Good Package Deal & Getting Started.........

[hotandhumid]

Hello fellas,

Yes as you can see I am new to this board. I must say this is a really nice board with a lot of good information.
Long story short. I can't climp poles for the cable company anymore since dropping a 28' ladder on my neck and now have 2 ruptured discs. Not as bad as it sounds, I can do most everything I did before but with a lot of pain most of the time. I learned to just deal with it.

ANYWAYS, I have been wanting to start my own lawn business for some time, and finally bought some commercial equipment.
I bought a package deal from a guy who was advertising a john deere f525 z-turn 48" w/17hp Kawasaki.
He was asking $1800. For $2600, I bought a very nice all metal 2004 5x10 utility trailer with about 2 1/2' solid sides and solid metal floor, 4' drop gate with an aluminum truck tool box already installed. It's a type of trailer that I could haul dirt if I wanted, no mesh floor.
Also included besides the deere, is a 26" Yazoo self prop. commercial WB w/Kawasaki engine. Also a Yardman leaf vacuum/chipper.
All is in great shape and working order. I bought all of this from this one guy who wasn't even in the lawn business. He just had a lot of land, and family land to cut.
I just need to get a weedeater and a blower.

Now around where I live it seems EVERYONE AND THEIR MOTHER has a trailer and mower. But in south Louisiana this is a year around business.
Right now I am just wanting to do this part time and gradually go to full time. I just wanted to introduce myself to you fellas and let you know my plans and what you guys think.

ANY advice will be appreciated. Thanks.

-Bill

[ACutAbove 217]

Welcome Bill... where in South Louisiana are you from? I moved from Baton Rouge a couple years ago and still have family there.

[hotandhumid]

I live in Gonzales, just 15 minutes south of Baton Rouge. I also used to live in Austin, and in Mission, TX.

[hotandhumid]

uh oh, I'm starting to feel a lack of love on this board. Am I considered a "scrub"

[highlander316]

sounds good so far, trailer price might be a little high. Just take it slow in long grass, 17HP on a rider will bog down a little bit.

[ACutAbove 217]

I was in Baton Rouge 2 weeks ago and noticed a really large number of trailers with mowers on them. Prices are still good there though. My mother is paying $50 for her lawn. You should be able to find your niche there. Also another advantage of the Baton Rouge area vs. Texas is in Baton Rouge there is not an endless list of immigrant labor doing lawns for $15.

[hotandhumid]

I paid a TOTAL of $2600, that includes everything I listed. That is why I considered it a very good deal.

[ACutAbove 217]

All of the equipment you listed for $2600.... you stole it. The trailer alone is worth 6 or 7 hundred.

[highlander316]

ah ok, i thought you paid $2600 for the trailer alone, yea def good deal.

[hotandhumid]

Yeah I can see the way I first worded my post that it looked like I paid more. But yeah the guy was pretty cool, and just wanted to sell everything instead of piece by piece.
Like I said, I am going to start of slow, which I am sure I will no matter what and probably go with the card magnets and an ad or two in the local papers.
Again, I think this is a really cool site and hope to make a few friends and will do a lot of reading of the posts to learn the do's and don't's.
Take care fellas.