Help with pricing gardening services!

[vfem]

This may sound stupid, but I had someone ask me 10000x questions about gardening... raised beds versus this or that, watering, organic vs heirloom, so on and so forth...

Then they asked me about hiring my husband to build some, what about placement? How do I track the light? What options for fences....?

WOW!

I thought, I need to start charging for one on one time consulting on starting an organic garden. I guess it may be worth my endless reading and attempts for the last 2+ years. I absorbed a lot more information then I orginally thought!

I am by no means a genius, but I am pretty sure I have several classes worth of info stored away... its been enough for my blog, and the knew writing job.

Now though, I am offering my services as a consult for those do-it-yourself'ers out there. To actually go out and get them a lay out idea for their garden ideas (thankfully I've been an artist all my life and can draw anything!), teach them the basics of composting, explain organics, heirlooms and I know a good amount now about native plants for our area (outside this area... not so much).

So what would one charge per hour for said such services? I would assume I'd be running off a teacher's pay! divided by 2!

In addition to these services my husband the carpenter is offering building raised beds and compost boxes at a rate of cost + $18 an hour.

 

[ducks4you]

I applaud your initiative!!
You should do a web search and find out what like services cost in your community and in communities close to you within around the same cost-of-living. Have you been in your own business before? If so, you're probably aware that some customers will NOT complete payment. DH has been running his own attorney's office since 09-08--I, also, ran my own business (different field) for 10 years. He quotes fees, accepts "payment plans" and has been gyped. It's not cost-effective to sue (excuse the term, but you should consider it before you start) customers who cheat you. Of course, he wouldn't be charging himself an atty's fees if he did!
I would suggest, after you figure what you want to charge, to create charts of your service/fees. Demand $1/2 down BEFORE you start. Take digital pictures of your finished work and ask GOOD customers for references. You could use your computer to create and print brochures--do this even IF your operation is very small. Talk to your tax man about any additional taxes you might incur from running a small business because you wouldn't want to find out that your local/state/federal government has decided that your enterprise was Supposed to be taxed, but you didn't do it, and NOW you owe money (that is, in the future.) DON'T be discouraged by what I'm writing. THIS is the time to be entreprenuerial! This could be a good money-maker for you. You know the old adage: "Do a job you love, and you'll never have to work!"

 

[vfem]

I am a half up front kinda girl I have my own baking business right now (you may see some advertising on the bottom of BYC this month for my store on Etsy). My husband has also been a contracted carpenter who does hourly, and costs work for other companies now along with a roofing company.

We are fabulous about balancing funds... and invoicing... and like said before, we never do anything but QUOTE for free. With a quote we get to slide in the minimum up front costs.

Teaching I'm good at anyways, because in college I got certified in Photoshop 7 so I could teach people what was on the test and how to prepare. Helped make me money in college since I was in art and IT at the same time.

I have this uncanny knack to retain information... I learn something, I know it forever! (Until my head explodes! lol)

I know better the to sue... you just bug them until you run out of hope, and walk away! I also know perfectly well to refund a pissed off customer rather then try to deal, its not worth my time or headaches... and in most accounts to have money in hand, you'll never deal with them again!

Currently, I pay taxes and make claims on my current business from home... thankfully there is no 'service' tax in NC for my business... just my usual self employment tax. My husband would do any building work for me, and that under his builders license so I couldn't sweat having to touch that mess!

Either way, I just want to charge for my time... I feel better with the idea I would only take a lose on my time, and there would be no monetary costs up front from me. Unless we get to the building point.

At least we already have refrences from neighbor's we've worked with, and my own realtor is having us put in her garden since she's seen what we've done with this house she's in love!

I decided to do this now, if its an option at all to do... because everyone who wants to do it, should start now! I won't be bothering this come late spring/summer since I'll be engulfed in my garden!

Thank you for the advice... I will for sure be doing my own printing, or (just in case you haven't done it) VistaPrint.com has so many free options... they are great for the person starting out to try!

 

[ducks4you]

Sounds great!!! The only other thing I didn't mention was that I undercut MY competition by about $5/hr. to grow my business. (This was 1985-1994, and I didn't have the same facilities for my riding academy, so I felt justified.) I've even heard Gordan Ramsey recommend this to more than one restaurant he's tried to save. It's all about what you can afford--but you already know that. Good luck, and please, keep us up to date on your progress!!

 

[vfem]

This is a just a part-time 'thing' to help get us some extra $$$ right now. Big issue is really much deeper then that...

