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Any landscapers/grounds maintenance contractors on MC?

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Cal:
Hi all,

Just thinking about a change of direction life and am wondering how landscapers and ground maintenance crews are being affected by the credit crunch and all that going on at the moment.

Is business still good?

Obviously this time of year is not the best to think of going in to gardening/grounds maintenance but am not going to make the move now - just trying to judge whether or not there is still plenty of work out there and then decide if to go for it.

Kind of feel like if I don't leave my desk job soon then I will be stuck here forever but am also worried about losing the relative security of being here (although we have just had some redunancies and there is whispering of more on the way).

What sort of kit should I be looking at getting? Have a brushcutter, hedge trimmer and chainsaw already, did have a trailer as well but that got stolen by some thieving scumbag.

Any thoughts/advice welcome!

Thanks

eugene:
that what a few of my mate are and they say when moneys tight people go back to doing it themselfs it only the rich that keep people going then they say they normal want more for there money than the normal man in the street

EbonynIvory:
It depends on what market/client base you are aiming at building. I have just left a gardening/landscaping business (change in career direction, not any thing to do with the economic environment) and there is still loads of work. But this is based on the edge of the Cotswolds where there is a lot of spare cash (IE directors of companies like Gullivers etc). The fact that we don't have cold winters any more, Gardeners are still cutting grass in December! So it can be very busy.

Do you have a chain saw licence?

One of the main difficulties with the gardening is if you need to get rid of the rubbish. You need a waste transport licence and some where to burn. You also need to very clued up on the burning legislation - they are quite strict. DEFRA is the place place to start with that.

As for tools: Sthill (not spelt right - can't remember how to!) combi strimmer - it allows you to put different heads on, like a long arm (high and wide hedge cutting), small chain saw, bladed strimer, edger (much quicker then hand edgers). Blower (beats sweeping and good for the leaves and hedge cuttings), various hand tools. Steel toe cap boots and an unbreakable flask! Wet wipes. (Trust me.) A decent lawn mower is a must. John Deer have just brought out a new range that I have been testing out. It has a second fan to blow the grass cuttings into the bag, therefore you don't have to stop every 2 seconds to unclog the mower of wet grass. It does actually work. An a decent truck/van to put it all in!

God, I sound like a geek.

Cal:
Thanks for your replies.

Ebony&Ivory (sorry, don't know your name) - I'd be aiming at a similar sort of market I guess - am close to the Surrey/Sussex border so plenty of large properties and money about, but also plenty of competition about as well. Seems to be the land of tree surgeons and grounds contractors...

I do have my chainsaw license - originally wanted to be a tree surgeon but then discovered I really didn't like being too high up a tree (DOH!!). I also thought about trying to become part of a franchise (eg Jim's mowing or nice n strupy) but am not convinced about the amount of money you have to pay them (plus I don't have as much as they want to buy the franchise anyway).

Thanks for the info re tools etc - I have chainsaw and a hedge trimmer at the moment as I help out some friends of friends on their large property but I'm lucky in that they let me use their mowers and strimmer. I'd been looking at the combi tool - neat idea and I like the sound of the John Deere mower!

You don't sound like a geek at all - it's good to have an opinion.

Out of sheer nosiness - what have you decided to move in to now?

TechnoTurkey:
I have a mate in the contract landscaping business and times are very hard at the moment, it is sometimes seen as a luxury that people can do without when times are hard.  Only way it seems to do well would be to get some contracts with local offices and other commercial premesis.

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