Picture it. The contract is in place and you start the installation of a homeowner’s landscape when they wander outside to check on your progress. Casually, they say, “This is beautiful. Could we add a fence to the plan to keep it that way?”
What is your response?
If it is anything other than an enthusiastic, “Yes!” it is time to consider adding fence installation to the list of services you offer. Offering fence installation as an add-on to landscaping jobs is a valuable service to your clients, but it is also one of the easiest ways to make extra money with a minimal investment.
The Challenge
Landscaping companies generally face two major obstacles on the road to becoming a profitable business.
First, landscaping is seasonal work. Like it or not, the landscape business booms during spring and summer months as property owners look to improve their curb appeal. Even as the season winds down, many property owners enlist the help of professionals to prepare their yards for the next year, planting bulbs and shrubs that can weather the winter months. But winter is a proverbial dead zone forcing many landscapers to turn to seasonal work to make ends meet in the offseason. Fence installation is one of the best ways to make extra money during these times since it can be done year-round.
Second, material costs. Finding suppliers that can provide you with high quality, low-cost product is always a challenge. Even the best-laid plans can leave you driving to big box stores more than you’d like. You may have even considered offering fence installation in the past but were turned off by the cost and quality of Home Depot fencing and Lowes fencing. Fortunately, there is an alternative.
How to Make Money Fast with Fence Installation
Adding fencing services can generation high-profit income in less time and with less investment than you think. If you and your crew are already building decks or arbors, you already have the tools and know-how to install fences. It’s just a matter of finding the right products at the right price. (Hint: You will not find them in the Home Depot fencing or Lowes fencing departments. More on that in a minute.) Once you have your fencing material vendor, upselling a client on a fence is relatively easy.
Retail giants like Walmart and Amazon have changed the way people approach their buying experience. Gone are the days when clients are happy to call a separate landscape contractor, fencing contractor and deck contractor to complete one project. Instead, they expect to make one phone call and have all three needs met by a single provider. When a landscaper cannot build a deck or a fence, chances are, the person will find one professional who can, even if it dramatically increases the cost of the project. Offering fence installation as an add-on service allows you to set yourself apart from other landscapers in the area who may not be able or willing to provide this additional service.
For Example…
Let’s say landscaping company X decides to offer fence installation. They find out that Atlantic Fence offers fencing materials for purchase at prices and quality that beat big box suppliers. Factoring in costs of material and labor, they decide to price fence installation at 300 percent of material costs. The very next week they bid a project for a homeowner and ask if they would like the company to include a fence in the estimate. Surprised, the client agrees. Based on the size of the project and type of fence the homeowner is looking for, materials from Atlantic Fence will cost $500. Landscape company X returns to the client and bids the landscape project including a $1,500 charge for fence installation. The client happily agrees, knowing it would cost more time and money to bid the project out themselves and company X adds $1,000 in profit to their bottom line.
Atlantic Fence is the Key
Offering wholesale and retail options for all fencing materials, Atlantic Fence is the key to adding fence installation and becoming a more profitable business. Unlike other fencing retailers, Atlantic fence offers installation for jobs that exceed the time limit or ability level of your crew. They also manufacture custom fence materials for one-of-a-kind fences even the pickiest of property owners is sure to love.
Imagine what life would be like with more profits, more consistent work through the fall and winter months and the ability to set yourself apart from other landscapers. Fence installation requires no additional cash investment and is one of the best ways to make extra money in your existing business. For more information on how Atlantic Fence can become a key partner in your new venture, call us today. Let us help you increase your profits and build a more successful business.