Biding and under biding jobs

[TaskForceLawnCare]

My wife controls all the money she doesn't have access to the company account but we consult each other for each purchase (except things like gas, string etc)

I bid my sq footage + or - haggling, distance from other jobs, and difficulty(tons of string trimming) 1500 or less sqft is about 15 dollars 3500 sqft or less is 25 6000sqft is 35 dollars my biggest is a little over 9000 sqft and I charge 50 a cut. This process provides me with apx 50 dollars an hr

I am cheap around here but I work alone have basically no overhead and enjoy my work so I don't mind working for cheap. I am also not competitive so I don't mind sharing how much I charge. My only competitive thing I do is provide free herbicide free fertilizer. Good stuff to 40ish dollars for 50 pounds and I do it every 6 weeks for all regular customers

If it works for you then go with it, I've got overhead in maintenance fuel and pay role. I pay cash for any equipment or mowers i buy. Just don't short change yourself brother at the end of the day know your cost vs actual profit . I enjoy it as well but none my equipment runs on air or dreams. I've a chemical license for the state of Indiana. I've never done fert, herb or pesticide for free. Believe me when i say this if you're doing a good job they'll pay you for it. I don't take advantage of my customers but i don't let them take advantage of me either. I wont haggle with my customers either, I'll tell them to higher the uninsured mow blow guy that may or may not be around next week, or month. Good luck and greener grass

 

[shadeytree]

Look I'm not try to knock the book written about OSHA, being 18 ect. I don't work in the corporate world and actually kind of despise it. None of thats true you have less then 38 employees and its family owner/operator at this point.

Your statement is not exactly true. Some small business with less than 10 employees are exempt from SOME regulations, but not everything. The employer is still responsible for the safety of their employees, training their employees, providing safety equipment for their employees, and record keeping of all the events that are related. Though the regulations do vary some from state to state and might be more strict, the federal regulations are the minimum. If you fail to follow the regulations in your state you are negligent in OSHA's eyes.

You should educate yourself by reading the regulations. Start here> https://www.osha.gov/Publications/smallbusiness/small-business.html#decide

If you, as an individual, employ your child, you are his employer. Family relationship does not matter. If your child is part owner of the company, then the child is not an employee, both of you are employers.

If your business is a corporation you and your child are an employee of the corporation. You are not the employer the corporation is, even though you might own 100% of the corporation. A corporation and corporation's officers are liable. OSHA loves corporate assets.

The reality is that most people who run a small lawn care business are not on OSHA's radar. Until you have an injured employee you most likely will not hear from them. If the employer gets hurt they pretty much do not care. If an employee is seriously injured on the job the employer and the whole company will be closely examined by an OSHA inspector, to make sure the employer has followed the regulations that are required to by law. If the employer, or the employer's supervisor, is negligent, they may have some pretty stiff fines. I have seen multiple fines over $10,000 and up to $40,000 for individuals and a few in the hundreds of thousands for companies with deep pockets. I have heard of fines in the millions in the case of a employee death when the company was grossly negligent.

My background was with a large corporation that worked in every state in the US. I have been on the getting a fine side. When that office hands you a summons to a hearing and says you owe $$ and if you do it again it will be $$$$$$, it is not funny.

The original poster in this thread was asking about "Commercial" work, that is why I brought up OSHA. If you work for almost any business they will be concerned that you follow OSHA regulations, because in turn they would be considered negligent in OSHA's eyes if they knowingly allow you to be negligent.

ps: this will be my last post on this matter. I am OUT of the corporate world, :biggrin: and don't miss it one bit!:smile:
I am going to unsubscribe so I will not see it again

 

[TaskForceLawnCare]

Again what does this have to do with bidding a lawn. I'm familiar with OSHA and we're compliant eye pro, boots, pants, MSDS sheets, first aid kit, fire extinguisher ect. If you've ever owned a business you realize that you will assume some risk and liability. That's why the owner is typically the individual that makes the most money. I understand your OSHA concern and can respect your 45 years working for large corporation. However the guy isn't to the point he has to worry about it, as long as, he's following basic safety rules. Start a thread for OSHA regulations.

 

[Carscw]

If your going to service a place like Burger King or a bank or even Walmart they are not going to ask you about OSHA or if you know CPR.
They will want you to have insurance and yes you can get insurance with out a tax Id number or a license.

Only time OSHA is going to be a concern is if your doing state or a city contract.

I have never got a fine from OSHA but did get a few warnings and got a red tag on a tractor for no brakes.
Now about 12 years ago I got a $5000 fine from msha for not wearing a seat belt.

(( racing is the only sport that you need two balls ))