Is it worth taking work on thats not local?

[Big Block Services]

Hi guys

Just wondering as a new starter should i take work on from all over the place and then as i get more customers condense. Or is it just not worth it.

Got an offer to do a 2.5acre block, its far about 60km each way. I know in my previous work i would go anywhere but the jobs are worth a lot. This would be my first job if i get it.

What should i be quoting, place hasnt been done for 3 months, they reckon just under knee high. I was thinking somewhere around $500, is that too heavy?

[VJinTownsville]

I guess if its out in the sticks I would get them to agree to your "out of business radius" fee and make a deposit. But then again you have to quote first to eliminate the green jungle lucky dip. Bit of a dilemma. But I dont know how your area is with your bigblock mowing say within 20k radius

My mistake I am realising (and still paying for) is not concentrating enough on my suburb round and hanging on to faraway jobs. I can literally mow an average yard on each return trip so for each cut outside my suburb, I lose out a potential $40-50 not including fuel and wear/tear. In my suburb I can do maybe 6-7yards in 4-5 hours flatout.

[Fred's mowing]

Hourly rate thats acceptable to u including travelling time.
No time wasted quoting & if u get it u cant loose!
Cheers Dean.

[Bluey]

Hi Zak

I would agree with Dean. As your just starting up grab the work were you can. Build your client base then trim it back over time. If driving out to the job annoys you as time goes on then drop it. Who knows maybe you can pick up a couple in between and make a whole day of it. I organise my clients into runs and work a whole heap of different suburbs.

I reckon the best advise I got from on here was to never turn back work as a newbie. Just make sure it is worth your while. Charge enough to make you feel good on the drive home mate.

Good luck.

[courty]

Hi Zak

I would agree with Dean. As your just starting up grab the work were you can. Build your client base then trim it back over time. If driving out to the job annoys you as time goes on then drop it. Who knows maybe you can pick up a couple in between and make a whole day of it. I organise my clients into runs and work a whole heap of different suburbs.

I reckon the best advise I got from on here was to never turn back work as a newbie. Just make sure it is worth your while. Charge enough to make you feel good on the drive home mate.Good luck.

Bluey & Dean are right,take the work where you can but most importantly don't under sell yourself

[Mrs HMS]

When you're starting out you take what you can get. Then you need to concentrate of getting other work in the same area so you can do a whole day there.

Each time you work in a street, stick a flier in the letterbox with a handwritten note about working in the area and give them a price for their front yard ask them to contact you for a complete quote. Next time you're there try knocking on the door as a follow up from your previous drop.

If you see anyone working in their garden stop and talk to them.

Work outside the local area is not so bad when you eventually have enough work to cover the travel. Initially build some compensation for the travel time in to your quotes because quite often when you're just starting out you underquote anyway (gawd knows we did!)

[Big Block Services]

Thanks everyone, yes so take whatever work regardless where (within reason) to start of with.

VJ yes within a 10km radius there are many large properties... My target....
Thats who i will target my advertising on.
I got this job by talking to the guy who owns the local corner store, its his property.
Ive just been talking to everyone about this. All conversations lead to mowing. Learnt this from a post i read somewhere here. Great advice... Gotten first genuine lead without even advertising.... ye ha...

[Bluey]

Initiative


It is all about initiative. Fortune favours the bold

[Andy B]

When you're starting out you take what you can get. Then you need to concentrate of getting other work in the same area so you can do a whole day there.

Each time you work in a street, stick a flier in the letterbox with a handwritten note about working in the area and give them a price for their front yard ask them to contact you for a complete quote. Next time you're there try knocking on the door as a follow up from your previous drop.

If you see anyone working in their garden stop and talk to them.

Work outside the local area is not so bad when you eventually have enough work to cover the travel. Initially build some compensation for the travel time in to your quotes because quite often when you're just starting out you underquote anyway (gawd knows we did!)

True that! Sound advice building little pockets of work, and that's the way to do it. What might be an hours drive today to do a few hours work will be a 20min drive when you get a couple of jobs on the way and on the way back.

