Temporary Slowlane Decisions

[ChillyWilly]

Hi,

I'm after a bit of advice.
I work the winter months full time as a self employed carpenter working for a couple of local builders.
I have a small lawn mowing business I started a year or so ago as I got inspired by YouTube videos (American). And I needed to start a business for my own development.
I live in the UK and I think that the market for lawn mowing services are not as large and America but I do make more money the days that I do mow compared to the days that I'm a carpenter. But this may be because as a carpenter I work for builders as a sub contractor, and when I mow, I work direct for customers.

The past year or so I've fitted 6 kitchens and I make a very nice job of them. So I'm thinking my options are,
Grow my garden maintenance business, which isn't known for being well paid here in UK.
Or
Start a Kitchen fitting business, as it's a niche, I'm good at it and I imagine it can be profitable.
Or
Learn something new or do something else. (I'm 34)

I would like to add, my family depend on me, we are at this moment pretty skint, I have 2 young kids so not much free time either! I'm aware this isn't fast lane, I just want some advice or ideas from you guys and girls as I dont know many, if any business minded people which I can ask.

I'm aware that this is just me asking for value and not providing any myself but I'm hoping that eventually I can become a valuable contributor to this forum as I learn and grow.

Kind Regards Will.

 

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[Jon822]

The best advice comes from the market. Try and get clients for the kitchen fitting business and then evaluate the demand and calculate your profit per hour worked. If it's viable and scalable, then do what needs to get done to scale it. Otherwise, repeat this process for any other venture. Only the market can consistently show you the right path to take.

 

[smackenzie]

Hey Will,

The past year or so I've fitted 6 kitchens and I make a very nice job of them.

Did you do this as a subcontractor or independent?

I imagine it can be profitable

You'd be much better off knowing for certain it will be profitable before making a shift, especially with a family to support.
If the kitchen fitting was independent, then you should have a good idea of the profitability already from doing 6.
I agree with @Jon822

evaluate the demand and calculate your profit per hour worked. If it's viable and scalable, then do what needs to get done to scale it.

You can make it fastlane with iteration in the future as well if that's the way you decide to go.

All the best,
Scott

 

[Spenny]

I live in the UK and the side hustle gigs you see in America (pressure-washing/bin cleaning/lawn mowing) isn't quite the same in the UK. The attitudes are a little different and it doesn't always translate well.

Start a Kitchen fitting business, as it's a niche, I'm good at it and I imagine it can be profitable.

I'd say do this and bin off the the lawn mowing. You have an amazing skill and monogamy proceeds polygamy in business. You'll do a better job, be more focused and less stressed.

Here is also the reasons why you have a great service to offer.

• You can work alongside other contractors (sparkies, plumbers, ect) to provide more value. They pass work to you, and you pass work to them.
• The need isn't very strong for cutting lawns, we haven't got home owners associations and gardens are a luxury.
• Kitchen fitting can't just be done by anyone. Lawn mowing can. People will likely hire for a kitchen to be fitted on top of an order of £6k. Nobody wants to botch their new kitchen & most people don't even know what a mitre joint is.
• You can hire an apprentice when you need to scale & need someone to make the tea.

If you were to learn a new skill which you suggest, do something in the realm of building - watch how other contractors do their job, and look to replicate it. My dad did this and was able to rebuild my entire 1800's four bedroom house, all of the plumbing, stud walls, beams, electrics, kitchen, tiles - his full time job is in housing insurance.

I've always been jealous of the trades - cash in hand, scalability potential, strong need, no one controls your transactions/business, it's hard for someone to get started off in. It ticks all of the CENTS prospects off.

I would like to add, my family depend on me, we are at this moment pretty skint, I have 2 young kids so not much free time either! I'm aware this isn't fast lane, I just want some advice or ideas from you guys and girls as I dont know many, if any business minded people which I can ask.

This is hard, because the focus is the kids. Perhaps you continue with your carpentry, save up and do kitchens on the side. Once demand picks up, you can transition to the kitchens.

How to scale? Tell friends you do kitchen fitting, do their fitting. Get a testimonial. Then (or at the same time) a basic website, google ads, get leads, do fitting. Get reputation up, get testimonials, keep running ads, do more fitting. There you go.

Check out this thread on google ads.

