Ive been getting a ton of questions asking about fees we charge this spring (especially tall grass charges!) Hope this gave some more insight for what we do. 🤘
Great Video, So on the long grass fee's when it has been raining a lot I'm down, for the extra charge. As of now I only charge first time customers when it is really long and thick like more than 4-5 inches. My question is what are you doing when it hasn't rained in 3 weeks and the grass hasn't grown. I had several customers try and skip a week a couple weeks back and I told them I don't skip services. My opinion on the whole thing is it even's out in the end. I would be worried adding extra fee when it's long and still charging the same or not skipping when customers want you to do to grass hasn't grown would piss people off? How do you handle when grass hasn't grown especially weekly customers?
Brian's Lawn Maintenance , PREACH IT BROTHER !!! Into my 2nd season of mowing lawns PT fully legit doing about 20 lawns per week. Most of our prices are $30,$35 and $40 I would like to move those prices up about 3-7% when should I let them know our prices will go up for the 2020 season? Thanks Bee !
Garden hoses, trampolines, soccer goal nets, and bikes get moved....GI joes, barbies, hot wheel cars get ran over and sometimes chopped up and glown through the air to the neighbors yard lol!!!
That's fax. Had someone fire us because we quit doing some courtesy favor type thing (something like blowing off an upper deck of theirs that no grass touches)
It all make sense and it’s great. But here in Orlando FL there’s a bunch of bs mowing guys that charge $30 for 5000sq/ft and do it all without any additional charge. Then when you try to charge a customer for these extras they drop you right away and think you are trying to take advantage of them. That makes me so mad.
Same here in PA.. there has been a steady increase in competition (everyone’s realizing how lucrative a landscape business can be) so we tend to stay away from fees because most of our 160 clients are referrals from each other, so if one leaves many follow behind.
My one time cuts start at $120 for this reason. They don’t want service going forward. I call it a one time clean up job. Most of my first time customers understand that their yards are crap to begin with. I set the standard and keep it up from there.
I use to do one time cuts first starting out, there is normally always an issue. Did my first one in years a couple months ago, took me an hour and I charges her $350.. I hit an axe, and a 9 iron. $45 on blades right off the bat. I didn't feel bad one bit charging her 350.
I like how you explained an overgrown edge that was edged “just last week.” It reminds me of someone selling a crappy car that’s been sitting for 10 years but it “ran when parked.”
If the gate is locked then heyyyy see you next week ! I never go back just do not have the time so it will be done next week and they soon get the idea ! Late billing well that is why I make everyone PRE pay. If they do not like that idea then they can get the guy who comes when he thinks he has time to do the job .
How do you apply your pre pay bill to your client? Any good suggestions to make the customer be on it when it comes to paying landscapers for there service?
@@eliseosanchez6785 I text or call ALL of my clients the day before to leave the money or check somewhere on property for me too pick up when I finish Blowing grass off. It's worked 20+ years for me.
This info is great if your in certain states and cities but here in Texas there is outrageous competition and some will cut yards for almost nothing. I found a card on a clients mailbox to cut their yard for $30 and I was doing the job for $40. Some people just want their yard done for the cheapest rate. It's not a science to cut a yard to look nice a teenager looking for extra money can do it easily with a mower and weed eater. But this competition can take our jobs almost overnight because the client wants to save a buck. Too many out there that will do the job cheaper and that my friend will run you out of business.
My biggest problem is customers who will NOT pick up their dog poop.... drives me insane. I charge when it's bad enough where I have wash my deck and tires.
If a child keeps coming outside while mowing, which is dangerous for everybody. Shut off mower and if they refuse to leave. May have to leave the property and come back. After the second time id charge a fee for that. I got that from Spencer's Lawn Care on CZcams
Dog poop is the absolute worst imo.. weed whipping through it picking it up with my clothes and eye protection is uncalled for when they can do it themselves or pay for it to be done. In my route there is one notorious yard and I tell my boss to upcharge for it almost every time im there especially cuz it's the first yard I whip in the morning lol!!
For me, if its a recurring issue I dont charge, coming back is worth more than 10 bucks in my eyes, I just won't mow the lawn or if there's obstacles I will mow around, dog crap same thing. For payment, they dont pay, I don't come, if I notice people are kind of just screwing me around I just cut them lose, I'm a reasonable guy if I feel taken advantage of there's a good reason. I would love to have a chat with you one day Brian. Great video.
I have told a couple of clients that they are not getting the cut for the money. They are buying my time. The longer I have to cut the more I have to charge. I had that discussion multiple times with the same (former) customer. Couldnt understand why I wanted more money if he delayed the cut for a week.
I’m a floor installer but we do backcharges for sure. We move furniture (big furniture like couches, beds, dining tables, dressers) for an extra .20 cents/ft no problem. Some customers leave all their little personal items on top of said furniture. (Trinkets, technology, family photos, books, mail) it takes FOREVER to move all that stuff. God forbid if you break grammas glass dolphin paper weight. Or misplace someone’s phone charger and they accuse you of stealing it. We add 75$ for that. Adding areas that need to be done last minute will get a premium charge. Being forced to park farther from the job by HOA or not being allowed to use an elevator, having to take stairs in a condo get a fee. Customers requesting we only do one room at a time instead of multiple areas simultaneously gets a fee. I’m all for it man. Most of the time if you warn someone of this during the original estimate it can be avoided all together
Some people think nothing of abusing small businesses. They would never makes requests of their utility company or the major grocers they frequent. Great points on being firm with your customers
Great points!! I may have missed it in the vid, but I would say one thing you need to do is have these fees and their conditions detailed in the contract. Otherwise the client has not necessarily “agreed” to these potential fees in advance - this is something you don’t want to get caught by!
Nice. I'm new to lawn care, but had been in busn for years. I charge a pay-in-advance, full, first-time fee where first-time part of the fee is 50% refundable after 4th mow. I still get paid a bit for first time work, but don't get screwed by the "first time/cancel" routine.
So glad I found this video, 3 years later. I'm coming to the end of my second year full time. This season I seen and totally understand this video. I've gave away so much time and money. Thanks you Sir, you've been a big part of me getting into business for MYSELF. It's never to late to adjust what you're doing.
The only "extra" fee I charge is a 10% (rounded up) for late fee. Everything else I just adjust the normal bill for what I call the "freak factor". So if I'm repeatedly weed wacking dog crap in my face at a particular lawn I just increase to compensate for it starting the next spring. I find that most customers would rather I charge a little more on a regular basis than periodically "punishing them" for bad behavior.
Im starting to work with my father, just quitted my 8- 5 office job, alot of computers hours. He has been working on it a year in his business and now im going to help him out grow and manage it with my father.
Great video Brian I can relate to all of them. I recently just stop service on two customers due to two cuts in an no pay who don't like to schedule for the season but be on call. Which I don't like doing on call once a month. I do apply fees for those over grown lawns too. My client list pretty good now, dropped slow/ low payers All 7 tips were on point in this video. Keep up the great work.
The greatest example of little things I got is something that happened to my dad. He owned a nightclub a while back and to make a long story short a girl was running the cash register selling sodas for $1.25 a pop. Only she rang them up at $1.00. That 25 cents added up to $1,000 a month! It took him 7-8 months to figure out she was doing this. That's a big deal. Kinda like stopping to pico up those toys, that mower is cooking that fuel doing nothing.
Amazing points Brian, I loved the way you tried to say modify behavior, I would’ve said something else probably. The other point I wanted to make was that in my house my wife and I always pre-clean our house on the day before our cleaning lady comes, I know my mother-in-law does this and I know my mom has also done this throughout my entire life. We are no different in that sense, it should be understood, and I think so often because we are “the lawn guy “or the “Landscaper “that people somehow have less respect for us as skilled workers and businessman. I love this industry and I wouldn’t want to do anything else for a living, I tried. I graduated law school in 2007 and rather than go out and practice law I went right back into the green industry. I stopped telling my clients that because it just raised too many questions in their mind because the idea that they have in their head is that people who do this for a living or not top level business and or skilled people. I wish that were true, because it would make it a lot easier for a guy like me to be ultra successful. Unfortunately, the truth is is that this industry is packed with totally amazing businessman and totally amazing skilled service people. Kudos to you man, guys like you really help this industry grow and become better and allows people to become more successful and provide for their families.
