Things I have learned so far..............

[turfcare]

Well, I have been in this business officially for one month now and these are some of the things I have learned........

Picking up sticks out of yards %&*$# (I did't like it when I was a kid and I don't like it now LOL)

People will leave anything in their yards (I ran directly over a brick that was covered in high grass yesterday in a front yard but luckily the blades did not hit it)

Leave cleanups take longer than expected

Using a hand held blower for leaf cleanups is a waste of time, money and my arm is still hurting from doing this a month ago

A 62" ZTR is the best thing since slice cheese, it was worth every penny

Thank goodness I bought a 16' trailer to start out with

GOOD help is hard to find

Bid a little higher than you think

Mowing weeds is harder than mowing grass

Most people don't want lawn care around here, they just want their grass I mean weeds cut

Brake box for your vehicle, trailer brakes, break away kit, installation, trailer tags and commercial tags cost $$$

Word of mouth is the very best advertisement

Landscaping jobs pay good $$$

Physical labor helps you sleep better at night

Trimming trees %$#@*

This business is great and everything I expected

Thanks to all lawnsite members who have shared advice

:D

[Meier]

What is a brake box?

I've been having a pretty hard time slowing down when I've got a lot of weight on my trailer. Does a brake box help with this?

Thanks,
DFW, TX

[turfcare]

A Brake Box (or that is what I call it) is a device that operates the trailer brakes on your trailer. The device is wired into your vehicle's brake system. You can get one of these at any auto parts store.

[MOW ED]

Very good observations and lots of truth in them. You know why a legit business has to charge a decent rate to stay afloat. It sounds like you are doing things right. Keep it up you are gonna do great. I enjoyed your observations.

[rodfather]

You have learned a lot in 1 month...for many of us LCO's, your observations took much longer for us to see and understand. Your's truly included:D

[LawnMowerMan2003]

Trimming trees may be a pain, but I think it pays pretty well. Once I establish my business and get a decent trailer I'm considering tree trimming. I just talked to a customer who is ready to pay $700 or so to get a tree cut down and hauled off, and this isn't a very large tree either. I think the thickest part of the trunk is roughly a foot in diameter, and the tree is not growing over the roof either. I could probably cut the thing down and haul it off in one day, and even after dumping expenses that's looks like better money that I could possibly make mowing.