How to Start a Home-Based Landscaping Business

by Owen E. Dell

Overview

Have you ever dreamed of starting your own landscaping business? Have you been hesitant to put your plans into action? This comprehensive guide contains all the necessary tools and strategies you need to successfully launch and grow your business. Using a friendly, entertaining approach, Owen E. Dell shares his experiences and down-to-earth advice on every aspect of setting up and running a thriving home-based landscaping business. He shows you how to purchase the right tools, estimate start-up costs, price services, and stay profitable once in business. From painless recordkeeping to cost-efficient management techniques, Dell’s step-by-step methods are practical, innovative, and easy to understand. Special features and workbook pages include: - Business Plan Worksheet - Material and Labor Records - Cost Worksheets - Tips on social media, SEO, and making the Internet work for you - Profit-and-Loss Worksheet

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781493011711
Publisher:	Taylor Trade Publishing
Publication date:	07/02/2015
Series:	Home-Based Business Series
Edition description:	Seventh Edition
Pages:	360
Sales rank:	444,930
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Owen E. Dell, RLA, ASLA, an Oregon-registered landscape architect and former licensed landscape contractor, is a forty-three-year veteran of the profession. He is also an internationally known lecturer, a writer for many national garden magazines, and a television personality. His award-winning projects have been featured in Sunset Magazine, Landscape Architecture, the Los Angeles Times, and numerous other books, publications, films, and television series. He lives in Corvallis, Oregon, where he continues to practice landscape architecture, teach, and write. Visit him at www.owendell.com.

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	ix
	Introduction	xi
Chapter 1	So You Think You Want to Be a Landscaper	1
	Measuring the Landscaper's Life	1
	What Kinds of Work Are Available and Who Does What?	2
	Do You Have What It Takes?	10
	Why Do You Want to Run Your Own Business?	12
	Making the Transition: Amateur to Professional	12
	Part Time or Full Time?	17
Chapter 2	Getting Started	19
	Start Up or Buy?	19
	Working Out of Your Home	21
	Tools and Equipment	22
	Other Office Basics	39
	The Bank Account	41
	Insurance	41
	Legal Considerations	45
	Business Taxes	48
	Defining Your Niche	49
	Conclusion	53
Chapter 3	Writing a Business Plan	55
	Why Do a Business Plan, Anyway?	56
	Preparing the Business Plan, Step-by-Step	57
	Some Tips on Raising Money	80
Chapter 4	Learning to Live with Record Keeping	83
	Bookkeeping	83
	General Business Records	106
Chapter 5	Employees: A Joy and a Nuisance	115
	How Many People Will You Need?	115
	Job Categories (Field)	118
	Finding Good Employees	121
	Legal Requirements of Employers	123
	Hiring	128
	Developing an Employee Manual	135
	Training Employees	136
	Managing Employees	138
	Record Keeping	142
Chapter 6	Getting Work	147
	Serving the Client Well	148
	Marketing Basics	149
	Getting the Work	159
	Advertising	163
	Alternative Forms of Marketing	169
	Keeping Track of Potential Clients: Contact Report	170
Chapter 7	Bidding	173
	The Main Elements of a Bid	173
	The Bidding Process, Step-by-Step	177
	Submitting the Bid	185
	Sample Bidding Forms	187
	The Contract	187
	Job Costing	194
	Sales 101	194
Chapter 8	Finally You Get to Do Some Real Work	197
	Designing the Project	197
	Project Management	200
	Getting Along with Others	218
	Getting Paid	221
	Following Up on Your Jobs	233
	Business Nightmares: Keeping Your Nose Clean	234
Chapter 9	The Long Haul	241
	After the Work Is Done	241
	Guarantees	243
	Liability for Work	246
	Long-Term Management	246
	Planning for Growth	254
	Planning for Retirement	255
	In Conclusion	255
Appendix 1	Resources	257
Appendix 2	Using the Internet	269
Appendix 3	Business Plan Worksheet and Other Forms	275
	Index	307

Editorial Reviews

We applaud Dell’s no-nonsense attitude, since it could save a wannabe landscaper a lot of grief.. .. Checking out [this book] is well worth the money and time.

HortIdeas Magazine