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Hey J....

I know and understand what and where your combing from, however let me interject this thought.

Would you rather do 20 lawns a week at 1 hour each, for $20.00 each thats, 20 hours of work for $400.00 or 10 lawns a week at 11/2 hour each 40.00. Same amount of money and you collage boy have 10 hours more a week to play.

What I am trying to tell you is to use your head for something other then a hat rack and get smart, work smarter rather then harder.
 
Did Purdue not require you to take an intro to business class? You could easily end up losing money with your plan, you are not taking into account in the slightest your costs. But you don't want to listen so Im not going to try and help you anymore.
 
Boy slam the guy and know nothing as usual.

With that pricing doing small lots like he posted above, he could turn out 2-3-4 of these lots an hour and yeild a $50 to $100 an hour income and that's more than most of you make in 2 hours.

I don't know what equipment he has, but 2 of these lots an hour he can do rather well.
 
I like the look of the ad. And I think maybe what JS is going for with the college line is a "feel good" about hiring him. I wouldn't mention the price myself, I would base it upon each lawn.
JS, I like fish. I have had tanks for a few years and really enjoy them. So anyways this guy I know wants me to clean his big old 55 gallon tank. Now keep in mind I don't make a habit of cleaning other peoples tanks. The asked me what I would charge and I said "Well, I'm no professional...." As SOON as I said that he was like "Don't charge professional prices". So my point is when you go out to mow these yards, make sure you present yourself in a professional manner and don't sell yourself short. I didn't go do his tanks because I realized after I made that statement, I was never gonna get what the job was worth. Regardless of how well I would have done it. Never again will I say those words when doing a service for money.
 
Hey man, do whatever you think is right. I know what I have to charge per house, and what makes me money. With no over head I guess you can charge whatever you think is fair. I would say $5-$10 cheaper than the "professional" would sound about right. I would not go any lower than that.
As far as the post of most of you making $50-$100 in two hours, man I pitty you.
 
Discussion starter · #49 ·
Originally posted by nu83
Did Purdue not require you to take an intro to business class? You could easily end up losing money with your plan, you are not taking into account in the slightest your costs. But you don't want to listen so Im not going to try and help you anymore.
Like I said before my business is small and there arent as many factors. I'm a one man business, with 20 accounts already this year, and i know where to spend my money. Its not a complicated business the way I am running it.
 
You just said your going to school out of state. So are you even going to be around all season to take care of these yards?
People dont like being left high and dry at the end of the season. And most of the time will not use you the next season.
One season this college kid in one of my subs asked me if Id be willing to take care of his 20 lawns in that sub. I said sure so I finished the last 8 cuts of the season for his customers. The following season he continued cutting but when school time came he hadnt said anything to me about finishing out the season for him nor did I care to cuz I was booked. Sure enough 2nd week of sept. My phone starts ringing off the hook he sent a flier out to all his customers with my ph# on it and some other lcos # since I finished the year before they all kinda knew me and started calling and I told everyone of them that they would have to sign for the following yr. if they wanted us to finish out that season.
Most were tired of being in that situation and signed with me right away.
The following season came and he ended up selling his equipment
It worked great when he was doing these peoples yards and living right there in the sub. but going to out of state collage just wont work.
 
Discussion starter · #51 ·
Yeah it works pretty well since i have takeover in the fall and everyone doesnt mind. I was in the same situation before and it worked out fine last year
 
I would say that the flyer looks good. Although I have the same feelings as some of the other here about the pricing. Pricing like this makes it hard for all of us that are in it for the long haul. What happens when you graduate? Are you going to continue servicing your customers? Or are the other companies now going to have to explain to these customers why they have to charge twice as much?
 
Arguing with him about his $25 price......

What's the point; you can't see the lawns he will be doing, he said about 3-8k and for me the price of $25 is $2 lower than my minimum charge.

So what's the complaining about again?
 
Sorry didn't mean to offend anyone. Just every spring we see the guy with the new mower and trailer. No insurance, no taxes, and no idea what he's doing. They go out and price these properties so low that when they go out of business we look like the jerk because we do it right.
Hey- if he is legitimate, paying taxes and insurances like the rest of us and only has to charge that kind of money to make money then more power to him. I think that's great.
 
At those prices you would be lucky if I honked when I drove by.
Excuse me for making a living. My mortgage, medical ins, college funds for my children, retirement funds, auto ins etc................... Ain't getting paid by chump change. After reading these post I still don't think you get it..... It is one thing when your mowing mommy and daddy's lawn and grammy and pappy and a couple of neighbors but once you start putting out flyers and trying to look like a business. You better watch out for the guy's that are the real deal. You will always be cheaper... Remember that...
No pats on the back here.
 
Discussion starter · #57 ·
Originally posted by Lawn DOG
At those prices you would be lucky if I honked when I drove by.
Excuse me for making a living. My mortgage, medical ins, college funds for my children, retirement funds, auto ins etc................... Ain't getting paid by chump change. After reading these post I still don't think you get it..... It is one thing when your mowing mommy and daddy's lawn and grammy and pappy and a couple of neighbors but once you start putting out flyers and trying to look like a business. You better watch out for the guy's that are the real deal. You will always be cheaper... Remember that...
No pats on the back here.
good..i dont need any..
 
Your flier is fine- but I would loose the price and college student thing as well

Try to project a professional image

try to get your pricing close to other contractors in your area-as discussed before more money for less hours worked or much more money for the hours you do work(play with the numbers ,you will be amazed)

I know that it is paying your way for studies at the moment but why not build it up ,so you can sell it as a viable business in the future.

thanks

Andrew
 
LOL @ Lawn DOG!! I hear the Honk man!! As far as Andrew S, why should he lose the college student thing, and protect his professional image? Then he would be lying. He's not a professional. I think that is the point everyone is getting at. All of us legit companies that get smacked around because were paying liscenses, Insurance & unemployment prices out of our @sses. Then you have someone going around and dropping their draws to make some "extra" cash. I know in my neck of the woods, if you "stole" someone elses customer they would be on your @ss doing research to find if you were liscensed or not. If they found you were not, you better believe the next time you were working on their lawn they would be out there taking pictures of you!

I have no problems with the college kid that needs to make some money. All I am saying is to keep the "going rate" alive. And we are not the "mob" Nebraska, we just have families, mortgages, and companies to take care of!
 
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