$160-$200 per month for professional lawn care?

[two_bit_score]

Maybe stop for a second and think about what Eddie described. I wouldn't take on that job for $500 per month.

If you are doing that and three other places for $500 a month then you have a base of $2,000 steady business each month. How much expenses would that cover so that the rest of the month you could be doing other jobs. All your equipment, including vehicle and trailer is depreciable and supplies, fuel, etc. are deductible. How much would you benefit once you found a couple dependable guys who want work?

I was paying a guy $75 a month to mow the yard at a rental. He rolled a Scag off a trailer and started mowing while another guy ran a trimmer. They were done in 30-45 minutes and went to the next job. They had a good routine. Sent me a bill every three months. No way I could have done it for that myself.

TBS

 

[two_bit_score]

I have 3 quotes that range between $600-$700 per month for mowing my yard. No way can I afford that.

Is that $600 X 12 or $600 X # months in growing season? How much are you planning to spend on a mower? Plan to use it every week or even every month? String trimmer? Steel blade edger? Back pack blower? Hedge trimmers? Supplies and Repairs? Fuel? Replacements?

Add all that up and even before you count your time it may be closer than you think to break even or better to hire a service to do it.

I have a tough time making a case in my mind for paying to have something done that I can do. But sometimes it's really cheaper in the long run.

We went through a dry couple years in Central Texas where I hardly used my mower. Now it's almost a weekly job.


TBS

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

Is that $600 X 12 or $600 X # months in growing season? How much are you planning to spend on a mower? Plan to use it every week or even every month? String trimmer? Steel blade edger? Back pack blower? Hedge trimmers? Supplies and Repairs? Fuel? Replacements?

Add all that up and even before you count your time it may be closer than you think to break even or better to hire a service to do it.

I have a tough time making a case in my mind for paying to have something done that I can do. But sometimes it's really cheaper in the long run.

We went through a dry couple years in Central Texas where I hardly used my mower. Now it's almost a weekly job.


TBS

I mow 1.5-2 acres weekly whether or not I think it needs it, if I don't mow it weekly I usually regret it. It takes me about 1.5 hours to mow it one time, I don't weed eat right but if I did it would take me 10 mins and blow my driveway off with the mower.

I bought my mower used off CL with 220 odd hours on it for $800, it's a GTH2464T which is 24hp with a 54in deck, hydrostatic drive. It's got 247 hours on it now, in that time I have bought a new set of blades off Amazon for $38, 3 new idler pulleys for the deck for $67 and a voltage regulator for $12.50. Total I have $918 in it and it should now last me a few years without many more issues.

Even with maintenance and minor repairs I feel I'm still ahead compared to what I would pay.

Just yesterday I priced a Stihl string trimmer for $150 but didn't buy it because I have a older one now I bought for $15 from an auction.

So I guess it's how far you want to take it, after I get done the yard may not look like a pro crew cut it but it looks really nice. To each is there own.

I was talking to a few guys about it and they say 36-40 hours a year mowing is a massive amount which they wouldn't ever want to mow, one guy has never owned a yard big enough to buy a rider mower, he's only ever owned a push mower. I have never lived anywhere that I didn't have 1-2 acres to mow.

 

[CajunRider]

Is that $600 X 12 or $600 X # months in growing season? How much are you planning to spend on a mower? Plan to use it every week or even every month? String trimmer? Steel blade edger? Back pack blower? Hedge trimmers? Supplies and Repairs? Fuel? Replacements?

Add all that up and even before you count your time it may be closer than you think to break even or better to hire a service to do it.

I have a tough time making a case in my mind for paying to have something done that I can do. But sometimes it's really cheaper in the long run.

We went through a dry couple years in Central Texas where I hardly used my mower. Now it's almost a weekly job.


