Property Maintenance Business

[DBrown]

I have been toying with the idea of starting up a lawn care/ property maintenance business for some time now. Along with residences I wanted to target small business`s, and rental property owners. Seeing there are many rental property owners on here I was wondering if I could get any feedback?

-what as a rental property owner would you be looking for in a maintenance company?
-what issues have you had with previous/current companies?
-what has worked? what have you liked about certain companies?
-would a company that specialized in one certain thing be better / or would having a one stop shop be better?

I would really appreciate any information, suggestions, and feedback.

Thanks!

 

[Thomas Beyer]

Expectations .. in no particular order or relevance as they are all relevant to start and sustain a business !

honest services .. for honest $s
show up on time .. or phone if late
competitive rates
quality workmanship
do what is expected or quoted
no unquoted surprises
prompt telephone answering
friendly phone manners

 

[EdRenkema]

QUOTE (DBrown @ Oct 10 2010, 01:30 PM) I have been toying with the idea of starting up a lawn care/ property maintenance business for some time now. Along with residences I wanted to target small business`s, and rental property owners. Seeing there are many rental property owners on here I was wondering if I could get any feedback?
-what as a rental property owner would you be looking for in a maintenance company?
-what issues have you had with previous/current companies?
-what has worked? what have you liked about certain companies?
-would a company that specialized in one certain thing be better / or would having a one stop shop be better?

I would really appreciate any information, suggestions, and feedback.

Thanks!

I`ve been in the business before and its tough, initially you may think you are making money but in reality you are not... that coupled with the fact that everybody and their brother thinks they can do it. Doing lawn maintenance specifically is both a skill and a knack, some people never really have a feel for it, look at professional firms and how they do their work, they follow a system and make a place look sharp and professionally done, they don`t just cut the grass.
If you seriously want to make it in that business you have to get established, build a portfolio of properties and then target the condominium property managers. I understand this even more now that I own 7 condos. There is a fund already set up and you learn to charge a certain amount per unit, follow that up with exceptional service and you will do well but winter is killer, lawn maintenance can be spread out through the week - when it snows you have to be everywhere at once, think about it.
Small businesses and properties are where you will start but to build a real business and leverage your time you need to get condo contracts.

 

[housingrental]

Great posts above
Only think I can add is being available and providing fast response time for lawn cleanups on landscaping jobs for small landlords - especially on multiplex`s with no super - so needed to get to property few days after mowing to do fast cleanup to keep property in conformity in by-law - and being able to fit in a job on same day notice
also helpful - when you mow lawn and notice broken glass, items etc. on lawn you don`t ignore this

 

[housingrental]

I`ll also add re Ed`s point on winter - I`ve actually had people under contract quit and go out of business from the strain of this.
Waking up at 3:00am and working 12 hours of hard work during every snow storm takes a very strong will!

 

[RedlineBrett]

I get a handful of solicitation emails each month for landscaping and already have a list of companies that can do this. Lots of competition out there.

However there is a market for a good handyman service in Calgary. Most handymen aren`t business builders so if you think you are both it may be worth a shot.

 

[DBrown]

Thanks everyone for the great list of things to consider. I guess thats where I`m having some difficulty trying to figure out if I would make it or not. I like to think I do good professional work, but is it going to be good enough to compete with the big firms. Plus how many other Joe`s think the same thing as me. The thing is that I work until the job is done, and I am anal about doing things right. However I don`t specialize in anything. I`ve never really done landscaping, just mowing, trimming, edging, raking, garbage clean-up. That sort of thing. I`ve thought of ways to make my business different, like providing a green approach to lawn maintenance, or having a checklist to complete on the land and exterior of the property. Kinda of like an inspection every time I`m there so things get brought to attention sooner then later. I`m just not sure if any of these ideas are good enough to make my business work.

 

[bizaro86]

QUOTE (DBrown @ Oct 11 2010, 11:53 AM) I`m just not sure if any of these ideas are good enough to make my business work.

