Good String Trimmer??

[SWEET JOHNs Lawn 69]

Stihl all the way

 

[Ric]

Um, I guess spending 22 grand for my JD isn't "big on buying equipment".....:laughing:

Well, the man who is asking advice doesn't even have a business yet, no customer base, no mower or other equipment that we know of, so I do not quite understand the purpose of buying a commercial grade trimmer at the current time. Just my nickle's worth. If he buys a $300 trimmer now and gets no business and has to sell it at a loss, well, I guess that is just his loss. Shall we tell him to forget about any customers until he can afford a $3,000 zero turn mower? Sorry, it's just my opinion he should start small and not go all out on fancy equipment.

When I made the reference to equipment I was talking about Trimmers, the subject of the thread.:smile:

You say the man who is asking advice doesn't even have a business yet, no customer base, no mower or other equipment. Researching the business and its cost seems to me a rational thing to do if one is considering getting into the business or any business for that matter.

Actually $1000 investment in three pieces of equipment, a trimmer, edger, blower and $3000 in a ztr isn't a bad investment to break into the lawn care business. Trying to do it cheaper, the way you and some would suggest with $60 and $70 hand held equipment and a $100 push mowers only defeats the purpose because two or three month down the road you'll end up with more investment to either replace the equipment or get the stuff fixed which intern creates you down time which cost you money, and possibly cost you clients because you can't deliver on what you said.

Starting out small is one thing and $4000 or $5000 is a small investment when you consider most small businesses end up with 20k or better. If you can't make some type of investment say 3 to 4 thousand I would suggest you stay at home.

 

[PyhooyaBooya]

3 or 4 grand is a ton of money in my eyes at the moment. Especially since I don't have a customer base yet. My pocketbook would choke me to death if I were to go that big. I think that I am going to buy a commercial grade self propelled mower, a semi-inexpensive trimmer. When I get my feet wet I will by a blower and a trailer. Then in time a zero turn. I have a john deere 68 riding mower with a 30 deck and no brakes that I don't even think I will use for the business. I may just give that to my mom.

 

[Jetblast]

Good luck to you. The most important piece of equipment you can have is a good head on your shoulders. I watched my landscaper at my old rental house go from a single man outfit with a beat up pickup and a push mower, to a huge trailer full of mowers and half a dozen guys. Hard work and adequate equipment got him going, but strong ethics and great salesmanship made him a lasting success.

 

[BKBrown]

I have this for the Sthil Kombi - I got it for my pond bank and it will handle some tough stuff plus it lays the cuttings down instead of throwing them all over you (and for me, into the pond).
STIHL KombiSystem and KombiMotor - Professional Multi-task Tools | STIHL USA
KombiMotor Accessories - Interchangeable KombiSystem Attachments | STIHL USA

Check out the other attachments too - one power head and attachments for quite a few jobs. :biggrin: :thumbsup:

 

[Ric]

3 or 4 grand is a ton of money in my eyes at the moment. Especially since I don't have a customer base yet. My pocketbook would choke me to death if I were to go that big. I think that I am going to buy a commercial grade self propelled mower, a semi-inexpensive trimmer. When I get my feet wet I will by a blower and a trailer. Then in time a zero turn. I have a john deere 68 riding mower with a 30 deck and no brakes that I don't even think I will use for the business. I may just give that to my mom.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not telling you to go out and spend 3 or 4 grand. I simply stated that it wasn't a bad investment to break into the business. In fact it's pretty cheap. A good ZTR alone can cost that much and more You say I think that I am going to buy a commercial grade self propelled mower. Have you check the price on a 21" self propelled mower, talk about choking your pocketbook Honda Power Equipment - HRC216K3HXA
I wouldn't be so quick to give that john deere 68 riding mower away if I were you. After looking at the price of this Honda a 3K Big Box store ZTR doesn't look so bad.
I do have a question though, how much are you going to charge a cut or per month for your services??

 

[BKBrown]

Hope you fix the brakes FIRST ! :biggrin:

I have a john deere 68 riding mower with a 30 deck and no brakes -- I may just give that to my mom.

 

[PyhooyaBooya]

I haven't made any pricing rules for myself yet, I figure I will not sell myself short, yet not feel like its not worth it to mow. I will also start at a number I know that I am ok with being talked down from. The lawns around my immediate area are small, and I'll probably base it off of my own lawn. (Maybe a half acre)

 

[zsqure]

I have a Stihl that I got for christmas in 1996. Have never had it in the shop for anything. I have a Homelight blower that I got for christmas in 1997, never in the shop either. Both still run well and are used every week. Take care of your equipment and it will last. My neighbor goes through either a string trimmer or blower every year. He buys the cheapest thing at the time cause it usually breaks on him or he doesn't maintain it, I have always ran premium gas in all my toys.