elamey
01-19-2005, 08:55 PM
I'm starting up a mowing business this spring with a partner. I can only purchase one mower to start out. I've got all the hardware, string trimmers, blowers etc... so we have only to purchase our main mower..
My partner wants to buy a 48" Scag ZTR and I want to buy the new 36" Scag ZTR to get through gates. My goal is 20 lawns or so per week, working 3pm to dark weekdays, all day sat and sunday for catch up if needed. I'll be doing all the labor for 2 years by myself until my partner retires and starts mowing with me.
My thinking - If I can only get 1 mower, I have to get through gates to get any residential business. Sure, with the 36", it will take me more time to do bigger lawns BUT if i'm doing lawns by myself I have to be able to do gated areas efficiently, I can't push mow them and make anything. Plus i'm not going for 100's of lawns for the first two years 20 or so max. So i'm only going to do the amount of lawns that time and sanity allows with the 36" After two years when my partner starts working, I say we can trade the 36" ZTR in on a walk behind and get a 52" or 60" or keep the 36" for the back areas. I'm going to keep my job in the mean time and I expect to have the 36" paid off within the first year.
His thinking - The 05' Scag 36" costs the same as the 05 48 so we should get the 48. We'll get a used snapper 30" to do areas inside a gate, used snappers around here cost $1000 or so for a good one with mulching deck. If we get the 36", it's too limiting, the 48 inch cut's almost a foot more. We've got to think BIG. He's thinking we won't get too many smaller lawns anyway, that most people with smaller lawns cut them thierselves (I think you make more money on smaller residential lawns because you can do them so much quicker).
I'm not slamming his point of view. I just don't know the right answer and i'm looking for some advice to take to him for discussion. I need some pro advice to this delimma, we are going to purchase a mower Saturday January 22.
Thank you!!
Eric
My partner wants to buy a 48" Scag ZTR and I want to buy the new 36" Scag ZTR to get through gates. My goal is 20 lawns or so per week, working 3pm to dark weekdays, all day sat and sunday for catch up if needed. I'll be doing all the labor for 2 years by myself until my partner retires and starts mowing with me.
My thinking - If I can only get 1 mower, I have to get through gates to get any residential business. Sure, with the 36", it will take me more time to do bigger lawns BUT if i'm doing lawns by myself I have to be able to do gated areas efficiently, I can't push mow them and make anything. Plus i'm not going for 100's of lawns for the first two years 20 or so max. So i'm only going to do the amount of lawns that time and sanity allows with the 36" After two years when my partner starts working, I say we can trade the 36" ZTR in on a walk behind and get a 52" or 60" or keep the 36" for the back areas. I'm going to keep my job in the mean time and I expect to have the 36" paid off within the first year.
His thinking - The 05' Scag 36" costs the same as the 05 48 so we should get the 48. We'll get a used snapper 30" to do areas inside a gate, used snappers around here cost $1000 or so for a good one with mulching deck. If we get the 36", it's too limiting, the 48 inch cut's almost a foot more. We've got to think BIG. He's thinking we won't get too many smaller lawns anyway, that most people with smaller lawns cut them thierselves (I think you make more money on smaller residential lawns because you can do them so much quicker).
I'm not slamming his point of view. I just don't know the right answer and i'm looking for some advice to take to him for discussion. I need some pro advice to this delimma, we are going to purchase a mower Saturday January 22.
Thank you!!
Eric