going rate for grounds maintenance

[Trailoftears]

If I pulled my finger out,I could gross £300 a day no drama .But I'd be weary,irritable and as much fun to live with as a ferret with its leg in a gin trap.Remember,this is a physical business,whatever sector you're in-you have to play the long game-not kill yourself in your twennies/firties.With age comes wisdom and sagacity 🙏

[Mick Dempsey]

Three posts on the bounce justifying yourself.

Sounds like the only person you’re trying to convince is you!

[GarethM]

If it goes any more boss bitch, we'll be ARB tick-tock. Makeup tutorials next ?.

[Trailoftears]

I can see if you're hanging off ropes/manifold chainsaws supplied/heavy plant purchase/transport and supply etc,Then you are into serious costs,hourly rates etc.Thankfully thats not me.Even as a general landscaper,I decided no staff,no ride-on mowers/trailers,dedicated mower sheds etc.Its a bit 'keep it simple stoopid',in so far as you can of course.

[Steven P]

This is true, I made a post the other day saying pretty much the same thing - there is a sliding scale between killing yourself to work doing something you don't enjoy for loads of money, down to no money but enjoying everything you do. Somewhere in the middle is where we are all happy with the balance of wages, job satisfaction and family / private life.

 

 

[Trailoftears]

If I was offering advice to young landscapers starting out now-buy a decent basic kit-chainsaw/hedge trimmer,b/cutter,mower,handheld blower etc.Dont get over excited with a big job-let the customer both buy and pay for materials-their risk-not yours.Get an interest-free credit card-you can buy more chainsaws -yehh.Buy a decent vehicle,and maintain it well.Try not to trade on debt (apart from buying machines on an interest-free cr.Card) 😉..look after your customers and build a good rep. Locally-word gets around-and you'll never need to advertise.Work hard-and above all-play hard.😎

[Trailoftears]

8 minutes ago, Steven P said:

This is true, I made a post the other day saying pretty much the same thing - there is a sliding scale between killing yourself to work doing something you don't enjoy for loads of money, down to no money but enjoying everything you do. Somewhere in the middle is where we are all happy with the balance of wages, job satisfaction and family / private life.

 

 

Absolutely.Variety IS the thing-money should be secondary.Personally I'm happy whether mowing/erecting a shed/laying a patio/growing veg/designing a planting scheme/putting in a hundred hedging plants-its all good,a learning experience and above all it should be satisfying and fun-never lose sight of that I reckon.

[Trailoftears]

T.b.h,On a REALLY good day-I'd do this work for nothing-but dont feel the need to tell people that please...!

[Trailoftears]

The Ideal scenario,the beds are ready,The customer has had £1000 odd worth of plants delivered with bark/alpine grit where needed.I have a mix of shrubs/h.perennials/gr.cover/rockery subjects in front of me-as specified by myself.Now its just a matter of thinking about heights,colour combinations, appropriate positioning etc.Now THATS what turns me on/gets me up of a morn.

[Dan Maynard]

Er, the original question was from 14 years ago...

 

Rates about the same?