Need some equipment advice

[tricitylawnenforcement]

Yes that is my business name. Tri-City Lawn Enforcement LLC. The slogan is "In Pursuit of Your Lawn's Order" @jason....because I have have 7 years to retire. And I am tired of cop work but have too much invested in the retirement system. and sometimes I just wanna get the heck away from the 'job' @hedge..... u are part right. We dont make a fortune but this is for extra since with the budgets the state has we get 0% OT.... we get comp time. so when i have to take this 'comp' time off I can go out and make some cash. @all others.... thanks for the advice, I will just keep my yts for the first year and if all goes well I will put the money into a zero turn next season Mike

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

Well as a customer i can hire any kid with a mower to do it. but if i am looking at signing a contract i want the firm to look professional. when I look out on the trailer i wanna see equipment that looks like it will last the whole season of doing my lawn(and others). and from a business owner just starting out i wanna have any advantage I can over the 'fly-by-night' firms. I am also a police officer and in my experience when u look like u can do the job correctly and efficently .... it helps (think of the fat cop eating the donuts... perception IS reality to most people) Mike I agree with you that image is everything. However can the average home owner tell the difference between a consumer 21" mower and a commercial one? For instance look at these two photos, would a home owner think one was better than the other? My view is no they wouldn't. The one on the right is a commercial unit, but how would they know? Instead of spending money on the mowers, would it make a bigger impression to make sure you have some nice customized shirts, pants, and hat to create your own uniform? Or make sure your truck and trailer look nice and clean and have signs on them?

__________________
- Subscribe to my Lawn Care Marketing Blog Feed and get daily tips sent to you. Free!
Download your Free trial of Gopher Lawn Care Software.

[wandfsmall]

Well I agree with you to a point but your customers can tell the diffrence between these two mowers.




The problem is what can you afford starting out. It will likely take you a few years before you start doing well at any new business, debt will kill you.

[Steve]

That is a good point, so maybe using lawn tractors should be avoided? I do wonder though what kind of thoughts a home owner would have on that.

Since there are commercial grade garden tractors such as this one:


Is it possible that to home owners, the look of a ztr looks more professional than anything else?

[SuperiorPower]

Originally Posted by Hedgemaster

May not be the case here, but have you ever seen what police officers get paid? It's insulting.

I can attest to that. There is a reason I have a side business.

[wandfsmall]

Originally Posted by Steve

That is a good point, so maybe using lawn tractors should be avoided? I do wonder though what kind of thoughts a home owner would have on that.

Since there are commercial grade garden tractors such as this one:


Is it possible that to home owners, the look of a ztr looks more professional than anything else?

I would not say using lawn tractors should be avoided but I do think that ztr mowers look more professional due to the time savings. I can also say from experience that most people can not tell what mower your using. A good percentage of customers that walk in my store for parts have no clue what brand of mower they even own.

[Liberty Landscaping LLC]

I am also in Law Enforcement. Lawn Enforcement someone I work with was going to start a company with that name not he tri city part just shows great minds think alike. I started my business so my better half didnt have to work after the baby was born. She went back to work anyway "for the break" LOL. I think you are better off with commercial equipment I would go used just do your homework. For a few reasons its half the price of new normally. A few other reasons are image spray paint goes a long way to making it look new, they are built better to handle the commercial abuse, and time the ztr's save so much time its not even funny. I have customers that hear me pull up and see me close the door ten minutes later saying I will have the truck ready when your done. I say I am done they look around and say wow thats fast but they like it because of the look and they don't wanna waste the time it takes them with their equipment. All of my stuff was used and I have learned lessons here and their but its life lessons. I am young and can reqope from them and I will be 51 when I can retire so now this business keeps me busy and I don't have a boss over my shoulder at my second job. By the time I retire I want to be able to cover call-offs or just jump in a truck and help out....well that's my goal. Element that's going in my motivational thread LOL. Moral of the story I think commercial equipment is a good way to go look at replacing the warn out home owner equipment as is breaks save the money for the rainy/ SNOWY days....and towards newer commcial gear. Good Luck!

[tricitylawnenforcement]

Well thanks to all the reply's to my thread. We had some unexpected PAID overtime here thanks to Mr. Steven Spielberg filming his lincoln movie. I worked my butt off and cleared about 2800 overtime $$ in 2 months. I followed everyones advice and went used. Got a Lesco 48" belt drive WB for $800 from a guy that has moved up to all 0-turns, 12' trailer with a 3 x 3 split rear gate for $900 a BRAND NEW in the box Snapper 22" 3-n-1 push mower for $200 and a new Echo PAS 215 trimmer for lil less than $300. Picked up the edger attachment used for $40. That left me with enough for most of my X-mas. This gives me my craftsman rider, Stihl trimmer, my toro push and my poulan pro blower as back-ups. Only thing left is a new blower which i may or may not buy until i need it. Trailer got a new coat of black farm/implament paint and new PM to everything. Got a few customers lined up and advertising for more! Thanks to all the help. I will keep ya updated.

Mike

[willshome]

just having the 48" wb on the trailer will make you feel like a pro. You may want to use the rider on the very hot days. and the fresh coat of paint is all ways good

[dpld]

Originally Posted by jasonw

Why is a police officer running around mowing lawns? I am sorry you all were thinking it, I just said it. Ok that being said F all that. I use ALL MTD stuff, mostly TB and my push mower is Bolens, they are all made by MTD. My truck is a 1996 Dodge, nice truck but by no means new, my trailer is a 10yo converted boat trailer. Its not about the size or color, its how you use it. My tractor is a 2009 TB and still runs and looks like new, just take care of your crap and it will last forever, if you go out trying to look "Legit" you will be out of business in 3 years for spending all your money on shinny new needless equipment. Steve, Can you please link the article you wrote about the rig I started with? I think that can help greatly here.

i know plenty of cops who have side businesses because their hours with the cop job gives them the time to do so.

you got to make it while you can in life, you only get one go around.

if you get a job as a cop at a early age and put your 25 years in you can be retired from that when you are 45 to 50 years old and go full time with the business after doing it part time for all those years.

it's pretty amazeing in that the cops i know who have side businesses are making and saving money hand over fist and by the time they are in their mid 40's they are set and the cops who just go do their job and go home and then retire live pretty good lives but nowhere close then the dudes who work double time.