[VJinTownsville]

Yea these guys are right...you have to take whatever work thats out there and learn from it. However you must make it a priority to build business towards your target ie 10klm radius.

Learn from the other properties that are far away too, and take snippets of what you learn and roll it on to your arsenal of business mastermind.

[ian]

Is it worth taking work on thats not local?
Only if you make it worth your while by pricing correctly or using it as a learning experience
is it worth driving an hour return to slash a block that takes 2 hours for $80 yes if you would otherwise be siting on your backside doing nothing and originally thought the job would take an hour you are now $80-expences richer than before and have been paid[if not that well] to learn that you need to quote better :laughing:and better quoting comes from experience and even experienced people can still under quote

[VJinTownsville]

if you take everything as a learning curve and post back here for feedback then you have not lost anything.

are you happy driving for more than 30mins or more? or you wanna get out within 5mins? When I go for lunch i try to tee it up with a dump run or a long drive at least im eating in the car (not recommended by the way hahaha) I guess it also depends on how big the demand is and how close it is to you

[Bluey]

Every 2nd week I drive 30 mins to and from a location and do $800 work for the day. If I subscribed to the idea that I only did work within 10 mins drive I would be $1600 short a month. Try as a I might I cannot build up clients within 10 mins of me. Too much opposition and not enough people who are really interested in their lawns. It is just plain socio economics.

I target areas where people are cashed up and interested in maintaining their properties. I build up runs in these areas. It might take 20 to 30 mins to get there but that is bugger all time in reality. I plan my work to work in these areas on a certain day. If I went with the stay within 10 mins drive from home I would be broke. I know I would rather drive 30 mins for a full days work than sit at home waiting for the phone to ring because I had restricted my run from the start. Take the money as it presents itself and wind back your run as time goes on . If you want to.

[The Local Gardener]

Hi guys

Just wondering as a new starter should i take work on from all over the place and then as i get more customers condense. Or is it just not worth it.

Got an offer to do a 2.5acre block, its far about 60km each way. I know in my previous work i would go anywhere but the jobs are worth a lot. This would be my first job if i get it.

What should i be quoting, place hasnt been done for 3 months, they reckon just under knee high. I was thinking somewhere around $500, is that too heavy?

refuse politely, you will make your money in good time:cool:

[Big Block Services]

Thanks for all the info, will be doing the job on Wed... $420, No edging only around the house aprox. 100 lineir meters.

Any tips on mowing the long grass or just straight into it with the zero turn. He reckons he gets it mowed about 4 times a year. Still need to check for items in the grass or not?

[Andy B]

It's your gear... :ebony: At least check it the first time and take it easy you never know, might discover a log or a ditch you might not of otherwise discovered. My neighbour told me the last time the vacant block accross the street was done the fella had to go away and get a chainsaw to free his tractor from a log/stump on top of an embankment.

[Big Block Services]

My thoughts to Andy, check it first for sure. Was thinking to make an attachment to the front of the machine, somewhat like a large rake mounted on rubber blocks to the machine at two points. This will have the forks a couple of inches above ground level. It wont be ready for this job but thats what ive been thinking. I know depending how far they stick out the front that they may hit the ground on slopes, uneven ground etc... Just thinking it could be an early warning system to see through long grass. Could be a useless not called for contraption.

[Big Block Services]

Did the job yesterday (first job), all good.

Took me about 3 hours to complete. Think i was overly fussy and cautious. Although it was easy on the Z3 Toro 29HP still decided to go over the block twice. Highest setting first then lower setting. Is this normaly what you guys do for overgrown stuff?

The edge trimming felt like it took forever mind you there was not much about 70m.... Was the hardest part of the job. I need to get a decent trimmer, at the moment got a ryobi bent shaft, i know its crap but thats my home use one.

Slightly confused about which trimmer to get. Noticed majority have about a 27cc while some have 40cc+. Benifits of smaller vs larger engine size, info much appreciated. If the smaller one is used for small and light duties only evy now and then would it make sense to just get a good big one and keep the ryobi for the smaller work, or is the right place for the ryobi the bin?

[SouthCoast Walker]

Did the job yesterday (first job), all good.

