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  Andrew Mason November 12, 2016 at 10:34pm

  Go for it ! I set up on my own at the beginning of 2016 and haven't looked back, plenty of regular customers already and I have a waiting list. Get your pricing right in the beginning as it's difficult to increase from a low starting point and enjoy yourself ! Spend money on good equipment as you need it and avoid cheap stuff, it won't last and will cost you in the long run.
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    Adam Lott > Andrew Mason November 13, 2016 at 10:09am

    Thankyou, how do you price? Per job or hour? I'm worried I have a settled job now where I just put an invoice for my hours in and I'm going to be rushed off my feet with paperwork etc in evenings? Just have doubts in the customers and business etc not I'm myself and my hard work.
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    Adam Lott November 13, 2016 at 10:44am

    Thanks for your comment, yes that's the thing, leaving a regular wage a week for the hours I put in farming to go to an income that's Unknown. I'll be honest I earn around the £500 mark every week to be safe in farming and that's 5.5 days a week, about 52 hours. Not sure what I could earn gardening!?!?
    
    Regarding 'everyone doing it' it might just be because I was in the industry that I notice more people and maybe if I was a plumber I would notice all their vans if you get what I mean. I am in south east Kent so the garden of England lol. My initial town might not be the catchment area but I would say about5 miles out of my town is where the work lies.
    
    Ooooo what landscaping course did you do in evening? City and guilds?
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        Adam Lott November 13, 2016 at 5:19pm

        Thankyou, it's just a worry that I won't be able to make it work out and then will be out on my ear! I tried to make a go of self employed/ own business in forestry but I didn't have enough capital to get going really about 6 years ago and I couldn't compete with the competition but gardening I think would be easier. What hours do you work? I was looking at working 5 day week. How much of your day/time is looking at jobs pricing etc?
        
        I priced a few private garden jobs when I was doing forestry, for tree removal mainly but quotes weren't accepted. Maybe I was too high priced. Just have doubts and if anyone can overthink something that's me lol
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            Adam Lott November 13, 2016 at 7:34pm

            Yes it's such a difficult decision, it's very hard to say as I spray fruit at a farm with tractor and sprayer, I have my spray qualifications! So I'm sort of relied on for a certain amount of days a week and that's the problem with my job now is you can't plan anything as if the Tuesday let's say is wet you have to go in on the Wednesday to spray as couldn't when raining. Me and my wife can never plan anything lol. In the winter months it's a lot more relaxed but obviously so is the gardening trade.
            
            Also starting to do bits now and then to gauge the market for me would mean I would need to invest in a decent mower/trailer/ tow hitch for my car/ and other tools.
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              Adam Lott > Adam Lott November 13, 2016 at 7:34pm

              Yes the help you've given me so far is brilliant Thankyou
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  David Benson November 13, 2016 at 11:36pm

  as others have said your wages plus your overheads not forgetting the p.l. insurance and a few weeks of inclement weather over the year, servicing and replacement of tools holidays and the clients whom nock you off in September" and restart you in  May/ June  (thankfully I only have one)

  I work it on a 40 hour week over 5 days which gives me the chance of Saturday to catch up if needed I also employ one man full time witch is more expense on the overheads, accountant and payroll, employees liability insurance