Hey I have small lawn business with about 8-10 clients in my neighborhood and I use a bicycle to pull a cart that houses 1 push mower 1 weed eater, 1 edger, a small hand held blower and a backpack unit, 2 Gas Cans, and a tool bag with many assorted tools for quick on the job maintenance and with PVC pipe on the sides for holding rakes, push brooms, etc. and I have other tools such as a chainsaw that I sometimes bring. I went from charging only 25 dollars per yard when I should've been charging 40 and also going out of my way to do more than I should have to make the yards on my route look their best. It paid off to regularly charging 40, upgrading my equipment all to Echo or Stihl. I still use a troybilt push mower that has lasted me 5 seasons so far without ever breaking down, so they do make at least one good piece of equipment, but that's probably due to the briggs and stratton mower. Having to replace the wheels is the only maintenance besides oil changes and blade replacements, oh and spot welding a crack along the side shoot. I've watched a lot of your videos in the past but decided to subscribe today after this list because I've delt with almost of all of these issues with customers and I'm thinking about starting to hint at assessing a few of these with certain customers. If not it was still a hoot. I hate stepping in dog crap when I'm mowing and/or mowing over it and especially if they're grass is over 10-12 inches high assessing a high grass fee is golden! LOL thank you and keep the great videos coming!
Charge away! The Hispanics will take your business! In my area that's the biggest threat. Sharpen blades clean deck, double cuts will be a thing of the past! Heck at 12mph is it really a problem? Don't price yourself out of business! Randys Lawn Care
I arrived to mow an account recently. The lady quickly came out with a shovel and cleaned up the doggy bombs. I'm always happy to see an account being respectful of my service. The VERY REAL warning of discontinuing service due to lawn debris certainly helps. I like the fees approach even better👍
Your list all makes sense. You're running a professional business & doing quality work. Picking up STICKS/BULK leaves/excess grass clippings bagged/fallen tree debris is a huge time consumer & loss of revenue if you are not up front & honest with clients. Not only does it dull your blades, it takes a lot of time compounded on all your properties. Then, most clients want you to haul it off. It's hilarious how customers think I have a black hole in the enclosed trailer where all my equipment & mowers are. They will weed their entire gardens & ask me to haul off 4-6 full trash cans of debris. Most of of the time we do, but the charge is time & dumping fees. If you are up front with what your costs/fees/charges are, then customers will ask/pay when they can afford & do much better to avoid the fees they can't/don't want to afford. Be reliable, trustworthy, honest, take pride in your work. You will find clients who respect you & your business & will honor your direct communication on what you need to get them what they need/want.
WOW!!! What a great topic! DUDE, I so am with you on the entire conversation. I HAD one customer that had a backyard FULL of small and large bombs to step in and roll over. He'd call every so often, and like a dummy, I'd srvc his property. I was just trying to get him to commit so that I could show off my skills and advertise to the rest of the neighborhood. Waste of time
You should also access a fee if they don't tell you about something in the yard and it causes any damage to the equipment. I know some will say that we should do a walk-through before starting. But it's still possible to miss something. Especially if they added something and didn't inform you.
We charge extra for sticks. Not the small ones and twos but often after storms etc. We will pick them up and haul them off but we do charge extra. I like the edging charge. That is very true!
we always added fees for "clean up of storm debris" "first time edging" and supplemental clean up of "downed leaves" on property during the early Fall mowing's leading up to the 1st full "Fall Cleanup" so on and so forth.....
Hey thanks man, that means a lot! One day! We’re growing well, tons of support! Never thought we’d get over 100 subs, and I really do mean that haha. The support has been amazing!
Brian's Lawn Maintenance so how do you sub contract out a job and what happens if they stuff it up and the job looks crap. Also do they have to have their own public liability insurance. Love the videos
One of my customers neighbors is always standing by my trailer waiting for me to finish and load up my mowers so he can just sit and talk to me for 10 or 12 minutes. IT DRIVES ME CRAZY!! He will occasionally have me mow his 800sqf yard real quick but he's just lonely and wants to talk. My customer who lives next to him is one of my most profitable and she purchases a lot of extra services throughout the season so it isn't fair to charge HER a fee but I can not figure out how to shake this guy! Every. Damn. Week. I tell him I'm in a rush because I still have 8 lawns left that day, cold shoulder one word responses, continue working while he talks, tell him to have a nice day and I'll be back next week. He just doesnt get the hints. What would you do??! By the way, great videos and I really appreciate what you're doing to help the young guys like me!
Alex Uram I had a customer that I canceled because they wanted to talk 2 hours every time I did their lawn. I tried everything. I told her I have to get to work & she kept talking. The last time I did her lawn, I started 1 hour before dark & told her I needed to finish. She kept talking & I finished working in pitch black.
I get really tired of customers leaving their hoses stretched out on the turf when they know that I am coming to mow that da! Thanks for all your tips guy!
Have one customer do that all the time. Former boss' yard actually, and I walk past it while picking up sticks, so I don't mind really. Now, when they keep leaving netting in areas I have to weed eat...
Lol, you are so right. I have a customer that continually leaves her hoses (front and back) out and an axe in the back. Then always wants extra work done and is late paying.. no thanks Karen
I had a landscaper who charged me $5 every week to pick up sticks. I get it, it would take time and I have a wooded lot. But he told me this going in (he mowed the yard before I moved in), if there were more sticks than normal he’d charge me, great I get it I will pay for your time. If you charge me the same amount every time, that’s not more sticks than normal that is normal and you should have just charged me $5 extra for every cut rather than a fee. He knew this going into things and that $5 fee led to me dropping him. I would have gladly paid $5 extra a week if it was a fixed price but for some reason a fee every week for excessive sticks when you have mowed the yard for years and know what excessive is, is absurd. Charge me $50 a week vs $45 and don’t charge the fee. Obviously if there’s a wind storm charge more but be careful with the every week fees.
You hit the issues that's for sure. Think we all have these issues. Unfortunately I have never charged extra even though I know I need to. Have one customer who has 4 accounts with me that is ALWAYS late, sometimes two months. Have a roofing company that is on a monthly billing schedule, currently two months late, apartment complex is 15 days late regularly. I need to add late fees. My next biggest is debris in the yard, followed by dog 💩, which they normally run hand in hand. Another customer who's yard has became a drainage issue and 2000 sq ft must be cut with a string trimmer or the mower gets stuck, in addition to his wife adding new areas to be maintained. Good video bro, I have a lot of things to consider here.
You have shown me things I didn't think of. I am an older guy and have done lawns working for someone else. But now at retirement want mowing for extra income.
Brian I don't do lawn care, but I do my own yard. Just want to say I agree with you 100 percent. If I did do lawn care I'd be charging fees, and if customer was upset and dropped my service they probably was going to drop me anyway. " Keep the mower going"
I’m 16 and I usually do gardening for older people at a development I used to life guard at. And I feel like I’m under charging for a lot and you made me feel way less uncomfortable about saying no and charging more
Learned from you not to take on locked back gates. Stopped doing them 2 years ago what a blessing. Never again! I charge a fee for anything I mean anything out of the normal lawn cut. First time client cut is extra you know why! Extra truck debris, delivery charges, extra dog doodoo, labor for anything. Billing same deal. Late fee will be added and stop service if not paid 14 days from invoiced. I might have a couple that get a friendly reminder no big deal. Personal you pay me late more than a couple times I may just stop service if you catch me on a bad day. Which brings up another topic. Be careful not to let those small things upset you. Many times when speaking with the customer it can be worked out or they did not realize the trouble they are causing. If you drop them you may have dropped potential very good business with them. Great vid Brian and great advise!
The years that I've worked for landscaping crews and no one ever wants to edge 😂 Thats the best part you make it stand out, show pride in your work, and show people you know how to work, but definitely charge for it, edger or weed eater.
Can you make make a billing layout video where you go through your setup for categorizing and or explaining each fee (such as the edging fee or putting in lates fees)? Seeing the layout of how the bill is made and how (and if) each of the feed are explained is useful. Great videos btw
Just create a line item. Whether it’s pen and paper on a paper invoice, or a line item you create as a custom field in your CRM (lawn software). That’s all it is!