MARKETING - The Shortest Google Ads Tutorial Ever

Hey @Andy Black Would you recommend setting up offline conversion tracking for a campaign or is this only relevant once a good amount of sales are coming in ? Get conversion tracking setup once campaigns are running. You can start learning with only a sniff of data if you keep an eye on...

www.thefastlaneforum.com

Also check out @Andy Black's stuff. He does a lot of stuff surrounding service businesses for google ads, but he's the best bet on the forum for getting started & not stalling.

Thoughts?

Edit: I've seen robot lawn mower cutters & they work amazing. So your clients most likely to have a big garden (wealthy individuals) will likely automate this & the ones that are left have gardens which are not uniform and hard to traverse.

 

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[Mikkel]

It sounds like kitchen fitting would be more profitable and better suited to you. If you have an eye for detail and have a reputation for good work, referrals will pour in.

I don't know about the UK, but in the US. there is plenty of poor construction. When a person finds a good construction worker who cares equally as much as the customer, people will help you find customers for life... I should know. My dad has been an independent contractor for 20+ years. I haven't seen him advertise in over 10 years. Expect to advertise when you start out though.

Also, construction including niche industries within construction can certainly be Fastlane.

For instance, some people only do luxury construction. They offer a premium service with high quality work. They do the same work they normally would provovide, but because most other contractors are not as oriented to detail(they just want to finish the job quickly), they can't charge as much. So these luxury jobs charge a huge premium.

Just food for thought. Best of luck!

 

[ChillyWilly]

The best advice comes from the market. Try and get clients for the kitchen fitting business and then evaluate the demand and calculate your profit per hour worked. If it's viable and scalable, then do what needs to get done to scale it. Otherwise, repeat this process for any other venture. Only the market can consistently show you the right path to take.

Hi Jon822, I believe there is a market for both but am more confident that the kitchen fitting market is more lucrative. I believe this on the basis that tradesmen generally yet paid more than gardeners. Also there are kitchen suppliers in my area.

Did you do this as a subcontractor or independent?

Hi Scott, I did these as a subcontractor for a builder friend all on a day rate. Which is probably the least profitable way of doing it!

You can make it fastlane with iteration in the future as well if that's the way you decide to go.

I guess once the business is established, systems and a team would allow this.

 

[ChillyWilly]

Thoughts?

Hi Spenny, thanks for the reply.

I live in the UK and the side hustle gigs you see in America (pressure-washing/bin cleaning/lawn mowing) isn't quite the same in the UK. The attitudes are a little different and it doesn't always translate well.

I have done quite well with it and I'm glad I started because I've learned alot, like how to deal with lots of customers, how to quote and invoice and also how to build (a basic) website. I do believe that people in the UK are less likely to pay good money for basic home services.

I'd say do this and bin off the the lawn mowing. You have an amazing skill and monogamy proceeds polygamy in business. You'll do a better job, be more focused and less stressed.

It will be sad to this because I have built up a small customer base (recurring revenue) Google reviews, website and a catchy name. But its bloody hard work, I can make decent money doing it the way I do it but I cant imagine employees working like that!

Here is also the reasons why you have a great service to offer.

• You can work alongside other contractors (sparkies, plumbers, ect) to provide more value. They pass work to you, and you pass work to them.
• The need isn't very strong for cutting lawns, we haven't got home owners associations and gardens are a luxury.
• Kitchen fitting can't just be done by anyone. Lawn mowing can. People will likely hire for a kitchen to be fitted on top of an order of £6k. Nobody wants to botch their new kitchen & most people don't even know what a mitre joint is.
• You can hire an apprentice when you need to scale & need someone to make the tea.

Good points, I think both garden maintenance and kitchen fitting can be profitable so I think the deciding factor should be which one would I prefer to run and scale.
Garden maintenance is more physically repetitive, more commoditised, more labour to manage as profit margins are lower which would mean more people to manage to reach the same profit and also more customers to deal with.

Kitchen fitting is more diverse, higher profits, less commoditised and could focus on the luxury market (not sure if garden maintenance has a luxury market?). Also could add a design and supply service.

Both businesses, to be done to a high standard require efficient processes and attention to detail. One is highly physical and reasonably skilled, the other highly skilled and reasonably physical.

