good call MB. We just got a big screen with HD and it is sweet.. My wife says I never used to watch TV, and now I can't stop watchin it.
"so....hows bizness"
- Thread starter No_Bivy
- Start date
- Replies 703
- Views 59K
good call MB. We just got a big screen with HD and it is sweet.. My wife says I never used to watch TV, and now I can't stop watchin it.
Old Monkey
Treehouser
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2005
- Messages
- 8,764
Did you just sell the tree business or the equipment business too?
squisher
THE CALM ONE!!!!
Yah what's up? I heard a rumor like that from a caller from down south I had last week. Do I get a commission?
Bodean
Cali dreamer
I know several local private tree companies, they say it's very slow.
Some are enjoying the time off and taking advantage,
Some are freaking out.
Some are enjoying the time off and taking advantage,
Some are freaking out.
sotc
Dormant hero!!
slow like normal. 08 was much better than 07 but i dont know the percentage. got thurs, fri, mon, tue booked up
arborworks1
Treehouser
Dang No more mini gear. That stinks
top_notch
Treehouser
I just moved to Gainesville and was looking for work, I called 31 companies and and talked to people at 20 of them and they all said to call back in a month or so...very slow...might start delivering pizzas
K
Koa Man
Guest
Since I unretired at the beginning of December, I have had a steady backlog of 8-10 days out. Currently I am booked to Feb. 9 and have 5 days in March already booked.
I am mostly working with 1 groundman, but did a couple of jobs in the past 2 weeks with 3 groundmen for 4 days.
In contrast, the person I took my customer list back from has been working only 2 to 3 days a week.
I am mostly working with 1 groundman, but did a couple of jobs in the past 2 weeks with 3 groundmen for 4 days.
In contrast, the person I took my customer list back from has been working only 2 to 3 days a week.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
So, any luck?
tntree
Just slice it
Just sold the Tree biz, I will still run Top Notch Equipment and Branch Manager Attachments with my son Dustin.
Capitol gains are 22.85%, hurts but better than personal Income.
I still can't Bitch
PCTREE
Treehouser
You thinking of selling out JOhn???
tntree
Just slice it
better have you acct take a second look....my guy says no capital gains in 09 for a biz sale..........maybe Im wrong
you got a cruise planned?
Really!! John I'll have to Kiss you if thats true, 
Big big boat leaves Miami saturday, key west, bahammas, coa coa key and smooth Jazz entertainment
top_notch
Treehouser
no work
Nah, I haven't called anyone back, its only been about 5 or 6 days since I called them the first time, and no pizza job yet either,
luckily I have a decent amount of savings and I live really frugally. I'm going to be needing some money soon though. I am one of those craigslist wood ticks looking for some "blood" money. gotta do what I gotta do.
Nah, I haven't called anyone back, its only been about 5 or 6 days since I called them the first time, and no pizza job yet either,
luckily I have a decent amount of savings and I live really frugally. I'm going to be needing some money soon though. I am one of those craigslist wood ticks looking for some "blood" money. gotta do what I gotta do.
Altissimus
TreeHouser
The Ice Storm has assured MUCH work here , although much of it will wait until access improves ....
No_Bivy
Treehouser
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2006
- Messages
- 6,454
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #67
Big big boat leaves Miami saturday, key west, bahammas, coa coa key and smooth Jazz entertainment
My acct says they could retro it to jan 1 if the new administration says so. But it was part of the Bush stimulus thingy....20% would be a good chunk for you. My commission only needs to be 5%, thanks
Tucker943
Bamboo Plantation Owner
Work is at a dead halt for me right now. I am of course a very young business and so winters for me are scary regardless of the economy. My outlook is good for the most part. I think it will get worse before it gets better but I try to believe that prosperous times lay ahead down the road.