I will share with you my experiences. Also I discovered you through your friend I have consulted with Kieth K. I am already looking into next year. I am dropping a customer because he plays "Oh can you help me?" and says "every other week". This is costing me time and driving me nuts. And he expects me to do everything because his son used to be in the mowing business and would do everything for him because he was dad. When I do a big job I assess a 8% shop supply fee. I will usually cap the amount but this covers my tool use, the little things like screws, twine etc. Also I usually call my customers the night before and they are good about picking up their yards. I don't have a huge problem with that. I have learned from you and your colleagues that people will act like your friend and take advantage of you. I have been there. My new customers it is easier to not get taken advantage of but the old customers are harder to change. I have a friend who once told me that a favor is anything that can be done in 15 minutes anything after 15 minutes you have to bill for. People try to play you as the neighbor boy just looking to make a few dollars to go to the movies. I am running a business. Also my route density is very tight this year. I operate mainly in the 2 towns that I live in. With dog droppings I just consider that as the nature of the beast. I don't get to worked up over that. But it is nice working for myself. Today should have started my mowing week. But I didn't feel like working today because I had a very big day yesterday so I took the day off to relax and get myself in shape. Plus we had a little rain and my customers would not have liked the mower lines in the yard. But I like the videos that you share. Bill
We don’t get many rain days here in Australia but when we do I used that to do maintenance on all mowers. I always do a 50 hour service on all mowers, oil/filter grease ups
I'm just getting started in central Iowa. (My first year.) My first conversations with prospective clients I make sure they understand each and every time I work for them is a separate and individual contract. They can drop me at any time as I can drop them. No summer long package contracts. Iowa weather makes that lose situation for one of us, guaranteed. Each job is an hourly rate and hours may change from job to job. Example; as a winter State, this spring I spent significant time picking up tree limbs and sticks. That is on the clock. Next time, I won't have to do that and the job time is shorter. Rain has been a significant issue this year and has caused delays where the grass is long. One job had 12 inch tall PLUS grass, I kid you not. (Medical issues resulted in the owner not doing it all spring up to my arrival.) A 45 minute job translated to a 3 hour bill and the owner was ecstatic with the end result. The son will do it for a few weeks before camp and vacation, then he will pick me up for the rest of the year. I have the video with before and after photos if anyone wants to see on my channel. Look for "Knocking Down Some Good Old Iowa Prairie" That takes time and is on the clock. Back to 'normal' regular mowing and the bill is smaller. Kind of a reverse of the fee behavior management; be up front and when you can trim the bill, the customer REALLY likes that. Overall, I don't like the fee thing but I see a definite benefit to them for the 'behavior management' thing you mentioned and will keep that in mind, yes sir. Dog poop. I have not had that issue yet, but if it is excessive during the estimate walk around; I will require them to reconcile that before I mow. Period. While I have a tiered hourly rate; $40 first hour/$30 each successive hour and originally a one hour minimum, I have a couple of postage stamp sized yards owned by elderly folks with fixed income that I charge $25 I would be interested how you price your season packages. If already discussed, please point me to that video. Thanks! Dave
Shane Pasha once you have it to your standard easy to maintain .The extra time you take you could be doing another lawn . So I guess that your making up for loss revenue. Remember this is just my solution to spending time at one place , I’m quite sure there are many more
I'm such a softie... Hate charging fees..as a result I'm rethinking my business to more of a full yard service instead of just mowing.... Will see how it turns out.
@@BriansLawnMaintenance The cool thing is that they still are gems! You can't ever have too much good info! 😉 Veterans make rookie mistakes, because they feel they know it all! I choose to remain a student of the game! 😁😉👍🏾 Thanks again!
Really spoke to me, I remember all times customers added some stuff “help them real quick “ or the lawns that were really over grown I let side... the funds I missed out on
Great points. I give my customers a 5 day net. Originally I didn't charge a late fee. But now I set up quickbooks to charge a 25% on the 6th day automatically. Late fees accrue monthly. I also have a initial mowing fee and a overgrown fee.
My first time customers always get a first-time fee. I do tell em up front let's say it's a $75 yard I'll tell em it's goin to be $100 or $125 for the first time cause of first time obstacles I may run into on the day of the cut like stuff in the yard I didn't see on my walk around. Toys water hoses ect. But mainly because if it's not goin to be a repeat customer they paid for my time to give em estimates or what not. Just comes from yrs of being at it for folks trying to use my equipment I make a living with as a bush hog to mow a yard they let get away from em.
Omg. I'm so happy you made this video. I only had 5 lawns I took care of and last year I stopped to only do my own , cause I was charging xtra for lazy people. And if you have to wait another week it harder on your equipment and really takes longer. This is absolutely correct video. 100% thanks Brian, I'm showing this to ex customers 😜
I have a couple of customers that have their lawns fertilized and with the rains that we have had early on I charge a double cut fee. They have not squawked at all. Both are $25 cut and I charge $15 for a double cut. I always charge by the hour for new customers, because if I edge, it will take me almost an extra hour. So, if I take 2 or 3 hours it will cost the customer more than a regular mow.
1st time pick it up and message 2rd pick it up and ring 3rd pick it up, fee & message 4th pick it up fee & ring 5th time x2 fee and visit 6th time just run it over
Why would you ever run it over!? The. It’s all over your tire or inside of your deck. I mow around it so the grass looks super long and not nice around the shit
Sara Llewellyn that’s what I’m saying it’s not ever my job to pick up dog poop. You mow around it so the grass is long by it then they know they have to pick it up if they want that area cut
-I tell late habitual late payers "You don't have to remind me to come mow your lawn, so why should I have to remind you to pay me?" -Believe it or not: I mow some clients 2x a week if they have thick, lush lawns that grow quickly. Monday: I just "mow & blow" Thursday is full service. -Dog poop: Price doubles or I drop you. Not playing that game. Unsanitary and takes too much time to clean my machines and shoes. -Toys in yard: I will send a text as a friendly reminder to clean up yard. That usually works. If not, I zig zag around them. One guy always has an inflatable pool that he has to deflate. -Some clients I bundle mowing + all services that "think" they will need (leaves, bushes, weeding, except snow) give them a "high" price for the entire season & bill them 3x per year: April 1, July, 1 and Oct 1. -Clients who like to "squeeze" extras out of you: depending what it is: I either do it & make it up on the back end with sidework or tell them up front wha it costs. -LOVE YOUR VIDEOS!
I'm 17 and have my 13 yr old brother and his friend working for me and it's hard to pay them 12$ an hour when every customer thinks they can just lower the price bc we're kids. I get that 13 year olds don't have much of a need for money usually but I got them using gas blower that need gas, I need gas for my truck, I need money for new equipment. It's irritating and I don't wanna say no because I feel like some money is better then no money. It's just hard too because I'm still learning different landscaping jobs and teaching the two young ones things as they slowly get faster.
I live in Indiana and I mow in a town that has around 20,000 people in the county actually and maybe 12,000 in the town on low and as far as I know not one lawn care company edges anything in that town except me. I've gained probably 30% of my customers because they see my edging and love it. Matter of fact most of the mower shops that sell trimmers and lawn equipment do not sell edgers because they can't get rid of them. You can buy the blades once in awhile but no one does it. I used to do it as a favor or more or less it was in my estimate but after last year I learned that I have to either raise them or stop edging for free. Then I stopped edging and I see my work and the next week I go I edge again because I can't stand my yards to look like that. Now I only mow or I mean edge concreted areas which that's about the only area you can edge except flower beds but I just cannot not edge. LOL
Sure simple answer, I’ve recently heard stories where guys move them, it breaks or falls apart unknowingly, kid goes on, of course gets hurt. You can be liable. We tell all of our clients that we don’t move their trampolines anymore. We require them to shimmy them around the yard, and exactly why. They’ve never had an issue and always understand. Again, most folks are super reasonable and logical. That’s how society works well together, usually ha!
I get all new customers to sign an agreement about cleaning up dog poop if they have them that it’s a extra $10 if not cleaned up as it’s a health issue and you have to pressure wash your deck, which takes more time
Hey Brian I got a serious question about weed whacking, you should do a video about... where do you draw the line with weed whacking? At what point do you look at an area and say, I need to charge more to weed whack that, or maybe come back later as a side job. Im not talking about edging or obvious perimeter weed whacking... I’m talking about the grassy knolls, the over grown forest edges, areas where there might be poison ivy, or areas around bushes or trees that you can’t reach because the vegetation is overgrown... I’m really curious about how some may deal with this.
@@kennethalynn I would just agree attention to detail is a good thing and that's why you have the best man(men/women) for the job. Then point out the "details" they are referring to are more labor intensive and time consuming. You're more than happy/capable to take care of it, but it must be an additional charge or fee. I've had no issues doing this, except for one nitpicker who I was under charging to begin with that I later dropped.
Started a service near Tampa, FL. There has been guys that come and short sell themselves running 25 and 30 dollars a cut but do horrible work. This had caused customers in the area to think that for 30 bucks their getting top line work. One guy has been running around for 17 dollars a cut, edge, trim blow and he destroys properties but then when you try to charge people more they want to know why so much. It's ridiculous.
I was in a service business in Tampa for 25 years. There are so many people there cutting prices and doing crap work it’s tough to make a living. Customer’s balk at any reasonable price. Most charging super low prices are out of business very quick. Stick to your guns and be super dependable and thorough. Be a step above the best in your area even if it’s just you and a cheap mower. Referral business over time is the only way. Don’t pay for crappy advertising that sounds good. Especially in Tampa!
On yardbook, I put a net 7 day payment term on “good paying” costumers and a payment due on invoice for the “pushy” customers. After 2 weeks for “good” customers with no pay in no more service until payment, and a week for “pushy” customers.
