[SeedPro]

Saw them out spraying Hort oil in a pouring all day rain on a ladys apple trees and the guy left and I went and spoke to the older lady....It's mine now, Thank you.

1000.00 dollar sale with T/S and Lawn. Their production goals are awesome sometimes.

Cha Ching!

:cool2:

 

[americanlawn]

Spraying hort oil in the rain is just nuts. I feel sorry for the customer. Taking advantage of old folks (often on fixed income) is disgusting. Glad you went & showed her what they were doing to her, cuz that just ain't right...at all.

Hort oil = no freezing temps & no rain for at least 48 hours. Unless one follows a fruit production spray schedule (normally 10 or 12 sprays), it's usually cheaper to buy the apples at the grocery store.

Way to go SeedPro. :usflag:

 

[grassman177]

nice wayt o look out for the customer, as really this is what you did first and fore most. congrats and good eye!

 

[SeedPro]

Thanks guys.

I have to admit being forced to do this in the past when I worked for them. You either put your conscience on hold when you work there or you can go look for another job and eventually I left and the way they treat customers was a big reason for it. I saw a need, and provide better service.

 

[americanlawn]

Cool deal bud -- we only have one account where we spray for apple production. She has just over 100 apple trees (all in rows), but she has more money than she can count. Once we explain to homeowners the true cost involved, they realize it ain't worth spending hundreds of dollars compared to buying apples at the store. :waving:

 

[SeedPro]

Cool deal bud -- we only have one account where we spray for apple production. She has just over 100 apple trees (all in rows), but she has more money than she can count. Once we explain to homeowners the true cost involved, they realize it ain't worth spending hundreds of dollars compared to buying apples at the store. :waving:

Maybe we should both move to Jersey. Guy in another threads telling me he gets 400 an acre to fertilize a lawn.

lol

 

[Runner]

Oh, so what are you telling me...That working for yourself gives you the opportunity and ability to be caring, considerate, and actually perform the work properly?

 

[SeedPro]

I don't really understand the question but yes.

 

[Runner]

I was being sarcastic...in a good way.

 

[SeedPro]

I was being sarcastic...in a good way.

Let me ask ya.....do you believe these guys when they say they get 300-400 an acre, joe?

 

[Runner]

You know...I HAVE talked to guys - with great sincerity from different areas of the country, and DO know that there are areas that get just crazy prices for theit applications. Out east, for instance....I have spoke to people that were getting $100 and better per application for standard 1/2 acre subdivision lots. We have also talked about this at our Lesco (excuse me, JDL lol), and we discussed the price fluctuations in fert prices and like our rep said, he speaks to the other stores - and they say they get these prices, also. Their service prices of course, would be directly dictated by their material costs. Now,..all the mowing guys that say they are getting 100 bucks or slightly less to mow a small lot...now those I don't believe. However, there are areas, like in Oregon where my uncle lives, that they pay 40 some bucks for postage stamp lawns to be mowed. Line about 20 of THOSE puppies up for a days work, and it's not a bad day! lol ... I guess one way to find out would be to make some calls around the country, and do some fishing. It is just hard to fathom from our point of view, because we see first hand the prices charged in our areas, and how consistent they are. Where abouts in the state are you? I'm in the Flint area, Genesee County.

 

[SeedPro]

You know...I HAVE talked to guys - with great sincerity from different areas of the country, and DO know that there are areas that get just crazy prices for theit applications. Out east, for instance....I have spoke to people that were getting $100 and better per application for standard 1/2 acre subdivision lots. We have also talked about this at our Lesco (excuse me, JDL lol), and we discussed the price fluctuations in fert prices and like our rep said, he speaks to the other stores - and they say they get these prices, also. I guess one way to find out would be to make some calls around the country, and do some fishing. It is just hard to fathom from our point of view, because we see first hand the prices charged in our areas, and how consistent they are. Where abouts in the state are you? I'm in the Flint area, Genesee County.

