Charging for grass catchng?

[greenscaper123]

This has always been one topic in lawn maintenance that completely illudes me. Some guys bag grass at no additional cost, some do, and some absolutely refuse to bag all together. I have always personally felt that it should be necessary to charge extra because it usually takes longer (especially in the spring) and, of course, there is the cost of dumping issue. I'm starting to focus my marketing on high income areas where the lawns are a lot nicer and everyone seems to bag. I'm not sure if they are charging for this or not. I would like to give the customer the option, but I have found in some cases people are turned off to the approach of charging extra. For instance, I have one customer that signed on in the spring. I said to him it would be $25 for no bagging and $30 for bagging. His repy was, "why does it cost me more to have the grass clippings bagged?.. doesn't everyone bag?" I explained to him the additional cost in dumping and extended labor but he still didn't seem to understand. I wonder sometimes if people who own Walkers, for example, just include the price of bagging into the quote. I mean I could say it's $30 to bag, meanwhile the guy next door with the Walker might be saying it's $30 as well. But he wouldn't even be giving the customer the option because he just bags all his customers anyway. I'd like to hear from everyone what there take on this is. Do you charge, if so, how much more? If not, why don't you?

[willshome]

Lawn care business tips

someone with a Walker is not mowing for $30 I charge $10 to bag if dumped there

__________________
Brockton Lawn Care
Easton Lawn Care
Fall Cleanup Brockton

---

Last edited by willshome; 10-12-2012 at 05:30 PM.

[phouse65]

We have always bagged the grass. When I have a new customer to take on for the season, I tell them the price and let them know that we bag everything. I don't tell them I charge extra, I add it into the price that I quote. I feel people would respond badly if I gave 2 prices for bagged and not bagged.

[SECTLANDSCAPING]

Originally Posted by phouse65

I feel people would respond badly if I gave 2 prices for bagged and not bagged.

They shouldnt, its more work and a trip to the dump. The local transfer stations wont even take clippings here. So you would have to have a place to store it.

If bagging is requested I charge $10 extra dollars but it never is.

[Hedgemaster]

In two years only one person specifically requested to have his lawn bagged.
I agreed to it only because he was willing to let me leave the bagged grass there in trash bags that he would put out for pickup.

The only time I bag is when it is necessary. I never mention the "method" to clients and nobody asks. If they did, I'd up the price slightly.

[LawnBoy0311]

I never bag. I never will. Don't bring it up with the customer, and they won't have anything to say. Heard this saying? "You talked yourself out of a sale".

If they ever bring up anything about bagging, tell them the clippings are a natural fertilizer and will save them money in the long run from buying store brand fertilizers.

[Grass Doctor]

i use to bag when i start mowing lawns obliviously that looks phenomenal, clean sharp, etc , then after reading several studies from different university's i found out that: mulching it more beneficial for the lawns the bagging and that bagging was a thing of the pass for conventional mowers now days every one wants to go green etc. if you see most of the lawn mower come with mulching system etc. benefits of mulching always removing 1/3 of the grass more will not do good for the grass plant.

1. makes the grass stays moist for longer periods.
2. macro-nutrients and micro nutrients return to the soil.
3. protects the grass plant in winter from winter damage.
4. it will not contribuite to the mith that it will be creating thatch in the lawns that if i dot cut more than 1/3 of the lawn at the time.
5 the lawns will require more that's a great one for us mowing
and i can go on end on with this.
CONS: lawn have to be dry other wise what a foooking mess
BAGGING BENEFITS .
1. immaculate cut.
2. removes the grass cleanings from the lawns.

CONS
3. stopping every freking time WHEN the bag gets full.
4 mower gets heavy.

so this what i do SOME times when i want a sharp mowing i will mow with the grass catcher not very often 1 month in spring and moth in fall maybe. and then i dump the bag in to their garbage.

here i introduce you to Graig the gardener

[greenscaper123]

Originally Posted by Grass Doctor

lawn have to be dry other wise what a foooking mess

exactly... between grass being wet and growing like weeds in the spring.. how is anyone suppose to possibly not bag? i would say 60% of my lawns this year would have looked like absolute crap if I didn't bag in the spring. the grass seemed to be wet everyday for about 3 months.

[greenscaper123]

Originally Posted by LawnBoy0311

I never bag. I never will. Don't bring it up with the customer, and they won't have anything to say. Heard this saying? "You talked yourself out of a sale".

If they ever bring up anything about bagging, tell them the clippings are a natural fertilizer and will save them money in the long run from buying store brand fertilizers.

again, how can you not bring this up? and how can the clippings be a natural fertilizer when the grass is so high and wet it leaves big nasty clumps on the grass that will create dead patches in the lawn? and if I explain to them the benefits of mulching the grass, how do you explain that you have to charge more when the grass is either wet or growing really fast if you just said that you shouldn't bring up charging more?

[greenscaper123]

Originally Posted by phouse65

We have always bagged the grass. When I have a new customer to take on for the season, I tell them the price and let them know that we bag everything. I don't tell them I charge extra, I add it into the price that I quote. I feel people would respond badly if I gave 2 prices for bagged and not bagged.

this is what i suspected and i'm starting to think maybe i should just do the same to avoid any confusion