TBS

Down here grass grows year round so it's $6K/yr. My out of pocket cost for the last 7 years was 2 K/yr including all cost for fuel, equipment, etc. If I add my time, it's probably a wash but I don't have the $4K so my time it is. I mow every other weekend and it takes about 4.5 hr (3.5 hrs on tractor, .5 hr on push mower around the house, .5 hr weed eater around trees)

 

[ovrszd]

My lawn care folks showed up yesterday just after 3 p.m.; 3 man crew in an extended cab (not crew cab) pickup truck; no trailer. We had gotten three-quarter inch of rain just after 1:00 a.m. yesterday and we started getting a mist just as they arrived. The yard had not been mowed in 16 days, so it was pretty deep and thick (and wet) in much of the back yard; deeper than ever for my yard. Two went to work with 21" Toro commercial mulching mowers and the other one used the steel blade edger on both driveways, then changed to a Stihl string trimmer around fences, trees, and buildings. The thickest grass in the back yard choked the mowers down and killed the engines 3 0r 4 times. But these guys walked fast and I think went over a lot of the yard at least twice. You don't see any clumps of clippings anywhere. Then 2 of them got their Stihl backpack blowers and blew off the driveways, sidewalk, etc. When they left, they had done a really good job, and had been here between 30 and 45 minutes.

So for $35 and a few pennies . . . . . I don't see how they can afford to do it.

Me neither.

You or I wouldn't.

Maybe they do an "average". When they are caught up and only clip a couple inches of grass they figure they are ahead?? :confused3:

 

[ovrszd]

I mow 1.5-2 acres weekly whether or not I think it needs it, if I don't mow it weekly I usually regret it. It takes me about 1.5 hours to mow it one time, I don't weed eat right but if I did it would take me 10 mins and blow my driveway off with the mower.

I bought my mower used off CL with 220 odd hours on it for $800, it's a GTH2464T which is 24hp with a 54in deck, hydrostatic drive. It's got 247 hours on it now, in that time I have bought a new set of blades off Amazon for $38, 3 new idler pulleys for the deck for $67 and a voltage regulator for $12.50. Total I have $918 in it and it should now last me a few years without many more issues.

Even with maintenance and minor repairs I feel I'm still ahead compared to what I would pay.

Just yesterday I priced a Stihl string trimmer for $150 but didn't buy it because I have a older one now I bought for $15 from an auction.

So I guess it's how far you want to take it, after I get done the yard may not look like a pro crew cut it but it looks really nice. To each is there own.

I was talking to a few guys about it and they say 36-40 hours a year mowing is a massive amount which they wouldn't ever want to mow, one guy has never owned a yard big enough to buy a rider mower, he's only ever owned a push mower. I have never lived anywhere that I didn't have 1-2 acres to mow.

Weren't you talking earlier in this thread about how valuable your time was? Maybe I missed something.

I mow a massive amount of grass. I could probably hire it done cheaper. But I'm retired and enjoy mowing. Matter of fact, I gotta sign off and spend a couple hours on the mower this evening so it lightens my mowing load tomorrow.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

Weren't you talking earlier in this thread about how valuable your time was? Maybe I missed something.

I mow a massive amount of grass. I could probably hire it done cheaper. But I'm retired and enjoy mowing. Matter of fact, I gotta sign off and spend a couple hours on the mower this evening so it lightens my mowing load tomorrow.

Nope wasn't me, I said I have more projects than I have time/desire to do them but never said my time was "valuable". Not that valuable anyway.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I enjoy mowing.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

I enjoy mowing.

You can mow my yard, wait your name is deceptive lol.

 

[two_bit_score]

Down here grass grows year round so it's $6K/yr. My out of pocket cost for the last 7 years was 2 K/yr including all cost for fuel, equipment, etc. If I add my time, it's probably a wash but I don't have the $4K so my time it is. I mow every other weekend and it takes about 4.5 hr (3.5 hrs on tractor, .5 hr on push mower around the house, .5 hr weed eater around trees)

You have a lot of company in that boat.


TBS