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Small business owner and landscaper Peter de Beer is a master juggler. From keeping his admin and financials organised, to managing clients, sending out quotes, mentoring and guiding his team, as well as working on the tools, his daily list is quite hefty (and that’s just for the on-the-job tasks). You know the drill.
“It’s a constant juggle to stay on top of everything and it’s crazy busy managing your own business, as it’s all on you,” explains Peter, who runs landscape construction company PWS Gardens in Brisbane’s north and employs five tradies.
He says without the efficiency and help of his ‘extra pair of hands’ – Bunnings Trade’s Landscape Specialist team – he’d be lost. Peter shares how Sia from the Landscape Specialist team has saved him tens of thousands of dollars.
Tip: Always wear the appropriate safety equipment (safety glasses, gloves, ear muffs and a mask, for example) when handling plants, potting mix, soil or compost. Always follow the instructions for the product or equipment.
Bunnings Trade’s Landscape Specialists offer end-to-end project support for landscapers across the country. They can supply a huge range of landscaping products for all types of jobs, including plants and green life, turf, retaining walls, decking materials, pavers, drainage, fencing, screening
and power tools. They source products, manage quotes and organise delivery (from Bunnings Trade and with third parties, if required) – it’s basically your all-in-one landscaping service.
Over the past year, Peter estimates Landscaping Specialist Sia has helped him save tens of thousands of dollars and eight to 10 hours a week on phone calls. “To be able to deal with someone like Sia takes a lot of responsibility off my shoulders.”
Peter works directly with Sia via email, call or text.
“I’ll send Sia a list of products that I’m interested in – for example, 20 bags of green Bastion concrete, 40 hardwood posts and some sleepers – and I’ll ask for the best price and whether she can do it from the store that’s closest to the job,” Peter says of the team’s ability to quote on bulk quantities, which is a landscaping service he uses daily. “She often knows of a new product or has a suggestion that may work better – and at the same time she saves me money! It really has changed my business.”
Such is the nature of the job, says Sia, who looks after customers spanning 12 Queensland Bunnings stores between Brisbane’s northern suburbs and Bundaberg, that quote requests can be last minute.
“One of my top customers has just rung me and said they need two first-up deliveries tomorrow – he’ll have guys at both sites – and he wants the product there ready to go,” she says. “People often need items organised quickly. We look after them, and they keep coming back.”
Peter admits it took him the best part of five years to really figure out the structure of his business as it grew. He says working with Sia takes the edge off running a small business.
“I wish I had done it earlier!” Peter admits of Bunnings Trade’s support service, which is now available nationally. “If I didn’t have Sia now to help me manage the day-to-day, I don’t know what I would do because a lot of the time I would literally be hand-loading into trucks – she organises it so forklifts are ready. She knows how our business works and every Bunnings product. Things change all the time, and Sia quotes quickly and makes sure that the product is ready to go for each of the three or four jobs I’m running at any given time.”
The Landscape Specialist team can source directly from suppliers, too, which means less stress and more money in Peter’s back pocket.
“We do a lot of retaining walls and Sia can often get everything directly from the supplier, which saves us on freight costs,” he says.
Did you know we also have a team of frame and truss specialists at the ready to make your work life easier?
Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.
When following our advice in our videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.
