Question about blowers

[A&JLawn]

Ok, this may sound bad.

My business is only about two months old. I'm 24, have a wife and young daughter, and live in an apartment (my dad lives right down the road, and has a two car garage that he let's me store my equipment in).

It sort of started out as just helping family and friends, when I realized how much I enjoy working outside, on my own terms (basically), and making more than 8.00 an hour. ;) Well, I've managed to scare up about 10 customers thus far.

Today, I was called out to estimate a job at a house with a BIG lawn (well, big when you're used to doing 5k sq. as this is about 18k). This is my FIRST customer that I didn't have a prior informal relationship with. Needless to say, I'm a little nervous and intimidated. I have decent equipment (not really, but I like to tell myself that), except for one thing.

I haven't been able to save the 200-300 dollars I would need for a nice gas powered blower (young baby=no extra money, which is why I'm doing this in the first place...more money for my family).

The one I've been using is electric. All of my other customers say they understand that it's a young business, and they don't mind if I have to plug in an extension cord for 15 minutes to blow off they're driveway and walkways.

So, my problem is this...

What do I do with this new customer?

Do I simply state that I'm a young business owner, just starting out, and I don't have the fanciest equipment yet, so may I please use an outlet for a few moments?

Do I say that I don't have a blower, so I'll use a broom? ;)

Or, do I pass up the job completely, and say I can't do it?

I really, really hate the idea of turning down work, especially when it's in a new area, and could be good exposure for my business, plus I'm always broke.:D

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks for your time.

JV

[TURF DOCTOR]

Try big lots they sell homelite.

[Zach76]

Why not use a broom the first couple of times? If you do good work, and the end result is the same, who cares. Then save the $$ you get from doing the account and buy a blower. Then your on your way to bigger and better things.

[TURF DOCTOR]

There is some in my country that cuts and trims, blows not,you do not have to blow clippings off.

[Az Gardener]

Check pawn shops, they usually run but little compression but give the illusion of blowing will get you by for a while usually $$100.00 and rental stores, they maintain them well and are fine if you can find them. That or garage sales and 2nd hand stores. Also charge more money and you wont be broke. payup Good luck PS everybody started somewhere. My first work truck was a pontiac 6000.

[Martee]

You might go check with some of the dealers who sell blowers ask if they have a model you could demo for a day. Dont tell them why but the dealers around here will let you demo alot of equipment so they can sell it.
Or check with a rental place to see what that might cost.

[topsites]

There is truth to the statement you don't need a blower (except for the inevitable leaves but for that you'll need POWER anyway so)...

First off, learn to cut grass so NO clippings end up on the paved surfaces. Even with a blower, this is a real time-saver. The trick is where the chute is aimed so use a pattern on the lawn that prevents the chute from being aimed OUT at the paved surfaces. On that note, with certain lawn-mowers you can run over clippings on paved surfaces and the wind from the blade is enough to clear the clippings, thou I suspect a side-discharge would be better than a rear or NO chute, heh...

If you have a powerful weed-eater, most of them the head rotates counter-clockwise. This means if you go wide-open and skim a paved surface with it, dropping the right-hand side slightly usually provides enough of a breeze to clear clippings. Sometimes when all I have is a sidewalk with a few clippings, I skim the weedtrimmer straight down the center wide open and never even start my blower. By skimming I mean you run the head as close to the surface as you can, you lean it one way or the other to get directional wind.

For a broom, I might skip that and get a rake at Home Depot for 10 bucks and at least you can get the worst off plus the rake comes in handy for other things but that's just me.

Good luck lol, my first truck was a 1974 27-year old Ford, 400,000+ miles on the odometer so you ain't the first one started a bit rough.
Even now in my 4th year all I got is a 19-year old Dodge but it's MUCH better than the Ford. Well, it IS!
Keep your nose up in the air but not TOO high :)

[newz7151]

You could go this route for now http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=876343&cat=4891&type=1&dept=5428&path=0%3A5428%3A4091%3A4891

Or, if you have a vehicle that you drive to your accounts, find you one of these http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=1818510 and still use your electric blower. I'm not sure how much juice a blower takes, but you can probably find it on the blower.

[westwind]

I picked up 2 echo backpacks for 100.00 from another LCO. Used but reliable, i think they lasted me 2 seasons. Call some of your local LCO's and ask them if they have 1 to get rid of. The smaller companies might be a better bet. Plus this gives you an oppurtunity to network with other services in your area.

[PMLAWN]

Used handheld will get you started. less than 100$.
But it is Nov. The season is almost over. Do you really want to invest at this time of year. The few cuts that you do this year may not even cover the cost. And if you get this job do they want you to do leaves. Than you WILL need a big blower.
I would think hard about making an investment at this time. Maybe pass on this and tell them you can not take on any more till next year.
Many jobs will come your way.

[29 Palms Property Management]

That's the same blower I started out with. My girlfriend thought she was doing good by getting me a blower, not knowing the difference in grades, power and name. Very nice gesture on her part. But I used it for a long time before upgrading to an Echo BP. Well worth the $70 or so. Like stated above, you'll learn to mow where a blower is not really needed to often. It saves time and $$$.$$

[nocutting]

Listen, they called you for 1 reason or another?.......Go in there Head Held High......just ask where their outside outlets are during the estimate, if they ask why?......just as a matter of fact you can mention that some equipment may need to be plugged in.[ its quieter, non-polluteing, more enviromentally friendly......ect.] [ many people hate the smell of 2 stroke-blue smoke anyway]........If you start out giveing them an out? [ I'm a young / new bizness], they'll just use that when and if yiou make a mistake.......Go in there "Guns Blazein" and Good Luck:waving: payup

[indybrian]

Best advice yet! I agree, don't sell yourself short by stating that you are a new company. I know of companies that have been around for ten years, their work looks like CRAP!!!! Dedicate yourself to paying attention to detail and doing a great job and the customer won't care what equipment you use.

By the way, I am starting 12 Stones Lawn Care and Landscape in the spring, wish me luck!!

Peace and God bless,
Brian

[LawnscapeMN]

I am just starting out my business and I have been going to small auctions, and local government auctions. Although sometimes people go overboard on bidding at the larger auctions, I have been able to pickup equiptment by doing a little research about auctions around my area. So far I have purchased two Toro Proline 52" walk-behinds, two Echo backpack blowers, a new 4cyl trimmer all for less than $1500. Now I am buying a plow truck, so I am researching all of the different trucks for sale out there and I finally found one in my area for a deal. Basically just do some research and get the best deal out there without spending an "arm and a leg"
Good Luck!

[northeastpropertymgmt]

ya just do your resherch find the actions but when you go make shure u know the reall value is of whaty you are biding on so u dont spend more then its worth but when you look for stuff and do the resherch u will find it. i started with the broom its not that bad as long as u dont blow the cliping all over the drive way when you are mowing it is justa quick sweep and thats all

[alex333]

for a lawn mower that replaces the blower. How many of you guys here would be interested in the product.

[cwlawley]

You could always buy a quality blower at low cost from Lowes or Home Depot and sign up for the in store financing that has no interest for three months. There are normally some good deals in relation to financing. That way you can save over a couple of months and use it during that time.