Founded in 2008. The Landscape Juice Network (LJN) is the largest and fastest growing professional landscaping and horticultural association in the United Kingdom.
LJN's professional business forum is unrivalled and open to anyone within within the UK landscape industry
LJN's Business Objectives Group (BOG) is for any Pro serious about building their business.
For the researching visitor there's a wealth of landscaping ideas, garden design ideas, lawn advice tips and advice about garden maintenance.
Replies
Hi John, priced work is hardest in these types of on going jobs. I know what i want to earn in a day, so if its 2 hours it will be roughly 1/4 of my day rate, plus some for travel and things. I wrap it up in "it doesn't matter how long it takes as long as its to high standards" I sell lawn and bigger hedges as separate jobs. I don't have any of my old customers left from a couple of years ago because the price difference was too much. Newer customers will take it or leave it. You'll find so much information on here for the subject you are on about, good luck!
You should consider pro membership here as there are many deep level posts on you topic. In the "BOG" pro members are more open on disclosing more sensitive info such as pricing, rather than in an a public forum. Personally I think the £40 membership has paid itself back to me easily x 100 in the advice it's given and helped steer me.
On your query, it's harder to price per job but you will have the opportunity to increase profit margin especially if you have the experience to look at a garden and know the weeding will take 3 hours and so on. Split out the jobs that require more skill and expensive materials and equipment (lawn care, hedge cutting for example) and internally price up higher than say weeding. Use what even internal working to fit your needs and business. By example, If that equates to 4 hours labour but adding on £100 for machinery and fuel you can soon get some sensible prices together. The customer does not have to know your cost workings that way you can maximise revenue and the all important profit.
I don't offer an hourly rate and some customers will walk away for that reason. I just move into the next customer! Also I feel the more our industry moves to priced jobs than a hourly rate will help increase income. Gardening work as a general approach is far too often treated as a low cost service in the domestic market when it's a specialist area. If it was all that easy there would be no market for our services!
Thanks for your comments.
I will certainly look at subscribing, as the site has proved to be very useful.