owner operator commercial mowing

[edd]

started with 2500 dollar investment 9 years ago.....craftsman everything.....lot more equipment now and all commercial grade......have about a 60---40 split between residential and commercial customers....i dont want to be completely either one......however commercial contracts i have are drought proof...cut every 2 weeks regardless....one thing i always try to do---pay attention to detail...i want the customer to look at their yard and say '' wow that really looks nice '' when i get through....sometimes that means weedeating a hard to get to place or going back over a spot the mower missed but that is what it takes

 

[Ric]

I'd have to disagree that it takes that amount of an investment for the guy just starting out...I've made about a $7000 investment to get started and I'd be willing to bet that's more than most beginners make and it should be plenty

The investment I'm talking about is in trimmers, edgers and so on, having backup equipment to me is a necessity even with mowers. I know you have the hustler and it a good choice and trust me I know about investments and mowers. I'm one of these guy that believes in being prepared to do what ever the client wants to have done. When I started it was with an LT 1045 46" Cub Cadet and my backup mower was a 21" push, I also carried two trimmers and edgers with two hand held blowers and I soon learned that what I was using wasn't going to do the job if I wanted to continue in the business. You have a big edge with the Hustler and with the addition of the hand held equipment if you don't already have that your already there, all you need now are the clients. Give any thoughts to advertising?

 

[Ric]

What do you mean? I see a lot of guys around here who think just cause they own a lawn mower they think they can go be a lawn care company. I was simply stating that if he has a standard of quality that he does not see very often then hopefully he knows how to achieve it... My neighbor down the street throws his craftsman mower in his truck everyday I talk to him and biggest question for me is "how do you keep your customers? I only now once or twice before I get fired"

What do I mean, well when I read your post and you say People look in there garage and realize ooh I have a mower, a weed wacker,and blower I could go make money commercially my thoughts say you mite want to take a good look in the mirror.

 

[exotion]

What do I mean, well when I read your post and you say People look in there garage and realize ooh I have a mower, a weed wacker,and blower I could go make money commercially my thoughts say you mite want to take a good look in the mirror.

I started with 5 years experience working for a quality freak. I bought my equipment specifically for working. I worked on the side for my family and when my old boss went nuts I quit. I now have 6 years maintenance experience read countless books and have a successful year running by my self I've had a few companys come to my customers promise to under bid and do a better job but I have yet to lose a customer experience and quality count and every tom Dick and harry pulling the old now equipment out of their garage is getting irritating they do a crap job and encourage people to just do it them selves. I realize I just started on my own but I started with actual commercial experience that most people lack.... That is what I am saying one needs experience to get the quality he's talking about.

 

[PVHIII]

All the above 3 are correct, I've a decent size operation and last season i serviced my commercial account. I sat down with my business manager ( the wife ) we went over some numbers. We come to the assessment that we could just do residential, and make the same bottom line. Turns out we passed our bottom line and are still going for the year. We've enough equipment that we never say no to residential jobs.
The difference between commercial and residential. Commercial only cares about price but they want it to look great. Guess what quality comes at an expense, so you either suffer and make less on the hour. Residential they want quality and are an easy up sell for other services generating more bottom line for you.

What makes you think you can take any account you want any time you get ready from the "little guy" as you put it?

 

[PVHIII]

I started with 5 years experience working for a quality freak. I bought my equipment specifically for working. I worked on the side for my family and when my old boss went nuts I quit. I now have 6 years maintenance experience read countless books and have a successful year running by my self I've had a few companys come to my customers promise to under bid and do a better job but I have yet to lose a customer experience and quality count and every tom Dick and harry pulling the old now equipment out of their garage is getting irritating they do a crap job and encourage people to just do it them selves. I realize I just started on my own but I started with actual commercial experience that most people lack.... That is what I am saying one needs experience to get the quality he's talking about.