Most businesses fail. However, almost none fail because the initial idea wasn`t good enough. They fail because of burnout, or cash flow issues, or a million other reasons.

If you want to build a business, ultimately you need a system so its not just you working your butt off trying to keep up. You`ll never last working 12 hour days not being able to take a vacation. I recommend you read "The E-myth Revisited" by Michael Gerber. Your local library should have a copy. It talks about the difference between working as a landscaper and working on a landscaping business, which is an important difference.

Michael

 

[DBrown]

QUOTE (bizaro86 @ Oct 11 2010, 03:26 PM) Most businesses fail. However, almost none fail because the initial idea wasn`t good enough. They fail because of burnout, or cash flow issues, or a million other reasons.

If you want to build a business, ultimately you need a system so its not just you working your butt off trying to keep up. You`ll never last working 12 hour days not being able to take a vacation. I recommend you read "The E-myth Revisited" by Michael Gerber. Your local library should have a copy. It talks about the difference between working as a landscaper and working on a landscaping business, which is an important difference.

Michael

Thanks Michael. I am familiar with Mr. Gerber. I don`t think I`ve read that one though. I`ll definitely check it out. Thats exactly what i wouldn`t want to happen. To create myself just an other job where I would have to work even harder and longer hours at. I want my business to provide me with financial independence and freedom.

 

[DBrown]

QUOTE (RedlineBrett @ Oct 11 2010, 08:36 AM) I get a handful of solicitation emails each month for landscaping and already have a list of companies that can do this. Lots of competition out there.

However there is a market for a good handyman service in Calgary. Most handymen aren`t business builders so if you think you are both it may be worth a shot.

Hey Brett, Just wondering when you say "handyman" what type of services are people looking for? Is there a minimum amount of services that should be provided to even consider starting up? Or can one offer what they can do and sub-contract the rest of the work out?

 

[MarkHealy]

Bo Peabody in his book "Lucky or Smart?" has a line "so you`ve decided to become an entrepreneur, that`s your first mistake"
He was not slamming those with the entrepreneur spirit but rather noting that true entrepreneurs don`t "decide" to become one they have that spirit right down in there core. Others are what he calls "entrepreneurial managers" - they can run the business they just can create it

As an observation of the posts you`ve made (I not saying I`m right just what I`m reading into it) you don`t seem at this stage convinced you will be able to succeed. That attitude alone might sink a viable business. Those who I`ve seen do well in business are the ones that "know" they will, they just have to figure out how to make it happen.

There have been some great ideas about customer service that property owners look for in any business partner they work with.
A question you need to ask is "Do I have the drive, the desire, the passion to make this work?"

Having started about 10 businesses (currently running 4) I would say that is the big question
In Don`s first book he had the illustration of skipping a stone, good stones are effortless to skip. Any stone will skip if you put enough effort in to it (like a canon)
If you are willing to put that much effort into a business why not make that business real estate instead of service industry
Better results for less effort (This a a painful lesson that I like to keep teaching myself when I get bored and start off after the next red wagon)

What ever you choice - Live your dream

Mark

 

[RedlineBrett]

QUOTE (DBrown @ Nov 29 2010, 05:25 PM) Hey Brett, Just wondering when you say "handyman" what type of services are people looking for? Is there a minimum amount of services that should be provided to even consider starting up? Or can one offer what they can do and sub-contract the rest of the work out?

I own a property management company and we get calls for everything under the sun. You need to be able to solve whatever problem you run into - so if you can`t do it yourself do you need to be able to diagnose it and see it through with the required subtrades. You also need to be able to write up a proper invoice, explain what it was and how the issue was solved and be somewhat easy to get a hold of.

People will pay for this service so you don`t have to charge bargain basement rates. Consumers will also accept a call out charge most of the time.... because if they knew what the problem was and they wanted to deal with it they would be calling the sub... not you! You can make a healthy living solving problems that are too small for most GCs out there and you will definitely be busy.

