Work and such

[OldRedFord]

I charge $35 minimum for cutting, edging, weedeating, and blowing. That is if you want it done weekly.

I am thinking of going $40 or $45 on bi-weekly cuts.

There is a house I do that I charge $25 but there is no grass to cut in the back.

Most residential lots here are .5 acre.

I could do them all with a push mower but we all know that time is money.

Average yard takes me about 45 min. With a better rider I could do it faster.
The apartments take me two hours each.

I would like to gross a $1 a minute on a cut.

The apartment houses and duplexes I am doing I am going by what they were paying in the past. (Whole reason I got started with this) $120 - $75. Thats cutting, edging, weedeating, blowing, picking up trash etc.

These are also lots a bit over a acre each. Im guessing 1.25 - 1.5 acres. Three are also corner lots. Lots of edging.

And if your wondering why I am posting at 4:30 am....I cant sleep and nothing planed today.

[R.Smith]

I have that same engine on an old mini tiller. Still runs like a champ. I use it at least once a week to cultivate. The tiller was made by a company called Gillman or Gibson...I can't remember exactly, but it's definately pre 1970.

[Ranchero50]

Yep, the TB is a happy home owner grade, thinner metal and weaker mechanicals. It's also 20% the price of a Skag. It would serve you well for two start up years I figure, maybe more if you took care of it, then get a real one if this business pans out. That's the route my brother is going. He has around $1800 in equipment and putting half his gross into the payments has it just about paid off. He plans on making decent money next year. Currently works for the county mowing the roadsides 4 days a week.

I used to run a walk behind for the DNR at a local state park. Very tough working mower. I had to mow the back side of the dam, 300' deep, 50% angle, you couldn't do it when the grass was damp. The stands ups look hard on the knees.

If you get a larger trailer you can also have a spot for the trash and clippings to go.
Jamie

[tanusfarms]

I work For Lowe's up here in washington but for the most par the mowers and the Trailers we carry should all be the same. You guys are correct in that the floor models that you walk into the store and see are all residental quality and most likely wouldn't last you very long if used as a commercial mower. However if your local Lowe's store has a Sales Specialest thats worth his salt he can show the higher quality ones that we can order. the benifit to you that purchasing from lowes would offer would be the ease of financing the purchase. In most circumstances it is far easier to get approved at Lowe's then any other commercial Dealer. Also in most Stores if you tell them you are Starting a New business they in most circumstances offer you a discount if you apply for a Business Account. In our store we honor that discount if your approved or not. Up here I can sell you just about anything your heart desires. We sold a guy 4 jeep wranglers that he then put into shipping containers and shipped to alaska a few years back. If you get to talking with the right Guys you can get just about anything.

[BobbyFord]

Holy crap!!! I just looked at some of the Deere zero turn riders and they're a pretty penny!!

[tanusfarms]

yeah they can be but depending on what level of deere you're looking at they are well worth it. I personally don't recommend any of the ones that the lowes's stores stock For any form of commercial work. THe frames aren't setup for the wear and tear. How ever deere makes some really nice higher end models available outside of lowes or possibly through lowe's depending on who yuour salesman is and who their deere rep is!

[OldRedFord]

Holy crap!!! I just looked at some of the Deere zero turn riders and they're a pretty penny!!

Go price some ExMarks or Scags. They are way on up there.

Here in town the local Ace Hardware is a dealer for Scag, ExMark, and Toro.

I stopped in the local Snapper dealer yesterday afternoon. Talked with a salesmen for a while and told him what I am doing.

Looked at a Ferris ZTR that I just missed the special they had by three weeks where I could have gotten it at $70 a month.

Mower there that I liked the best was the Snapper Pro S50x. They range from 4-5 grand. The one on the floor was $4.999. 48" deck, 26 horse Briggs. Nice machine.

http://www.snapperpro.com/s50x

Oh ya, with the Snapper dealer there was about a $2000 price difference then the mowers at Ace.

I do believe I will be getting a Snapper.

[BobbyFord]

Holy crap!!! I just looked at some of the Deere zero turn riders and they're a pretty penny!!

Go price some ExMarks or Scags. They are way on up there.

Here in town the local Ace Hardware is a dealer for Scag, ExMark, and Toro.

I stopped in the local Snapper dealer yesterday afternoon. Talked with a salesmen for a while and told him what I am doing.

Looked at a Ferris ZTR that I just missed the special they had by three weeks where I could have gotten it at $70 a month.

Mower there that I liked the best was the Snapper Pro S50x. They range from 4-5 grand. The one on the floor was $4.999. 48" deck, 26 horse Briggs. Nice machine.

http://www.snapperpro.com/s50x

Oh ya, with the Snapper dealer there was about a $2000 price difference then the mowers at Ace.

I do believe I will be getting a Snapper.

That Snapper looks nice, too!
I didn't realize those things were that expensive.

[OldRedFord]

Yup. I have seen them at the $10,000 mark. Whew.

[papabug71]

Tim, I looked at a Troy built ZTR at Lowes the other night, it was a 42" cut. Looked like it could get in some really tight spots. I agree, Troy Built isint what it once was. You use to have to go to a dealer to get a TB, now everyone sells them.

You should check out Dixie Chopper. Talk about ex-pen-sive ! They are the Caddy of ZTR mowers. The buddy I keep mentioning has a fleet of them.

He has a couple with 4 banger Cat diesel motors. They were over 15k each new. Thats alot of $$$ for a mower. . .

[OldRedFord]

Well now I see how being self employed makes life hard....

Loan applications...

Ok so I went and talked to the ExMark dealer today. Looked at a Lazer Z ZTR with a 48" deck. Marked down to $6,799

So I am trying to decide between the Snapper S50X I linked to above or this ExMark Lazer Z.

The Snapper has a 26 horse Briggs and the Exmark a 23 horse Kohler. Im not sure if there would be a noticeable difference in the three horses. The Snapper has two gas tanks, the other..one. Snapper 8 gallons total, Lazer Z, 12. Two year warranty on the Snapper, three on the Lazer Z. The Snapper, no ROPS or arm rests, Lazer Z has these. The Snapper weighs 724 lbs, The Lazer Z 1125 lbs.

The Lazer Z has a pretty desirable option...a operator controlled discharge chute. Basically with a foot control I can change how the clippings are coming out of the mower deck. Less likely to toss out something at high speed around a house or car. Have not seen anything like that for the Snapper.

http://www.exmark.com/LazerZ.htm

[papabug71]

The exmark will be the better mower. Kohler makes GOOD motors. The Briggs motors are good, but their larger (22+hp) V-twins had air filter issues a few years back ('05-'07). I do remember getting letters from Briggs informing me of this. It was causing everything from clogged carbs to premature wear in the sleeves.

Looks like the exmark is more suited for commercial use, & the snapper is a heavy duty residential mower.

[OldRedFord]

Well I filled out some paperwork today. Turned in my application, got denied. Denied because of a lack of credit history. (I have only had a $300 credit card, thats all...I am in good credit standing tho)

Got my dad to co-sign, went and turned in my application again. Was close to closing time for the store so I wont know till in the morning.

But if everything turns out ok, I will be the proud owner of a 2009 model ExMark Lazer Z AS. 20 horse Vanguard Briggs motor. 48" cutting deck.

Price out the door? $7222. Financed for 60 months.

[papabug71]

Mercy sakes alive. That should be a good mower for you. You'll be able to get years of service out of it.

Is the vanguard motor a twin or single ?

[OldRedFord]

Its a twin.

I know this is the current year model but the only difference I can tell is the engine offerings and gas tank size.

http://www.exmark.com/LazerZAS.htm