Hedgerow Landscapes
“Maintenance contracts carry the winter. Build jobs pay for the vans.”
GPGareth Pryce · Hedgerow Landscapes · Since 2012
12-mo revenue$271,770+3% vs last yearGoCardless + Xero
Based on 108 real landscaping businesses in Europe, including 37 that closed.
✓Your budget should cover this.
Bills run about $650 a month (fuel, insurance, rent, phone). Most owners make a profit after about 3 months. Keep this much aside to pay bills until then.
Register to transport waste if you take it away.
Only if you spray: plant protection certificate.
Register with your local trade office or chamber of commerce. Usually €50 to €400.
Free to about €10 a month. Keeps business money apart from yours.
Sets up your books and files your first tax return.
Before costs. Busiest April–October.
| Slow | Typical | Strong | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $3.1k | $5.9k | $11.3k |
| Year 3 | $8.2k | $14.1k | $24.2k |
| Year 5 | $10.3k | $18.3k | $32.6k |
Slow: 1 in 4 make less than this. Typical: half make more, half make less. Strong: 1 in 4 make more than this.
“Maintenance contracts carry the winter. Build jobs pay for the vans.”
“We sell the winter pruning contract in October, before anyone thinks about their garden.”
Mow Better Lawns earned well from April to September and almost nothing from November to February. With no winter work and no savings plan, Jake Lowe ran out of cash every January and borrowed to restart in spring. After the third winter he stopped.
$12.8k
about $114k
Starting costs about $101k less. Buying costs more, but you earn from the first month and skip the risky early years.
“The brand brings the phone calls. Keeping the crews busy in February is still my job.”