what do i need to start a part time lawn care business?
July 21st, 2008 by admin
boringlife06 asked:
I want to start a part time lawn care business and wanted some advice to what to buy,what to charge,how to get business.etc. Anyone who has started a lawncare business who would lik eto give me any advice I would appreciate it. Also could I do this and just mow and weed eat or will i be expected to do landscaping also.and what type of mower could i get by with without spending a small fortune. do i need a commercial mower or can a regular residential rider do?
I want to start a part time lawn care business and wanted some advice to what to buy,what to charge,how to get business.etc. Anyone who has started a lawncare business who would lik eto give me any advice I would appreciate it. Also could I do this and just mow and weed eat or will i be expected to do landscaping also.and what type of mower could i get by with without spending a small fortune. do i need a commercial mower or can a regular residential rider do?
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July 23rd, 2008 at 5:19 am
Advertising. It’s good to get the word out through mouth, but also in some form of paper.
~Nikki
July 23rd, 2008 at 4:59 pm
mower, weed eater, & cooler of beer
July 23rd, 2008 at 7:46 pm
dont delay ur thinking just go ahead u know what to do u know the answer. come start .
July 26th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
You’re going to need a mower, an edger, basic gardening tools and weed killer stuff, and then you’re going to need some music to listen to while you work…like an ipod or something. Just put an ad in the paper. Worked for me when I was 13 or so.
July 27th, 2008 at 4:19 am
Go to your state’s official website. There should be a link for business there. It can help direct you in finding any licenses you may need, how to set up a business, etc… If can’t find anything there, the small business administration has some things to help you out.
July 28th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
I use to work with my dad in a lawn care buisiness. We would charge 10 bucks for only the front yard and 15 for front and back yard. To get customer we had buisiness card and taped it to people front door, who had long grass around the neighborhood. We have a small trailer cart used to carry around the 2 lawn mower, 2 weed wacker, leaf blower and a gas of tank.
No, you will not be expected to do landscaping. Most people would like you to add ants and insect poison to their grass,which we charge an additional 8 bucks. A residental mower would be fine, but for some reason you get tipped better if you use a small residental mower instead of the big one. I guess its because it takes more time and sweat out of you, using the residental mower.
Good luck with your small lawn mowing buiness.
July 30th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
You don’t need a commercial mower. The inexpensive ones will work fine. When you approach customers- look neat. They don’t want some slob mowing their yard who would probably do a sloppy job. Appearance and presentation is big when you are trying to get new customers. Ask your neighbors how much they would be willing to pay to have their yard mowed and trimmed and base your price-if it seems fair-on what they say. Landscaping, weed pulling, etc would be extra, but can be a big ticket. If they’re willing to pay the price it would take to get you to do it, then learn how to properly landscape.
Good luck
August 2nd, 2008 at 5:15 am
Great ! This is a profitable business with little capital investment required and very few liabily concerns. For starters, you need a mower and weed-eater. You can limit your services to those two items only. If you expect to do large yards, you might be better off getting a riding mower. If you get the riding mower, you will need a trailer to transport it from site to site.
In order to become really successful with your particular business, and maximize profit, you begin by finding an area that is close to your home with many prospective clients. Then :
1. order polo-type shirts with the name of your company on the front and back. For lawn care service I suggest green shirts with khaki bermuda shorts…….when starting a new business, people will form a first opinion of you based on appearance, so you should look professional
2. order business cards that are generic….i.e., just put your business’s name (Smith’s Lawn Care), your name (Larry) and your phone number…..
3. get an answering machine or service…..do NOT let family members take your calls…..if you live with other people who use the same phone, you can get voice messaging that is sophisticated enough for you to have your own individual messaging for all family members
4. go door-to-door in neighbourhoods, dressed in your uniform, and personally deliver the business cards
If you need start-up money, are an adult, and have the ability to get credit, your local bank would loan you the money, possibly, if you are able to show them a list of people who have agreed to use your service (you would present it as a marketing study to the bank) ……
Keep your customers by being dependable. If you are undependable, you might pay for that error for the rest of your life.
I wish you the greatest in success in your venture. Good luck.
August 4th, 2008 at 3:07 am
make up some flyers and get your friends and family to hand them out door to door
August 7th, 2008 at 2:47 am
I would say before you get started to call around to some lawn mowing businesses and ask them how much they would charge to mow your grass. Then based on what they have said, start your business on that. At first you can start out with a regular push mower. Once you build up enough business and clientele you can purchase a rider and maybe a bagger, and a cart. You will also need two weed eaters at all times, in case one breaks down.
Remember to keep GOOD records as you will need to file taxes at the end of the year. Anything you buy for your business can be a tax write off. Including a new riding lawn mower! If you have any questions as to what you can write off, call your local tax place. Also, set it up so you pay your taxes quarterly. This will save headaches on down the road. One more thing, remember that this is only a seasonal job. Also, you might want to see what kind of insurance you need to carry in case you accidentally mow over someones dog, or cat. Or you break something on their property. Hey, it might sound stupid, but stranger things have happened!!!
Good Luck, your first step is seeing the dream.