Grass Cutting For The Elder Generation

[TheChangingMan]

Hi,

Home grass cutting service especially aimed at the elder generation..

Has anybody had experience of this type of business and if so possibly share some advice?

basically is it something that is viable as a business model?

many thanks

 

[chris.quinn89]

Why would you only want the "elder generation"?

 

[TheChangingMan]

Why would you only want the "elder generation"?

because they are people who have a disposable income, enjoy more holidays and maybe don't relish grass cutting anymore.

would certainly not just limit it to the elderly though

 

[loubycee]

Hiya

I regularly help a friend that runs a successful gardening business. I have to be honest, we love the elderly but it seems rare that we get a request for that type of business other than the council or homing schemes getting in touch - and thats an occasion in itself as they usually have a subcontractor in place and need us for a one off.

Honestly, I think concentrating on this kind of target market is fine if you don't want to rely on regular income or turnover.

How about focusing on promoting yourself as a unique business - lady gardeners, [town] gardeners, garden maintenance specialists, garden design experts etc

Focusing on a very very tiny corner of the market may lose you lots and lots of business....

hope that does help in some way

 

[leedsdomesticcleaners]

My friend runs this type of business, got contracts with private schools, mcdonalds and during the summer its perfect.... but when it comes to winter the business is just about ticking over.

 

[seeingISbelieving]

So it's basically just a gardening service then. Except you only mow lawns . . for the elderly.

Your local evening and free papers, phone directories, etc, will be heaving under the strain of the number of gardening services looking for work. It's one of the easiest businesses to set up, and one of the hardest to get regular work. It has to be built up and established over a long period of time, and would be mainly reliant on repeat business from satisfied customers and word of mouth referrals.

Good luck. Will give you a call for a quote for a trim, when I'm 65.

 

Hi,

Home grass cutting service especially aimed at the elder generation..

Has anybody had experience of this type of business and if so possibly share some advice?

basically is it something that is viable as a business model?

many thanks

With the right equipment it can be a nice little earner.

I pay £14 every fortnight to have the grass cut includes strimming.

Takes 20 minutes.

Earl

 

[ian-d]

I think you'd need to offer lawn maintaince services on a grander scale, but there are companies already on the mass market that do this such as Green Thumb etc. I for one certainly wouldn't let anyone near my lawns unless their equipment was suitable, i.e. sharp blades etc to avoid damage.

 

[TheChangingMan]

I think you'd need to offer lawn maintaince services on a grander scale, but there are companies already on the mass market that do this such as Green Thumb etc. I for one certainly wouldn't let anyone near my lawns unless their equipment was suitable, i.e. sharp blades etc to avoid damage.

Maybe you are right, but these companies do charge a lot more and sometimes customers just want a regular cut at a reasonable price, nothing too fancy!

I don't think that just targeting elderly residents would be the way forward as there are holiday cottages, buy to let landlords etc who would benefit, I do think though that offering just a cut gives the business an advantage over garden maintainance services being slightly more "niche"

 

[CreaseProof]

Not sure about where you live but there are loads of retired people around me... and they cut their grass more than I do! They all seem to be quite proud of their gardens.

When I was working full time I didn't have time to or quite often, didn't want to! However, as I'm renting, it's part of my tenancy agreement to keep the garden tidy.

Maybe instead of grass cutting for the elderly, you should aim more towards professionals and house/flat renters?

Maybe you could speak to some letting agents and ask if you could provide services to them? The grass at the house that I used to live in was mowed regularly but it was organised by the letting agent and I had to pay an annual garden maintenance fee.

 

[loubycee]

Just a thought, if it only takes 30 minutes and you're charging £15 per hour, then travel and diesel in between have a think about how much its costing.

As garden maintenance, we charge about £18 per hour and work on an hourly basis, so when the grass is cut and strimmed, we work on weeds, ivy or whatever else needs sorting out until we've worked our time, but we never just make up work so if its a half hour week then so be it.

Basis being that a well maintained garden, once we've got our hands on it, needs fortnightly care so 2 hours per fortnight works for some.

L

 

[papverpoppies]

In the village I live in, (8 houses) 2 of them have their lawns cut (and they are not elderly), if money was NO object, I would have mine cut as well.

So I think there is a market, agree about just offering a lawn cutting service, as I tend to think 'garden contractors' would be more expensive.

