Grass 14-16 inches tall.

[Jack Rabbit]

If you decide to do the job consider a brush hog ** big line trimmer on wheels. Go over it once with the hog cutting higher than the mowing height then go over it with your mower for a finish cut. http://www.drpower.com/trimmer-mower_features.aspx The cords will damage things that a regular trimmer wouldn't so use the hog for the bulk work only. Get around the edges and details with a regular trimmer. I'd rake the cuttings from the first cut since you would have to dump your mower bag really often if you picked it up that way. Ask the customer about sprinklers or other known obstacles. Examine the area carefully for obstacles and problems. Charge appropriately for all that work and rental of the brush hog. If they won't pay the price then don't take the job. Be sure they know that a normal mowing is much cheaper.

[Derrell Jacobs]

Lawn care business tips

I recently cut a property where the grass was 28 1/4 inches high. now, with two people doing this property it took us a little over an hour. @ $35 per man per hour. We mowed over the grass 4 times. We started by cutting the grass down by 3inches using trimmers (not the curved shaft) then mow it over slow at 2nd minimum speed. The grass looked like it was never that high. I charged the property manager $150.00 for the hour work.

[Tom53]

SHEEP !!!!! lol

[Fisher]

Originally Posted by Derrell Jacobs

I recently cut a property where the grass was 28 1/4 inches high. now, with two people doing this property it took us a little over an hour. @ $35 per man per hour.

We mowed over the grass 4 times. We started by cutting the grass down by 3inches using trimmers (not the curved shaft) then mow it over slow at 2nd minimum speed. The grass looked like it was never that high.

I charged the property manager $150.00 for the hour work.

I'm a bit confused, did you charge the low rate of only $35 per man hour? I figure that to be about $90 if 1hr 15min per guy @ $35 per hr.

If you charged the $150 it sounds like a better $60 +/- per man hour which in my opinion is a fair rate for the extra abuse on the equipment.

Either way the rates which you state you were working and billing are conflicting.

Just sayin'

[Fisher]

Originally Posted by Tom53

SHEEP !!!!! lol

I've seen property owners (not in the city) who apparently thought the grass was to expensive to get under control or just more work than they wanted to do just burn their yards in little controlled burn areas. I suppose this get's it all back down to the nice even height of ground.

Maybe, they were just hoping to get a chance to file an insurance claim that would pay off well enough to replace the landscape.

[stevef1201]

a 21 inch push mower? You have got to kidding me! Walk, no run from this one. Or rent a real commercial mower for a day, mow high, decreasing cutting height, and mow several times. charge for the rental, and your time to go get and return the rental, and your time mowing. I just finished a 1 acre lot, 36 inch tall grass, mowed 4 times to 3 inches, 6 hours, 400 dollars.
he was so gratfull about getting done, and it looking so nice, I now have a signed contract for weekly service @ 75 a week. I have a 36 inch standon, that is about 4 years old and was given to me falling apart. The time and money to get it working was well worth the effort. Thank you Jim for this mower

[Rodriguez11]

yea maybe a rule should be if the grass is 3/4 of the width of your deck you should just run run run away. I could not imagine trying to push tall grass like that. I just got done cutting a yard that was literally 5 foot tall, I have some pictures to prove it, that was still a pain with my mower

[Johnny_boy02]

Originally Posted by who1

I am new and have a craftsman 21 inch mower, and already purchased an echo trimmer. If I use the trimmer first then cut it with the mower will the bag still catch most of the grass? Or will I still need to hand rake it.

I would be honest and tell the customer you are not equipped to do this job properly and you would rather pass than have the job turn out less than great.

This will go a lot further than killing yourself for a few bucks.