I have an older gentleman customer of mine, and I cut a hillside for him. I have a Husqvarna 800awd push mower that does work on hillsides. I had to stop today to weedeat the entire hillside because it was soooo over grown and the mower couldn’t handle it. I charged him an extra 10 bucks. And he told me he didn’t want me to mow it for him anymore lol. But he paid. Good riddance sir
Great point. One thing is as a solo operator, you tend to let these things slide. When you grow and add employees then you realize how costly it is. Doing a favor when working by yourself you don't think twice about. Doing a favor or picking up of trash etc with one employee starts making you think hmmmmm...So imagine running a 4 man crew. The crew is done, and everyone is packing up. A 5 minute favor is a 20 minute favor running 4 guys. 15 minutes of extras is a man hour. Customers don't get it. We all have our few customers that are a little bit of a problem. Some just don't think while some want to take advantage of us. You try to work it out and eventually get rid of them, but more seem to find there way on your schedule lol
In any business when you are working with the public you must protect that business from liability and loss of revenue. Charging fees helps mitigate these situations while creating an extra revenue source. Great video!
Brian, I'm just getting started and I've been helping a buddy of mine when he needs it for his customers. He has one customer that has several dead trees in the front yard, which it never fails, have dropped limbs. Usually it's just a couple small ones, not a big deal. Just a couple weeks ago we had a storm come through and when I went to mow that yard, there was enough limbs to literally fill a 6x16 utility trailer. I called my buddy and said, "Hey, what do you want me to do with it?" His response was just to drag it across to the other end of the property and place it on a brush pile. (No extra fees charged) We have explained to the customer that he needs to cut them down, but he has refused to do it so far. How do you typically handle re limbs when mowing? Do you charge a fee like with toys? Or just pick them up and go on? Thanks
As a new business owner every word you said was very true far as how customers thinks and stuff some doesnt get the cost it takes to run. Thank you for the tips they really help
Brian this came in at a perfect time. I think about these cases often. I have been putting together my new policy update. Getting ready to finalize it. At almost 20 years I'm still trying to figure it out. Be honest I'm totally burned out and ready to get out of the mowing side of it. How about picking up sticks and branches? Also storm clean ups from it. I think a few minutes of picking up small sticks is ok but it has to have its limitations and would be a separate job. Time and disposal.
Bam, fee time! Educate the customer.. tell them it’s their responsibility to keep the yard in a mowable fashion. Ie, sticks can be dangerous, and dull our blades, etc etc. If the yard isn’t cleaned up from a heavy storm, that’s fine. We can do it. But don’t be surprised when there is a $45 fee attached for my 20 minutes of work. Figure out what isn’t making the business fun, and don’t tolerate it. Is it low profits? Raise prices. Crappy equipment, can’t afford to upgrade? Raise prices. Customers that get on your nerves? Cancel them and find customers who appreciate you. Don’t let the tail wag the dog! I’m putting out videos as fast as I can to help with all of these thought processes. I’ve really enjoyed my business the last 2 years, probably more than ever. Eventually it comes down to you not the business. You can retool, rebrand, recreate your identity, any time you want. Just make a decision, and execute! Hope that helps pal!
I agree, need to charge for all this grief, lazy people will take advantage.....but this is where next year they will shop around and start this crap all over again, on and on it goes, and there will always be another unsuspecting mowing outfit to pull crap on again............
I live in a rural community so my driving time and fuel expense between jobs is considerable. I might start charging a fee to customers that wait until I arrive to tell me they want to skip mowing that week due to little growth.
That is the reason I am not under a biweekly contract with my yardman. I call him when I need my yard done and he fits me into his schedule when he can or if I beg hard enough. And if he can't fit me in because he is backed up I ask one of the random yard guys who always seem to be in my neighborhood doing someone else's grass. I am not that picky, I just don't want the county knocking on my door because I let it get too long. I used to have a guy that did my yard biweekly, one day he knocked on my door and told me since there hasn't been any rain and the grass hasn't grown I won't be doing your yard this week. I really appreciated that. Skip ahead 2 weeks, we still haven't had any rain, the grass still hasn't rained but he is out cutting... nothing? That was the last cut I got from that guy. When I was young I used to pull a lawn mower behind a bicycle knocking on doors soliciting work, now lawn care is big business, I don't see kids going door to door like when I was young, too much money in the game now.
Great video. I've been cutting for about 4 years and slowly have been growing. The edging and dog shit is problem. I learned early. The flowerbeds and weeding is way extra it's usually equal to 1 cut. I mean I gotta bag it up and haul it off then dump it. That takes time and effort and space on my trailer. It makes it hard to manage the equipment. I gotta stop moving the trampolines
Thanks for another great video Brian. This was definitely something I needed to hear and apply. Do you think in the future you could possibly make a video going over how to bid on subdivisions? Not how to do the bidding for the work and calculating costs, but where, how, and who you go to in order to actually submit a bid for subdivisions. Sorry if that's a dumb question, but there is limited advice on how that process actually works. There's always videos for how to do a bid, but none for where to go or who you submit bids to when trying to get a subdivision. I would greatly appreciate any help with this, even if it's only a 2-5 minute mention. Just something, anything lol.
Ive been getting a ton of questions asking about fees we charge this spring (especially tall grass charges!)
Hope this gave some more insight for what we do. 🤘
Great Video, So on the long grass fee's when it has been raining a lot I'm down, for the extra charge. As of now I only charge first time customers when it is really long and thick like more than 4-5 inches. My question is what are you doing when it hasn't rained in 3 weeks and the grass hasn't grown. I had several customers try and skip a week a couple weeks back and I told them I don't skip services. My opinion on the whole thing is it even's out in the end. I would be worried adding extra fee when it's long and still charging the same or not skipping when customers want you to do to grass hasn't grown would piss people off? How do you handle when grass hasn't grown especially weekly customers?
Good advice homie your really helping these kids and adults out.
Great video! What's your thoughts on excessive sticks/branches in yards or trimming chain link fences that chew up your trimmer line
What about charging by the hour?
Brian's Lawn Maintenance , PREACH IT BROTHER !!! Into my 2nd season of mowing lawns PT fully legit doing about 20 lawns per week. Most of our prices are $30,$35 and $40 I would like to move those prices up about 3-7% when should I let them know our prices will go up for the 2020 season? Thanks Bee !
Fee list:
1.) Excessive Trash/ Toy Pick up ($10-$15)
2.) Return Fee - Locked back yard ($10)
3.) Late payment/ Billing delay ($25 min)
4.) Tall grass (20%-30% premium)
5.) Pet waste ($10)
6.) Landscaping not maintenance related (+$25)
7.) Edging ($10-$25)
And...... screen shot
@@caleblopez7130 Yes Siiirrrr
@@caleblopez7130 Exactly what I did!
@@SconiHunter84 FR😂😂😂
What about sticks and branches?
This is the most informative video from a lawn care company I've watch yet thank you so much
Hey we try to balance entertainment with actual help. That’s how we actually grow as an industry and community
Garden hoses, trampolines, soccer goal nets, and bikes get moved....GI joes, barbies, hot wheel cars get ran over and sometimes chopped up and glown through the air to the neighbors yard lol!!!
Hahaha, same here because its annoying to pick up 50 toys after weedeating for 6 hrs in 100 degrees weather all day
Give them an inch....... the other thing is once you start doing a favor, once you quit that favor they forget it was all just a favor
That's fax. Had someone fire us because we quit doing some courtesy favor type thing (something like blowing off an upper deck of theirs that no grass touches)
Yup
I edge every lawn I mow. My name is on that lawn. It's included in my quote. I'll charge extra for the first mow, but edging is weekly maintenance.
same, i run $50 minimum down here in FL cutting 1/4 acre lots. Plenty of profit/time in there to include it.
It all make sense and it’s great. But here in Orlando FL there’s a bunch of bs mowing guys that charge $30 for 5000sq/ft and do it all without any additional charge. Then when you try to charge a customer for these extras they drop you right away and think you are trying to take advantage of them. That makes me so mad.
Same here in PA.. there has been a steady increase in competition (everyone’s realizing how lucrative a landscape business can be) so we tend to stay away from fees because most of our 160 clients are referrals from each other, so if one leaves many follow behind.
Only time I did a one time cut was when the dude offered me $150 for a $60 lawn. All worked out. He paid and I went on my way no questions asked.
Shut up 😡
My one time cuts start at $120 for this reason. They don’t want service going forward. I call it a one time clean up job. Most of my first time customers understand that their yards are crap to begin with. I set the standard and keep it up from there.
