How much money can a owner of a lawn service make? (Midland: homes, buying)

[Westerntraveler]

Hi,I live in Midland and i would like to start a yardwork business in the next few years.I may charge below-market fees but idk for sure so I can get more demand.I also plan on usin inexpernsive equipment and junky pickups and not usin debt to pay nothin.I was wondering how much money i would make startin out.Also, how much money could i make when the business is growin and big.I like doin yardwork.Should I incorporate or have a LLC.Idk the difference between the 2.I am a college student.i'm gettin a degree in history but i would like to be a entrepreneur as my main occupation.If your a grammar Nazi,please dont reply.Thanks in advance
-Westerntraveler

[loves2read]

My daughter went to high school with a young man who started a lawn service company in high school and continued it in college--even though he went to A&M and the business was here in the Mid-Cities/DFW area..
it made him quite a bit of money--
don't know who he found to run it for the months he had to service his clients and he was in school...cause people cut grass up into October and start again in March lots of times
plus other things like seasonal color or irrigation work...

I also have friend whose adult stepson started cutting yards when he was fired from job working for local ISD in the printing dept--he started with just himself and the tools he had on had--
eventually had another crew or two working for him and was building up pretty good list of clients, including some commercial jobs--he needed commercial jobs to have stream of income in winter after lawn cutting stopped--

his problems was he said that he could not find people to do as good a job as he did--meaning they were not showing up on time, causing damage to the properties like breaking sprinkler heads or doing sloppy work so he had complaints to deal with that were too much hassle...
he sold off most of his client list and tried to move into job buying/prepping homes that an investor company bought for resale--but the guy withe the money died so he was up the creek...

that same friend has had the same guy cutting her lawn for probably 20 years--he is teacher during the regular school year and then does yards full time in summer--
he has pretty regular clients--lots of teachers--and it is usually just him and maybe his son I think--

if you plan on doing any irrigation work in a city you have to be licensed and have permit--
my take is that you better do your legal prep--make sure you take care of your taxes--if you don't do it as an LLC or some type of legal entity and someone's property is damaged you are sued personally...

[buzzpost]

Originally Posted by loves2read

My daughter went to high school with a young man who started a lawn service company in high school and continued it in college--even though he went to A&M and the business was here in the Mid-Cities/DFW area..
it made him quite a bit of money--
don't know who he found to run it for the months he had to service his clients and he was in school...cause people cut grass up into October and start again in March lots of times
plus other things like seasonal color or irrigation work...

I also have friend whose adult stepson started cutting yards when he was fired from job working for local ISD in the printing dept--he started with just himself and the tools he had on had--
eventually had another crew or two working for him and was building up pretty good list of clients, including some commercial jobs--he needed commercial jobs to have stream of income in winter after lawn cutting stopped--

his problems was he said that he could not find people to do as good a job as he did--meaning they were not showing up on time, causing damage to the properties like breaking sprinkler heads or doing sloppy work so he had complaints to deal with that were too much hassle...
he sold off most of his client list and tried to move into job buying/prepping homes that an investor company bought for resale--but the guy withe the money died so he was up the creek...

that same friend has had the same guy cutting her lawn for probably 20 years--he is teacher during the regular school year and then does yards full time in summer--
he has pretty regular clients--lots of teachers--and it is usually just him and maybe his son I think--

if you plan on doing any irrigation work in a city you have to be licensed and have permit--
my take is that you better do your legal prep--make sure you take care of your taxes--if you don't do it as an LLC or some type of legal entity and someone's property is damaged you are sued personally...

As always, good sage advice from L2R. I really couldn't add anything to that.

If you did a really fine job I know I would hire you. I don't mind paying good money if someone does a really decent job and watches out for things. Keep that in mind if you want to have good customer relationships.

Oh, and the best of luck to you.

[Westerntraveler]

Thanks really appreciate it