quickest method

[American_Lawn]

I have about 120 properties from a contract that only requires cut, trim, and blow every week. I am trying to find the fastest method possible. Last year I mowed 20 yards a day by myself with a 32mini z. I was thinking of adding another 32wb to my arsenal and having one guy mow the back, while I mow the front and who ever finishes 1st trims and the other blows. MY ? is, would buying another mower speed things up enough to cover the cost of another mower? I am already hiring a helper this year to trim while I mow, but I thought this other method might be faster? Any suggestions??? thanks in advance

[ed2hess]

No....don't need more mowers....use one guy to trim. You can get more productivity on small lots with a 36" Sentar Sport with rapid height.

[Albery's Lawn & Tractor]

No....don't need more mowers....use one guy to trim. You can get more productivity on small lots with a 36" Sentar Sport with rapid height.

Very good advice.

[American_Lawn]

thanks, I was just wanting to see if there was any faster methods out there.

[PatriotLandscape]

buy a faster mower and still have one trim and one mow.

[Gatewayuser]

For that many accounts buy another mower then when you both are done one can trim ahead while the other blows. The reason I say this is I hate having a trimmer get ahead of me. Some people will disagree with what I am going to say. I like having the mowing done 1st that way no spots get missed, now on the other hand if you are doing bi-weekly mowing this would not work do to taller grass(it makes a mess). If you mow every week then I believe that quality and speed increases. It also puts in your mind to mow closer to things which reduces trim time!

Hope this helps!
P.S. I have two people mowing and one trimming, whoever gets done mowing starts trimming.

[MarcSmith]

a two man crew. one guy mows, while the guy is mowing other person edges and then begins to string trim. by the time the person mowing is finished its safe to begin blowing down.

on 1/4 acre lots, you end up finishing about the same time.

much more efficient than adding a second mower...IMO

[American_Lawn]

Thanks, I was thinking that that would be quicker, it seems like it would be if you think about it. Cut mowing down into half. My goal is to pop out 25-30 of these a day. It is possible, I did 20 by myself. I have a few more equipment upgrades to try also. Thanks again for everyones input.

[IMAGE]

What if you got the extra mower, and 3 helpers. 2 mowing, 2 trimming. Done in 2 days?
3 extra days to count your money, or to make it on other jobs?

[MarcSmith]

What if you got the extra mower, and 3 helpers. 2 mowing, 2 trimming. Done in 2 days?
3 extra days to count your money, or to make it on other jobs?
then you need wither a crew cab or a second truck to haul the extra person...

there gets to a point where the extra people, don't do as much to productivity as one would one think. its not and exact reproduction of labler, IE 2 people are twice as fast as one and 4 people are twice as fast as 2. On larger properties its not as noticable, buton smaller properties, it becomes much more noticable, and then you also end up paying for windshield time.

I coudl bang out a about 30 1/4-1/2 acre lots a day with a single helper. A 3rd person i got up to 35.... but on my larger properties, is were I made the time back up with the 3rd person.

Personaly wioudl not add a helper until you have a full schedule.....or are nearing havinga full schedule. paying for labor eats into your revenue pretty quick. before youget a helper, have a plan in place to beginh searching for more work. to fill up the extra free time you have....

[crazymike]

How close are the properties and how much are you making? (if you don't want to share, ask yourself)

If they were close together I would go with a 3man crew. You have one guy on the ZTR who goes and bangs out everything he can. When he's done, he shoots over to the next site riding the ZTR and bangs them all out.

Then you have one guy on the walk behind and one guy on the trimmer finishing each property. The mower gets the spots the ZTR couldn't. Whoever is done first starts blowing. Once that property is complete, they go to the next site. This saves from loading the ZTR on the trailer every time.

Once the guy on the ZTR is done, which is probably you, he grabs the spare trimmer, (depending on your guys, check to make sure they got everything on the first sites they finished) and help them finish the other sites.

This is how we do it, but you have to have tight routes. That said, if you have a tight route you can charge less and get more accounts in the area.

[bill8379]

Thanks, I was thinking that that would be quicker, it seems like it would be if you think about it. Cut mowing down into half. My goal is to pop out 25-30 of these a day. It is possible, I did 20 by myself. I have a few more equipment upgrades to try also. Thanks again for everyones input.

You would think you would get more then 5-10 more jobs done if you'll pay a guy all day but, I know there are better mowers out there but.. I would still get a 2nd mower. I spend relatively a small amount of time string trimming, I don't edge but I do a good job with the string trimmer. I trim in 5 minutes or so on most properties between 5-10k.

I think if I had a guy who all he did was string trim, he would be sitting around half the day. When I have help, we both mow. He starts mowing, I do the string trimming. After I'm finished I start mowing the front yard, helper always starts in the back. Then for sure we finish together.

[ED'S LAWNCARE]

When I was doing this full time. One guy mow the other edged then trimmed. There was only one property that the second guy would hop on the wb for. That was a 4 acre prop.

[American_Lawn]

So which would be faster, 2 mowers-(one front,one back) who ever finishes first trims and edges and then the other blows. OR have a third man trim while me and another mows. I have about 100 in my contract now, but If I get these banged out fast, I have the option of picking up 60 more. I am also debating of adding a crew in the future. That way 1 crew can manage this contract and I can get more work. I am at my peak right now for working solo. I have to keep atleast 2 days free due to down time. I tried that last season and it came back on me.

[bill8379]

I've read in similar threads that three man crews are more inefficient then two man crews. I believe it was a thread started by DFW. At least that seemed to be the consensus. You would still get more yards done but at a greater cost to you.

Like I said in an earlier post, when use have help it just made more sense to have the guy start mowing the back and I jump on the trimmer. I'm very fast with trimming and I bet you're even faster. Once the trimming is done grab a mower. That's the only sure way to be finished at the same time. at least in my opinion.

[American_Lawn]

I've read in similar threads that three man crews are more inefficient then two man crews. I believe it was a thread started by DFW. At least that seemed to be the consensus. You would still get more yards done but at a greater cost to you.

Like I said in an earlier post, when use have help it just made more sense to have the guy start mowing the back and I jump on the trimmer. I'm very fast with trimming and I bet you're even faster. Once the trimming is done grab a mower. That's the only sure way to be finished at the same time. at least in my opinion.

I did some thinking last night and I think that is what I am going to do. I will get another mower to speed things up alittle, have a back-up, and if I grow. Thanks.