I wonder if kitchen fitting and more specifically luxury kitchen fitting would have less competition than a high quality garden maintenance service? I would guess so because the need is there for both but one has a greater barrier to entry.

How to scale? Tell friends you do kitchen fitting, do their fitting. Get a testimonial. Then (or at the same time) a basic website, google ads, get leads, do fitting. Get reputation up, get testimonials, keep running ads, do more fitting. There you go.

Check out this thread on google ads.

MARKETING - The Shortest Google Ads Tutorial Ever

Hey @Andy Black Would you recommend setting up offline conversion tracking for a campaign or is this only relevant once a good amount of sales are coming in ? Get conversion tracking setup once campaigns are running. You can start learning with only a sniff of data if you keep an eye on...

www.thefastlaneforum.com

This is great thanks, I appreciate having it laid out like this.

 

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[ChillyWilly]

It sounds like kitchen fitting would be more profitable and better suited to you. If you have an eye for detail and have a reputation for good work, referrals will pour in.

I don't know about the UK, but in the US. there is plenty of poor construction. When a person finds a good construction worker who cares equally as much as the customer, people will help you find customers for life... I should know. My dad has been an independent contractor for 20+ years. I haven't seen him advertise in over 10 years. Expect to advertise when you start out though.

Also, construction including niche industries within construction can certainly be Fastlane.

For instance, some people only do luxury construction. They offer a premium service with high quality work. They do the same work they normally would provovide, but because most other contractors are not as oriented to detail(they just want to finish the job quickly), they can't charge as much. So these luxury jobs charge a huge premium.

Just food for thought. Best of luck!

Hi Mikkel, thanks for the reply.

I decided to start the garden maintenance as I needed to change things up and was inspired to earn more money by starting a business. I also wanted to get away from construction as i was tired of breathing in dust all day! (Which i would like to sort out as it's my main frustration but also could be a good opportunity for some product development or USP, I.e.dustless kitchen fitting)
After doing a good share of garden maintenance I see that one service you are paying more for physical labour and the other service you are paying for skill. The value of the skill has become more obvious to me now that I've done both.

I think that there actually being a luxury market for kitchens is an important factor on deciding which business to develope.

I agree that quality workmanship does keep you in work. So far most of my building work has been for Contractors and not customers so the referral generally goes to the main contractor but I'm sure I can get some reviews from previous kitchens that I've done.

 

[ChillyWilly]

I would like to thank you all for the replies and the encouragement, it's all appreciated!
Thanks again, Will.

(@ Spenny I have replied but the post is awaiting approval)

 

[Spenny]

I do believe that people in the UK are less likely to pay good money for basic home services.

I would disagree. It's just that it's not a 1:1 translation.

I have a friend who runs an indoor eco-cleaning business and a security business - both are services, and both are lucrative.

Others on the forum based in the UK do service businesses, such as @Fasted, and there are others that are doing well, too.

It's just that some work well, others not so much because of subtle differences in attitudes.

It will be sad to this because I have built up a small customer base (recurring revenue) Google reviews, website and a catchy name. But its bloody hard work, I can make decent money doing it the way I do it but I cant imagine employees working like that!

Could you sell the run? You could approach ten local firms doing what you're doing and, sell off the business & pocket a nice lump sum.

 

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[ChillyWilly]

I would disagree. It's just that it's not a 1:1 translation.

I have a friend who runs an indoor eco-cleaning business and a security business - both are services, and both are lucrative.

Others on the forum based in the UK do service businesses, such as @Fasted, and there are others that are doing well, too.

It's just that some work well, others not so much because of subtle differences in attitudes.

Regarding the garden maintenance, the services I provide are lawn mowing, hedge cutting and garden clearance. I price work at around £35 per hour which means that a day gone to plan with travel time between gardens usually works out £240 per day income. Allot of clean, efficient work goes into that with some planning.

If I payed an employee decent money to work hard plus business running costs and planning time I think the profit margin would be small. But still maybe a scalable business, if the local market allows.

Could you sell the run? You could approach ten local firms doing what you're doing and, sell off the business & pocket a nice lump sum.

I think the customers, business name, logo, website and reviews together would be worth something to someone. I have a friend with a similar business who has helped me with business questions and decisions who I would give first dibs on this.