Small time...

I'm new to the lawn care business, started last year with a handful of clients and have 2 commercial and about 12 residential. I know I might be in the need of more equipment soon as I am using consumer grade craftsman products! They are good I must say, never let me down but I know a few commercial properties I was looking into signing a contract with required me to have a commercial mower! I didn't want to shell out the cash yet if my clients are happy and I am as to this is a just a side job for me! I make decent money on my night job just doing this to past time with something I love, GRASS, MONEY! (Giggles)

I'm not sure of brands and what I need to look for or stay away from any advice! Thanks in advance!

My_guy99 said:

I'm new to the lawn care business, started last year with a handful of clients and have 2 commercial and about 12 residential. I know I might be in the need of more equipment soon as I am using consumer grade craftsman products! They are good I must say, never let me down but I know a few commercial properties I was looking into signing a contract with required me to have a commercial mower! I didn't want to shell out the cash yet if my clients are happy and I am as to this is a just a side job for me! I make decent money on my night job just doing this to past time with something I love, GRASS, MONEY! (Giggles)

I'm not sure of brands and what I need to look for or stay away from any advice! Thanks in advance!

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You'll probably get a lot of opinions on what equipment you'll need to run and this is my opinion and personally I'd look at Exmark, Toro, Hustler, Scag, Dixie or Gravely in that order. They would also have the Kawasaki or Kohler engines in that order. I'd also tell you to run Stihl Hand Held equipment because it's the best stuff out there and most reliable. I'd stay away from any Big Box store stuff or consumer grade products because it wont hold up long if your going to be a business and mow 5 or 6 days a week.
You say you didn't want to shell out the cash Yet, If you're not ready to drop 10 or 12K minimum I'd leave it to the guys that will because you wont and can't compete with them. If you can't mow your 12 clients you have now in 4 hours or less (20 minutes a lawn) your in trouble because the guy with a 16 to 20ft trailer, a Stander and a couple of ZTR mowers will put you away. Remember In Lawn-care Time is Money.

Gees, I am agreeing with Ric again, must be time to visit the doc :laughing:
If you can not afford reasonable commercial gear then stick to residential customers till you can.
Most of them will be at work when you mow and won't care if it takes you 10 minutes or 10 hours just so long as when they get home the grass is cut & the yard is clean.
Commercial customers will most of the time be there when you are working so you become a nuisance if you are there for 2 hours annoying them & their custmers.
In all serice business it is much easier to get a new customer than retain to a customer who wants to give you the flick.
There are a lot more residences than there are businesses and a happy residential customer will reffer you on.
So as you accumulate some cash, get some commercial grade push mowers, followed by commercial grade self propelled the decide if you really need that 61" ZTR.

My customers who make the most money do only residentials, most of them as 1 or 2 man businesses but it has taken them years to get their runs in order so they can do whole blocks in one hit.
Ric was quite right, time is money and time travelling between jobs is dead money.

Most of my jobs are right around were I live an since last year has been great an just expanding within a 1 mile radius! Not looking for 10 clients a day just maybe a couple a day when I get off in the mornings... Kinda just going up in scale when needed. It's just me operating the deal so no help or need for serval mowers.

Am I wrong for looking at gravely so hard! Been on the top of my list, I notice that you had your order into which u ranked them?????

I am going to go the other way.
There is no need to spend 10 grand to get started.
I have been doing this for around 30 years.
I still use a toro timecutter ss500
They last just as long as a $8000 mower.
With less parts to replace.
I see it every year guys spend 20 grand on equipment act like they are big shots with their fancy mower. Come September they are selling everything for half price.
Lawn care is about making the yards look good. Not about what your trailer looks like.

Carscw said:

I am going to go the other way. There is no need to spend 10 grand to get started. I have been doing this for around 30 years. I still use a toro timecutter ss500 They last just as long as a $8000 mower. With less parts to replace. I see it every year guys spend 20 grand on equipment act like they are big shots with their fancy mower. Come September they are selling everything for half price. Lawn care is about making the yards look good. Not about what your trailer looks like.

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I agree! I did look at the new timecutters I believe a 30" deck, is this one for the short list

My_guy99 said:

I agree! I did look at the new timecutters I believe a 30" deck, is this one for the short list

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The timecutter is perfect for what you want it for. You are just doing this part time no need to empty the bank.

Carscw said:

The timecutter is perfect for what you want it for. You are just doing this part time no need to empty the bank.

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art time no need to empty the bank.[/QUOTE] yeah that's my angle! I only have the couple commercial property's but maybe in the future a couple more nothing huge! Thanks! And small hand held I gather it's sthil product to look at, how's echo? Is there a certain model that's a big hell yeah to get trimmer edger units

My_guy99 said:

art time no need to empty the bank.

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yeah that's my angle! I only have the couple commercial property's but maybe in the future a couple more nothing huge! Thanks! And small hand held I gather it's sthil product to look at, how's echo? Is there a certain model that's a big hell yeah to get trimmer edger units[/QUOTE]

I like echo. But I use most brands. Have had a few sthil I don't think they are worth the extra money.

My_guy99 said:

art time no need to empty the bank.

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Like I said you'll get a lot of different opinions on this subject. There is the right way and the wrong way to start a business and having the proper equipment can make a big difference when it comes to making money rather than spending it. Yeah I went the way Carscw said or recommended and I ended up spending three times the money over the years of mowing that I should have spent, in the long run you lose.

You have to understand that a timecutter is a mower that was designed and intended for the Homeowner. The homeowner that would be lucky to use the machine for a grand total of maybe 25 to 30 hours a year and it works great but doesn't work for a person who will be mowing 25 to 30 hours a week. Trust me when I say a 9K commercial grade mower with a 5 year 1200 hour warranty is worth it's weight in gold if you start replacing drive units or PTO's decks, spindles or engines.