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Lawn Care/Landscaping/Snow Career

Pipe Line

Pipe Line

Offensive Coordinator
Elite Member
7,645
2020
14,030
Have an open ended question for the board. Is anyone in this field at all? A little context, I got essentially got moved into a position that I cannot stand because someone else was let go, and then a third party's job was saved who was moved into my role, about 3 months ago now. I've been toying around with the idea of getting into the lawn care/landscaping/snow industry, simply because I really enjoy doing it at home and just every detail that comes with it that I have to do for my own home in all the seasons. I do have a family connection and have been told that I would essentially be starting over compensation wise and would take about 5ish years to get back to where I am now.


The only real negatives that have kept me from legitimately pushing anything are the probable winter lay offs, and the schedule being iffy due to weather. Mainly the layoffs though.


But, is anyone on here in the industry? Generally speaking, is it worth it?
 
Adolph Coors said:
the only way i would do it is to start my own business, i cant even imagine being at the bottom of the ladder at our age
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Yeah. I forgot I have two connections. One of my "friends" from back in the day own his own and essentially said if you want a family and be in that kind of business then owning your own is the right way to go, financially and time wise.
 
Buddy of mine has done this for over a decade. He ran multiple crews for years, but scaled back in recent years due to stress and increasing costs. He's a sharp guy with a good work ethic, but he looks exhausted for five months out of the year.

He now manages one crew and pushes snow independently for one good local contractor. This still requires him to work 12-16 hour shifts but the money is too good to pass up.

The reason he keeps doing it is that it frees him up in the fall and spring to hunt, fish, and spend time with his family. He does well, but his wife is still the breadwinner.
 
Pipe Line said:
Have an open ended question for the board. Is anyone in this field at all? A little context, I got essentially got moved into a position that I cannot stand because someone else was let go, and then a third party's job was saved who was moved into my role, about 3 months ago now. I've been toying around with the idea of getting into the lawn care/landscaping/snow industry, simply because I really enjoy doing it at home and just every detail that comes with it that I have to do for my own home in all the seasons. I do have a family connection and have been told that I would essentially be starting over compensation wise and would take about 5ish years to get back to where I am now.


The only real negatives that have kept me from legitimately pushing anything are the probable winter lay offs, and the schedule being iffy due to weather. Mainly the layoffs though.


But, is anyone on here in the industry? Generally speaking, is it worth it?
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If you’re looking to start your own company - My buddy did it for a few years but very stressful during the winter months as you need some snowstorms to keep the lights on. He ended selling his business and now just working for someone else for a steady paycheck

If you looking to work for someone else - try to get a career where you don’t get laid off during the winter and on a salary position. You’ll get paid less for snow removal but you’ll have guaranteed income all year
 
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TampaBaySkers said:
If you’re looking to start your own company - My buddy did it for a few years but very stressful during the winter months as you need some snowstorms to keep the lights on. He ended selling his business and now just working for someone else for a steady paycheck

If you looking to work for someone else - try to get a career where you don’t get laid off during the winter and on a salary position. You’ll get paid less for snow removal but you’ll have guaranteed income
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I would say this is my one fear as to why I haven't done anything the last couple months. I just can't mentally process not having a steady paycheck in the winter like I've had over the last decade. I've been told that most people just file for unemployment but I'm too proud to do that.

My brother in law runs his own concrete plant and works with different concrete/construction contractors and I've thought about that, but I just really got a thing for cutting grass and pushing snow in my as I get deeper into my 30s.

I would say my other issue, personally, is I've basically been a "yes man" work wise for the last decade, and I'm getting sick of that combo with my current position, but I've also seen solo guys cutting grass at different places of business around me when I'm out with the family or walking my dogs at 7ish at night during the week due to whatever reason and I'm like damn, I don't wanna do it that late either.
 
Pipe Line said:
I would say this is my one fear as to why I haven't done anything the last couple months. I just can't mentally process not having a steady paycheck in the winter like I've had over the last decade. I've been told that most people just file for unemployment but I'm too proud to do that.

My brother in law runs his own concrete plant and works with different concrete/construction contractors and I've thought about that, but I just really got a thing for cutting grass and pushing snow in my as I get deeper into my 30s.

I would say my other issue, personally, is I've basically been a "yes man" work wise for the last decade, and I'm getting sick of that combo with my current position, but I've also seen solo guys cutting grass at different places of business around me when I'm out with the family or walking my dogs at 7ish at night during the week due to whatever reason and I'm like damn, I don't wanna do it that late either.
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Could add other gig work in winter. I know some people make a killing hanging Christmas lights.
 
kyle23 said:
Buddy of mine has done this for over a decade. He ran multiple crews for years, but scaled back in recent years due to stress and increasing costs. He's a sharp guy with a good work ethic, but he looks exhausted for five months out of the year.

He now manages one crew and pushes snow independently for one good local contractor. This still requires him to work 12-16 hour shifts but the money is too good to pass up.

The reason he keeps doing it is that it frees him up in the fall and spring to hunt, fish, and spend time with his family. He does well, but his wife is still the breadwinner.
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I do fine but my wife is still the bread winner and about to increase that bread with a recent opportunity that came her way. Personally I wouldn't care about working that much as long as I enjoy what I'm doing and I can still be there when my family needs me. Another reason I haven't pulled the trigger as we creep into summer is I just have so much freedom in my current job and it pays the bills and I'm pretty much available whenever my family needs me for something, I just hate doing it every day.