I use to do one time cuts first starting out, there is normally always an issue. Did my first one in years a couple months ago, took me an hour and I charges her $350.. I hit an axe, and a 9 iron. $45 on blades right off the bat. I didn't feel bad one bit charging her 350.
I like how you explained an overgrown edge that was edged “just last week.” It reminds me of someone selling a crappy car that’s been sitting for 10 years but it “ran when parked.”
If the gate is locked then heyyyy see you next week ! I never go back just do not have the time so it will be done next week and they soon get the idea ! Late billing well that is why I make everyone PRE pay. If they do not like that idea then they can get the guy who comes when he thinks he has time to do the job .
I’m agree with you
How do you apply your pre pay bill to your client? Any good suggestions to make the customer be on it when it comes to paying landscapers for there service?
@@eliseosanchez6785 I text or call ALL of my clients the day before to leave the money or check somewhere on property for me too pick up when I finish Blowing grass off.
It's worked 20+ years for me.
This info is great if your in certain states and cities but here in Texas there is outrageous competition and some will cut yards for almost nothing. I found a card on a clients mailbox to cut their yard for $30 and I was doing the job for $40. Some people just want their yard done for the cheapest rate. It's not a science to cut a yard to look nice a teenager looking for extra money can do it easily with a mower and weed eater. But this competition can take our jobs almost overnight because the client wants to save a buck. Too many out there that will do the job cheaper and that my friend will run you out of business.
I actually started providing pet waste cleanup for an additional 15-20$, takes five mins and it took some of my lower end small lawns up to 50-60$.
There's actually a company in my area that does that as a business...I assume they make quite a bit of money always see them around.
Damn thats a good idea
William Sevier what a shit job that would be
Great idea. Some people might be "above" that, but I'm not lol.
@@danieljewell365 It is until you are billing by the job and get the house with 8 labs with 2 litters of puppies.
My biggest problem is customers who will NOT pick up their dog poop.... drives me insane. I charge when it's bad enough where I have wash my deck and tires.
Gonna have to charge you a fee for excessive length of the video lol , great points Brian thanks !!🤟✌😁
grasshopper Crews Get outta here lmao 😂
HHAHHAHAH
If a child keeps coming outside while mowing, which is dangerous for everybody. Shut off mower and if they refuse to leave. May have to leave the property and come back. After the second time id charge a fee for that. I got that from Spencer's Lawn Care on CZcams
What would you bill that fee as??
@@benkenobi671 a return trip fee.
Dog poop is the absolute worst imo.. weed whipping through it picking it up with my clothes and eye protection is uncalled for when they can do it themselves or pay for it to be done. In my route there is one notorious yard and I tell my boss to upcharge for it almost every time im there especially cuz it's the first yard I whip in the morning lol!!
Also first time edging!! (commented before video finished)
Yeah. No dog poop. My best weapon has been mild shaming in this department...
For me, if its a recurring issue I dont charge, coming back is worth more than 10 bucks in my eyes, I just won't mow the lawn or if there's obstacles I will mow around, dog crap same thing. For payment, they dont pay, I don't come, if I notice people are kind of just screwing me around I just cut them lose, I'm a reasonable guy if I feel taken advantage of there's a good reason. I would love to have a chat with you one day Brian. Great video.
I have told a couple of clients that they are not getting the cut for the money. They are buying my time. The longer I have to cut the more I have to charge. I had that discussion multiple times with the same (former) customer. Couldnt understand why I wanted more money if he delayed the cut for a week.
I’m a floor installer but we do backcharges for sure. We move furniture (big furniture like couches, beds, dining tables, dressers) for an extra .20 cents/ft no problem. Some customers leave all their little personal items on top of said furniture. (Trinkets, technology, family photos, books, mail) it takes FOREVER to move all that stuff. God forbid if you break grammas glass dolphin paper weight. Or misplace someone’s phone charger and they accuse you of stealing it. We add 75$ for that. Adding areas that need to be done last minute will get a premium charge. Being forced to park farther from the job by HOA or not being allowed to use an elevator, having to take stairs in a condo get a fee. Customers requesting we only do one room at a time instead of multiple areas simultaneously gets a fee. I’m all for it man. Most of the time if you warn someone of this during the original estimate it can be avoided all together
Some people think nothing of abusing small businesses. They would never makes requests of their utility company or the major grocers they frequent. Great points on being firm with your customers
Dude you nailed it with this video! 100% with everything you said. A lot of that is written up in my contracts. Gotta get paid for your time.
Great points!! I may have missed it in the vid, but I would say one thing you need to do is have these fees and their conditions detailed in the contract. Otherwise the client has not necessarily “agreed” to these potential fees in advance - this is something you don’t want to get caught by!
Nice. I'm new to lawn care, but had been in busn for years. I charge a pay-in-advance, full, first-time fee where first-time part of the fee is 50% refundable after 4th mow. I still get paid a bit for first time work, but don't get screwed by the "first time/cancel" routine.
So glad I found this video, 3 years later. I'm coming to the end of my second year full time. This season I seen and totally understand this video. I've gave away so much time and money. Thanks you Sir, you've been a big part of me getting into business for MYSELF. It's never to late to adjust what you're doing.
The only "extra" fee I charge is a 10% (rounded up) for late fee. Everything else I just adjust the normal bill for what I call the "freak factor". So if I'm repeatedly weed wacking dog crap in my face at a particular lawn I just increase to compensate for it starting the next spring. I find that most customers would rather I charge a little more on a regular basis than periodically "punishing them" for bad behavior.
Im starting to work with my father, just quitted my 8- 5 office job, alot of computers hours. He has been working on it a year in his business and now im going to help him out grow and manage it with my father.
Great video Brian I can relate to all of them. I recently just stop service on two customers due to two cuts in an no pay who don't like to schedule for the season but be on call. Which I don't like doing on call once a month. I do apply fees for those over grown lawns too. My client list pretty good now, dropped slow/ low payers All 7 tips were on point in this video. Keep up the great work.
The greatest example of little things I got is something that happened to my dad. He owned a nightclub a while back and to make a long story short a girl was running the cash register selling sodas for $1.25 a pop. Only she rang them up at $1.00. That 25 cents added up to $1,000 a month! It took him 7-8 months to figure out she was doing this. That's a big deal. Kinda like stopping to pico up those toys, that mower is cooking that fuel doing nothing.
yea, it's amazing how fast a few cents over time can add up to be loss.
Yep. Anything in their flower beds is theirs to keep up with unless extra $ is involved.
Amazing points Brian, I loved the way you tried to say modify behavior, I would’ve said something else probably. The other point I wanted to make was that in my house my wife and I always pre-clean our house on the day before our cleaning lady comes, I know my mother-in-law does this and I know my mom has also done this throughout my entire life. We are no different in that sense, it should be understood, and I think so often because we are “the lawn guy “or the “Landscaper “that people somehow have less respect for us as skilled workers and businessman. I love this industry and I wouldn’t want to do anything else for a living, I tried. I graduated law school in 2007 and rather than go out and practice law I went right back into the green industry. I stopped telling my clients that because it just raised too many questions in their mind because the idea that they have in their head is that people who do this for a living or not top level business and or skilled people. I wish that were true, because it would make it a lot easier for a guy like me to be ultra successful. Unfortunately, the truth is is that this industry is packed with totally amazing businessman and totally amazing skilled service people. Kudos to you man, guys like you really help this industry grow and become better and allows people to become more successful and provide for their families.
Hey thanks brother 👊
Hey I have small lawn business with about 8-10 clients in my neighborhood and I use a bicycle to pull a cart that houses 1 push mower 1 weed eater, 1 edger, a small hand held blower and a backpack unit, 2 Gas Cans, and a tool bag with many assorted tools for quick on the job maintenance and with PVC pipe on the sides for holding rakes, push brooms, etc. and I have other tools such as a chainsaw that I sometimes bring. I went from charging only 25 dollars per yard when I should've been charging 40 and also going out of my way to do more than I should have to make the yards on my route look their best. It paid off to regularly charging 40, upgrading my equipment all to Echo or Stihl. I still use a troybilt push mower that has lasted me 5 seasons so far without ever breaking down, so they do make at least one good piece of equipment, but that's probably due to the briggs and stratton mower. Having to replace the wheels is the only maintenance besides oil changes and blade replacements, oh and spot welding a crack along the side shoot. I've watched a lot of your videos in the past but decided to subscribe today after this list because I've delt with almost of all of these issues with customers and I'm thinking about starting to hint at assessing a few of these with certain customers. If not it was still a hoot. I hate stepping in dog crap when I'm mowing and/or mowing over it and especially if they're grass is over 10-12 inches high assessing a high grass fee is golden!
LOL thank you and keep the great videos coming!
