Lawn Care - Plowing & Business Diversity

[bonner1040]

A question for you owners and owner operators out there. How many of you guys offer additional services beyond tree care?

Lawn services/mowing, landscaping, plowing, christmas lights, gutters, roofing, etc?

Anybody do anything with great success? Any big failures?

 

[Paul B]

I am a landscaper by day. Maintenance, design, install, consult, educator (to the public) and I do some arborist activites.

 

[FJR]

I had met someone last year that worked for Davey, he was about my age. He said he and a friend hung xmas lights in the winter and made a remarkable chunk of change. 50k cash/year.. whether he was being honest or not I don't know, but there are some high end areas in chicagoland so I will give the benefit of doubt. It has made me wonder. The only other service I offer besides tree care is snow/salt service and firewood.

 

[emr]

We started out doing snow removal. As a company we no longer do it. That decision was mostly due to the fact that my partner didn't like doing it. We didn't make tons of money but if we continued, we would have added more customers and I think it could have been profitable. I still do a little for friends, but I like doing it.

Besides snow, we do some landscaping. Basic stuff, no hardscapes. I hate landscaping and wish we didn't do any. That is one area where we do not make the amount of money that we should. It's mostly current customers who we do it for so we will always do it to keep them happy.

 

[Tucker943]

I don't do lawn mowing. Never have. But we do install landscapes, plant grass, and do fall clean ups. I like fall clean ups because its something I can hand off to the guys to keep them occupied while i squeeze in some hunting. I enjoy landscape installs but I do not do any design. I make suggestions, but don't have the skills or the eye to sit down and do blue prints. I like the landscape installs, which we dont do a ton of, because they open doors for tree work. Plus, myself and my guys enjoy a little change of pace now and again for a few days. I like planting grass once in awhile for the same reasons I mentioned above. My feelings are that if you can make it profitable, and can do a solid job, why not?

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Landscaping by chainsaw

 

[bonner1040]

I have trimmed a burning bush, as well as a few shrubs with my trim saw, even a couple with the 029.. Not something I am proud of but its the truth.

 

[Tucker943]

I've never trimmed shrubs. I don't even own hedge trimmers.

 

[canadiantreeman]

Beauty!

I've been contemplating buying a mower or two and finding some lawn work come spring. It would be a good way to get a foot in the door...or backyard. Tree work is tight around these parts, one has to wear a few different hats.

 

[bonner1040]

I don't even own hedge trimmers.

ME EITHER :LOL:

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I do ... works good in removal of black berries, small vines and poison oak.
I actually have enough gear to start a landscaping company I think. I just don't want to. I do cut fields of grass for fire protection. I am only doing that one month this year (May) and Rob is taking that part of the business over from me. My health does not permit it any more. I do have a few rentals I care for. That includes mowing. Again for fire protection. Most of my business is tree work now with brush cutting (ladder fuel reduction) for fire protection. That is what I refer to as landscaping by chainsaw, thinning trees and selective cutting brush to help reduce ladder fuels and still keep a property beautiful by accenting with what is already there.

 

[brendonv]

I do misc. landscape stuff at times. I really pick and choose for who though, I'll plant, mulch, edge beds, no dealings with grass though. I enjoy hand pruning shrubs, there is one job every few years I wipe the dust off the gas sheers. I plow with someone elses truck in the winter too. Sometimes help my brother with fencing.

 

[Paul B]

yup, good money in trimming hedges.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I rarely get to trim a hedge.. But I get asked to do rosemary all the time

 

[Fiddler]

yup, good money in trimming hedges.

 

[stig]

Creek clearance and hedge trimming plus we plant a shitload of trees every year, mostly to keep our karmic conscience up.
We don't kill as many as we plant, so that keeps us from having greenies chain themselves to us.

Matter of fact, we have almost 75000 to plant this year!!

Logging is seasonal, so we have to do somethng else in summer, and you can't make a living in this country from arborist work.

 

[Tucker943]

Not enough people or residential trees?

 

[Al Smith]

In this area the tree care professionals about have to have something to fall back on in winter months .Some have hauling services on the side,lay carpet,hang drywall ,plow snow or sell firewood .

To me it would be a tough old way to make a living .When work is plentifull they make money by the ton .When lean times hit they have a problem keeping beans on the table .

A few of them do okay but those few have years in the biz and have learned what it takes to survive .Probabley for every one who has learned to weather the storm though ten go belly up .

 

[stig]

Not enough people or residential trees?

The latter.
We are a far northern country, stuff grows fairly slowly.
And our houses aren't buildt on cleared forest, where some of the old growth trees have been left like in America.
The building boom started in the late 60es here, not right after WW2 like it did in your parts, so the trees that were planted are still smallish.

There are a few all arborist companies, but most supplement it by doing lawncare etc.