ZTR or Tractor?

[OldSalt]

Sorry, but this one is going to be a bit long winded

Since I got in to the lawn care / maintenance business a few months ago I've found I don't know as much as I thought I did regarding what equipment is needed to get the job done quickly and efficiently. I currently haul around a 30" Timemaster (which I'm still paying for) and a 22" Craftsman mower in a 4' x 6' trailer I just bought last week. I have found that this setup is doing OK for me for the moment, but isn't what I really need to become more proficient and somewhat profitable.

Had one of my customers ask me if I was interested in cutting his Synagog's lawn (he's the senior Rabbi) - which I am definitely interested in. However, he questioned me if the lawn mower equipment I listed above was all I had and if it was capable to handling the job? (I currently mow a 1/2 acre and 1 acre lot for two other customers). All of this got me thinking that I need to start seriously investigating a ZTR mower or a Tractor.

Well, I started looking and after the initial sticker shock I realized that this business is not cheap to operate if you want to make a REAL go of it. So, now I'm at a decision point - do I go out and sink a boat load of money into a ZTR or Tractor. OR, do I just pack up my things and go back to a desk job? I really hate being strapped to a desk, love working in the outdoors, but at my age (50) I find my tolerance for this Florida heat is really getting to me at times. However, other than a line of credit I have with TORO I have no money available to buy anything at the moment without racking up more debt.

I know there's money to be made, but the lack of cash to get better equipment is really holding me back. (I'm barely making enough to make end meet when you include my Military Penision and VA disability checks each month).

So, here's my main question "What do I really need in regards to a ZTR or a Tractor at this time?" 95% of my business is residential currently and I have what I need to take care of them. However, I don't go after bigger accounts and commercial accounts due to that same equipment.

Any suggestions? I may decide to fold up soon depending on what type(s) of advice I get on this. Now what I really want to do, but may have to in order to make ends meet.

Thans in advance - Bill

 

[Ric]

The questions you're asking can really only be answered by you. Your post sounds like a mirror Image of myself. I started when I was 50 years old and I soon leaned that if you want to be in this business you have to compete and to do that you have to have the equipment. The real question for you is do you want to make any real money because in this business time is money and if you can't get a minimum of $50 to $60 and hour you may as well stay home because you'll never cover your overhead if you buy the equipment you need.
I could give you a list of stuff to buy or what I think you need to carry on your trailer but it would be the same as my signature and I never leave the house with anything less. I have back up equipment for everything because I can't afford down time, that can cost you the money you would be making if your on the job as well as clients. Everyone has a different outlook on what's needed. It all comes down to how big you want your business to be, do want to handle 10 clients or 100 clients.

 

[OldSalt]

The questions you're asking can really only be answered by you. Your post sounds like a mirror Image of myself. I started when I was 50 years old and I soon leaned that if you want to be in this business you have to compete and to do that you have to have the equipment. The real question for you is do you want to make any real money because in this business time is money and if you can't get a minimum of $50 to $60 and hour you may as well stay home because you'll never cover your overhead if you buy the equipment you need.
I could give you a list of stuff to buy or what I think you need to carry on your trailer but it would be the same as my signature and I never leave the house with anything less. I have back up equipment for everything because I can't afford down time, that can cost you the money you would be making if your on the job as well as clients. Everyone has a different outlook on what's needed. It all comes down to how big you want your business to be, do want to handle 10 clients or 100 clients.

Thanks for the info. It's not that I want to throw in the towel by any means. I've already invested a good bit of cash on my own so far and I am not one to easily give up. It's just that I need more and better equipment to get the types of jobs I need to be more successful at this. Is there a ZTR that is good to start out with? I can cut just about anything with my 30" Toro Timemaster push mower, but just can't cut as fast as I could with a riding mower. Like I said in my original post I've got a line of credit with TORO and can afford to get a ZTR from them - just looking for an idea of WHAT to get. The inside dimensions of my trailer are 48 3/4" wide x 6' long, so whatever I would get has to be able to fit.

Thanks - Bill

 

[Ric]

Thanks for the info. It's not that I want to throw in the towel by any means. I've already invested a good bit of cash on my own so far and I am not one to easily give up. It's just that I need more and better equipment to get the types of jobs I need to be more successful at this. Is there a ZTR that is good to start out with? I can cut just about anything with my 30" Toro Timemaster push mower, but just can't cut as fast as I could with a riding mower. Like I said in my original post I've got a line of credit with TORO and can afford to get a ZTR from them - just looking for an idea of WHAT to get. The inside dimensions of my trailer are 48 3/4" wide x 6' long, so whatever I would get has to be able to fit.