ONE of your BEST videos........we make a boat load of money on the double pass fee. We charge a straight 1/3 up charge. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Sounds like something we need to start doing
Charge away! The Hispanics will take your business! In my area that's the biggest threat. Sharpen blades clean deck, double cuts will be a thing of the past! Heck at 12mph is it really a problem? Don't price yourself out of business!
Randys Lawn Care
Thanks Brian this was exactly what i needed to hear, thanks for taking the time to help the lawn mowing community
I arrived to mow an account recently. The lady quickly came out with a shovel and cleaned up the doggy bombs. I'm always happy to see an account being respectful of my service. The VERY REAL warning of discontinuing service due to lawn debris certainly helps. I like the fees approach even better👍
Well she sounds like an awesome customer I wouldn't lose her bro
@@slum3947 agreed 100%👍
Your list all makes sense. You're running a professional business & doing quality work. Picking up STICKS/BULK leaves/excess grass clippings bagged/fallen tree debris is a huge time consumer & loss of revenue if you are not up front & honest with clients. Not only does it dull your blades, it takes a lot of time compounded on all your properties. Then, most clients want you to haul it off. It's hilarious how customers think I have a black hole in the enclosed trailer where all my equipment & mowers are. They will weed their entire gardens & ask me to haul off 4-6 full trash cans of debris. Most of of the time we do, but the charge is time & dumping fees. If you are up front with what your costs/fees/charges are, then customers will ask/pay when they can afford & do much better to avoid the fees they can't/don't want to afford. Be reliable, trustworthy, honest, take pride in your work. You will find clients who respect you & your business & will honor your direct communication on what you need to get them what they need/want.
WOW!!! What a great topic! DUDE, I so am with you on the entire conversation. I HAD one customer that had a backyard FULL of small and large bombs to step in and roll over. He'd call every so often, and like a dummy, I'd srvc his property. I was just trying to get him to commit so that I could show off my skills and advertise to the rest of the neighborhood. Waste of time
You should also access a fee if they don't tell you about something in the yard and it causes any damage to the equipment. I know some will say that we should do a walk-through before starting. But it's still possible to miss something. Especially if they added something and didn't inform you.
I feel the cringe when assessing fees! What helped me was having a set up pitch already set and already having a statement ready. Makes it easier
We charge extra for sticks. Not the small ones and twos but often after storms etc. We will pick them up and haul them off but we do charge extra. I like the edging charge. That is very true!
we always added fees for "clean up of storm debris" "first time edging" and supplemental clean up of "downed leaves" on property during the early Fall mowing's leading up to the 1st full "Fall Cleanup" so on and so forth.....
Been watching your channel forever, how the heck are you not over 100k subs yet!?!? Keep it up great channel!!
Hey thanks man, that means a lot! One day! We’re growing well, tons of support! Never thought we’d get over 100 subs, and I really do mean that haha. The support has been amazing!
Brian's Lawn Maintenance so how do you sub contract out a job and what happens if they stuff it up and the job looks crap. Also do they have to have their own public liability insurance. Love the videos
One of my customers neighbors is always standing by my trailer waiting for me to finish and load up my mowers so he can just sit and talk to me for 10 or 12 minutes. IT DRIVES ME CRAZY!! He will occasionally have me mow his 800sqf yard real quick but he's just lonely and wants to talk. My customer who lives next to him is one of my most profitable and she purchases a lot of extra services throughout the season so it isn't fair to charge HER a fee but I can not figure out how to shake this guy! Every. Damn. Week. I tell him I'm in a rush because I still have 8 lawns left that day, cold shoulder one word responses, continue working while he talks, tell him to have a nice day and I'll be back next week. He just doesnt get the hints. What would you do??!
By the way, great videos and I really appreciate what you're doing to help the young guys like me!
Alex Uram I had a customer that I canceled because they wanted to talk 2 hours every time I did their lawn. I tried everything. I told her I have to get to work & she kept talking. The last time I did her lawn, I started 1 hour before dark & told her I needed to finish. She kept talking & I finished working in pitch black.
I get really tired of customers leaving their hoses stretched out on the turf when they know that I am coming to mow that da! Thanks for all your tips guy!
Have one customer do that all the time. Former boss' yard actually, and I walk past it while picking up sticks, so I don't mind really. Now, when they keep leaving netting in areas I have to weed eat...
Lol, you are so right. I have a customer that continually leaves her hoses (front and back) out and an axe in the back. Then always wants extra work done and is late paying.. no thanks Karen
padlocks are easy to get around... add one of your locks to double lock it so your works have one key for all yards the now that have locks.
I had a landscaper who charged me $5 every week to pick up sticks. I get it, it would take time and I have a wooded lot. But he told me this going in (he mowed the yard before I moved in), if there were more sticks than normal he’d charge me, great I get it I will pay for your time. If you charge me the same amount every time, that’s not more sticks than normal that is normal and you should have just charged me $5 extra for every cut rather than a fee. He knew this going into things and that $5 fee led to me dropping him. I would have gladly paid $5 extra a week if it was a fixed price but for some reason a fee every week for excessive sticks when you have mowed the yard for years and know what excessive is, is absurd. Charge me $50 a week vs $45 and don’t charge the fee. Obviously if there’s a wind storm charge more but be careful with the every week fees.
You hit the issues that's for sure.
Think we all have these issues. Unfortunately I have never charged extra even though I know I need to.
Have one customer who has 4 accounts with me that is ALWAYS late, sometimes two months. Have a roofing company that is on a monthly billing schedule, currently two months late, apartment complex is 15 days late regularly. I need to add late fees. My next biggest is debris in the yard, followed by dog 💩, which they normally run hand in hand.
Another customer who's yard has became a drainage issue and 2000 sq ft must be cut with a string trimmer or the mower gets stuck, in addition to his wife adding new areas to be maintained. Good video bro, I have a lot of things to consider here.
You have shown me things I didn't think of. I am an older guy and have done lawns working for someone else. But now at retirement want mowing for extra income.
Brian I don't do lawn care, but I do my own yard. Just want to say I agree with you 100 percent. If I did do lawn care I'd be charging fees, and if customer was upset and dropped my service they probably was going to drop me anyway.
" Keep the mower going"
I’m 16 and I usually do gardening for older people at a development I used to life guard at. And I feel like I’m under charging for a lot and you made me feel way less uncomfortable about saying no and charging more
I love the late fee. Since I went to it, it has been a game changer. I make good money in late fees. 8%
Learned from you not to take on locked back gates. Stopped doing them 2 years ago what a blessing. Never again! I charge a fee for anything I mean anything out of the normal lawn cut. First time client cut is extra you know why! Extra truck debris, delivery charges, extra dog doodoo, labor for anything. Billing same deal. Late fee will be added and stop service if not paid 14 days from invoiced. I might have a couple that get a friendly reminder no big deal. Personal you pay me late more than a couple times I may just stop service if you catch me on a bad day. Which brings up another topic. Be careful not to let those small things upset you. Many times when speaking with the customer it can be worked out or they did not realize the trouble they are causing. If you drop them you may have dropped potential very good business with them. Great vid Brian and great advise!
Brian thanks for the advice priceless, I'm starting my first business and you've been great.
Hey man you bet! Be safe!
The years that I've worked for landscaping crews and no one ever wants to edge 😂
Thats the best part you make it stand out, show pride in your work, and show people you know how to work, but definitely charge for it, edger or weed eater.
Can you make make a billing layout video where you go through your setup for categorizing and or explaining each fee (such as the edging fee or putting in lates fees)? Seeing the layout of how the bill is made and how (and if) each of the feed are explained is useful. Great videos btw
Just create a line item. Whether it’s pen and paper on a paper invoice, or a line item you create as a custom field in your CRM (lawn software). That’s all it is!
I will share with you my experiences. Also I discovered you through your friend I have consulted with Kieth K. I am already looking into next year. I am dropping a customer because he plays "Oh can you help me?" and says "every other week". This is costing me time and driving me nuts. And he expects me to do everything because his son used to be in the mowing business and would do everything for him because he was dad. When I do a big job I assess a 8% shop supply fee. I will usually cap the amount but this covers my tool use, the little things like screws, twine etc. Also I usually call my customers the night before and they are good about picking up their yards. I don't have a huge problem with that. I have learned from you and your colleagues that people will act like your friend and take advantage of you. I have been there. My new customers it is easier to not get taken advantage of but the old customers are harder to change. I have a friend who once told me that a favor is anything that can be done in 15 minutes anything after 15 minutes you have to bill for. People try to play you as the neighbor boy just looking to make a few dollars to go to the movies. I am running a business. Also my route density is very tight this year. I operate mainly in the 2 towns that I live in. With dog droppings I just consider that as the nature of the beast. I don't get to worked up over that. But it is nice working for myself. Today should have started my mowing week. But I didn't feel like working today because I had a very big day yesterday so I took the day off to relax and get myself in shape. Plus we had a little rain and my customers would not have liked the mower lines in the yard. But I like the videos that you share.