Get some leaflets, stick ads in local shops, visit local pubs and leave details, basically get as much coverage as you can.

Local WI, (if you have one).

You will never know unless you try... also it could progress to other things for the winter, spot of indoor painting etc, if people get to know and trust you, things could shape up for you.

Good Luck

Pops ~xx~

 

[KateCB]

I have my lawns cut every 2 weeks - it costs me £10; strimming and cutting. The guy who does this also does general garden work, so I ask him to prune bushes etc in February, tidy the borders in spring and keep them nice through summer - he charges me varying amounts, but a winter clean up, which includes the last cut of the season, tidying of borders, weeding where necessary, pruning if applicable etc costs me £25.

Last year he painted the fencing for me, and there is a lot of it - bought the materials he did the work - he also painted all the window frames, soffits etc as the house is a tudor style so lots of wood to maintain, and there are 23 windows alone - he charged me £400 and I was very happy with that - it won't need doing again for 5 years, but he was happy and I was happy!

I am not elderley, I do have time, but not inclination to do it, and to me, it works out at around £1 a day to have the back, side and front of the house looking great all year around.

Don't limit it to grass cutting, don't limit it to 'elderly' (ageism?!!) - make it a service where you do things that you are capable of....i.e. fence painting perhaps?

 

[Estimator]

Hmm, lets see - you are targeting a sector that:
a. Has lots of free time.
b. Take a pride in their garden's appearance.
c. Have the equipment in their shed.
d. Have been cutting grass since before you were born - as something relaxing to do at the weekend.
e. Know the value of money.
So why would they give you £15 to cut their lawn?
Have you thought about applying for the Apprentice?

 

Hmm, lets see - you are targeting a sector that:
a. Has lots of free time.
b. Take a pride in their garden's appearance.
c. Have the equipment in their shed.
d. Have been cutting grass since before you were born - as something relaxing to do at the weekend.
e. Know the value of money.
So why would they give you £15 to cut their lawn?
Have you thought about applying for the Apprentice?

Because its an horrible job and it knackers you when you get old.

Next question.:|

Earl

 

[Dan Frazer Gardening]

Hi,

As the owner of an established professional ground maintenance business I will offer my opinions on this.

Don't target elderly people alone.

There are many people with money to give you for a good tidy service. Why try and limit it? You have to focus on being completely reliable and that's how you will maintain that client-tradesman relationship. People value someone who always turns up when they say they will. Buy the right equipment so you don't have to cancel on rainy days, signwrite your van, wear a uniform, be polite even in the face of someone being rude, and smile.

 

[internetspaceships]

With the right equipment it can be a nice little earner.

I pay £14 every fortnight to have the grass cut includes strimming.

Takes 20 minutes.

Earl

Mug... Lol I pay £12 for a whole 60 minutes. He does all kinds of work too!

 

[papverpoppies]

Hmm, lets see - you are targeting a sector that:
a. Has lots of free time.
b. Take a pride in their garden's appearance.
c. Have the equipment in their shed.
d. Have been cutting grass since before you were born - as something relaxing to do at the weekend.
e. Know the value of money.
So why would they give you £15 to cut their lawn?
Have you thought about applying for the Apprentice?

Cutting grass is not on my relaxing list, perhaps if you've got a pocket hankie sized garden - maybe.

Its like saying why do people pay to have a cleaner come in, when they have the time and equipment.

I wish I could find someone to come and cut my paddocks, my rides on broke, and I am sick of getting it mended

I hate Winter, but at least the grass stops growing

Pops ~xx~

 

[papverpoppies]

Mug... Lol I pay £12 for a whole 60 minutes. He does all kinds of work too!

I'd bite his hand off......that's a fantastic price.
Tell me if he re-locates to Cumbria.

Pops ~xx~

 

[Estimator]

Because its an horrible job and it knackers you when you get old.

In which case you are getting into the area of the chronically ill, incapacitated and disabled because most fit pensioners would do it themselves.
In cases where they can't, we then have family members, neighbours ( Big Society ) and the social services could probably call the council gardens dept. in if it was really out of hand.
There is also Alan Titchmarsh, if you are desperate.
Either way, the target market for the OP looks very restricted to me.

 

[Estimator]

Its like saying why do people pay to have a cleaner come in, when they have the time and equipment.

Why do they?
Someone with plenty of free time, a limited income, why wouldn't they clean their own muck up?