But, my daughter starts Kindergarten in a few months and my wife teaches Elementary so her schedule is already wild, but my daughter's schedule is about to be full days at school and so I simply don't have to worry about being quite as available as I had to be this year with having to pick her up from school each day, and some drop offs, and some family events they had. But, fall gets closer to winter and finding that guaranteed paycheck for the winter that's worth it compared to what I make now.


It's genuinely starting to feel like just running my own business, slowly to start, and then progressing each year might be the way to go given my own personal "conditions" you could say, at 33 with a family.
 
Pipe Line said:
I would say this is my one fear as to why I haven't done anything the last couple months. I just can't mentally process not having a steady paycheck in the winter like I've had over the last decade. I've been told that most people just file for unemployment but I'm too proud to do that.

My brother in law runs his own concrete plant and works with different concrete/construction contractors and I've thought about that, but I just really got a thing for cutting grass and pushing snow in my as I get deeper into my 30s.

I would say my other issue, personally, is I've basically been a "yes man" work wise for the last decade, and I'm getting sick of that combo with my current position, but I've also seen solo guys cutting grass at different places of business around me when I'm out with the family or walking my dogs at 7ish at night during the week due to whatever reason and I'm like damn, I don't wanna do it that late either.
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Common practice is just to file unemployment. Do you have any experience with a snow plow? If so, you can probably leverage for a annual salary gig
 
TampaBaySkers said:
Common practice is just to file unemployment. Do you have any experience with a snow plow? If so, you can probably leverage for a annual salary gig
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I don't, but I'm a quick learner and good with a truck in the winter and snow blower, gotta be kinda close. Yeah my friend I talked to probably a month ago said he has one massive snow contract that keeps his own income coming in during the winter and a second smaller one that helps.
 
iruletheskool said:
Could add other gig work in winter. I know some people make a killing hanging Christmas lights.
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My mom's neighbor paid a company like $3k to put up those all year around jellyfish lights on her house. Not even that big of a split level house.

If you are somewhat handy there is a lot of little jobs like that for people that don't like to mess with things like that anymore.
 
I have zero exp in that sector but business wise, look around or online and see how many lawn care/landscaping companies are in town. Building clientele and owning your equipment would be key, I think.

Love the idea and think you’re young enough to do it.
 
Boondock_St_Sker said:
I have zero exp in that sector but business wise, look around or online and see how many lawn care/landscaping companies are in town. Building clientele and owning your equipment would be key, I think.

Love the idea and think you’re young enough to do it.
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So my best friend ran his own thing for about 5 years on his off days from fire fighting. He just stopped before this season but we talked about it during his bachelor party about 2 months ago and how saturated that industry is. Without giving you my background novel I’ve always had an underdog mentality based on my athletics career so to put it simple I love competing In saturated situations.

I honestly actually already have the equipment, minus a small trailer to make it happen. Been toying with this idea for 2 years now and my initial toe in the water idea was to do 2 yards on Saturdays and 2 on Sundays in the neighborhood. I have a residential zero turn mower so I figured at worse I could just drive it to houses that are close to me lol
 
Pipe Line said:
So my best friend ran his own thing for about 5 years on his off days from fire fighting. He just stopped before this season but we talked about it during his bachelor party about 2 months ago and how saturated that industry is. Without giving you my background novel I’ve always had an underdog mentality based on my athletics career so to put it simple I love competing In saturated situations.

I honestly actually already have the equipment, minus a small trailer to make it happen. Been toying with this idea for 2 years now and my initial toe in the water idea was to do 2 yards on Saturdays and 2 on Sundays in the neighborhood. I have a residential zero turn mower so I figured at worse I could just drive it to houses that are close to me lol
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That’s a good way to start. If there any commercial properties nearby (apartments, strip malls, office buildings) maybe go throw them a bid.
 
I’m not in the industry but my understanding is the real money starts when you put the mower/shovel down and focus 100% on operating the business instead of actually doing the work. Marketing, bidding, running crews, etc. A lot of headaches you have to deal with like spending a bunch on Facebook ads only to see zero ROI, Jim Bob doesn’t show up because his baby momma is trippin and now everything is behind because crew is short, etc. All the guys I know living this life are constantly stressed, living off cigs, energy drinks, gas station food probably won’t make it much past 55-60.

If you really want to go down this route I’d probably keep some sort of regular income source and devote all your other time to building the business and then when it’s at the point you can replace your income in it go all in, but just know at that point it’s not all about being a landscaper/mower but a business operator.
 
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Go for it! Be passionate. Love what you do! It’s all about networking with your clients. Pay them for referrals and good references. I’ve always thought about parking lot striping being a great sideline for the snow removal guys! It could increase your value to the property owner. Tell them you’ll sweep up the shit from the snow piles, sweep the lot regularly so people aren’t bringing the dirt in the buildings, and also paint the lines, maintain the landscaping. Maximize the business at every business. Full service, and less running around town cutting a bunch of Karen and Darren’s lawns for cheap.
 
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