I'm 16 and me and my buddy are trying to make some cash on the side we are also wanting to clean gutters so any advise would be appreciated.
2007-09-03 16:21:00 · 9 answers · asked by drumbumjosh 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
I'm 16 and me and my buddy are trying to make some cash on the side we are also wanting to clean gutters so any advise would be appreciated.
We also just made a website and plan on posting it on our towns website. http://www.freewebs.com/vplawncare/index.htm
2007-09-03 16:26:12 · update #1
I suggest you offer to do the front yard for $15 and then offer to do back for just an additional $10. You will increase your profitability. If you do a great job on the front they will ask you to do the back as well.
With this pricing it will look like you are giving them a deal on the backyard, but really you are changing more for the front yard.
I also suggest that you be as professional as possible, and do a little extra on the front yard. Make sure it is extra clean and then more people will go for the back yard as well.
2007-09-03 16:45:15 · answer #1 · answered by Chuck 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
This is an age old question. There are several ways you can charge:
1. Ask a professional company how much they think you should charge.
2. Charge by the job, such as $20 for a small yard and $30 to $50 for larger yards where there are lots of trees.
This is just an example as I really don't know how much you need to charge.
3. One man on Yahoo! said that he bought bags for his kids and paid them $1 per bag. However, I have a friend who has several trees in her back yard and I'm sure it would take a hundred of so dollars to do her yard!
4. Minimum wage would be a good way to go. But you have to make sure to do steady good job. I still think charging by the job would be best.
5. We live in a senior neighborhood and each house has one tree in the yard. Most seniors have a hard time bending over to pick up leaves. You could charge a flat rate to keep one yard cleared of leaves from Fall to Winter. Be sure to give the senior a typed or handwritten contract of some sort.....be very businesslike about it.....stating what you will do for them and when they should pay. Both of you need to sign the contract.
I think the best thing to do is look in the yellow pages of the telephone book and call one or two lawn services or lawnscape companies and see what they suggest.
A REALLY good place to advertise would be Senior Centers where seniors gather each day to play games and visit with each other.
Whatever you decide to do, be polite, bring your own water and food.
One other thing. Do you know about electric leaf vacuums? We have a 100 foot cord and a vacuum. It chops the leaves up into tiny bits. You can put this in bags and sell it to gardeners to use in their compost piles and to use as mulch in their garden beds. We bought our vacuum at Sears on sale for around $40.
As for our small yard with one tree, we are going to pay a teenaged girl $20 to clean up all the leaves after the tree has dropped all of its leaves. A one time deal.
2007-09-03 17:05:18 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
MY son owns a large landscaping business, he charges $40.00 for cleaning a yard and hauling the stuff away. More than an hour, it goes up to $60.00 and up from there according to the time spent. Some people have bills that are as much as $150.00
2007-09-03 23:27:22 · answer #3 · answered by cowboydoc 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you can figure out how much you want to make per hour and how long each yard will take then that will give you an idea of how much to charge.
I like to see the initiative you and your friend are showing. I would hire you in a minute if you were in my area.
Good luck!
2007-09-03 16:31:37 · answer #4 · answered by Sage 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
i do not understand this leaf raking bit. i have two trees and i don't rake leaves, never have,. use a mulching mower and mulch the leaves. when it rains they will settle in the grass and make good sod. God meant for leaves to go in the ground. who am I to change it. for an answer, boys, charge by the job. then the customer will know ahead of time how much he or she is going to pay.
2007-09-11 14:53:37 · answer #5 · answered by oldtimer 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i usually charge $15 for mowing a lawn so for raking i would charge around $10 - $15
2007-09-10 14:31:46 · answer #6 · answered by DIZZYGAMER 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would ask around and see what the going rate is, even if you can check with a landscaper for advice.....bettyk
2007-09-11 14:26:08 · answer #7 · answered by elisayn 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
5$ dollars a house or 8$
2007-09-03 16:28:41 · answer #8 · answered by pooh 2 · 0⤊ 4⤋
i think around $10. If its a big lawn then charge $5 more.
2007-09-03 16:29:40 · answer #9 · answered by eeyore813 2 · 0⤊ 4⤋