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Is it feasible to start a business building and selling lawnmowers? Would you start by maybe buying old lawnmowers and refurbishing them or is there a better way? My son is really interested in machinery and I thought this might be a good way to start him up.

pollyannasmum said:

Is it feasible to start a business building and selling lawnmowers? Would you start by maybe buying old lawnmowers and refurbishing them or is there a better way? My son is really interested in machinery and I thought this might be a good way to start him up.

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Although that's how it was done in the early (pre-WWII) days, I'd think the startup costs would be prohibitive today, unless you found some investors (and you had a good business plan to sell them on). Don't think you'd make enough with even a successful refurbishing business to cash flow even the machinery costs.

But, that's my opinion......:wink:

I agree with twall. I just built an offset mower and have already had two offers for me to build more. However, the price I would have to charge just to break even would get pretty close to the cost of a Swisher. Now I do think there could be some money in refurbishing older mowers, but I think it would have to start out almost as a hobby doing one or two at a time, and then the profit margin would be slim at best.

mullins87 said:

I agree with twall. I just built an offset mower and have already had two offers for me to build more. However, the price I would have to charge just to break even would get pretty close to the cost of a Swisher. Now I do think there could be some money in refurbishing older mowers, but I think it would have to start out almost as a hobby doing one or two at a time, and then the profit margin would be slim at best.

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What's an "offset mower"?

Two-Stroke said:

What's an "offset mower"?

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Like this....
Swisher Products : T-44 Trailmower

There have been a lot of large heavily funded companies gone broke or traded hands, trying to make a buck in mowers ... its not imposable bit it is unlikely...
You could look into a small mower repair shop... a good, well run, all around fix it shop could do well... :smile:KennyV

KennyV said:

Like this....
....You could look into a small mower repair shop... a good, well run, all around fix it shop could do well... :smile:KennyV

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...and I'd personally LOVE to see more of those! :biggrin:

KennyV said:

Like this....
Swisher Products : T-44 Trailmower

There have been a lot of large heavily funded companies gone broke or traded hands, trying to make a buck in mowers ... its not imposable bit it is unlikely...
You could look into a small mower repair shop... a good, well run, all around fix it shop could do well... :smile:KennyV

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Thanks -- that could be useful particularly if the offset mower could be used sideways on a steep grade -- mowing the side of a ditch, for example.

Two-Stroke said:

Thanks -- that could be useful particularly if the offset mower could be used sideways on a steep grade -- mowing the side of a ditch, for example.

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You can do that ... but must be careful that the pulling machine is heavy enough not to be pulled down into the ditch... :smile:KennyV

Two-Stroke said:

What's an "offset mower"?

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Here's mine....

It might not make a good money making business, but would give some experience and a reputation if he could at least break even. I think it would depend on your area and demand.

KennyV said:

You can do that ... but must be careful that the pulling machine is heavy enough not to be pulled down into the ditch... :smile:KennyV

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Another thing to think about is bits of gravel -- and other projectiles - being shot off the bottom of the offset. Can you visualize that? If the offset is at -- say a 45 degree angle to the vertical -- it could shoot gravel at the operator.

I'm thinking about this because I have about 1/4 mile of ditch that's hard to mow with either a push mower or a string trimmer.

Two-Stroke said:

Another thing to think about is bits of gravel -- and other projectiles - being shot off the bottom of the offset. Can you visualize that? If the offset is at -- say a 45 degree angle to the vertical -- it could shoot gravel at the operator.

I'm thinking about this because I have about 1/4 mile of ditch that's hard to mow with either a push mower or a string trimmer.

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You are right about that ... time for hanging a chain guard or belting around the sides & front...

On my highway ditch I use a 3Pt mounted 7 foot sickle mower... I rigged it to hydraulic from 90 degrees up (for side trimming trees) to about 45 down for along the road and my pond... :smile:KennyV

Thanks for the thoughts about the feasibility of this type of project. As my son actually enjoys tinkering with this type of machinery, I think he'll probably stick to doing small repairs for friends and family.

I wish him all the Luck in the world " But " he will never make and money working for Friends or Family,
Been there done it, it don't work.:thumbdown:

I hate to rain on the parade, but I think the liability issue would kill a lawnmower building business faster than anything else. If you build something and sell it to a customer and they get hurt, you are going to be sued, regardless of how well and how carefully you built your product. :frown:

i think the sucess to any business is likeing what you do and not being concerned with how much money you are going to make i learned from being in business that if you do good work and enjoy it the money will take care of it self if not the wife will.

I think we need to have more businesses like that and less worry about the lawyers. All this does is give the Chinese more work, cause they farm it out to them. If we always think we're not "big enough" to start, then things like facebook would never have been created. never been on the site myself, but when a kid in college can go from a broke college kid to a billionaire in a single decade, then entrepreneurship is still alive.

Granted a lawnmower isn't a new idea, and so what if yours ends up costing what someone elses does, it's called competition.

I say start on the repair end, not just for friends and family, cause I agree they do not pay well, but for anything you think he can fix. I see a lot of mowers going for $25 on craigslist, that most likely just need a carb overhaul.

Take it from a guy whos father made it real good starting from his basement, the secret is NOT to try to get rich right off the bat. Make enough to be fair to both, and the rest will develop.

Cajun Cub may know more about this, but what about building to rent/lease? Equipment rental places always seem to thrive. With a little start-up capital, you could be up and running.

Back when I was looking to buy my tractor, I didn't have the budget for a CUT - though that's what I really wanted. I wondered why more places don't lease them? Unless I'm wrong, you can lease the large farm equipment, but not something the size of a CUT (or smaller).

pollyannasmum said:

Is it feasible to start a business building and selling lawnmowers? Would you start by maybe buying old lawnmowers and refurbishing them or is there a better way? My son is really interested in machinery and I thought this might be a good way to start him up.

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everyone and chinese grandma seems to be in mower business - but no-one in mod./ customising mower business
we have custom cars, custom bikes - but no custom or mod. , performance enhancing mowers

here's the open niche for you

liability disclaimer - you showing your mod (performance enhancement, making mower better (adding suspension, brakes, isolators, bearings, swap engines, exasts, trannys, decks, baffles mod, speed increase, etc - people only hiring you to do modification for them - all responsibility on them

mullins87 said:

Here's mine....

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That looks nice you did a good job.:thumbsup:

I'd LOVE to see some more well-made mowers come into the market place.:biggrin: I think it's possible, but it'll take quite a bit of startup capital. More (mower?) realistic perhaps is a good small engine repair shop, with a team of at least 2 people, one that deals with parts, the books, and the telephone, and the other person the lead mechanic. Quick turnaround I think would be a must, and having welding and machining capability would also be a requirement, it seems. I think it could be done.:thumbsup: