Does anyone actualy rake yards in the spring?

[Duramax8832]

I have a few "old timers" that are willing to pay me hourly to rake by hand there whole yard. I also have a few multiple acre commercial accounts, there is no way in hell im gonna rake..id be there for days, and they would never pay the bill it would create. So my question is what do you guys do, power rake them? Im pretty sure guys around here only power rake every few years. Also will the power rakes damage sprinkler heads?

[green-pa]

I was wondering the same thing. And what is the avg rate? Do most people want the brush/leaves, ect, off of there prop?

[Raven386]

I was wondering the same thing. And what is the avg rate? Do most people want the brush/leaves, ect, off of there prop?

thats what spring clean-ups are for. we do Spring clean-ups the same as Fall's. blow out all the beds run it over with the mowers and then bag it.

[martinfan06]

NO RAKEING FOR ALMOST NO PRICE:laugh: :nono: :laugh:

[Bingham Brothers]

power raking-- recommended every 3 to 4 years only during dormancy

I charge $100 for an average yard (10,000 sq. ft. lot size) good way to jumpstart the season

[Duramax8832]

I was curious, I always remembered my Dad and Grandfather rakeing the hell out of the lawn every spring. Then they would get out the propane flame thrower and burn up any left over thatch. I always thought they where nuts, but i wasnt sure if it was the norm.

[Uranus]

What's a rake?

[Dstosh]

http://www.jrcoinc.com/product.asp?id=3. This is what I am going to use this spring. I just got it over the winter.

[lawnpro724]

It really depends on the yard. I have one that has alot of those damn pine needles all over the place and the only way to get them up is to rake them but other than that I just blow off the yard or use the vac and go. Raking commercial accounts or large residential yards........NO Way.

[Charles]

What's a rake?

Its a nasty four letter word that we should have auto censured
:cry: :laugh:

[mow & snow]

Every spring I do my clean ups with a JRCO rake and a grass gobbler on my mower. I do have 1 customer that wants it hand raked and she does pay the extra fee.

[DuraCutter]

I have a few "old timers" that are willing to pay me hourly to rake by hand there whole yard. I also have a few multiple acre commercial accounts, there is no way in hell im gonna rake..id be there for days, and they would never pay the bill it would create. So my question is what do you guys do, power rake them? Im pretty sure guys around here only power rake every few years. Also will the power rakes damage sprinkler heads?

I'm not sure if the Northern USA is similar to Canada but in as far as weather patterns etc... I'm pretty sure we're close enough.
Here we Powerake, and bag the grass in spring. Aerations is usually done mid season and fall.

Poweraking removes the tatch that builds up from mulching etc... As far as I'm concerned, when I see how much we take out twice a year, I think it's a necessity.

Hand raking just won't remove the tatch efficiently. A waste of time mostly, but it was the only way the oldtimers did it 40 years ago.

[KS_Grasscutter]

Its a nasty four letter word that we should have auto censured
:cry: :laugh:

Yep. About the only time I use a rake is cleaning up from trimming bushes or pampas grass.

[ACutAbovesiny]

What's a rake?

Rakes are those things that you constantly lose or your guys leave behind on jobs. :cry:

[cookcreative]

How can someone reach you? Do you have a web site?

power raking-- recommended every 3 to 4 years only during dormancy

I charge $100 for an average yard (10,000 sq. ft. lot size) good way to jumpstart the season

["Ground Control"]

I have a few "old timers" that are willing to pay me hourly to rake by hand there whole yard. I also have a few multiple acre commercial accounts, there is no way in hell im gonna rake..id be there for days, and they would never pay the bill it would create. So my question is what do you guys do, power rake them? Im pretty sure guys around here only power rake every few years. Also will the power rakes damage sprinkler heads?

I use a husqavarna power rake $900 and no....a power rake wont damage sprinkler heads like an aerator will.

[Pictur Perfect Lawns]

who sells a good power rake and what do they usually run?

[MSS Mow]

How about removing the sand/rocks etc left behind from the snowplow?

[Steve's Mow & Trim]

Ive got about half an acre that i am raking by hand tomorrow afternoon, I quoted $225 for the whole job, thats my labor, removal fee for all the leaves left over from fall as well as the sticks, bark, etc. Cleaning gutters for $75, and cleaning a few flower beds for $45, Fertalizing the whole thing for crabgrass, and thats another $190. Total bill $535, I make about $450. I don't mow for these people, then starting june 1 its $155 for summer fertalizer, and every 6 weeks another application, totaling $465, about $250 profit in summer fertalizer. They will have alot more work but this is all is set up now. So non mowing customer equaling $1000 bill, $700 profit outlook on the season so far, and about a 3rd from hand raking that will take a couple of hrs, go for it, hand rake, its good to get that old thatch up anyways

[JayD]

I was wondering the same thing. And what is the avg rate? Do most people want the brush/leaves, ect, off of there prop?

Green-pa,

What side of town are you on? South side here.
Are you new to this business? What is your company name?
Jay