New kid is HUNGRY!!!

[SECTLANDSCAPING]

Originally Posted by Cuttin' Up Probably won't happen if I can't find someone to partner up with anyways. How cheap can I get a good used zero turn? A partner isnt a good thing. You would have to look in your area for what mowers are going for. I just looked at a 1 yr old lazer that the owner wanted $6500 for. Even though he only put 43 hours on it. He didnt know how to operate it. This guy must have sideswiped and ran over everything. I offered him $4000 and he didnt take it. I see them in good condition anywhere from $2500-$5000. Theres a lot of factors to consider. There can be money in landscaping but its slow to start and time consuming. My first year I tried to do it part time and barely broke even.

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South Eastern Connecticut Landscaping /Lawn Care /Pressure Washing /Snow Removal /Gutter Cleaning
52" Brutus/52" Super Surfer/44" Pro Line/60" ZMaster
EB630/EB802/EBZ7150/EBZ8000/BR400/Billy Goat 8Hp
FS55&90/FC95/km110/L322&326/TR2350S
HC150/HC155/CHTZ2460
CS440/MS290
Case 1816 Skid

[Cuttin' Up]

Lawn care business tips

Originally Posted by willshome a lot of us are 'one man show' ride or walk behind? What size deck? If your the one using it you could use a homeowners z-turn rider Rider maybe 48" deck. That's what I cut a couple with right now for the old man. 48" 20hp kawasaki bobcat. I like it but I'm not sure what the best size mower would be. Originally Posted by SECTLANDSCAPING A partner isnt a good thing. You would have to look in your area for what mowers are going for. I just looked at a 1 yr old lazer that the owner wanted $6500 for. Even though he only put 43 hours on it. He didnt know how to operate it. This guy must have sideswiped and ran over everything. I offered him $4000 and he didnt take it. I see them in good condition anywhere from $2500-$5000. Theres a lot of factors to consider. There can be money in landscaping but its slow to start and time consuming. My first year I tried to do it part time and barely broke even. Why is a partnership bad? Do you have an experience? I understand that you need more work for 2 people but you can also split start up costs 50/50.

[SECTLANDSCAPING]

Originally Posted by Cuttin' Up

Why is a partnership bad? Do you have an experience? I understand that you need more work for 2 people but you can also split start up costs 50/50.

Theres no way to insure both parties put in the same amount of time. Whether its paperwork, bidding, advertising, etc. Then at any giving time the other can cut your throat and steal your customers right underneath you. I had employees try this that didnt know nothing about the business end at all. Your partner can empty the bank account at any time and theres not much you can do about it. Running a business is a full time job even if you work a few hours a week. Theres so much to do behind the scenes.

My friends family owns a restaurant. The owner owed taxes and put the business in her sisters name and continued to run it. This lasted about a year until a fight over a employee. The manager tried to buy the restaurant back but the new owner refused. The new owner then trashed the place and threaten to take the equipment away. The former owner locked the business up from the inside and closed the restaurant for a week. Then reopened under a different name. Now there both fighting for control of the place.

At least with a restaurant you can physically occupy the place. You cant exactly do that with lawn accounts.

Friendships end, relationships, marriage, families, why would a partnership last?

Look at any other business or just even facebook.

[ringahding1]

10 years ago I started my business with a mere $1,000(estimate..not much more if the case) Today that has changed. Now we have several lawn mowers, 2 of which are valued @ $9k....
I started with a John Deere lawn mower older than I was @ the time, a mini-van and a boat trailer....I suppose it depends on the individuals passion & drive to make it WORK....Flyers, website & trucks with company name have boosted business the past 2 seasons

[Cuttin' Up]

Well, I need to do ALOT of thinking before I come to a conclusion on what will work best for me. All hypothetical till next season anyways.

[Steve]

I need to do ALOT of thinking before I come to a conclusion on what will work best for me.

Keep us posted on what you come up with.