Starting a lawn mowing/leaf blowing business?
I’m almost 17 years old and want to start a lawncare/leaf clean-up business. I live in southwest michigan and am looking to get started this summer. Does anyone have any tips on where to get started or if its even worth it to start one? This past summer I mowed my neighbors lawns for $15-$30. I just mowed when they asked me, but how do u keep clients so that you can come back every week or every two weeks? I want to pay my buddies $8-$10/ hour, but charge more to mow the lawn. Do people usually charge by hour or just a set fee? Also I don’t have a trailer to haul a mower which is why I just ride my mower to my neighbors. Lastly are people willing to pay a 16 year old and his crew to mow their lawn and rake their leafs?
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Condalmo - December 17th, 2009
OK.
You are doing good. You have the right attitude. If you doubt my intent here, check my profile and see that I just recommended another guy close his business.
I heard a story a few years ago about a man doing what you propose, His advice: “If you tell the customer you are coming back Thursday morning, SHOW UP Thursday and do SOMETHING. Water some plants trim a bush… Just show up
First, just so you know, I pay a 16 yr old 125.00 per month just to mow the lawn (Ours is twice the size of most)
He comes every week during the summer, He has his dad and sometimes his little brother come help him.
They mow the grass. We pay him extra to come pull weeds or other odd jobs. They have a trailer to haul it away.
Careful with payroll. Don’t grow too fast, but hire someone with a truck and trailer.
Charge by the area and the temperament of the customer. So lets say you measure the lawn and see that it will take ½ hour to mow.
Figure what you want to make per hour, figure the gas/oil cost and if the customer seems cheap and is always trying to get you to do extras for free, then add 50% to the cost as a fee to put up with them. (don’t tell them you are doing it)
Schedule once per week when the grass is growing fast and every 2 week when it’s slow.
To keep them coming back, have a one-time fee and a monthly fee. If they want to save money, they will do the monthly plan. –It should not matter to you since you get more from the one shot deals
Figure out what services you are willing to do. Are you going to spread fertilizer? Feed and prune the Roses? Then you need to study up on how to do this. Take a class at your community college.
Then do the best, job you can, longer is better because you have your phone number printed on the side of the truck
When are doing a job, take a few minutes to knock and the neighbors doors and ask if you can come back to look at their lawns so you can give an estimate.
And haul the leaves for them. Act professional yet friendly. Don’t let the billing go too long. Above all be careful.
PS I was on drugs when I wrote this (Prescription) so any mistake are caused by Ambin (the sleeping pill)