Hey guys looking to see what you think about this idea, or if any of you have this.
My company offers Pressure washing, soft washing, window cleaning, gutter cleaning.
The thought has crossed my mind to add-on yard maintenance. I know this is pretty much a totally different beast than cleaning. The idea however is to have a company that completely takes care of the the customers needs. What do you think of the idea?
Thanks!
I also posted this in PWR forum, I know not everyone is a member of both.
I like it bro. I want to have yard maintenance as a add on as well. Iām debating to start over and just go by my name or to keep the same and throw people off with glass and grass.lol
Most will say keep it separate but I say Why? I like your idea and I think you can gather a lot of yearly customers by it.
Itās almost impossible to be everything, to everyone.
IF you can find a way to expand your income streams without suffering quality loss to your other services, and be good at anything you decide to add as an income stream, then go for it.
Though Iām sure unless you are just mowing commercial lawns, that people will expect you to landscape too. All this is quite a bit of equipment to add, as well as at least another truck and drop gate trailer.
I like the idea of āone stop shoppingā. I worked for a company like that for 10 years. We didnāt do yard work, but that seems to fit with your business name Bluebird Exteriors. As a primarily solo operator I only want to clean windows, thus my business name Just Window.
Evan, I will quote my response from PWRA, if any others would like to add to the discussion here as well.
Not a bad idea, but you definitely should take some time to learn the landscaping market in your area, if you havenāt already done so. There is a big difference in lawn service and landscaping as well. Most areas are saturated with grass cutters, and margins are slim. To be a licensed landscaper (not just grass cutter), at least in my area, you also need to be a horticulturist with knowledge of landscaping blueprints and local flora, fauna, and their applications.
You would be spreading yourself thin, because you would also have to run a separate crew, or dedicate days to haul your landscaping trailerā¦ which would take away time from your other business. Please donāt forget the additional insurance, and licenses this would require.
I hope I am not discouraging you, but these are the realities I have already dealt with.
If you really want to try it, then this time of year may be a good timeā¦ grass cutting slows down significantly, you could focus on fall cleanup, and work your way into the busy season. You can also look into tree cutting, and pesticide/herbicide applicators license to spray roundup/weed control. All of these require licenses, and insurance coverage of course.
I think the more services you offer, the more work you have available to you, but sometimes the risk/reward just isnāt favorable. Some customers are not just looking for someone to cut their grass, they will want full landscaping. It may be easier, and more beneficial for you to get familiar with a landscaping company in your area, and build a business relationship in which you refer each other workā¦ or it has been discussed here many times to offer your time to work for free to learn the business. Good luck brother, I wish you the best if you decide to add these services.
The transition into other services is fairly simple especially with commercial mid rise window cleaning. The contact person for the window cleaning service usually also the same contact who contracts other services like lawn maintenance, cocky painting sign installation, Etc.
The joy of questions like this is they are purely opinion based. So, I offer mine.
I cleaned high rise for 6 years with some route work and an occasional house.
Iāve had my own window cleaning company now for a couple months. I am focusing mainly on residential because I live within a few miles of several expensive neighborhoods where people are too busy to do all their own maintenance. I think I like the idea of jack of all āexterior cleaningā trades, rather than a jack of āall exteriorā trades. Clean the roof, clean the gutters, clean the house, clean the driveway and deck/patio. This still colors you a ācleaning specialistā and not āthe guy who does my windows and lawn.ā Biggest downside? I donāt want to be on roofs so it would be hard to include roof cleaning without being up there, I donāt even like being at gutter level for gutter work.
I think having something like that MIGHT be a goal for me in a couple years. A couple upsells could net you a 1 client, 600-1000 day which is nothing to scoff at. Getting just into PW I think is a goal for as soon as next summer.
It might be a good idea if you were short on work, but I guarantee the window cleaning only businesses are making a hell of a lot better money than the guys who mow yards (theyāre a dime a dozen). Focus on building your CLEANING business. The only add-on I have outside window cleaning is a ceiling vent cleaning because the customer asked me to do it for a ridiculous amount of money. Another thing to think about, yard maintenance requires a lot more overhead than window cleaning.
Iām all over this. I think it would be awesome, you could offer different packages the customers could pick & choose from.
Ex:
Window Cleaning
Pressure Washing
Soft Washing
Lawn Maintenance
You could then have them choose which of them, they would like. Or you could offer a deluxe package with all of them, for a slight (5%) discount. The only issue I see is the overhead, everything but window cleaning is quite a bit for starting off.
Oh cool, I used to do construction and I have built some homes in Piney Flats.
Maybe you can shoot me an email and we could get together.
Email: Evan @ Bluebird Exteriors LLC .com
Hey Bluebird
This is exactly what I do.
I just started the other way around.
This year itās time to grow the window division.
What Iāve learned is that it is hard to compete with cash guys on small properties.
We concentrate on larger 1 to 2 acre lots or bigger properties with a higher end customer.
Lots of costs in the mowing world, but I like the recurring weekly revenue.
Like anything know your numbers and charge accordingly.
Good companies are not everywhere, better customers donāt like the rusty trucks leaking oil on their driveways.
Customer service is key.
Hard to be solo in that world, you need staff to do bigger jobs.
Thanks for all your feedback guys, Iām going to give it a shot and see how it goes. If nothing else I can always cut out mowing again if it doesnt work.
