The Green Industry's Resource Center

ryry278 · #1 12-31-2008, 04:45 PM

So this will be my 2nd offical year in business and i want to add some more services to list but i can't afford to buy all the equipment. So has or does anyone rent from like sunbelt and just work it into the price. I know i would prob. be a little higher but if i know the customers and they trust me i will still get the job until i can afford my own. What i am talking about is like clearing brush and the such with a miniskid steer, chipper. Doing new lawn installs with tractor with box scrapping to level things out then aerating and using the straw thrower. Also using the proffesional lawn aerator. Using the overseeder, the hydroseeder, stumpgrinding and dethatcher??? I think i could go in and talk them find out all the offical prices and extra stuff needed work out the final price then work up a price i can charge the customer that is a standard rate... Any thoughts

DLAWNS · #2 12-31-2008, 05:04 PM

I rent equipment all the time. I've rented bobcats, aerators, dethatchers, pole hedge trimmers, augers, push blowers, etc. It's great because you can almost never own every single thing that you need. I just build it into the price.

ryry278 · #3 12-31-2008, 05:08 PM

Thanks dlawns. I was getting real discouraged this year thinking i was not going to get the things i need to advance. I will focus on getting the rest of my mowing equipment and then renting the rest for now. Only one problem i am worried about and that is with the age do you know the min. i will be 21 in less the a month but i cant even rent a car ya gotta be 24

DLAWNS · #4 12-31-2008, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryry278

Thanks dlawns. I was getting real discouraged this year thinking i was not going to get the things i need to advance. I will focus on getting the rest of my mowing equipment and then renting the rest for now. Only one problem i am worried about and that is with the age do you know the min. i will be 21 in less the a month but i cant even rent a car ya gotta be 24

That should not be an issue, I've been renting stuff for years and I just recently turned 25. Hope that helps a bit.

mowerbrad · #5 12-31-2008, 05:59 PM

I was able to rent a ztr when mine was broken when I was 16. I know for sure that I could get a skid steer no problem, at least from one place in town.

triadpm · #6 01-01-2009, 07:01 AM

If you don't have one try and get a major credit card (DON'T USE IT) they can keep the number on file while you have their equipment. They should go for that.

topsites · #7 01-01-2009, 07:34 AM

I've rented a few times over the years...
Nowadays if I don't have it, I can't do it

Because I don't think it is fair to the customer to charge more because I have to rent something,
it's not their fault and they shouldn't have to pay more when someone else could do it for less,
the price of the service is what it should be...

And it shouldn't be such a big deal, but customers are not stupid and they catch on quick.
You can try it, but don't say I didn't warn you...

As a rule I only rent when it is something I am thinking of buying later, but in terms of the cost
I eat that, it's almost always purely for the experience and so it's not very profitable.

That, or as a last resort.

PROCUT1 · #8 01-01-2009, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by topsites

I've rented a few times over the years...
Nowadays if I don't have it, I can't do it

Because I don't think it is fair to the customer to charge more because I have to rent something,
it's not their fault and they shouldn't have to pay more when someone else could do it for less,
the price of the service is what it should be...

And it shouldn't be such a big deal, but customers are not stupid and they catch on quick.
You can try it, but don't say I didn't warn you...

As a rule I only rent when it is something I am thinking of buying later, but in terms of the cost
I eat that, it's almost always purely for the experience and so it's not very profitable.

That, or as a last resort.

I rent equipment all the time.

I learned a long time ago after running numbers that I have to be renting something very very often before the convenience of owning is worth the price.

As far as charging the customer.......I already figure in equipment cost whether I own it or rent it.

With the cost of owning a machine vs. renting it, your cost is usually higher owning. So if anything, it would be cheaper for the customer if i rent the machine.

With that said, if it is a tiny job, that the cost of renting the machine would be higher than a competitor would do the entire job for, then no it wouldnt make sense.

But at the same time, if it was priced like that or that small, i wouldnt bring an owned machine there either.

So yes, rent away.

jeffmoore · #9 01-01-2009, 07:59 AM

If you have to rent it for one property I prob wouldn't do it. If you can fit the rental into work on a few properties go for it. I rent a aerator once a year for a couple of days cost is $50 a day. If I do 20 lawns in two days I'm only out the $100 and have gained a lot more. Same for the chipper.

topsites · #10 01-01-2009, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffmoore

If you have to rent it for one property I prob wouldn't do it. If you can fit the rental into work on a few properties go for it. I rent a aerator once a year for a couple of days cost is $50 a day. If I do 20 lawns in two days I'm only out the $100 and have gained a lot more. Same for the chipper.

That makes sense, it can also be profitable if you can rent it the whole week,
sometimes it's a lot cheaper that way.