Tired of SAHM. I need a PT job

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not work doing this for a gardening center or landscaping company?

Because after several years working for them I realized I was not going to be able to grow financially. Those business owners expect employees to work 9+ hours without recognition.

[Anonymous]

Ideas? Hell no. If you'll actually do the work involved - sure.

[Anonymous]

You could start freelancing, or look for a job with a garden center that has landscape architects or whatever your degree is in. Some people will pay that much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Used to work FT before starting a family. It’s been 8 years and I now need an income. My brackground (including a degree) is in landscapes and gardening. I’m bilingual. Would you be willing to pay around $60/hr to get ideas for your garden or business’ outdoor patio/terrace?

Pay you $60/hr for you to tell me that I have too many weeds and that some really nice azelas along the front would make my house pop? Um, yea. I know all this.

$60 is rather greedy. That's a consultation fee? And I don't get anything else with that - work, landscaping, weed removal, anything? Could you at least mow the lawn for that price or put down some new mulch???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You could start freelancing, or look for a job with a garden center that has landscape architects or whatever your degree is in. Some people will pay that much.

That's just it, OP. You will have a very very small group of customers that would be willing to pay for your service (which I'm not even sure what it is - just a consultation? Then you pay more to get the project done?).



Since your clients would be far and few, I'm not sure all your time in effort in marketing yourself, driving out to people's houses, paying for childcare for your own kid(s) while you do this will pay off.

[Anonymous]

$60 to do the actual work or to coordinate the effort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Used to work FT before starting a family. It’s been 8 years and I now need an income. My brackground (including a degree) is in landscapes and gardening. I’m bilingual. Would you be willing to pay around $60/hr to get ideas for your garden or business’ outdoor patio/terrace?

Pay you $60/hr for you to tell me that I have too many weeds and that some really nice azelas along the front would make my house pop? Um, yea. I know all this.

$60 is rather greedy. That's a consultation fee? And I don't get anything else with that - work, landscaping, weed removal, anything? Could you at least mow the lawn for that price or put down some new mulch???

I don’t offer mowing, weed removal or any of those heavy duty jobs that other people without experience and education can do. $60/hr includes my time to get there, my time gathering info about the especific garden conditions, chatting with you about your likes and dislikes in the garden, recommendations to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Used to work FT before starting a family. It’s been 8 years and I now need an income. My brackground (including a degree) is in landscapes and gardening. I’m bilingual. Would you be willing to pay around $60/hr to get ideas for your garden or business’ outdoor patio/terrace?

Pay you $60/hr for you to tell me that I have too many weeds and that some really nice azelas along the front would make my house pop? Um, yea. I know all this.

$60 is rather greedy. That's a consultation fee? And I don't get anything else with that - work, landscaping, weed removal, anything? Could you at least mow the lawn for that price or put down some new mulch???

I don’t offer mowing, weed removal or any of those heavy duty jobs that other people without experience and education can do. $60/hr includes my time to get there, my time gathering info about the especific garden conditions, chatting with you about your likes and dislikes in the garden, recommendations to you.

Then, if you decide to hire me for a fine planting job, I will deduct the $60.

[Anonymous]

I am PP who has her own successful landscape design (only) practice. It sounds like most of those responding won't be your customers and do not understand the business.

I probably don't have a typical fee but my entree is about $6500-$8500 for the design and then I charge hourly to supervise the installation and make at least that again. My highest design fee was $85,000 for the original design and I have been back for tweaks nearly every year since. I design everything from decks, porches, swimming pools, driveways, drainage, walls, gardens - and work with architects on new homes or rework established gardens. I find the right landscape contractors (and bring them enough work that I am a priority for them so my clients get on their schedules when I need them to be.) I don't want to grow bigger and stay mostly part time. I hire extra help as needed and there are enough landscape architects/sometimes I even hire just architects around who just don't have the go it alone personality.

I only design/install container gardens for about a dozen of my clients but people pay me $1000's of dollars to do and then come back again year after to year to update.

Those suggesting you work for an established company have no idea you'll be lucky to make $15/hr. If you have the background that you mentioned - you'll do well on your own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am PP who has her own successful landscape design (only) practice. It sounds like most of those responding won't be your customers and do not understand the business.

I probably don't have a typical fee but my entree is about $6500-$8500 for the design and then I charge hourly to supervise the installation and make at least that again. My highest design fee was $85,000 for the original design and I have been back for tweaks nearly every year since. I design everything from decks, porches, swimming pools, driveways, drainage, walls, gardens - and work with architects on new homes or rework established gardens. I find the right landscape contractors (and bring them enough work that I am a priority for them so my clients get on their schedules when I need them to be.) I don't want to grow bigger and stay mostly part time. I hire extra help as needed and there are enough landscape architects/sometimes I even hire just architects around who just don't have the go it alone personality.

I only design/install container gardens for about a dozen of my clients but people pay me $1000's of dollars to do and then come back again year after to year to update.

Those suggesting you work for an established company have no idea you'll be lucky to make $15/hr. If you have the background that you mentioned - you'll do well on your own.

There's a difference between paying someone with clear skills, certifications, and a professional body of work between $4,000 - $8,000 for the plans and supervision of the new landscaping versus someone who just picked up the profession and decided they can do it. OP is a mom with a hobby who wants $500 for a day of doing something I could ask the home depot teller clerk about.

If I asked you about drainage issues or sediment values or the possibility of putting a koi pond versus a hot tub in I'm sure you'll have information on what I'm seeking, excellent partners I can work with and potentially experience doing exactly what I wanted. I would be willing to pay what you're worth and I actually plan to in the next year but I'm not going to hire someone who is only able to half-ass it and still be out a couple hundred bucks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Used to work FT before starting a family. It’s been 8 years and I now need an income. My brackground (including a degree) is in landscapes and gardening. I’m bilingual. Would you be willing to pay around $60/hr to get ideas for your garden or business’ outdoor patio/terrace?

Sorry. I would have before the Internet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ideas? Hell no. If you'll actually do the work involved - sure.

That’s you. But I’d actually rather pay for a plan, and do the work myself. One of the reasons I haven’t hired a landscape company is because they want to do the design and grading and planting. I only want them to do the grading and water management. I’d like to be involved in teh planning, and do the planting myself. So yes, OP, there may be a niche for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, I wouldn't, OP - not to someone who isn't part of a respected, proven firm with lots of reviews.

this. Maybe 20/hour just for ideas. But you wont work as a landscaper at that rate without a current portfolio. I just spent 50K on design and consutrction with a very well respected landscape architect for a project.

[Anonymous]

You should offer your services for a reduced cost to local places, neighbors and go from there by word of mouth.
That's where you build your portfolio. Also, work for a local landscaping/gardening place.

[Anonymous]

I would definitely be interested, OP. Those companies and consultants with the huge portfolios just seem expensive and over-the-top to me. I feel like my small home project would get punted to some newbie.

When you work directly with a small business owner I feel like you get really good 'above and beyond' service.

You should post on your neighborhood Nextdoor. Be sure to have recommendations who would can DO the work. Also, ideas to add 'curb appeal' to facades would be really helpful, too.