Local landscapers face stiff competition

No pun intended, but this year may be another cutthroat season for landscapers.

Last summer, they had to keep their lawn mowers, leafblowers and trimmers filled with $4-a-gallon gasoline.

This year they may need those same tools to do their jobs and fight off the competition in a bad economy.

Carpentersville landscaper Manuel Rubio is predicting how this summer will be for his and other firms

"There's a lot of people out there who need jobs. Everyone with a pickup truck will be getting a trailer and a couple of mowers and trying to take business away from me," he said. "They'll tell people they can do the job the cheaper."

And most like they're be able to because they won't have employees, workmen's compensation insurance premiums and payroll taxes to pay, he said.

"If they work hard, people can make as much as $500 a day mowing lawns. That's all they need for the week," he said.

Rubio said he's not being paranoid. He's already seen the lawn-mowing competition heat up weeks before the temperature does.

Months ago a dozen firms, or twice as many as usual, submitted price proposals to mow public property in the village of Carpentersville.

"Usually, we receive about six bids," said Village Manager Craig Anderson. "They came in from all over this year and the prices ranged from $53,800 to $89,600."

Trustees gave the job to Zenith Landscaping Group from Wadsworth for $55,885.

"There were a couple of firms we didn't consider because they didn't meet our (liability insurance) specifications," he said. "There definitely is competition this year. I don't know how much money we'll end up saving with this firm because they won't be doing as much work as firms have done for us in previous years."

But work is work and many more people are willing to push a lawn mower to make a living in this recession, said Ricardo Martinez, the owner of Ricardo's Landscaping from Mundelein.

"I've already seen a lot of trucks on the road with lawn mowers in the back. I've seen more this year than ever," he said. "Everyone wants to do the job cheaper."

Established firms usually have their regular customers sign seasonal contracts after they agree on a price. Last year, many lost money when the contracts were signed before gasoline, used to power the mowers, shot up above $4 a gallon. Rubio said he lost $25,000 in profits, forcing him to lay off four of his 16 employees.

With so many homeowners out of work, some customers have decided to cut their own lawns.

"I haven't increased my prices this year. I don't know what gas is going to do," he said.

Jim Boncoski, of Boncoski Landscaping, said he and his father, John, the firm's owner, have lost a handful of customers to the economy. But it's not all that bad.

"I'm remaining cautiously optimistic, though," Jim said. "I know there's more competition, but we haven't had a lot of turnaround. I hope we don't."

His customers also sign contracts in the spring. The ones who decided not to should check out who will be behind the lawn mowers before hiring them, Rubio advises.

"Make sure they have insurance and ask for references," Rubio said. "Everyone is promising to do a good job for less money."