...I realize I may have a few things to learn but mowing In and of itself is not one of'm ...you should take a look at MY yard..I can promise you that you couldn't do it any better...It don't take a 4 yr degree from the University of mowing...what I'm lacking is on the business end of the deal ...mainly bidding accounts correctly and competitiveness of bidding...however I've noticed the larger operations around here haven't gotten into striping and I'd like to hear some feed back as to how much extra time it consumes and how much to add to a bid for that service
...

 

[PVHIII]

I started with 5 years experience working for a quality freak. I bought my equipment specifically for working. I worked on the side for my family and when my old boss went nuts I quit. I now have 6 years maintenance experience read countless books and have a successful year running by my self I've had a few companys come to my customers promise to under bid and do a better job but I have yet to lose a customer experience and quality count and every tom Dick and harry pulling the old now equipment out of their garage is getting irritating they do a crap job and encourage people to just do it them selves. I realize I just started on my own but I started with actual commercial experience that most people lack.... That is what I am saying one needs experience to get the quality he's talking about.

No you don't need experience.. all you need is good common sense and the desire to do good work and you have no idea what I was to referring to because I never went into detail as to what Meant by quality... your making assumptions...I basically meant attention to detail which is what alot of the larger opperations are lacking...and if me starting a lawn Care business is irritating you because I've never worked for someone else in lawn Care... sounds like you may be a bit jealous and maybe you should consider retirement lol

 

[PVHIII]

I started with 5 years experience working for a quality freak. I bought my equipment specifically for working. I worked on the side for my family and when my old boss went nuts I quit. I now have 6 years maintenance experience read countless books and have a successful year running by my self I've had a few companys come to my. customers promise to under bid and do a better job but I have yet to lose a customer experience and quality count and every tom Dick and harry pulling the old now equipment out of their garage is getting irritating they do a crap job and encourage people to just do it them selves. I realize I just started on my own but I started with actual commercial experience that most people lack.... That is what I am saying one needs experience to get the quality he's talking about.

I also noticed that every piece of equipment I have is superior to what you have..I'm not bragging but does that irritate you as well?...I take it your a fairly young man??

 

[LoCo86]

PVHIII, You are right. It takes hard work, dedication, the ability and commitment to do good work. Lawn care doesn't have to be your life but you have to spend a good amount of your time to be successful. I believe with the equipment you have and the passion you have shown on this thread that you will be successful. Just try to offer as many services as you can and you will stay busy throughout the year. As the saying goes " let your haters be your motivators." And they will fuel the fire to make work harder and be as successful as you can. As far as being a individual going up against the larger companies you can be competitive. Just remember those big companies started off solo just like you.

 

[Ric]

I started with 5 years experience working for a quality freak. I bought my equipment specifically for working. I worked on the side for my family and when my old boss went nuts I quit. I now have 6 years maintenance experience read countless books and have a successful year running by my self I've had a few companys come to my customers promise to under bid and do a better job but I have yet to lose a customer experience and quality count and every tom Dick and harry pulling the old now equipment out of their garage is getting irritating they do a crap job and encourage people to just do it them selves. I realize I just started on my own but I started with actual commercial experience that most people lack.... That is what I am saying one needs experience to get the quality he's talking about.

Well I am a quality freak, I believe that the detail work makes the job which at one time I commented to you about yours and pointed out somethings to you that you were missing and unaware of in a PM when I viewed some of your work on your Facebook page if you recall so be careful when you talk about quality work. I have 24 years of experience in lawn care and just over 1900 hours of classes working for the county and I'm finishing my 7th year with my own business.
The thing is you talk about every Tom Dick and Harry pulling the old now equipment out of their garage to start a lawn business and doing crap work and it's irritating you, well who's mowing with an old Murry rider and a push mower as there main mower out of there garage? That's what I meant by looking in the mirror, looks to me like you done or are doing the same thing. I mean really if I were you I don't think I'd be talking experience and quality to PVHlll.