New here looking for opinions :)

Good morning everyone, I am in the process of doing my business plan and was looking for some opinions. What I will be doing is a garden maintenance business so decking staining, fence painting and in winter gritting paths etc along with all other gardening tasks mowing, hedge triming etc.
The Market iam aiming for is the people who work all day but want to enjoy the gardens without the hassle also for the older ones who need help with the more challenging tasks.
My idea is to offer 6 mth contracts priced at £20.00 per mth or full 12 mth at £15.00 per mth. This way you would be guarnteed to have me come along under contract and at a great price.

Iam 30 years old and have been unemployed for 10 mths and in febuary my garden design/ landscaping course is to begin. Like I say above I'm looking for peoples opinions on this and if the price is ok and I know a lot like to do this themselves but also there are people who don't know how.

It will be based around the north west area near Liverpool , Warrington
again thanks and all advice appriciated.

Kieran.

 

Hi there and Welcome from Ontario, Canada.

Nice to meet you Kieran.

 

Hi Kieran,

All credit to you for trying to get yourself up and running, it is a hard time and the experienced professionals are not finding it so easy.

I am self-employed at the moment, but looking for a job to supplement my income aswell because it is really tough out there at the minute.

 

Hi Kieran

Welcome and again credit to you.

Not sure that you could make it work at those prices though.

How much time would you be offering for your contracts?

£20.00 a month is only 4 hours at £5.00 an hour which isn't nearly enough in terms of hours in a garden or money to live on. Even if it's just for grass cutting you need to take the size of the garden into consideration - and what you are going to cut it with.

If you are supplying the mower then you have the cost of that to take into consideration. If using theirs then there is no guarantee it will be efficient - may even be a manual. It would all make a difference to the time it would take and to how much you charge.

No matter how basic your work there will also be admin to do. Bills to make out and you have to register as self-employed and do your own tax return. Not that this have to be difficult but they are time consuming.

EDIT - Just struck me - those may be your charges per month - per hour which is a different prospect - and possibly quite expensive for simply grass cutting

 

Prices would be month also not just grass cutting but decking staining, fence painting/ treating , patios jet washed, gutters etc and in winter garden paths gritted. My partner works for a housing trust and feedback from them was that a lot of the older customers have trouble maintaing their gardens so that's what gave me the idea, I am also in touch with age concern about getting on their list for trusted workers once set up. I will have a website with customer feedback and forum.

Especially once I've completed my garden design course other things will be on offer, but like I said having a trusted familiar face come round rather than a random " Ill do that for a tenner merchant" will serve communities better.

 

" Ill do that for a tenner merchant"

oddly enough, I quite like people who ask for a job. Some of the labourers I have taken on have come that way.

It's an excellent idea to get on Age concerns trusted list, I admire your get up and go, it's what this country needs.

 

I didn't mean for it to sound that way sorry but I just want to bring more of an affordable proffesional way of doing things. I ve worked in customer service all my career and that's what's going to be the driving force. I know people go on about the economic state of the country it's an excuse if I wait what would be the point? I'm in contact with business link we have access to grants etc so it will be done.

Next is to do a survey and to visit garden centres but will keep you all updated and thanks for all your kind info and responses.