hello fellow fishos,

id like your views on what you think of an idea i have....

im thinking of starting up my own business... going into business for myself...

im playing with the idea of either buying or starting from scratch my own lawn mowing business
doing of course law mowing, landscaping and the like ...

now ive asked around and some people say go for it theres money in it while others say forget about it...

what are your views on it ??

really just want others peps opionion

R U going to use 2 stroke or 4 stroke Goats to chew te lawns ??

Start it of as part time & see if it goes anywhere dont give up yor day job

The old lady next door to us recently died and now the house must be sold by the remaining family, she lived by herself for the last 25 years after her husband died, she was 90 and as you could imagine she wasn't all that active in the garden through her later years, she had her lawns moved by 2 guys that would come whenever it needed doing. Now the house must be sold the family got 2 guys to clean up the yard, $ 500 a day + dumping fees, so the guys are on $ 250 a day less a bit of fuel for mowers snippers etc .
They have done a great job 3 days and the gardens look OK.
There is a lot of work out there and if you are prepared to give a good days work for a good days pay then I see no reason not to do it.
Just make sure you have all your taxes and insurances etc paid up in full and keep it that way.
Initial outlay of equipement is one of the cheapest businesses you would find. Also if you are a handyman type bloke there is no shortage of work for rent a hubby type guys.
A business I was always going to get into was repairing Hills Hoists, thousands of them in almost every back yard in Sydney and most of them need something doing to them. ( the hubby never gets around to fixing them ).

I'm not saying dont do it but make sure you have done your homework, plus know your competition. One of those being "jim's mowing" and everything bloody else. Saw a "Jim's IT guru" van the other day. Anyway back to my point. I agree with the other post that maybe part time is an option till you get some clients. Also allow for slower months during winter ETC.

Good luck anyway mate.

For what it's worth my lawnmower guy charges $35 for front & small back + edges and takes everything away.
It takes himself + 1 offsider less than ½ an hour and he does it every 3 weeks all year round.
With all the extra costs and downtime involved he's probably getting equal to wages over a full year.

Ewe'll fin he'd be better off on wages

Prob with newcommers to buisness is all they see are the $$'s figures not reaising hidden costs public liability is a must but bet very few have it

Self empoyed people DONT get paid for public holidays & there's no such thing as PAID annual leave

The list goes on

I like the idea of starting as a part time business.

Christos have ewe given any thought about setting p a Red Undies Stall @ Paddys Market ???????

No. Not much demand for red undies.

I still wear the two pair I stole off your clothes line, Christos.

I have some red undies, don't know where they came from though....EWWW!

O no my last two pair.




You see if I was a caring person I might have something to worry about, but alas I am not.

My brother-in-law runs his own lawn mowing business.....

The average yard these days costs from $60 to $100 to mow every 3 weeks or so....in summer if you have enough clients it can be rewarding.....it is very hard work....

In the cooler months, the lawn hardly grows, so you would generate very little money from mowing....
People also don't invest in landscaping in winter....

So like Jumpus stated....start off as partime and see how things go...there is definately a lot of competition out there....

I have a couple of questions , as time goes on and the more OH&S etc that is getting involved .

1) Have you a degree in landscaping and Green keeping
2) Insurance are you full cover for property damge and personnal liability.
3) Are you looking at a franchise business

or are you just talking a maintance lawn mowing and garden care, if so they are a dime a dozen and pricing goes everywhere for them.
I have people offering from $20.00 for a man to mow and do the edges every 3 weeks for my place to a franchise business like Jims who wants $70.00.
The difference being 1 is one has done or is doing some sort of degree the other is a bloke with a lawn mower , edger and box trailer.
Now the big difference is the degree bloke does more than just the mow , he will maintain your garden if he good as it will give him constant return business.The other bloke well a quick $20.00 in his pocket is all he is looking for and doesn't really worry that your lawn may be suffering from a grub etc.

Now which one are you to be.

And my advice get the cliental first and Establish a good relationship with them before you take the full plung, and secondly look into courses even if it only gives a certifcate of completion , it is something customers like to look at as well.
Especially if your looking at the prices you claim, and be prepared to travel .
But mostly start part time and get the clients.
As starting a business is not all that it is cracked up to be , take that from me with my computer business.

The big part with all business is Profit and a good return customer base.
Otherwise no Business.

the avarage lawn will cost you around the $50-$80 mark front and back to get mowed not including garden services,

i can start it up myself for around the $5000 plus advertisement or i can buy into a franchise for $30,000 with a work guarantee of $1750 per week,

to your ans oz man while i dont have a degree in landscaping or green keeping, i have in the past well about 12 years ago have a lawn mowing/turf laying / garden care business which i did on the weekends but i am getting out of my line of wrk in the next few months and am sick of working for some 1 else, just wanna work for myself, my line of work is just becoming to dangerous for a family man and its time for a change,

and as to which type of guy i am in business. well take a look at my back lawn..... i rent the property im in and when we moved in i didnt like the grass or gardens so layed down wintergreen couch , my back lawn looks like the fairway of terry hills golf club,

Just be wary Benny the Franchise may only cost $30 K but then there's added costs involved
The anasis is on ewe to take out insurance policies etc etc

$1,750 may seem like alot of money but it's not wunce expenses are deducted GST is paid [that's another pain in the arse the paperwork for the GST]



Having a degree is irrellevant & the paper it's written on isn't worthy of wiping wuns arse in alot of cases
Lost count of the amount of so called tradesmen applying for jobs B4 I retired with papers in hand, stoped looking @ the papers quick smart & my policy was SHOW ME dont TELL ME wot U can do.

80% of them were as usefull as tits are to a Bull bloody hopeless but all demanding top $

I'd give them a week to show me most didn't even last a couple of days

Benny if you're capable of doing the work then have no fear, if you're going to 2nd guess yourself then give it away cause you'll suck @ it & it will cost ewe money

yep i agree jg,

th 30k start up includes insurance up frnt for 12 mounths plus a $550 franchise fee each month, plus i think its about $5.00 per lead they supply you with,

fingers crossed i get the lan fr $30,000