Bill
We don’t get many rain days here in Australia but when we do I used that to do maintenance on all mowers. I always do a 50 hour service on all mowers, oil/filter grease ups
I'm just getting started in central Iowa. (My first year.)
My first conversations with prospective clients I make sure they understand each and every time I work for them is a separate and individual contract.
They can drop me at any time as I can drop them.
No summer long package contracts.
Iowa weather makes that lose situation for one of us, guaranteed.
Each job is an hourly rate and hours may change from job to job.
Example; as a winter State, this spring I spent significant time picking up tree limbs and sticks.
That is on the clock.
Next time, I won't have to do that and the job time is shorter.
Rain has been a significant issue this year and has caused delays where the grass is long.
One job had 12 inch tall PLUS grass, I kid you not. (Medical issues resulted in the owner not doing it all spring up to my arrival.)
A 45 minute job translated to a 3 hour bill and the owner was ecstatic with the end result.
The son will do it for a few weeks before camp and vacation, then he will pick me up for the rest of the year.
I have the video with before and after photos if anyone wants to see on my channel.
Look for "Knocking Down Some Good Old Iowa Prairie"
That takes time and is on the clock.
Back to 'normal' regular mowing and the bill is smaller.
Kind of a reverse of the fee behavior management; be up front and when you can trim the bill, the customer REALLY likes that.
Overall, I don't like the fee thing but I see a definite benefit to them for the 'behavior management' thing you mentioned and will keep that in mind, yes sir.
Dog poop.
I have not had that issue yet, but if it is excessive during the estimate walk around; I will require them to reconcile that before I mow.
Period.
While I have a tiered hourly rate; $40 first hour/$30 each successive hour and originally a one hour minimum,
I have a couple of postage stamp sized yards owned by elderly folks with fixed income that I charge $25
I would be interested how you price your season packages. If already discussed, please point me to that video.
Thanks!
Dave
Every time I start a new customer I charge a double fee regular cut is $35.00 first cut $70.00 because of mostly edging
Rick Lee -it does cost more to get it up to where it should be.
Shane Pasha once you have it to your standard easy to maintain .The extra time you take you could be doing another lawn . So I guess that your making up for loss revenue. Remember this is just my solution to spending time at one place , I’m quite sure there are many more
I'm such a softie... Hate charging fees..as a result I'm rethinking my business to more of a full yard service instead of just mowing.... Will see how it turns out.
Yeah I’m just grateful for a client 😂
Brian Heck of a video! It's always great to have you post these revenue reminders! Appreciate it! 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾
Thanks buddy. I really hope these videos help. These would’ve been gems for me a decade ago when I was just getting going.
@@BriansLawnMaintenance The cool thing is that they still are gems! You can't ever have too much good info! 😉 Veterans make rookie mistakes, because they feel they know it all! I choose to remain a student of the game! 😁😉👍🏾 Thanks again!
Really spoke to me, I remember all times customers added some stuff “help them real quick “ or the lawns that were really over grown I let side... the funds I missed out on
Great points. I give my customers a 5 day net. Originally I didn't charge a late fee. But now I set up quickbooks to charge a 25% on the 6th day automatically. Late fees accrue monthly. I also have a initial mowing fee and a overgrown fee.
Great advice. You've helped me build my lawncare services here in knoxville, tn.and I really appreciate it.thanks so much and keep up the good work!
My first time customers always get a first-time fee. I do tell em up front let's say it's a $75 yard I'll tell em it's goin to be $100 or $125 for the first time cause of first time obstacles I may run into on the day of the cut like stuff in the yard I didn't see on my walk around. Toys water hoses ect. But mainly because if it's not goin to be a repeat customer they paid for my time to give em estimates or what not. Just comes from yrs of being at it for folks trying to use my equipment I make a living with as a bush hog to mow a yard they let get away from em.
Omg. I'm so happy you made this video. I only had 5 lawns I took care of and last year I stopped to only do my own , cause I was charging xtra for lazy people. And if you have to wait another week it harder on your equipment and really takes longer. This is absolutely correct video. 100% thanks Brian, I'm showing this to ex customers 😜
Ha thanks pal
I have a couple of customers that have their lawns fertilized and with the rains that we have had early on I charge a double cut fee. They have not squawked at all. Both are $25 cut and I charge $15 for a double cut. I always charge by the hour for new customers, because if I edge, it will take me almost an extra hour. So, if I take 2 or 3 hours it will cost the customer more than a regular mow.
1st time pick it up and message
2rd pick it up and ring
3rd pick it up, fee & message
4th pick it up fee & ring
5th time x2 fee and visit
6th time just run it over
Lmao
Why would you ever run it over!? The. It’s all over your tire or inside of your deck. I mow around it so the grass looks super long and not nice around the shit
@@caseyleez2477 Because then it's all over their property. After the 2nd or 3rd time you should honestly consider dropping the customer.
Sara Llewellyn that’s what I’m saying it’s not ever my job to pick up dog poop. You mow around it so the grass is long by it then they know they have to pick it up if they want that area cut
Casey Lieser yep and if they have people around for a BBQ and you got all these mounds of poop everywhere they soon get the hint
-I tell late habitual late payers "You don't have to remind me to come mow your lawn, so why should I have to remind you to pay me?"
-Believe it or not: I mow some clients 2x a week if they have thick, lush lawns that grow quickly. Monday: I just "mow & blow" Thursday is full service.
-Dog poop: Price doubles or I drop you. Not playing that game. Unsanitary and takes too much time to clean my machines and shoes.
-Toys in yard: I will send a text as a friendly reminder to clean up yard. That usually works. If not, I zig zag around them. One guy always has an inflatable pool that he has to deflate.
-Some clients I bundle mowing + all services that "think" they will need (leaves, bushes, weeding, except snow) give them a "high" price for the entire season & bill them 3x per year: April 1, July, 1 and Oct 1.
-Clients who like to "squeeze" extras out of you: depending what it is: I either do it & make it up on the back end with sidework or tell them up front wha it costs.
-LOVE YOUR VIDEOS!
Can you do a video on different licenses, Permits or contracts you need for a lawn care business through the city/state
I could sure
I'd love to see this one
It's different in every state and sometimes even in each town
Maybe just state... or gosh... that's already 50....
Is there one up ?
I'm 17 and have my 13 yr old brother and his friend working for me and it's hard to pay them 12$ an hour when every customer thinks they can just lower the price bc we're kids. I get that 13 year olds don't have much of a need for money usually but I got them using gas blower that need gas, I need gas for my truck, I need money for new equipment. It's irritating and I don't wanna say no because I feel like some money is better then no money. It's just hard too because I'm still learning different landscaping jobs and teaching the two young ones things as they slowly get faster.
I live in Indiana and I mow in a town that has around 20,000 people in the county actually and maybe 12,000 in the town on low and as far as I know not one lawn care company edges anything in that town except me. I've gained probably 30% of my customers because they see my edging and love it. Matter of fact most of the mower shops that sell trimmers and lawn equipment do not sell edgers because they can't get rid of them. You can buy the blades once in awhile but no one does it. I used to do it as a favor or more or less it was in my estimate but after last year I learned that I have to either raise them or stop edging for free. Then I stopped edging and I see my work and the next week I go I edge again because I can't stand my yards to look like that. Now I only mow or I mean edge concreted areas which that's about the only area you can edge except flower beds but I just cannot not edge. LOL
If you are willing would you mind talking about that trampoline liability issue you had?
Sure simple answer, I’ve recently heard stories where guys move them, it breaks or falls apart unknowingly, kid goes on, of course gets hurt. You can be liable.
We tell all of our clients that we don’t move their trampolines anymore. We require them to shimmy them around the yard, and exactly why. They’ve never had an issue and always understand. Again, most folks are super reasonable and logical. That’s how society works well together, usually ha!
@@BriansLawnMaintenance oh, I thought it was if your workers got injured trying to move it but I guess that makes more sense
Fau Q yep I have the same issue I don’t move them anymore I wipper snip as far under I can
@@BriansLawnMaintenance I wonder if a legal release would be sufficient. Have them sign a waiver of liability to be able to move them.
Great video! Thanks for the info. Just started this year, and already been taken by the "one time" guy. Lots to learn in such a short time for sure.
I get all new customers to sign an agreement about cleaning up dog poop if they have them that it’s a extra $10 if not cleaned up as it’s a health issue and you have to pressure wash your deck, which takes more time
Locked back gates get you a full service charge and no return visit until your next service date.