Took me about 3 hours to complete. Think i was overly fussy and cautious. Although it was easy on the Z3 Toro 29HP still decided to go over the block twice. Highest setting first then lower setting. Is this normaly what you guys do for overgrown stuff?

The edge trimming felt like it took forever mind you there was not much about 70m.... Was the hardest part of the job. I need to get a decent trimmer, at the moment got a ryobi bent shaft, i know its crap but thats my home use one.

Slightly confused about which trimmer to get. Noticed majority have about a 27cc while some have 40cc+. Benifits of smaller vs larger engine size, info much appreciated. If the smaller one is used for small and light duties only evy now and then would it make sense to just get a good big one and keep the ryobi for the smaller work, or is the right place for the ryobi the bin?

Depends if you are a brand loyalists and prefer specific brands but I have found the Stihl FS110 31cc 4mix to be the best all round trimmer, I have bigger and smaller machines but this is the best all rounder by far, has massive torque from the 4mix and very low weight.

[Mick]

Heres my take on trimmers for acreage/larger properties...
You need a 25 to 27cc line trimmer for your average edging, trimming of garden beds and where edges are regularly maintained.
This is the trimmer you will use 90% of the time so heigh torque and light weight (about 5kg.)

A middle of the road trimmer...
I have been using the Tanaka Back Pack trimmer (40cc) and I have to say, I dont know how I got by without it. Its middle of the road as far as power but can be used for trimming of fence lines, trimming large areas where ride-on's wont go like slopes, is agile to use, much better reach than a handle bar type brush cutter. Its basically a much stronger line trimmer that is capable of doing light brush cutting. I totally recommend anyone that does acreage get one of these things. Takes a little getting used to but sooooo worth a little patience! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTL0-JCPh1Q

A heavy duty 48cc+ handle bar brush cutter. These are used on very long, thick, heavily over grown areas. If someone asks for brush cutting, this is generally the machine to use! Down side to these is that your attached to it making reach limited. I also find it difficult to keep a level edge when doing fences etc. As I walk the trimmer head goes up and down as well. Wouldnt be without one!

I always carry a 27cc trimmer and the Tanaka BP trimmer with me. Brush cutter is only carried when needed.

[PaulG]

Just watched your vid Mick. That backpack unit goes pretty hard. Lets you move fast!

[Big Block Services]

Thanks South coast. Will have a look at that Stihl FS110. Think an allrounder is what im after.

Mick. Thats an ideal scenareo, 3 units for three specific jobs. Will work my way to that stage....
At the moment i want something that i can get away with most jobs instead of the crappy Ryobi. But i realy like that back pack and how you use it on the vid. Are you able to use that back pack unit for your average edging, trimming of garden beds and where edges are regularly maintained and for long, thick, heavily over grown areas? positives... negatives in this regard?

[Mick]

Thanks South coast. Will have a look at that Stihl FS110. Think an allrounder is what im after.

Mick. Thats an ideal scenareo, 3 units for three specific jobs. Will work my way to that stage....
At the moment i want something that i can get away with most jobs instead of the crappy Ryobi. But i realy like that back pack and how you use it on the vid. Are you able to use that back pack unit for your average edging, trimming of garden beds and where edges are regularly maintained and for long, thick, heavily over grown areas? positives... negatives in this regard?

It is possible but not recommended to do your regular edging. Its just a bit awkward to turn the head. I do it, but only maybe 10m along the road or what ever. Where it shines is when you do flat trimming like along fences, under trees, large areas where the mower wont go etc. Down side is that it takes a little getting used to and not recommended for a lot of square edging. That said, much easier to do square edging than with a handle bar brush cutter.

If I were you I would just get a good, light weight, straight shaft commercial trimmer at about 25-27cc to start. You can cut long stuff with them, just takes longer than a more powerful machine but will be much quicker than your Ryobi.

[bulletproofhead]

Hourly rate that's acceptable to u including travelling time.
No time wasted quoting & if u get it u cant loose!
Cheers Dean.


yep agreed,
this is what I do also,
Hourly rate plus travel time there and back because of out of area, never had a complaint and have always impressed the customer with the end results, stick with that you can't loose