Thanks - Bill

Well depending on how much or how big I was going to go with the business, I'd go with something commercial but if your confining yourself to the 4x6 trailer your choices for mowers are going to be limited to the residential ztr because the toro commercial Z Master series ztr's start at 48" for $6995. Now this may sound a little bias and it's just a suggestion but I'd go with the Toro Grandstand 36", you would have a zt and a walk behind in one mower and you wouldn't have to upgrade to a larger trailer. You could mow anything your mowing now in half the time and you'd have a commercial mower that would last for years and they have a 5 year or 1200 hour warranty. You can probably buy the Grandstand for 42 months @ 0% interest. I've used mine for the last couple of years and I've been mowing 70 plus lawns a week.

 

[TaskForceLawnCare]

there are several different commercial brands and who knows how many variations. all I can give is my experience I ran Dixie choppers for several years and thought they were the greatest thing ever. then my dealer started selling Scag he begged me more or less to demo one. I finally cracked and demoed one. I started replacing my Dixie choppers a little over a week ago and own 2 scags. bottom line is you need to get away from the tractor if you want to compete walk behinds or standers are a great option I run 2 walk behinds along with the ztr's. a crew of 3 with my company averages $225 an hour and 6-7 residential properties, mow, trim, edge, and blow. I understand ztr's are pricey but making money and being competitive cost money. good luck

 

[LoCo86]

there are several different commercial brands and who knows how many variations. all I can give is my experience I ran Dixie choppers for several years and thought they were the greatest thing ever. then my dealer started selling Scag he begged me more or less to demo one. I finally cracked and demoed one. I started replacing my Dixie choppers a little over a week ago and own 2 scags. bottom line is you need to get away from the tractor if you want to compete walk behinds or standers are a great option I run 2 walk behinds along with the ztr's. a crew of 3 with my company averages $225 an hour and 6-7 residential properties, mow, trim, edge, and blow. I understand ztr's are pricey but making money and being competitive cost money. good luck

I take it you're really liking your Scag. If you don't mind me asking, what are the differences that's setting it apart from your Dixie Choppers? My friend had a Scag that he let me try out and I just couldn't make the swap from my Exmark mowers.

 

[TaskForceLawnCare]

I liked the lower center of gravity, several engineering differences, couple examples of that operator controls on the Dixie's move 4 pieces of linkage the Scag moves one giving it a smoother feel, and less to break or adjust. the mowing deck automatically locks when pushed up. the comfort,cut quality, and production of the Scag was good. we demoed the exmark z and sorry but that thing was just horrible in the comfort area it did cut nice though.

 

[Ric]

I liked the lower center of gravity, several engineering differences, couple examples of that operator controls on the Dixie's move 4 pieces of linkage the Scag moves one giving it a smoother feel, and less to break or adjust. the mowing deck automatically locks when pushed up. the comfort,cut quality, and production of the Scag was good. we demoed the exmark z and sorry but that thing was just horrible in the comfort area it did cut nice though.

If you like the lower center of gravity and your talking about the standers why not go with the Toro Grandstand, it has a lower center of gravity than the Scag?

 

[TaskForceLawnCare]

I didn't buy standers I seriously considered them but went with the tiger cub, price and quality. I don't want you to get mad at me Ric but I don't think toro makes that great of a rotary type commercial mower. in fact the dealer I bought my new scags from is dropping toro from his dealership he can't sell them

 

[Ric]

I didn't buy standers I seriously considered them but went with the tiger cub, price and quality. I don't want you to get mad at me Ric but I don't think toro makes that great of a rotary type commercial mower. in fact the dealer I bought my new scags from is dropping toro from his dealership he can't sell them

Well I'd have to disagree with that, IMO Toro makes one of the best commercial mowers on the market today and they have a great percentage of the commercial market here along with Exmark which they own and make. I've run Gravely's, Dixie Chopper, John Deere, Scag, and Toro and the Toro cut quality is the best out of all I've run. Scags are something I rarely see out commercially, there are a few but not many and personally from what I've seen I don't care for there cut quality at all them and John Deere. I think the Scag and John Deere are both highly over rated. To each his own, that's why they make so many different brands.:smile: