Newbie needs help

[Tonyp884]

Could you guys be so kind as to help my young son & I start a lawn service?
He really wants to do this with me. I have no idea about pricing.
At this time, I need to buy a mower. I have a string trimmer, backpack blower, Mantis tiller, gas powered pressure washer, a trailer, and assorted hand tools. And a VERY hard working son. It seems that most lawn services in my neighborhood charge about $35.
Any advice / suggestions will be greatly appreciated. We are not wanting to go into debt buying expensive mowers, but try to grow a business without debt.
Thanks for your help.
Tony M. Powers
Charlotte, NC

[Tonyp884]

Wow, 18 views and no replies.
Maybe I've come to the wrong place!
Tony P

[ACutAbove 217]

Try going to the search fuction at the top and put in "new", "bid",or "estimate". You should get hundreds of old threads that you will find helpful.

[Jr yard's]

Ur At The Right Place

You had asked what or how to bid.. well then your doing a good job by finding out what a reg. yard go for($35). See you dont want to cut your self short when giving a price for a yard. Im sure if you look at some older threads you might be able to find some helpful information. On the equipment start slow there is no need to go out and dig a huge hole. Start with a good mower ( 21" toro,snapper,etc..) then if the yards start to come in.. then grow with the time. The first thing you would want to do is maybe find the work make sure you have income coming in and then get the big mowers. What ever you do please try not to low ball or cut the price in half. Try giving a free 5th cut or something on the lines of that, but the best thing you can do is have pride in the work you and your son do. You cut like crap your worth the $10.00 bucks you make the yard the pride of the block your worth the money they pay you. Hope this helps and guys if you see anything wrong with what I said please correct me.

[mikee_cole]

I agree, charge what everyone else is charging for the same work. I just go into the business late last summer and undercut alot of the guys in the neighborhood by 10 bucks. All it got me was alot of cheapos that only wanted their yard cut every other week. This year I will charge right with the competition and I added a 36" commercial walk behind for when the cheapos do call so I can at least mow them withough tearing up my mower. I was using a 21" craftsman last year and I'm pretty sure I took some life out of it and me. Charge what your worth and just do a good job and word will get around.

[Tonyp884]

Thanks guys for the input. And believe me, I have NO intention of undercutting market prices. I spent most of my lief as a motorsports photographer, and one of the highest priced too. "It costs a little more if you want it done right!" was my motto.

I have a crazy question: Do you base your prices on time spent on a yard or acreage,...?
After work today, I will spend more time searching archives.

Tony P

[GrassMaster]

Me Personally...

I think everything should be based on time (Man Hours) & then figure it by how long it takes you to do so many Square Feet.

Of course the larger the lawn the bigger equipment, then the less time but all in all it's still based on the Man Hours to perform that particular task!

But what can separate you from the rest is, when you get bigger equipment, you are in a market that not as many can compete with you due to you being more productive using bigger equipment thus on the larger jobs you should be able to Net more per man hour? Did I say that right?

[Team Gopher]

Hi Tonyp884,

I just wanted to say congratulations to you for starting your business! I hope this is a great year for you and your son