesn't buy it who will? Like I have said before, a certain job is only worth so much. There are others who want to whip up emotion and beat the drum screaming about how you are getting screwed...the only one screwing you is the person giving out your prices-you! We ourselves are in charge of our own destiny, how long does it take to figure out you are charging to little or to much?<p> You do things in a different way than I do, and it doesn't mean that your method is wrong or mine is right, what works for one may not work for another. You can do time studies til your blue in the face and you will find out that some people can do tasks faster than others, and no matter how long they do that task they won't or can't become proficent at it. But on the the other hand, they can do other things faster than anyone else on your crew. Putting the right people in the right place is part of our job, and if we aren't good at that - look out. Knowing you can trim around 20 trees in 10 minutes doesn't mean a thing if the guy I have trimming can only trim 10 trees in 10 minutes. If you bill for what I can produce you may or may not be in trouble. If you bill according to what you or your crew produce and add a reasonable profit ... you make money. I may write a book.<p>Mpetro,<p>Let me answer a question with a question. If you were playing cards would you show others the cards you held in your hand? It would seem to me you would become an easy target for lowballers or get underbid at best. I would give pricing on an individual basis as each property has it's unique features - flower beds - rock gardens - and on and on which affect price. This will either put money in your pocket or take it out depending upon how you bid these jobs. No, I don't think you should advertise your pricing schedule.<p><p><p>

 

[crew]

So far I have had the luxury of doing most ads in the same city where most lot sizes tend to be very close.What i have done is put a tag something like...&quot;most lawns can be done for around...&quot;Dont know if thats effective as i have little to compare to.

 

[cjcland]

i live in florida and there are usually only 2 types of grass i cut bahia and st. augustine i charge more for the bahia beause all my accts. are by the cut so i have to get my money when i can it stops growing(completely) about oct-nov and in the summer sometimes i have to cut it twice in some spots because of those tough stalks, i dont know how northern grass works but i know i like to see what im bidding on <p>----------<br>CJC Landscape Management<br>Winter Haven, Florida