New Sevice Idea

How many suffered the drought this past year? We (Kentucky) had the worst drought in 20 years in 2007 so I had a lot of customers asking about how much water the yard and plan beds needed to survive. I know that 1" per week is the norm but many didn't have the means to do this and others just didn't feel like messing with it. So here is the idea; Offer a temp sperinkler systems, you supply the hoses and sprinklers and charge rent on the equipment. Home Depot and Lowes offers a 4 zone battery opperated timer system for $39.00 you get the 4-way and 2-trip relay water flow controlers and the 4-zone timer, you can buy extra flow controlers for about $20 ea. pick up some good hoses $12 for 75 footers and pack of 4 heads (impact or spray) for about $15-$20. Set up and charge RENT on the equipment. and as you mow WEEKLY you will maintain the system and the best part is you still have a yard to cut during the dry months. And supply tree bags as a bonus (cost $10). Is or has anyone done this? If so, How did it work out for you? I was thinking $25-$85 per month added to the bill for this service depending on how much equipment you need to supply and maintain. The Selling point of this is; SAVE the Plants and the Yard now at the fraction of the cost to pay me more later to repair and replace it. And YOU STILL HAVE A YARD TO CUT!

Lawn care business tips

Boy, in Georgia, we felt the effects of the drought, too... like you said, Tim... worst one we've had in 20 years or so... That all seems like a GREAT idea... I don't think we'll be trying it just for the fact that we're such a young company, but it would definately work for a well established company... ...and it WOULD make it better for the customer (because their yard stays green and healthy all summer long) and would be better for the LCO because they wouldn't have to come out and do SO much work to get things back the way they need to be if they're already green.... Did that make sense, or and I just too tired to type?

[Little's]

I am not understanding the idea. Maybe its because I am not familiar with drought conditions. Why would you use your system instead of the one they have in place. It would still be connected to their water line right? Maybe you can clarify this for me. Thanks

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Little's @ Dec. 22 2007,12:12)]I am not understanding the idea. Maybe its because I am not familiar with drought conditions. Why would you use your system instead of the one they have in place. It would still be connected to their water line right? Maybe you can clarify this for me. Thanks

Not all customers have underground systems. So you would supply a temp system for them.

[Steve]

Tim,

Very creative idea! Would this involve anything underground or is this all above ground?

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Team Gopher @ Dec. 22 2007,8:38)]Tim,

Very creative idea! Would this involve anything underground or is this all above ground?

All Above ground, this is only a temperary set up.

[Steve]

Have you ever seen anything like this before set up? I like the idea I do wonder how it would work.

I do not think a customer of mine would want to see this laying in there yard or there neighbors, When they can go to local hardware store get a hose and there own sprinkler. And a lot of the HOA have rules about what can be in the front yards as well. I do not think it would work here where I live. If your out in the country most them have in-ground wells. They water when ever they want with there own system, Rather it be in-ground or above.

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Team Gopher @ Dec. 22 2007,4:20)]Have you ever seen anything like this before set up? I like the idea I do wonder how it would work.

Yes Steve I have done this and it worked out great, I didn't charge the customer for any of it because they where my guiena-pig test, I just loaned the equipment to them and set it up for them at no charge.

The neighbor seemed to like the Idea and told me they wish they had done something like that also as they paid me to reseed/rework the entire yard. We don't have alot of need for actual sprinkler systems here, there is a market for it now and they where very busy last summer, we just don't suffer droughts like we had this past summer normaly. Most systems are at business and very high end homes. The avderage home of 150k-250k dosnt have a system.

If you install it with a little sense by trying to hide as much of the hose behind landscape and parallel with walks and drives as you can, you can't even tell it is there, other than the sprinkler heads. I placed those close the the landscape beds and killed two birds with one stone watering the yard along with the shrubs, I used 2 different type the small spray type for tight small areas and the impact for larger and long range areas.

Worked out nicely so I thought I might offer this as a service next season and was wondering if anyone else had ever thought of or was doing something like this to get some feedback on it.

Thank

[Steve]

Well I am, very happy you experimented with it and it worked!

You never know what will work until you try it.

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]Home Depot and Lowes offers a 4 zone battery opperated timer system for $39.00 you get the 4-way and 2-trip relay water flow controlers and the 4-zone timer, you can buy extra flow controlers for about $20 ea.

Here is a picture of a Toro ECXTRA 4 Zone Sprinkler Timer from Home Depot.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp....SiteMap

But is there something besides this you need? You mentioned a 4-way and 2-trip relay water flow controller. Is this the same thing or is this something else?

Does this 4 Zone Sprinkler Timer have a way to hook up 4 different hoses to it? Or is it a wireless device?