Raywood

Based in Northern Ireland, and the biggest pain in the ass with websites is that the majority of them do not deliver to Northern Ireland. There are very few online retailers here in Northern Ireland, and it is very hard to get various items delivered from retailers across the water. I don't mind paying extra for postage, but for alot of companys to rule out delivery here is very fustrating. For example, I am looking for a Luytens bench for my fathers birthday. Great offer of £250.00 for a flat pack teak bench. Proceeded to online checkout only to be greated with 'We do not deliver to Northern Ireland. Grrrr.

Hey Gareth, Hayters were ordered from Denis Wilsons up at Glenavy as ended up getting a better deal. I wouldn't be CJ biggest fan. Honda came from Cathcarts in Lisburn - along with every bit of Stihl equipment going. Have alot of time for Cathcarts - customer service is 100%

Having owned four Hayter Harrier 48 pros over six years, and subsquently seen the build quality fall with the newer models, I wouldn't recommend a Hayter mower for contract / maintenance work. It's guaranted to break one day after the six months warrenty, be a bugger to fix and cost you an arm and a leg. Go for a Honda.

Cheers Lads for the replies. By the sounds of it I'm am not alone in having a '7 year itch'. Am still busy with work and have projects lined up to carry me though to the middle of January. My main desire is to grow the business, and specialize in one or two areas and become known for that. Its just deciding which area(s) to concentrate on, and if these areas are worth while pursuing. Still toying with going down the turfing and seeding of lawns route.

I've been trading for 7 years, one man job, with help hire in when stretched, started from scratch, basic knowledge of gardening and grounds maintenance and I have hit a rut. Have a great set of regular maintenance customers (domestics, churches, country estate) and thoughout the seaon I would get three or four large planting jobs and the odd lawn to sow out. I am just at the point where some of the maintenace jobs are beginning to get too repetitive, and when I go through my accounts these maintenance jobs are just not paying me enough money to make it worth while. So folks, from your experience, what would you recommend or advise I do to diversify or find a niche so that I can build on the business, but not specificaly in the maintenance area. Was thinking of specializing in turfing and sowing of lawns. Anyone else do this type of work and does if return you a fair amount of profit? Currently studying for a HNC in Garden Design at the local tech one day a week. Any replies greatly appreciated, Cheers, Andrew T.

Cheers for all the replys lads. I'm just gonna suck it up this time and take it as a lesson learned. They are a good customer to me and in thinking, I would be foolish to attempt to add a charge to their invoice at the end of the month. Though I will now add on a few extra ££ to the invoices over the following months. Are 50 year old ladies hot?? I dunno . .

This question is in relation to a very good customer who asked me to accompany them to a garden centre to 'help' her pick out a few new shrubs and trees for her garden. She finally picked out about a dozen shrubs and a large Bhutan Pine. She also wanted to look a semi-mature Cedrus atlantica glauca and at the same time she noticed a Carpinus betulus 'Fastigiata'. To cut a long story short, I spent the best part of 5 hours in the garden centre on two occasions, plus travel time of 45minutes each way. Musta cost me over well over £30 in diesel and petrol for the pickup and the car on the two occasions I was there. Should I pass on a charge to her for my time and fuel or because I offered to advise her, should I therefore sup it up and forget about passing on a charge?? Any thoughts? BTW - Ended up getting 3 Hornbeam (3.5mtrs) of which I'll be planting next week along with the pine (85ltr liner) and a liquidamber (30ltr liner).