Shoestring Budget

[Mike Tolin]

I am VERY interested in a Lawn Care business. I have a VERY limited budget. What is a necessity to get started? Keep in mind that I'm starting small...maybe a push mower, etc. Please help!

[Tyler7692]

My advice is to.... start reading. Just keep reading through these forums and find topics that interest you/answer your questions. The more you learn, the better. The more you learn, the more questions you'll have. Its a viscious cycle. Start learning the business man.

[Yard.Barber]

What I think are the most important things first are:

License
Insurance
A good company name
Business Cards
Some sorta Marketing Material
Find out what prices are being charged in the areas
Base the properties you go after on the size of equipment you have.

I think most of us have started out with our own or family members mowers until we were able to upgrade to commercial equipment. Don't go out buying things and using credit right off the bat putting your debt ratio to high.

Also, no matter if your using a push mower and rake do the best job that is possible to show you take pride in the work.

[ed2hess]

Get a push mower and gas can and go mow. You can get these roll edgers that you push manually and a broom and you are in business. If you can afford it get a basic trimmer like the echo srm 210 and maybe a hand held blower. Load it in your trunk and away you go.

[Rowdy74x]

In my opinion everything i would mention as "necessity" has been listed. I would stress being LEGAL if I had to decide on the most important. I know for sure because here in North Florida we have every poor soul without a job throwing his 21" lowes special in his caravan and shazam, he's a lawn business. And with no overhead he can mow for $15 a lawn! And this is hurting us all legitimate comapnies. I know, I know, everyone has to start out, but these people have been doing it, and nobody cares. Why did i bother getting occupational liceneses? And you guys that kill yourselves every year to do a good profit cant tell me that this wouldnt bother you either. No license, no insurance, dont pay taxes, and he's got work that could be yours. It makes me upset. To make a long story short, my opinion of the necessity to start out would be DO IT LEGAL.

[topsites]

8 thousand dollars, cash, and yes that is shoe string.

And you may not like what I have to say, but if you can't save that kind of money over time then you won't make
it far in a seasonal business with some ups and downs that beyond initial astonishment pretty much requires a saving skill.
There is no surviving hard times any other way, anyone who can not save their money is not cut out to run such a business,
so the sooner one starts acquiring and honing this skill the better.

[Tyler7692]

In my opinion everything i would mention as "necessity" has been listed. I would stress being LEGAL if I had to decide on the most important. I know for sure because here in North Florida we have every poor soul without a job throwing his 21" lowes special in his caravan and shazam, he's a lawn business. And with no overhead he can mow for $15 a lawn! And this is hurting us all legitimate comapnies. I know, I know, everyone has to start out, but these people have been doing it, and nobody cares. Why did i bother getting occupational liceneses? And you guys that kill yourselves every year to do a good profit cant tell me that this wouldnt bother you either. No license, no insurance, dont pay taxes, and he's got work that could be yours. It makes me upset. To make a long story short, my opinion of the necessity to start out would be DO IT LEGAL.

I'm almost tired of hearing this same old shat. Yes, I agree, but the KEY is CAPABILITY. Quit mowing resi. lawns solo for the rest of your lives and grow a BUSINESS. If you're not legal, you can't mow commercial properties for obvious reasons, especially ones that require more than one scumbag, a 21, and his minivan. CAPABILITY is KEY! Do what they (illegal scumbags) CAN'T do! Get the hell out of their league (its really not that hard, trust me).

[Jerry Lee]

I'm almost tired of hearing this same old shat. Yes, I agree, but the KEY is CAPABILITY. Quit mowing resi. lawns solo for the rest of your lives and grow a BUSINESS. If you're not legal, you can't mow commercial properties for obvious reasons, especially ones that require more than one scumbag, a 21, and his minivan. CAPABILITY is KEY! Do what they (illegal scumbags) CAN'T do! Get the hell out of their league (its really not that hard, trust me).

it sounds to me like u know what ur doing. so run with it.
:usflag:

[fool32696]

Wait until you have enough money so that you aren't "starting on a shoestring". Businesses take a lot of money to start and run properly. I've put 20K back into my business this year and will probably do the same next year, and I'm not that big.

[Mike Tolin]

Thanks everyone. I agree with the legalities and the hesitation some of you show on starting on a shoestring.

Who in the forum has started with a simple residential push mower, a blower, and a trimmer?

[Jerry Lee]

i did when i was younger like 14. i would put my blower and trimmer on my lawn boy and take off pushin all my stuff to the yards i cut.

[Mike Tolin]

And then how long did it take you to upgrade to better equipment? Better transportation? Better money?

[Rowdy74x]

Well i dont see anything wrong with starting out with a small equipment list. All the customer cares about is quality. They dont care whether you have a home depot blower, or a 8001 redmax. And they wouldnt know the difference anyway. Do the quality work with what you have. Little by little increase your inventory. But try to purchase by cash if all possible, or find VERY low interest financing. I will be honest and say that when i first started i only had a used f515 deere front mount mower, 48" cut, a murray 21" 5 hp, a homelite string trimmer, and a homelite handheld blower. And ya know what, my work was comparible to the best companies at that time. Its all in the quality. But keep in mind, presentation plays a big part too. Customers dont want to see a rusted out loud muffler truck in front of their house. So maybe keep up on your truck appearance as a thought too. I had the bare basics minimum when i first started out, now i have approximately 75k in insured equipment. So dont worry about the small stuff dude, do what you can, be legal, have good quality, treat your customers right, and you will make it.

[JohnnyCuts]

Hi Mike,
How many lawns are you wanting to cut, or how many hours per week are you looking to work. Give us a scope of what you want to do.

[Jay Ray]

You can deliver a lot of quality with a 21" and a sharp blade. But unless you're a triathlete you can't do it full time month in and month out. But the phone won't ring much to start with, so the 21" will do for a start. The more you do lawn care, the more you know what you need to do lawn care more efficiently.

[bohiaa]

Great advice, remember some of the major co's started out with nothing.

[nriddle77]

You can read more about how others started by looking at the "Tell Your Story" section of Lawnsite. There are a few threads about "what you started with" as well. Use the search feature and you can find lots of useful info.

[carcrz]

Since you're in KC, I've got a few mowers I'd be interested in selling if you want to message me.

[tg5273]

I am VERY interested in a Lawn Care business. I have a VERY limited budget. What is a necessity to get started? Keep in mind that I'm starting small...maybe a push mower, etc. Please help!

I agree with everyone first and foremost be legal, and do quality work. I started on a small budget as well, and I by no means have a business comparable to some of these guys on Lawnsite, but I have come along way. So be legal, deliver top quality work at the price it's worth. Don't cheat yourself. Market your business well and be as cost effective as you can with the money you do have coming in. Good Luck TG :waving:

[STIHL GUY]

if you dont have enough for commercial equipment save up untill you do. buying homeowner stuff to start you waste time and money in the long run