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Thread: Lowballers

  1. #196
    Member courty's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lowballers

    A lawn without edges is like a piss without a fart , not normal.
    "I'm not alone cause the tv's on yeah,I'm not crazy cause I take the right pills.... everyday" Jimmy Eat World

    http://www.dreamlawnsandlandscapes.com

  2. #197
    Senior Member steveo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lowballers

    hahaha, I dunno after a bad curry, it's pretty normal.

  3. #198
    Senior Member kakegc's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lowballers

    Went to quote gardening work last week, her lawn guy wouldn't do it, he only does lawns. When I got there, he was mowing the lawn (doing a good job too!) She shows me what she wants done, which I reckon was about $800 worth of work/green waste disposal. Anyway, she nearly had a heart attack, she was thinking $50-$60. I couldn't have even dumped the waste for that! It got me thinking though, if she thought that was what she should be paying for gardening, what dollar figure was he mowing her lawn for? This guy definitely didn't look like a back yarder, he had pro gear, a good vehicle & a proper lawnies trailer. How do guys like that survive?

  4. #199
    Senior Member head1956's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lowballers

    Three years ago I posted how my rates as a newbie were improving and was rubbished by an old regular contrib. (hasn't been around for a while) who said the going rate was $70++ for push / sp mowing, $95++ for ride on and most other garden work $70 - 90++ an hour - great rates if you can get them. As part of an overall income if I come home making 50 bucks or better an hour I consider it a good day. I do a couple of days a week and have a couple of other income sources which all up pay the bills. Lowballers are in everything - they are guys with other incomes and are making beer money, they are desperates who are making money to live on and disappear when the next job comes along or are plain stupid and disappear when they realise they are going broke. During all this we who treat it a bit seriously try to maintain a living from what we do. If I can't make 50 bucks an hour I won't go out (would the guy who makes well over $70++ an hour please get back in touch) and in the areas I work try increasing these rates and you might as well stay at home any way because the cheapie brigade are everywhere. I'm not disillusioned but I know what reality is - if you are out there every day and happy with your work and at the end of the week the bills are paid and you can afford a beer / steak / annual break somewhere you're doing ok. The lowballers will always be there but so will the guys who can make this work.

  5. #200
    Member courty's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lowballers

    Well said mate
    141414
    "I'm not alone cause the tv's on yeah,I'm not crazy cause I take the right pills.... everyday" Jimmy Eat World

    http://www.dreamlawnsandlandscapes.com

  6. #201
    Senior Member PaulG's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lowballers

    Head1956, sorry don't know you first name?

    I try to get at least $70 per hour where I am here, more for hedging. But it's getting harder and harder to compete with the $30 to $40 brigade. Was speaking to a contractor yesterday who has just given up a few good commercial properties where he did hedges. He did a very good job but already works weekdays for a private school. I said I'd be interested in talking to the commercial properties he gave up then he said he was doing them for $45 per hour. Not sure if I want to drop my income by that much.
    With your $50 is that what you are making as profit after expenses are accounted for or is that your gross per hour?

  7. #202
    Senior Member steveo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lowballers

    Rates also have to be taken into context for where you are working. City or country. Also if you are doing easy hand weeding or say spraying for the day you won't have as many overheads as doing 6 lawns in a day. You win some you lose some I suppose.

  8. #203
    Member of forum SM MOWING's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lowballers

    Professional body would fix this, every other industry has one, why do you think drs, plumbers, electricians all make good money, they all stick together!
    Independent and i know it

  9. #204
    Senior Member head1956's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lowballers

    electricians, doctors, mechanics, hairdressers etc all seem to vary a bit but boy have the plumbers got it worked out - how often do you see a plumber have an end of financial year sale - good plumber, bad plumber all seem to charge the same rate - flatout..

  10. #205
    Senior Member head1956's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lowballers

    Paul - 50 bucks an hour or sometimes a bit more overall - running costs etc are not huge so seems to pay enough - wouldn't get any more around here and if you did it would be one off or short lived. We get what we get and decide if it's enough, if not, go do something else if possible..

  11. #206
    Senior Member Bluey's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lowballers

    Like the bloke in the video said. Know you costs. If your costs work out to $40 per hr and your getting $50 then your paying yourself $10 per hr. Every area wil vary and your costs will vary from year to year. At the end of the day your in it to try and make a profit. If you end up working for $10 per hr you may as well go work for the man.
    Cheers

    Bluey
    Adelaide Home & Garden Solutions
    http://www.ahgs.com.au


    "Success occurs when no one is looking, failure occurs when everyone is watching."

  12. #207
    Senior Member head1956's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lowballers

    my costs don't equate to 40 bucks an hour to start with and by those figures I would have to make 80 bucks an hour to make a living - with all respect how much does it cost to run a sp pushie any way. Been in business for last 20 years (not yard care) and have learned one valuable lesson, keep it simple and keep your overheads to a bear minimum - has worked for me...

  13. #208
    Senior Member kakegc's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lowballers

    Quote Originally Posted by head1956 View Post
    Paul - 50 bucks an hour or sometimes a bit more overall - running costs etc are not huge so seems to pay enough - wouldn't get any more around here and if you did it would be one off or short lived. We get what we get and decide if it's enough, if not, go do something else if possible..
    I have to agree, working in your area & getting $50 P/H for mowing is pretty good IMO!

  14. #209
    Senior Member Bluey's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lowballers

    Quote Originally Posted by head1956 View Post
    my costs don't equate to 40 bucks an hour to start with and by those figures I would have to make 80 bucks an hour to make a living - with all respect how much does it cost to run a sp pushie any way. Been in business for last 20 years (not yard care) and have learned one valuable lesson, keep it simple and keep your overheads to a bear minimum - has worked for me...
    +
    I wasnt having a shot at you mate. Just using that as an example. What i was trying to say you need to make enough above your costs to give yourself a decect living. It isnt just the sp pushie your running though
    Cheers

    Bluey
    Adelaide Home & Garden Solutions
    http://www.ahgs.com.au


    "Success occurs when no one is looking, failure occurs when everyone is watching."

  15. #210
    Senior Member imoww's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lowballers

    Im interested to see what other people work out an annual cost for a Honda S/P?
    any ideas?
    Everything looks good with a haircut.... ɐuıɥɔ ɯoɹɟ pɹɐoqʎǝʞ ɐ ʎnq ı ǝɯıʇ ʇsɐl ǝɥʇ sʇɐɥʇ

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