Is renting worth it?

[devin1234]

This is the inaugural post.

I had a potential customer call for a quote on a 1/2 acre of mostly flat mowing. Up to this point I have concentrated on smaller residential properties. Financial restraints have limited me to only a Toro 22", thus mowing, trimming and blowing this yard will take me almost 3 hours (working by myself). I'm thinking about renting a bigger mower to cut the time down to make a competetive bid, but I'm not sure if the saved time will offset the cost of renting the bigger mower.

Any help?

[ohreallythanks]

neva done it.....but here you can write off any rental eq at full price

[Stephen M.]

YES & NO.

Yes, the rental is written off at full cost and will save time doing the job.

No; the cost, unless passed on to the client thru higher hourly fees, will eat into gross profit and will more likely than not make it a break even job.





Unless you are making money, having a job just to have a job ain't worth it!! If you want just a job, go work for somebody 9-5.

[GrassMaster]

Let someone else do it, until you can buy a mower to do it with.

[Mike J]

If theres a possibility of you purchasing bigger equipment in the near future. Get the account and take care of it the best you can until you get bigger equipment.

Otherwise like they said above not profitable.
Good luck!

[devin1234]

Thanks for the input guys.

My problem is that this is the biggest house on the block in a neighbourhood i'm trying to get into... I has the possiblily to snowball customers becuase it's a tight knit community. Should I just quote the customer my etimate using my 22", or try and pass off the costs of rental to him? Either way, it's going to cost him about the same. For me it's a time vs. profit issue... I make more using the equipment I have, but I save time by renting... I'm still torn

[Stephen M.]

Renting is okay if its a one time deal. But since this is a customer you are trying to get on a regular basis, then NO, renting won't pay and its pointless to bid the job if you can't pay for a bigger machine.

Why all the excuses on getting a bigger machine? Do what most of us have done: go to a reputable dealer, pick the machine, and get payments on approved credit. Your work will pay for the monthly payment.

Don't want to go into debt? Debt isn't a problem; to make money you have to spend money. Want to grow? Go into short term debt to make bigger bucks so you can pay cash in the future.


When there is a will, there is a way.

[CleanCutMaint]

Have you been hitting this area hard this spring w/ fliers? Or some other type of advertising? It's a risk to take this property just trying to get your foot in the door but may be a good risk. Only you would know the potential of this area. It's possible that you could pick up some extra accounts in this area and then afford to buy the larger equipment. If your going to do that I wouldn't bid your regular rate w/ undersized equipment, the other LCO's would make you look very high and that's not going to help you in this close knit community. If word gets out that your high then people won't even call you for an estimate. I would say bid at break even(if you can afford to on this one), then pound the area w/ fliers or biz cards. Maybe even ask about putting a small sign up in the yard. Just some suggestions........

Scott

[devin1234]

Clean Curt,
I have been targeting this area with door hangers and flyers. I am considering taking Stephen M's advice about financing a bigger machine. It is my goal to move up to bigger lawns and bigger equipment. I jut wásn't planning on doing it till next season. I'm going to have to do it sooner or later. I just hope money spent now will bring in profit later.

[devin1234]

sorry about the typo clean cut

[work it]

When it comes to rental equipment I have a simple rule. If I'm renting something more than 4 times a year then it's time to buy. In a case like yours I would either find a way to buy a larger mower or pass on the job.

[BCSteel]

I would agree with the others on either financing new equipment (or look into used) or passing on it.

But, 3 hrs to do a half acre with a 22"? That seems outragously long to me.

[devin1234]

3 hours includes trimming and blowing the huge driveway that runs down the middle of the prop.

Thanks for the input everyone. I did some searching around and have found some okay deals on 36 W/B's. Going to talk to my Toro dealer today to see what he's offering.

[MGO]

For the amount of money you would spend renting a mower .....you could simply make the payments on buying a mower.......then you would have the mower to do the work....and any other larger lawns that come along

[SixPackSuperBee]

The money you make on this one job would probably make the payments on a larger mower and then you would be equiped to handle any other larger jobs that come along. Forget renting, waste of money.