Thinking about starting lawn care business

Hello all,

I am tossing around the idea of getting into the lawn care business. This would be a second job, farming is my first job. I was wondering what you guys use as a matrix for rates? Types of advertising you have found helpful? Do's and dont's with courtesy and respect to the other lawn care professionals in the area. I would provide lawn mowing, trimming, blowing and edging.

Currently my equipment is as follows.

Kubota ZG327 ZTR, 60 inch deck
Stihl Fs90 trimmer
Stihl BG55 blower.

I have been doing some reading on these forums for a while. As time progresses and hopefully cash flow is generated. I will upgrade my equipment to more professional quality, mainly blowers and edging systems.

Thanks in advance

Brad

If your already into farming you know what long days and hard work is, especially when you play the weather. cost for what you do is made up of how much you want to make as well as what others are charging in your area. Other lawn care companys, I never bid against my friends and never talk bad about the rest, there just trying to make a living and at least there working. Takes a little hard work getting started finding clients but a good job goes a long way.:thumbsup:

qa12852 said:

Hello all,

I am tossing around the idea of getting into the lawn care business. This would be a second job, farming is my first job. I was wondering what you guys use as a matrix for rates? Types of advertising you have found helpful? Do's and dont's with courtesy and respect to the other lawn care professionals in the area. I would provide lawn mowing, trimming, blowing and edging.

Currently my equipment is as follows.

Kubota ZG327 ZTR, 60 inch deck
Stihl Fs90 trimmer
Stihl BG55 blower.

I have been doing some reading on these forums for a while. As time progresses and hopefully cash flow is generated. I will upgrade my equipment to more professional quality, mainly blowers and edging systems.

Thanks in advance

Brad

Click to expand...

mowerman05 said:

If your already into farming you know what long days and hard work is, especially when you play the weather. cost for what you do is made up of how much you want to make as well as what others are charging in your area. Other lawn care companys, I never bid against my friends and never talk bad about the rest, there just trying to make a living and at least there working. Takes a little hard work getting started finding clients but a good job goes a long way.:thumbsup:

Click to expand...

As mowerman05 has said the rates are pretty much dictated by the area you'll be working and the area of the country your in. Check with some of the locals and find out what they are charging and how. Just remember you have to charge enough to cover your overhead and still make a profit. As far as advertising goes the only things I've ever used were Business cards and magnetic signs for the truck. It looks like you have a real good start as far as equipment goes (excellent stuff) but IMO you need to add some type of self propelled push mower or adding some type of wide area walk behind in the 36" size can save a lot of time, remember that 60" ztr is great but if your working residential stuff you'll probably end up with back yards with 3 and 4 ft access. AS far as the Do's and dont's with courtesy and respect to the other lawn care professionals in the area, just do your job and don't worry about them and what there doing because there doing the same, the only don't I can come up with is Don't Lowball your prices. Remember you have to work with these guys that are in the area your working and you need to help each other at times.