Part-time mowing business just starting out

I have been mowing lawns since I was 14 years old. through time it has become the most relaxing thing I do in my spare time. but I have never done it for profit or a business. I have gotten paid as a teen to do family and nieghbors lawn, but nothing serious. I work 2nd shift in a factory and get laid off often. I have thought a lot about lawn care as a business to suppliment my income and some day become full time. I have mornings and weekends to work on this. but I am looking for pointers and advise on the business end. can anyone help with ideas, books, advise, contracts, pay scale, etc.?

Bigkev said:

I have been mowing lawns since I was 14 years old. through time it has become the most relaxing thing I do in my spare time. but I have never done it for profit or a business. I have gotten paid as a teen to do family and neighbors lawn, but nothing serious. I work 2nd shift in a factory and get laid off often. I have thought a lot about lawn care as a business to supplement my income and some day become full time. I have mornings and weekends to work on this. but I am looking for pointers and advise on the business end. can anyone help with ideas, books, advise, contracts, pay scale, etc.?

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I think before anyone can give any advise we would need to know how large a business are you going to be putting together? If you look i or under the commercial forum you can probably find some threads there and possibly find some of the information and answers that your looking for. What type of mowers will you be using and how large a client base are you looking at?

Thanks Ric,
to answer your questions, first I am looking for small commercial (credit unions, small office buildings) and mid to upper income single family residential properties under 2 acres. as for equipment I have 2 craftsman mowers: 1 bagger and 1 mulcher, both 21" cuts, 1 long straight shaft trimmer, 1 seed spreader, 2 leaf blowers, trash cans, gas cans, battery powered hedge trimmers, racks, shovels, a small tool kit, and a 4x8 trailer that I pull with my car. but I am looking for a small used truck. I would like to suppliment a part time income of $1500 monthly to start out, if this is reallistic. I have 25-30 hrs a week to work on this business.

Bigkev said:

Thanks Ric,
to answer your questions, first I am looking for small commercial (credit unions, small office buildings) and mid to upper income single family residential properties under 2 acres. as for equipment I have 2 craftsman mowers: 1 bagger and 1 mulcher, both 21" cuts, 1 long straight shaft trimmer, 1 seed spreader, 2 leaf blowers, trash cans, gas cans, battery powered hedge trimmers, racks, shovels, a small tool kit, and a 4x8 trailer that I pull with my car. but I am looking for a small used truck. I would like to suppliment a part time income of $1500 monthly to start out, if this is reallistic. I have 25-30 hrs a week to work on this business.

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Bigkev,
I know nothing about the lawn care business, but when you say "residential properties under 2 acres", I cannot see how you could handle lawns > 1 acre efficiently with just two 21" push(self-propelled?) mowers. If it were me and I was going to be cutting ANY yards > 1 acre, I would invest in at least a 48" cut Commercial ZTR or Stander mower. Ric has experience in the business, so let's see his thoughts about what I just stated.

Bigkev said:

Thanks Ric,
to answer your questions, first I am looking for small commercial (credit unions, small office buildings) and mid to upper income single family residential properties under 2 acres. as for equipment I have 2 craftsman mowers: 1 bagger and 1 mulcher, both 21" cuts, 1 long straight shaft trimmer, 1 seed spreader, 2 leaf blowers, trash cans, gas cans, battery powered hedge trimmers, racks, shovels, a small tool kit, and a 4x8 trailer that I pull with my car. but I am looking for a small used truck. I would like to supplement a part time income of $1500 monthly to start out, if this is realistic. I have 25-30 hrs a week to work on this business.

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Well I'm not going to say that what you're attempting can't be done because it can if you like working long hours, although I think you have a ruff road to go. First thing if you are looking at commercial accounts you'll have to have a license and Insurance to start. Most commercial accounts will be bid jobs that you'll be competing against guys with high dollar equipment and crews, your advantage there would be you don't have the overhead of the other guys so your prices could be cheaper. If it were me I go for the residential properties with the half acre or less lot size (sub-Divisions) preferably quarter acre that are not going to be to time consuming seeing your mowing with self propelled mowers. I'd back up my trimmer with another as well as adding at least one edger. Working 25 to 30 hrs a week and meeting the income you stated is realistic but I think you'll be looking at at least 20 accounts weekly to do it at at least $20 per cut including mowing ,trimming edging and blowing off. The hrs we work are basically the same but their are three of us though and we knock down 12 Lawns a day six days a week. Our prices range for $15.00 to $40.00 per cut depending on the size of the lot.

djdicetn said:

Bigkev,
I know nothing about the lawn care business, but when you say "residential properties under 2 acres", I cannot see how you could handle lawns > 1 acre efficiently with just two 21" push(self-propelled?) mowers. If it were me and I was going to be cutting ANY yards > 1 acre, I would invest in at least a 48" cut Commercial ZTR or Stander mower. Ric has experience in the business, so let's see his thoughts about what I just stated.

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yes sir,
this is why I am asking for help in the business department. but I am not saying I cannot do anything under 2 acres, because I did for 4 years at my grandparents house every week in just over an hour. an that was a lot of work.

Bigkev said:

yes sir,
this is why I am asking for help in the business department. but I am not saying I cannot do anything under 2 acres, because I did for 4 years at my grandparents house every week in just over an hour. an that was a lot of work.

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Bigkev,
Like user ric eluded to, I'm sure you could mow 2 acre lots, but if you do the math(you stated you had 25-30 hours a week)......if they were all that big, with loading/unloading/travel time from one job to another you'd be lucky to get 5 or 6 done each week:0(
Not exactly the monthly supplemental income you are seeking much less you'd be too tired to work your regular job.

djdicetn said:

Bigkev,
Like user ric eluded to, I'm sure you could mow 2 acre lots, but if you do the math(you stated you had 25-30 hours a week)......if they were all that big, with loading/unloading/travel time from one job to another you'd be lucky to get 5 or 6 done each week:0(
Not exactly the monthly supplemental income you are seeking much less you'd be too tired to work your regular job.

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I went out this morning started at 7:30 am. I Pushed 7 lawns and all were 1/4 acre or less and did 2 others both larger lawns with the stander and was done by 11:30 am. I'm using a Toro Turf Master 30" mower and had two other people doing all the trimming, edging and blowing off so if he is by himself he can do the math and figure his time with a 21". The other thing is that I'm lucky, my 9 lawns were all in a row so I have no loading/unloading/travel time from one job to another. The other nice thing for me is I don't have too worry about another job and that should be a concern on his part when he starts calculating how many lawns he is going to do a day.

I moved your thread to the Commercial & Residential Lawn Mowing Forum. :smile:

Go for it!! If illegal Mexicans can do it do it so can you. They will also low ball your bids!! And they won't pay tax like you and I. Good luck!!