I guess but I can't imagine getting 300 an acre. I'm in Washtenaw County.

Best I can get is 140 an acre and that's pushing the outer limits. Most acres go for 110 to 125.

 

[LIBERTYLANDSCAPING]

I guess but I can't imagine getting 300 an acre. I'm in Washtenaw County.

Best I can get is 140 an acre and that's pushing the outer limits. Most acres go for 110 to 125.

Do I believe that? No I don't beleive that there are guys doing multiple acres for 300-400/acre. Here's what I think usually happens:

OH Sure I get $300-$400 an acre ....5k of turf x $42= $8.80/k $8.80/k x 44k (acre) = 387.20 per acre

Of course, some areas have MUCH higher cost's of living than the Midwest & everything is higher, not just fert.

 

[turf hokie]

Well, since Seedpro hijacked his own thread, I will contribute.

Yes, there are guys that fertilize around here that will get 3-400 per acre.

Yes, most guys that cut grass have a minimum 35 to 40 stop charge.

Yes there are guys that fertilize around here that will get 100- 150 per acre

Yes there are guys that cut grass that will cut for 15 a yard.

Take it for what it is.

I wont divulge my pricing based on the fact that there are many eyes on here and the local competition is getting ugly with their pricing because "they need to keep their guys busy"

Just know that if you are below 200 per acre for anything around here you are either cutting corners or doing a crap job. That is on large commercial properties not residential. Residential should be more.

Now.....to make this a long post.

You have to consider what we in the east (especially the north east, NJ, NYetc) have as overhead. You guys would run home to momma crying if you had to pay what we do.....

Briefly,
Licenses
Business pest license $300 per year,
applicator license $100 per year
Home improvement license $150 per year (each county you work in)
Recertification credits (need 12 every 3 years, cost avg $100 per credit)
insurance,
vehicle over 2k per truck
liability about 6% of payroll
Comp about 7% of payroll
rent
about $7 per sq ft
You want taxes? I got your taxes....
1300 sq ft house on 1/3 acre 9,000 per year.

Want I should continue on how I HAVE TO get the prices I get, dont think we make it up, it is what we have to get to continue to be in business.

What do you pay your techs???? betcha I have to pay more.......

 

[Runner]

That's kind of what I was touching on....It is just boggling the differences in prices and such throughout the country. The prices I liked the best was from our friend that did lawn care in Hawaii. I wonder where he has been,...I haven't seen him on in a while. Just out of curiosity, what are some round figures of your prices for fert and chem over there right now, for say a fert w/ 10% Dimension and perhas a 24-0-11 50% scu with 2% fe?

 

[greendoctor]

You rang? Runner? I am still around. It has been kind of crazy for me the last 3 months Can you imagine having only about 5 days in a month where the wind is not blowing 30-50 MPH? Yeah, yeah good weather for windsurfing, but I have had lawns and shrubs that needed to be sprayed a month ago. Had to give many people a sermon and make them review the terms of service everyone signs before I will do their lawns. I might need to make them sign this with the blood from their first born child.

My cost per acre is way different because of the various things I need to deal with. For example; Three Way amine does not work very well on many weeds, I have lots of kyllinga and/or nutsedge to deal with, lawns are frequently infested with grassy weeds that requires an expensive sulfonylurea herbicide and lastly, it is rare that I am only maintaining the lawn Tree, shrub and ground cover care is included, as well as irrigation system management. I will not leave operation of the irrigation system to a "landscaper", Fimco or Mike Leary do not work in Hawaii, and the few companies that bill themselves as irrigation companies leave me very unimpressed. So I do a lot more per acre than sling 200 lb of granules as fast as I can drive while spraying a quart of Three Way at the same time. If it were that easy for me, my price would be similar to yours.

I do not get fired, however willful or repeated negligent violations of my terms of service are cause for me to fire a customer. Nagging me about "when am I going to be there" when it is blowing over 30 MPH, FIRED.