 

[papverpoppies]

Why do they?
Someone with plenty of free time, a limited income, why wouldn't they clean their own muck up?

More exciting things to do.......anyway if every body cut their own lawn, did their own cleaning to name but two, how many would that add to the unemployed figures.

If you got the dosh, then why not make life easy for yourself, as well as putting work someone's way.

Win win situation to me

Pops ~xx~

 

[internetspaceships]

Why do they?
Someone with plenty of free time, a limited income, why wouldn't they clean their own muck up?

You've never seen the program "how clean is your house" then I take it?

The pig stys that a lot of people in exactly the situation you described live in say it all.

 

[Hedgie]

I looked at doing this a little while ago. If you spend a few quid on decent equipment then it could be a nice little income. I decided it was a non starter for me as there are already a half dozen of them round by me.

 

Mug... Lol I pay £12 for a whole 60 minutes. He does all kinds of work too!

Well my gardener has a 2k mower and an electric start petrol strimmer.

And I bet he gets more grass cutting done in 20 minutes than a guy using a flymo does in a day.

Earl

 

[Hedgie]

I was looking at paying £600 for a petrol mower and £150 for a petrol strimmer to start with.

 

I was looking at paying £600 for a petrol mower and £150 for a petrol strimmer to start with.

My guy says buy the best you can to make the job easy.

He whips around half an acre quicker than Lewis Hamilton.

Earl

 

[Dan Frazer Gardening]

I was looking at paying £600 for a petrol mower and £150 for a petrol strimmer to start with.

Drop me a pm if you want any recommendations, or better still join the forum at landscapejuice for all sorts of advice on starting up, say I sent you!

 

[wevet]

because they are people who have a disposable income, enjoy more holidays and maybe don't relish grass cutting anymore.

would certainly not just limit it to the elderly though

I would suggest you aimn at younger clients who have disposable income and, unlike older generation, might perceive that they have better things to do than cut their grass.

The strategy of aiming a business at a speciifc demographic or gender has inherent risks. You must be be quite sure that there is a sufficiently large market within that demographic/ gender before you start painting yourself into a strategy which might cost you a deal of money.

 

[Estimator]

I would suggest you aim at younger clients who have disposable income and, unlike older generation, might perceive that they have better things to do than cut their grass.

Yes there are some naive posters that seem to think all pensioners spend their time on cruises and playing golf, and that they have plenty of money to spend on gardeners and even domestic staff. :|

 

[papverpoppies]

Yes there are some naive posters that seem to think all pensioners spend their time on cruises and playing golf, and that they have plenty of money to spend on gardeners and even domestic staff. :|

Are we reading the same thread:|

Cannot escape the fact that the older you are, you probably have more disposable income ....not all, just some.

I think it would be silly to pitch this business at one age group, but then that is up to the OP.

There must be some people going on cruises, and playing golf, both these industries are thriving......

Having just cut 2 acres, with 2 more to do, which will ALL need doing again in a few days......I say bring on the men and women who do this for a living.

I salute you

Pops ~xx~

 

[JMRidley]

My husband has a gardening business - we live in an area with a large older population and so this is definitely a good part of his customer base. Reading this boards it sounds as though people are splitting older people into the "still completely active so can do it themselves" or "disabled, incapacitated and needing social services! In our area, there are a lot of people in between who perhaps have a large house and garden that they want to stay living in but who don't quite have the energy/health to maintain themselves. My husband gets all his work through word of mouth - he's very reliable, reasonably priced and knows enough about gardens/flowers etc. to be able to have a chat with his customers about their garden which they really appreciate. He does also have some customers who are working professionals and/or renting accommodation who don't have the time or inclination to do their own garden but want it to look nice.

 

[internetspaceships]

He's not in Harrogate by any chance is he?

 

[JMRidley]

He's in North Yorkshire, but not unfortunately near enough to Harrogate!

 

[surgery_cards]

What about cutting hedges as well? Our's are 8ft and take us ages to cut back! I'd love to pay someone else to cut them but haven't seen anyone advertising this service apart from Professional Tree Surgeons who I guess would charge a fortune?

Our neighbours are elderley and the hedges are too high for them to reach so we end up doing theirs as well. Another possible idea?

 

Our neighbours are elderley and the hedges are too high for them to reach so we end up doing theirs as well.

Have you thought of moving to sunny Whitstable.

There is a house for sale right next to us.?:|

Earl