 

[dplummer]

Mark is right. You need the winning attitude to suceed. Being in the building & property maintenane bussiness for over 25 years you need this attitude. Property Mangers are a great source of income. You need to service the heck out of them. When they call for emergency service night or day you need to respond quickly. Non emergency work orders must be looked after in a timely matter. Very important to get a work order from the PM. All billing info & the work required needs to be on the WO. DO NOT perform work with out the work order. You will live or die by them. Record your hours of labour & materials on the wo. Peoples memory fades. You`ll be asked at some point in your career to produce evidence of why something cost what it did. Snap photo`s , document everything & be excellant at paper work. We service over 800 condo units, work with a dozen or so Property Managers performing handy man, emergency services, lawn & snow, swimming pools/hot tubs, etc. You want to be the first guy (company) a Property Manager thinks of when they need a service or have a problem. You need to be a problem solver & make the PM look good. Just my 2 cents. Hope it helps.

Doug

 

[gwasser]

QUOTE (dplummer @ Dec 8 2010, 03:33 PM) Mark is right. You need the winning attitude to succeed.
Doug

Since some one else put in 2 cents, here is my 1 cent`s worth of thinking.

Show up with a `I can solve this for you attitude` rather than pointing out all the problems and how difficult the job is. Just do it - properly, on time, for a reasonable price and... never fortget to do all that with a smile. Don`t be afraid to delegate to a subcontractor (skim off a bit for finding the work - 10%) but getting the job done is number 1 (another number one?

) - even if you can`t skim.

Only happy customers return (some times).

 

[RedlineBrett]

QUOTE (dplummer @ Dec 8 2010, 03:33 PM) Mark is right. You need the winning attitude to suceed. Being in the building & property maintenane bussiness for over 25 years you need this attitude. Property Mangers are a great source of income. You need to service the heck out of them. When they call for emergency service night or day you need to respond quickly. Non emergency work orders must be looked after in a timely matter. Very important to get a work order from the PM. All billing info & the work required needs to be on the WO. DO NOT perform work with out the work order. You will live or die by them. Record your hours of labour & materials on the wo. Peoples memory fades. You`ll be asked at some point in your career to produce evidence of why something cost what it did. Snap photo`s , document everything & be excellant at paper work. We service over 800 condo units, work with a dozen or so Property Managers performing handy man, emergency services, lawn & snow, swimming pools/hot tubs, etc. You want to be the first guy (company) a Property Manager thinks of when they need a service or have a problem. You need to be a problem solver & make the PM look good. Just my 2 cents. Hope it helps.

Doug

Wow great post and spot on!

 

[bizaro86]

The only thing I`ll add to all the investors/managers pining for great handyman service is to not be afraid to fire a customer. You will inevitably come across people who want you to set up all their subtrades, drive all over town picking up supplies, supervise, provide progress reports, and take verbal abuse from them, all without getting paid for that time because, "you weren`t the one doing the work."

In some cases, the customer isn`t always right. It makes sense to try and provide great service, but it doesn`t make sense to deal with unreasonable, unprofitable people. You`ll make more money and have a better quality of life if you tell customers of that ilk, "I`m sorry our business isn`t meeting your requirements, and hope you have better luck finding someone else more suitable to your needs."

I`m not saying to do this regularly, but it`ll come up, and it makes sense to be emotionally prepared for it. It can be hard to turn down work when you spend time searching for jobs.

Michael

 

[Thomas Beyer]

QUOTE (dplummer @ Dec 8 2010, 04:33 PM) .. You need to be a problem solver & make the PM look good...
Amen to that !!

Plenty of business around with that attitude .. in any market and in any economy !

Toilets flood, pipes break, snow needs shoveling, lawn grows and needs cutting .. whether the Dow is at 10,000, 20,000 or 4,000 !