As I said, I have a baking business... and I rather just deal with that right now... it makes me happy... and I sew and garden as well, but that's always been my fun stress relief... why would I need another job. (I am writing for that newsletter now part-time as well, but not getting paid yet)

My sister, and mom are both laid off and NOT getting unemployment... they tightened up unemployment so badly that they are backing up all these people and denying them right away! So they have had no income other then my father for 3 months (my sister lives with my parents w/ her 2 kids). So 5 people on an income of maybe $2000 a month. My dad runs his own business since I was laid off twice in 2008!

So I want to help... I'm trying to increase my uses, my jobs, my income so I can give to them what I can.

But to add to their stresses... my mom is paying 2 lawyers right now who haven't done anything but continue cases and cash checks! (That I basically paid a lot on) My mom had to cash out her retirement 1 year early at a 30% lose because of everything. She was in 2 car wrecks last year, including one where a motorcyclist died and she's being charged. She was also let go from her last job because of medical reasons and a surgery my mom had that went bad... they took her severance pay, her vacation time, and an account she set up to have additional savings for her medical needs and won't give them to her. So I have to get another lawyer for that. She's so depressed she's given up and sleeps all day!

All I want to do is start paying down these stresses so she can actually get back to life before its too late!!!!

If I have to work 3 jobs at this point, I think I would.... I just figure if someone needs these services, I will supply them!

I'm just not finding anything like this locally... I am finding people who come in and turn soil, weed, plant, harvest... yada yada... but that's not what I'm doing!? Should I start looking into what teachers charge per hour for private lessons on things?

 

[ducks4you]

Tough to answer. Apparently, the LOCAL private tutoring where I live only charges $6/hr., despite the lowest pay in the county (private school) of $24K/year. (I'm certified K-9, just not employed by a school dist., this year.) Again, the Net is your best friend here. Let Google search for you. SOMEBODY else in this country must offer the same services for a fee. START SEARCHING! It's also about what the market will allow where you live, and if THAT is worth your time. I'm sorry for your circumstances--perhaps your sister and mother could help you with some of the bookkeeping for this new business? I know a women who has ALL 3 adult daughters move back home, and everybody has daily/weekly chores so that they do not BURDEN HER.
We ALL do what we need to do when there are troubled times. DH and I have pinched pennies for over 30 years now, sometimes more, and sometimes less, while I've had to listen to my mother rave about how well my cousins and her friends have done for 3 decades. (She's a real control freak, and delights in competing with me.) STILL, our little coterie of myself, DH, and 3 DD's have been very happy, and we've pitched in to help each other.

 

[vfem]

Thanks, oops... instead I looked for services through craigslist, as well as careerbuilder and junk... and all I found was landscape services. I'm going to try googling and using county and triangle RTP searches instead.

BAck in the day there was a career website that had average pay scales for certain professions based on the cost of living in your area. You just needed to do a search by zipcode and it would build a sample pie chart to give you an idea.... I can't remember that site to save my life right now.

 

[vfem]

I'm sorry for your circumstances--perhaps your sister and mother could help you with some of the bookkeeping for this new business? I know a women who has ALL 3 adult daughters move back home, and everybody has daily/weekly chores so that they do not BURDEN HER.

That would be great... but the honest truth is they are losers in life, and have always had someone handing them everything... they can barely get up in the morning at NOON without complaining.... I wish it wasn't so, but it is what it is... and no matter what, family is family and you're stuck with 'em!

I am like you though, and we struggle to save... but unlike everyone we seem to know, we live below our means and manage to save. We've rescued ourselves from every emergency... but it doesn't stop family from putting in their 2 cents when you don't need or want it.

 

[Lavender2]

Goodness vfem... sorry for the tough times for you and your family!

Might you have community education programs in your area that you could work with?
Our school district, city, and senior center offer such programs. They are always looking for community members who wish to share their talents and teach skills in many areas... sewing, cooking, dancing, basic auto repair... a class in bird watching basics is even offered this spring.

Classes vary in cost... instructors are paid from 12 to 20$ per hour, depending on the subject and instructor fees. You don't have to be a professional or certified teacher. Organic gardening is a popular subject right now... if you have these education programs in your area I would think it would be a class of interest to many.

You may not make a lot just instructing a class or two, but you may be able to find a creative way to use this to help find clients for personal consulting or garden design and construction

Good luck to you, and your family!

 

[obsessed]

Sorry to hear about the rough time your having. I also want to remind you to take some air for yourself every now and then. You got lots of love here so