Lawn care isnt my gig but for this upcoming year I am working on locking 2 full days per week of lawn work. Purchasing used equipment right now. My logic is that I am trying to fill 2 days each week so that i dont have to run around playing the lowball game to keep a full schedule of tree work in the uncertain year to come. I'll gross less on those 2 days of lawn care versus tree work but right now i am thinking in terms of stability. I might be way off the mark on this one but like everything else in life......there's only one way to find out.
Lawn care isnt my gig but for this upcoming year I am working on locking 2 full days per week of lawn work. Purchasing used equipment right now. My logic is that I am trying to fill 2 days each week so that i dont have to run around playing the lowball game to keep a full schedule of tree work in the uncertain year to come. I'll gross less on those 2 days of lawn care versus tree work but right now i am thinking in terms of stability. I might be way off the mark on this one but like everything else in life......there's only one way to find out.
SkwerI
Treehouser
Good luck finding good lawn customers. After doing that for 7 years in my younger days, I'll tell you that the easiest customers to find are the ones nobody else will work for. There's usually a reason for that. The good customers already have lawn guys and aren't going to change to save a buck.
Not to mention that anybody with a lawnmower and pickup truck is willing to cut grass for a couple bucks.
Not to mention that anybody with a lawnmower and pickup truck is willing to cut grass for a couple bucks.
K
Koa Man
Guest
I was just asked yesterday if I was interested in taking over the lawn care for one of my high end customers. Their yard guy is retiring. He currently goes there once a week for $2900 a month. Apparently they are feeling the pinch too because they want to cut back their lawn care to every other week.
I personally do not think every other week service will be enough to keep up a high end lawn. I have a friend who only has 3 lawn accounts. Two of them he goes twice a week and 1 he goes 3 times a week. He spends about 4 hours at each and makes $7000 a month. Pretty good money for 28 hours of work a week.
I personally do not think every other week service will be enough to keep up a high end lawn. I have a friend who only has 3 lawn accounts. Two of them he goes twice a week and 1 he goes 3 times a week. He spends about 4 hours at each and makes $7000 a month. Pretty good money for 28 hours of work a week.
Paul B
I dig hammocks.
many residential lawns here get the weekly clip for $60 to $100. The prices that you mention, the lawns must be BIG and the work immaculate or the clients are filthy rich.
Burnham
Woods walker
Probably all of the above, Paul.
brendonv
Tree Hugger
There's some many lawn cutters here I wouldn't get out of bed to go and do it.
K
Koa Man
Guest
It is not unusual for most lawn care guys here, if they own the company, and it can be just a 1 man operation, to make $50-60 an hour. Back in the early 80s when I was doing full time lawn care, I was making about $20-25 an hour as a 1 man operation.
The lawns that my friend with 3 account does is all beach front properties within 2 miles of each other. Two of the residences are a little over 1 acre in size and the one he goes 3 times a week is the smallest at 35,000 sq. ft. and real estate price wise, would be the cheapest property to buy (if it was on the market) at around $9.5 million. The other two, even in this depressed market, would easily bring in over $20 million. You are right about these people being filthy rich. The 2 big properties are vacation homes and the owners live in Japan. The smallest property belongs to a retired singer/actor who lives there. That is why he goes 3 times a week to keep the lawn immaculate.
I do the trees at 2 of these properties. Neither one ever asks me how much it is going to cost. They tell me which trees they want trimmed and I bill them after I am done. Both pay immediately.
The lawns that my friend with 3 account does is all beach front properties within 2 miles of each other. Two of the residences are a little over 1 acre in size and the one he goes 3 times a week is the smallest at 35,000 sq. ft. and real estate price wise, would be the cheapest property to buy (if it was on the market) at around $9.5 million. The other two, even in this depressed market, would easily bring in over $20 million. You are right about these people being filthy rich. The 2 big properties are vacation homes and the owners live in Japan. The smallest property belongs to a retired singer/actor who lives there. That is why he goes 3 times a week to keep the lawn immaculate.
I do the trees at 2 of these properties. Neither one ever asks me how much it is going to cost. They tell me which trees they want trimmed and I bill them after I am done. Both pay immediately.
