$13,000 Landscaping Project / Property Walk with Keith Kalfas /Tips & Mistakes to Avoid

[@alphainteractions3408]

Keith you are crushing it brother. Thank you for sharing big dawg✌

[@keith-kalfas]

Thanks dude. I love your channel. "Mr. Tidy Garden". I need to come to Ireland so we can do a video dawg.

[@mr.tidygarden]

@@keith-kalfas get over here and hit me up👊

[@AlbertoGonzalez-yu3pe]

I do that 40% deposit at first arrival and remaining payment the day of completion. Very good video I feel like I'm quoting with you guys

[@loopsanbarrera8036]

Great video guys thanks 🙏

[@mr.tidygarden]

Thank you for the inspiration and motivation for my gardening channel ✌ Damien from Ireland😊

[@keith-kalfas]

There you are Playa.

[@cesarestrada5506]

Thanks my friend for all you motivation 🤙🤙

[@MrWallyrooster]

Bro, my biggest mistake was using pump gas in my weed-wacker. So my tip is to go to Magic Racing in Utica and get you a 5 gallon can of VP Fuels T2 Race Gas. Yes, you wear it out faster when you are now able to run like 30,000 RPMs, but you get more lawns cut in a faster amount of time. So in the long run, you actually come out ahead. Plus the race gas smells nicer, so it improves customer relations.

[@fuckhead69100]

It's a waste of 💰to put race gas in a whipper lol

[@sureshots8155]

Why don't you use ethanol free?

[@julianlanda395]

Hey Keith my brother and I have started are 2nd year of business in landscaping out here in Utah we just went all in getting our company up and moving not quite running yet but we will haha I truly appreciate your videos because it has saved our butts from being Tookin advantage of and it gives me a bigger look at the picture of how business should be ran to be successful thank you.

[@713skywalker]

This is Landscaping/Lawncare University for me...thx! 💯😎

[@keith-kalfas]

Haha thanks Skywalker.

[@davidharris4458]

He says that you will have to take a couple hours to sit down and find all the materials calling different places! So far I don't have one minute to sit down and make calls I constantly have to call while I'm working how did he get a couple hours to sit down during business hours that's what I want to know! I love this guy and he is taught me an immense amount about business, personal life, and attitude, and this is the first thing I have questioned of his.

[@laurenjeancrow]

This is so helpful. I love the idea that a big job is a bunch of small jobs combined. Are you including labor in your "cost" of the job before adding on profit margin?

[@bjorncarlgren710]

Inspect what you expect! Big fan I appreciate your videos bro!

[@dallasklahr1362]

Dude.. I love you and your amazing helpful videos. I just wish I would of found you sooner.

[@keith-kalfas]

Happy to help!

[@TheBender1000]

Will you also release a progress video to: discuss each phase, and to show the end result?

[@loopsanbarrera8036]

Thanks. I'll be waiting...

[@yellowjacketlandscapingllc9472]

This video is gem!!! 💎 Don another video Dawg!

[@JonsDailyHustle]

I appreciate you sharing this info and tips with us. I'm always up for learning as much as I can

[@Jpizzle4]

Good video. Been watch Keith for few years now. Thanks guys

[@keith-kalfas]

Thanks James

[@Jpizzle4]

Me and my buddy got to meet u at the GIE expo 2018 Keep the videos coming. 👍👍

[@saulfalcone4817]

Good to see you guys too!

[@keith-kalfas]

Thanks Saul

[@wesleemiller]

Great video.

[@cameronadams4083]

What kind of tree is the one pruned like a mushroom? I seen it toward the end off to the right on the neighbors side.

[@Fencearmor]

Packed with knowledge. Great great video Keith.

[@keith-kalfas]

Thanks man.

[@Fencearmor]

@@keith-kalfas A pleasure!

[@jackmasters9953]

Hey K. Did you backfill the front side of the edging and then seed??? I usually bury the edging so about an inch is above the rock or mulch. Love the black edging!! Stay warm and safe😃😃. Update us on the man cave plz.

[@keith-kalfas]

Yes. Everything got backfilled and tamped and seeded.

[@chrisposada6221]

What's up big dawwwwg , we going full blown down here in South Florida , summer came a little early lol

[@keith-kalfas]

That's awesome. Are you doing maintenance? Cutting grass?

[@chrisposada6221]

@@keith-kalfas yes I do maintenance and landscaping big dawwwg , I work for a big company look them up it's called renfore & Jackson out in Naples Florida

[@saulfalcone4817]

not quite there yet in central FL

[@juancarlosorozco5736]

Thank you guys when you two get together and make a quote tutorial and talk about Murphy’s Law and how much time is lost when going to the store or dump Thank you guys

[@beansntoast]

Keith, at 17:00 you were about to drop a gem on us and were interrupted. What were you going to say? I need to know! Thank you for every video you've put out, you're a big inspiration.

[@wesleemiller]

Just subscribed.

[@thephilb]

I prefer just to talk the customer out of the weed barrier fabric, never had anyone insist on it. IMO it doesn't work very well, and after a few years it always seems to poke through the mulch and look horrible. Also to me it seems like it prevents the mulch from breaking down into the soil and enriching it.( many homeowners never amend the garden with anything else either)

[@Pantelifts10]

I always recommend NO fabric. From experience it's more of a negative long term. The only place ill use it at is at an area when there's only riverrock down and nothing else

[@thephilb]

@@Pantelifts10 It definitely has its uses, I just don't think a bark mulch garden is a good application for it.

