Forum

About the Landscape Juice Network

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.

Sole trader and want a holiday - Regular lawn schedule

Posted by PAUL on September 14, 2017 at 6:28pm in Business

Hi folks.

I am hoping to take a week off next year in August for a family holiday. I run a lawn mowing business, mostly on a fortnightly schedule and I'm resigned to lose a weeks money. Unless anyone has a better idea, but how do I move the schedule about?

So, for example if i want to take week 32 off to go on holiday, do I push these customers to week 33 and week 33 customers to week 34 (effectively putting all clients onto a 3 week schedule for this one time, but also means will complicate bin collection day) or (and this is my favoured approach so far) do you just tell week 32 that I'm having that week off and will be back in 4 weeks and leave the week 33 customers alone.

I'm resigned to lose a weeks money ... unless anyone has a better idea??

Views: 1527

You need to be a member of Landscape Juice Network to add comments!

Join Landscape Juice Network

★
★
★
★
★
Votes: 0
Email me when people reply –
Follow

Replies

  • Craig Flatters September 15, 2017 at 3:00pm

    Personally, I'd just put them all back a week. Don't worry about bin collection day.

  • PRO
    Harry@VWGS September 15, 2017 at 3:50pm
    I'd take week 32 off and when you get back just continue with week 33, take the loss in wages and let your clients know they won't see you until their next scheduled slot, you won't lose any if your good and reliable, after all you can't work 52 weeks of the year, you need a break, and your clients will benefit from increased productivity because you've actually taken a rest and not worked yourself into the ground... enjoy your holiday
  • 1st Garden Maintenance September 15, 2017 at 4:23pm

    I agree with the two above, but when you in this business it is best to take your holidays in the off season and go somewhere where it's warm.

    • PAUL > 1st Garden Maintenance September 15, 2017 at 5:51pm

      Going in the off season is a nice idea but not so practical for our family at the moment

  • PRO
    Green Girl Garden Care September 15, 2017 at 4:35pm
    I tend to tell that weeks customers that we need to skip and visit as it's such a hassle telling everyone we need to move visits. If there are some that really don't want to wait do them as overtime the week before.
    • PAUL > Green Girl Garden Care September 15, 2017 at 5:50pm

      I'm leaning towards this solution aswell. I have no worries about customers begrudging me the break. August normally slow grass growth in my area

  • Matt Johnson September 15, 2017 at 5:38pm

    Do you have a reliable family member or friend that could help out for the week and cover you or do the mot important clients? 

  • Jack Chapman September 15, 2017 at 5:41pm

    Personally, I'd plan ahead, get some help in getting ahead and working a short Saturday. Catch up with help when back - aiming to get two thirds done before you go incase the weather is bad.

    Obviously wouldn't work if you're at 95-100% capacity as it is however. Given we have lawn treatments and a bit of hedge cutting to cover too, we can box smart as to when we take these on, building around our mowing and holiday dates.  

  • PAUL September 15, 2017 at 5:55pm

    Thanks for responses. As I thought, no magic solution. If I take a holiday will i just need to suck up the revenue loss. Ah well, more to life than money. 

    • Elizabeth Reeves > PAUL September 15, 2017 at 6:47pm

      When you are self employed if you don't work you don't get paid. Something you just have to get used to!

This reply was deleted.

Hot Discussions

Leading contributors

Featured Discussions

Trade green waste centres

LJN Sponsor

Advertising

Blogs

PRO Supplier

Agrovista Amenity continues partnership with The Tree Council

Posted by Fusion Media on April 10, 2024 at 7:43am in Industry news

Agrovista Amenity is excited to announce that it will be continuing its partnership with national environmental charity The Tree Council, pledging to sponsor the planting of more than a thousand trees. The trees will be planted over the next…

Read more…

More on LJN

Featured business articles

About LJN