I doubt anyone would pay it ( I wouldn't)
Would you then charge a tall grass fee on the next scheduled visit?
Don Juan that’s why you make them pre pay
@@chrislane8603 no tall grass fees. Clients are on a recurring schedule. It usually doesnt happen more than once anyways.
All clients are on auto billing
Hey Brian I got a serious question about weed whacking, you should do a video about... where do you draw the line with weed whacking? At what point do you look at an area and say, I need to charge more to weed whack that, or maybe come back later as a side job. Im not talking about edging or obvious perimeter weed whacking... I’m talking about the grassy knolls, the over grown forest edges, areas where there might be poison ivy, or areas around bushes or trees that you can’t reach because the vegetation is overgrown... I’m really curious about how some may deal with this.
I'm interested too. I've got costumers that want "more attention to detail" and all that time adds up. What do I do?
@@kennethalynn haha that sucks man. If a customer said that to me I would say "well you should pay more attention to finding someone else"
@@kennethalynn I would just agree attention to detail is a good thing and that's why you have the best man(men/women) for the job. Then point out the "details" they are referring to are more labor intensive and time consuming. You're more than happy/capable to take care of it, but it must be an additional charge or fee.
I've had no issues doing this, except for one nitpicker who I was under charging to begin with that I later dropped.
Started a service near Tampa, FL. There has been guys that come and short sell themselves running 25 and 30 dollars a cut but do horrible work. This had caused customers in the area to think that for 30 bucks their getting top line work. One guy has been running around for 17 dollars a cut, edge, trim blow and he destroys properties but then when you try to charge people more they want to know why so much. It's ridiculous.
I was in a service business in Tampa for 25 years. There are so many people there cutting prices and doing crap work it’s tough to make a living. Customer’s balk at any reasonable price. Most charging super low prices are out of business very quick. Stick to your guns and be super dependable and thorough. Be a step above the best in your area even if it’s just you and a cheap mower. Referral business over time is the only way. Don’t pay for crappy advertising that sounds good. Especially in Tampa!
Great Video! As a new business owner, I am constantly learning more and more from your videos!
Drives me crazy, then a customer sees me mowing and will ask me if they need to move the toys!
Thank you Brian! Great video, it’s people like you that drive the professionalism in our industry.
That and any gated back yard I require a combination lock, if they want to keep it locked.
Third
Bruh lol
Thats funny! Right after my Second!!
On yardbook, I put a net 7 day payment term on “good paying” costumers and a payment due on invoice for the “pushy” customers. After 2 weeks for “good” customers with no pay in no more service until payment, and a week for “pushy” customers.
We charge an extra fee if we have to trim trees and shrubs to get in to cut grass. Last thing we want is to have to duck around tree limbs.
I have an older gentleman customer of mine, and I cut a hillside for him. I have a Husqvarna 800awd push mower that does work on hillsides. I had to stop today to weedeat the entire hillside because it was soooo over grown and the mower couldn’t handle it. I charged him an extra 10 bucks. And he told me he didn’t want me to mow it for him anymore lol. But he paid. Good riddance sir
I don't do fees, I automatically charge more if there's dogs etc.
😂😂😂 good shit mayun
Great point. One thing is as a solo operator, you tend to let these things slide. When you grow and add employees then you realize how costly it is. Doing a favor when working by yourself you don't think twice about. Doing a favor or picking up of trash etc with one employee starts making you think hmmmmm...So imagine running a 4 man crew. The crew is done, and everyone is packing up. A 5 minute favor is a 20 minute favor running 4 guys. 15 minutes of extras is a man hour. Customers don't get it. We all have our few customers that are a little bit of a problem. Some just don't think while some want to take advantage of us. You try to work it out and eventually get rid of them, but more seem to find there way on your schedule lol
In any business when you are working with the public you must protect that business from liability and loss of revenue. Charging fees helps mitigate these situations while creating an extra revenue source. Great video!
My lawn company does use credit card on file. In addition, they charge for the upcoming month at the end of the month. So they aren't ever out money.
Thanks Brian, I do charge some of these now but never realized about the rest. I appreciate you having this video out there. Good luck my friend.
Brian, I'm just getting started and I've been helping a buddy of mine when he needs it for his customers. He has one customer that has several dead trees in the front yard, which it never fails, have dropped limbs. Usually it's just a couple small ones, not a big deal. Just a couple weeks ago we had a storm come through and when I went to mow that yard, there was enough limbs to literally fill a 6x16 utility trailer. I called my buddy and said, "Hey, what do you want me to do with it?" His response was just to drag it across to the other end of the property and place it on a brush pile. (No extra fees charged) We have explained to the customer that he needs to cut them down, but he has refused to do it so far. How do you typically handle re limbs when mowing? Do you charge a fee like with toys? Or just pick them up and go on? Thanks
Great video Brian...appreciate the details that aren’t your typical lawn business videos.
As a new business owner every word you said was very true far as how customers thinks and stuff some doesnt get the cost it takes to run. Thank you for the tips they really help
Just added the $20 locked gate fee to my contract. Thanks!
Brian this came in at a perfect time. I think about these cases often. I have been putting together my new policy update. Getting ready to finalize it. At almost 20 years I'm still trying to figure it out. Be honest I'm totally burned out and ready to get out of the mowing side of it. How about picking up sticks and branches? Also storm clean ups from it. I think a few minutes of picking up small sticks is ok but it has to have its limitations and would be a separate job. Time and disposal.
Bam, fee time! Educate the customer.. tell them it’s their responsibility to keep the yard in a mowable fashion. Ie, sticks can be dangerous, and dull our blades, etc etc. If the yard isn’t cleaned up from a heavy storm, that’s fine. We can do it. But don’t be surprised when there is a $45 fee attached for my 20 minutes of work.
Figure out what isn’t making the business fun, and don’t tolerate it. Is it low profits? Raise prices. Crappy equipment, can’t afford to upgrade? Raise prices. Customers that get on your nerves? Cancel them and find customers who appreciate you. Don’t let the tail wag the dog!
I’m putting out videos as fast as I can to help with all of these thought processes. I’ve really enjoyed my business the last 2 years, probably more than ever. Eventually it comes down to you not the business. You can retool, rebrand, recreate your identity, any time you want. Just make a decision, and execute!
Hope that helps pal!
As someone who is just started a business this has provided me a lot of information and insight! Thanks!
Thank you, I just charge my first late fee this lady is religiously late.
I agree, need to charge for all this grief, lazy people will take advantage.....but this is where next year they will shop around and start this crap all over again, on and on it goes, and there will always be another unsuspecting mowing outfit to pull crap on again............
I live in a rural community so my driving time and fuel expense between jobs is considerable. I might start charging a fee to customers that wait until I arrive to tell me they want to skip mowing that week due to little growth.
That is the reason I am not under a biweekly contract with my yardman. I call him when I need my yard done and he fits me into his schedule when he can or if I beg hard enough. And if he can't fit me in because he is backed up I ask one of the random yard guys who always seem to be in my neighborhood doing someone else's grass. I am not that picky, I just don't want the county knocking on my door because I let it get too long.
I used to have a guy that did my yard biweekly, one day he knocked on my door and told me since there hasn't been any rain and the grass hasn't grown I won't be doing your yard this week. I really appreciated that. Skip ahead 2 weeks, we still haven't had any rain, the grass still hasn't rained but he is out cutting... nothing? That was the last cut I got from that guy.
When I was young I used to pull a lawn mower behind a bicycle knocking on doors soliciting work, now lawn care is big business, I don't see kids going door to door like when I was young, too much money in the game now.
I totally agree with everything you've said, it all comes down to TIME IS MONEY in this business!!! Good for you man keep on keeping on!!!
Great video. I've been cutting for about 4 years and slowly have been growing. The edging and dog shit is problem. I learned early. The flowerbeds and weeding is way extra it's usually equal to 1 cut. I mean I gotta bag it up and haul it off then dump it. That takes time and effort and space on my trailer. It makes it hard to manage the equipment. I gotta stop moving the trampolines
Thanks for another great video Brian. This was definitely something I needed to hear and apply. Do you think in the future you could possibly make a video going over how to bid on subdivisions? Not how to do the bidding for the work and calculating costs, but where, how, and who you go to in order to actually submit a bid for subdivisions. Sorry if that's a dumb question, but there is limited advice on how that process actually works. There's always videos for how to do a bid, but none for where to go or who you submit bids to when trying to get a subdivision. I would greatly appreciate any help with this, even if it's only a 2-5 minute mention. Just something, anything lol.
Good stuff! I’ve enjoyed your channel ever since I got to hear you speak in Michigan last year. Keep them coming!
A very valuable video, Brian! These are important things to be talked about. Thank you for sharing.