Recession, or not?

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Or more efficient firms

 

By that I meant, locals with a mcculloch offering a lot for a little, making a mess and taking advantage, for instance I have lost a 20k p/a grass cutting contract to a bus driver who does it on the side for beer money. He aint legit, insured, nothing - how do I compete???!

[Stephen Blair]

By that I meant, locals with a mcculloch offering a lot for a little, making a mess and taking advantage, for instance I have lost a 20k p/a grass cutting contract to a bus driver who does it on the side for beer money. He aint legit, insured, nothing - how do I compete???!

 

bad news mate, i was working in woodland today bordering onto 4 sets of very expensive flats with acres of grounds. the guys doing the maintenance looked well dodgy, flymoing with trainers and hoodies on, srtimming with no visors you know the type. i wouldnt let them near the place personally. they came over to tell me they were tree surgeons too and just fell it into the lawns so they could get the firewood:sneaky2:

[Andy Collins]

By that I meant, locals with a mcculloch offering a lot for a little, making a mess and taking advantage, for instance I have lost a 20k p/a grass cutting contract to a bus driver who does it on the side for beer money. He aint legit, insured, nothing - how do I compete???!

 

You dont have to compete, you have to excel at what you do. Unfortunately mowing is just the sort of job that doesnt require much experience. Can you offer other services which they dont, lawn treatment etc as well as mowing? Why not approach the clients to see why they have chosen the others over you, sell the fact that you are reliable, conscientious, insured and so on. Nothing must be taken as read these days, you have to push your own boundaries to offer the BEST service for the BEST price, but not necessarily the cheapest.

[skyhuck]

I think in real terms things are better now than last year when diesel was touching £1.30L.

 

For the people who have not been doing stupid borrowing and have not lost their jobs, things are not that bad.

 

In the last recession interest rates were the killer and every almost every one was affected.

[Steve Bullman]

 

In the last recession interest rates were the killer and every almost every one was affected.

 

they will go up before its over, and thats when the crap will really hit the fan........we're only just at the very beginning of this IMO

[skyhuck]

they will go up before its over, and thats when the crap will really hit the fan........we're only just at the very beginning of this IMO

 

I'm not sure it will, the government set rates in the last recession, now its down to the Bank Of England, I think it will stay very low for a very long time (up to 10 years IMO)

 

I think the next big danger is inflation, as we are printing money its very likely.

 

But inflation is not ALL bad, it will eat into all the debt that built up.

[High Scale]

they will go up before its over, and thats when the crap will really hit the fan........we're only just at the very beginning of this IMO

 

Yep I agree.

[Simon Rotheram]

Theres no consistancy this year, lots of peaks and troughs one week were getting loads of enquiries next week the phone is dead.

 

Hopefully the lower mortgage rates will give poeple a bit more £ in their pockets to spend on maintaining their trees!

[MattyF]

only two work enquires this week one i rang up 2 days after she left the msg and the job had been done already!not what i expected after a bank holiday week end.

 

Im not worried yet as im booked untill mid june but i definietly need a new chipper and im tempted just to patch mine up again as i dont want to put down a bigger outlay as i feel this is just the begining,and there is to many bob a jobs around im having to get down stupidly low on my prices as im constantly being told they have had cheaper or theres a recession dont you know!and some of these are very reputible firms with quality kit im compeating against!

[gibbon]

Our domestic work has fallen by 50% but overall turnover is up by about 20%. As Big Boss said it seems to come in fits and starts. Have had from 2.5 weeks to 2.5 months work in the order book this year. No consistency. Summer is always quiet in Devon though.

 

On the whole private work is going to shonky outfits and there is poor pruning seen all over at the moment.

 

Our LA is being a lot more frugal with spending too which has a knock on to all their contractors.

Edited April 18, 2009 by gibbon