[@bonsummers2657]

In California, maximum downpayment, per CSLB rules, is 10% or $1K, which ever is less, with exceptions being for special protection bonds circumstances.

[@ronnie8272]

Speaking from experience. DO NOT START A PROJECT UNTILL YOU HAVE A SIGNED CONTRACT AND A 50% DEPOSIT BEFORE MATERIALS ARRIVE AT THE SITE.

[@solenya89]

I want more

[@lunch_box794]

Hey Keith congrats on your success man. What kind of Bluetooth head set do you use?

[@keith-kalfas]

Hbs280

[@lunch_box794]

@@keith-kalfas Thanks. If you get a chance check out Jocko Willinks book "Extreme Ownership" very good point of view about taking responsibility as a leader. I have been listening to it on Audible its humbling!

[@patrickwheatley6156]

Does Forrest still work with you?

[@richkjoseph1973]

Weed barrier before plants it’s so much easier!!

[@localcustomer4646]

That page blank 🧐

[@jeffdorris5321]

Lets go ⛄⛄

[@Cleanest5thgen]

Thanks Keith, that's a good margin thats how it should be. You can't work for free. Its upsetting that all these low ballers in my area price so low and that makes our value go down. I'm about where you are with pricing, if I'm not making 30-50 percent I'm not taking it..people around here are climbing 40 foot palm trees for 30 bucks. A palm tree is skinny and sways with a slight gust of wind your risking your life for 30 bucks? Crazy

[@keith-kalfas]

100 very true.

[@cjbsr3]

What happens if you're planting certain shrubs or trees and the customer comes out and changes their mind they don't want that shrub or a tree they want something different who eats that cost

[@keith-kalfas]

Hmm. That never happens because I create a checklist and verify the plants with the customer Before they go in the ground. Example: We go to the nursery pick up the preselected plants based off of options that I discussed with the customer beforehand. Once all of the plants are on the property. We place them (while still in the pots) all around the garden beds > just like our drawing/design/blueprint. Or whatever we think looks best. Then... i go and knock on the customer's door (customer has already been notified far in advance that I will need them to give us approval of plants and planting locations). Then we move the plants a little to the left... a little to the right. After the customer approves. THEN The plants go in the ground. If the customer can't make up their mind. I'll buy an extra 4,5,6 random plants/shrubs from the nursery and show them off. 7 times out of 10. The customer likes them. If they don't, I return them to the nursery. Note: If you've never done this stuff before. It can be stressful. Because it can become a guessing game of trying to make your customer happy. But stay confident. Even if you have to make an extra trip or 2 to the nursery. It doesn't matter in the long run. Your job is to serve your client at the highest level that you can. Bigger jobs are more complex Because you are solving a bigger problem.

[@saulfalcone4817]

Verify and Contract

[@saulfalcone4817]

Thats around the price point and profit margin of a project I just estimated. I am worried my price was too high, so I'm trying to compare it to this. Moving forward I'm charging a Retainer for anything involving a design before I invest the time to create a design and estimate. That should eliminate shoppers and protect my time investment and some what protect my intellectual property ie designs.

[@saulfalcone4817]

Is shooting for 50% net profit too steep?

[@Elswick17]

Always do free estimates. Charge a fee for a design (which gets knocked off if they close on the job) and give it to them for them to own and use elsewhere. Or b do the design for free and never give them the rights to it. (No email or text only in person) Screening over the phone and going with your gut after an estimate helps with tire kickers. If I don’t think they’re too serious I’ll spend 10 min doing a rough estimate and give them a ballpark, then go from there. However if I think they are serious, I will do a very detailed accurate estimate right out of the gate.

[@saulfalcone4817]

Generally speaking (and above a simple layout) a Garden or Landscape design in the proper sense is an intellectual labor, and wither it is created by a full time Landscape Designer or an Entrepreneur on the rise it is a time expenditure and business expense, and a valid professional fee, potentially of a high value. A good design when executed properly ensures the garden is functional and healthy(assuming it is maintained properly). It is not something to give for free just because you closed them. Some designs are worth hundreds some are worth thousands.

[@saulfalcone4817]

@Barack Obama don't take my word for it, but consider it from horticultural and business perspectives and consult those who have been in biz longer and make your own decision.

[@saulfalcone4817]

I'm still using graph paper, or drawing over the geo data on paper or digitally. But I started presenting with 2d images made in GIMP. I'll switch to a pro software when I have a budget for that. I'm very conservative with expenditures.

[@rincondetamayopepe]

No snow in wisconsin ?

[@rendlc902]

Older video, he just reupload it. That's why no snow

[@largeogres2415]

How the hell is it so green there with it being the middle of winter

[@keith-kalfas]

Top secret time machine.

[@rendlc902]

Older video, just reupload.

[@largeogres2415]

@@rendlc902 I know

[@rendlc902]

This is a reupload.

[@keith-kalfas]

Nuh uh.

[@rendlc902]

Yup I seen this one a while back.. I watch all your videos.... Explain the no snow... Gotcha!

[@jaychatfield9937]

I love Keith’s videos but Bryan is so pretentious that I can’t stand watching him on video let alone could ever imagine working with him.