Monthly Gas Overhead

[adamsmowing88]

How much gas do you go through in a month's time on average? I am not talking about someone that has a fleet of trucks and 10 zero turns that are 60''cut. I am talking about the one man show, with a push mower, maybe a 42'' cut and your store bought weedeater and blower. Gas used in a 40 hour work week that is, in both the truck and equipment. Please identify your equipment also.

[picframer]

Lawn care business tips

Originally Posted by adamsmowing88 How much gas do you go through in a month's time on average? I am not talking about someone that has a fleet of trucks and 10 zero turns that are 60''cut. I am talking about the one man show, with a push mower, maybe a 42'' cut and your store bought weedeater and blower. Gas used in a 40 hour work week that is, in both the truck and equipment. Please identify your equipment also. I just looked at the average in the summer for mowing crews I have They drive a 2008 Ford Ranger 6 X 10 Trailer X500 Garder Tractor with a 48" Deck JS21 Self propelled Mower Stihl trimmer BR600 Stihl Blower Average $715.00 month Crew 2 They have a 2009 F150 7 X 12 Trailer Deere 997 ZTR Diesel JS21 Self Propelled Mower John Deere Trimmer BR600 Stihl Blower Average is $527.00 The difference is the second crew is on big sites with a lot less travel

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Andy
Halifax, Nova Scotia

[Steve]

The difference is the second crew is on big sites with a lot less travel

That is very interesting and it shows how important it is to keep routes tight to maximize profits!

[justin_time]

Originally Posted by adamsmowing88

How much gas do you go through in a month's time on average? I am not talking about someone that has a fleet of trucks and 10 zero turns that are 60''cut. I am talking about the one man show, with a push mower, maybe a 42'' cut and your store bought weedeater and blower. Gas used in a 40 hour work week that is, in both the truck and equipment. Please identify your equipment also.

2000 Dodge Dakota Sport
6x12 landscape trailer with 4' side ramp (i think it factors since it grabs in the wind)
1 - Husqvarna commercial Zero turn - 48 inch
1 - Husqvarna tractor/push mower

I average about $450/month for both

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Steve

That is very interesting and it shows how important it is to keep routes tight to maximize profits!

I should qualify this by saying the mowing gear is on the road 7 days a week from May until late September, the guys rotate so that I don't get stuck with overtime. Even in the summer I have some staff that are only available a few days a week due to courses, then I have two former military guys that drive school bus mow in between their routes and on some weekends.

May have to hire some older guys this summer however, Insurance is giving me a hard time over people driving and pulling trailers under the age of 25, they will probably win........as always. And yet we are claim free and I haven't even had a speeding ticket in over 30 years.

[Steve]

Insurance is giving me a hard time over people driving and pulling trailers under the age of 25, they will probably win

What is their problem with this? Talk about age discrimination!

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Steve

What is their problem with this? Talk about age discrimination!

New rules, they really have it in for newer drivers, anyhow I haven't given up yet, my position is if they have had their insurance for 3 to 5 years and not one ticket or accident, then what is the problem?

[adamsmowing88]

My question is, how would include gas in your overhead for your truck and all your equipment within the first true year in the business?[revolving around a 40 hour work week] Because the first year you might say well with my truck and equipment, I am guessing its going to be like 200 a month. But then you get start and realized it should have been more likely 250-300/month. Do you bite the bullet on this season or change them accordingly to the next. Or would you make your prices go slightly higher to cover the expense?

[picframer]

We took it into account when bidding jobs, if anything our rates could probably go down as we now have numbers of clients within an area that we look after whereas when I quote I calculated as if the crew were leaving the house to drive there and do the job, I make up some in mowing but I really make it up in spraying, or I should say it's easier to make it up in other services as there are so many mowing and a lot do not even take their travel time and cost into consideration.

[lklandscaping]

Originally Posted by picframer

I just looked at the average in the summer for mowing crews I have

They drive a 2008 Ford Ranger
6 X 10 Trailer
X500 Garder Tractor with a 48" Deck
JS21 Self propelled Mower
Stihl trimmer
BR600 Stihl Blower

Average $715.00 month

Crew 2

They have a 2009 F150
7 X 12 Trailer
Deere 997 ZTR Diesel
JS21 Self Propelled Mower
John Deere Trimmer
BR600 Stihl Blower

Average is $527.00

The difference is the second crew is on big sites with a lot less travel

Just wondering, How well does your ranger work with pulling a trailer. I was Looking at one but it didn't have much power for pulling and plowing. My salter was also too heavy unless I replaced the suspension...