The Green Industry's Resource Center

SECTLANDSCAPING · #31 10-20-2012, 02:20 PM

At that price your extremely low. You would be better off not getting it at all.

HPI_Savage25 · #32 10-20-2012, 04:18 PM

I'm trying to figure out a good price to charge that is also fair. But being told "its too big for you" isnt helping. I am willing to give a shot at anything. I can always hire more guys and I can always use the mower around the house so it wouldn't be non usable.

herler · #33 10-20-2012, 04:38 PM

I would go on and bid it so I can come back and tell these old salty crust guys how wrong they were.

Buttt what I would like to know first is...
Will they even LEND you the money to BUY it?
Trust me, your signature and that contract won't get that application through their loan department.
You can't buy a mower on the ASSUMPTION that they'll give you the loan.

But assuming they DO...
How you going to PAY for that mower when that contract goes south and you don't have a job?

I can go on, page after page of reasons why the salty old crust guys could be right.

HPI_Savage25 · #34 10-20-2012, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herler

I would go on and bid it so I can come back and tell these old salty crust guys how wrong they were.

Buttt what I would like to know first is...
How you going to PAY for that mower when that contract goes south and you don't have a job?

Say I go in at $2000 a month, I would go ahead and either get the truck paid off first ($210 a month, $5800 left) or I would try to make at least a $1000 payment each month to hurry up and get it paid off while I had the income just in case something happened and I lost the account. I would be better off just paying my truck off and then just make the payments on the mower but it all depends really. I would also make a couple of calls and I could probably pick up another 1 or 2 yards that are a good 4-6 acres. I know one of them we cut a few years ago and we was getting $3-400 to cut. Had 2 mowers going and was done in 4 hours. That was with a Gravely 42" ZTR and a craftsman 42"

Groomer · #35 10-20-2012, 04:47 PM

if its just you with a 60 or 72, you will be the in-house guy.

Mickhippy · #36 10-20-2012, 07:00 PM

Hope you dont mind but here are a few more pics of it.
I dont think its too big at all but, looks to be a lot of trimming if all fences etc get done each time. The front fence is around 800m if doing each side. (Get a back pack trimmer)
Had a look on Streetview and man, I reckon that would be a fun place to mow! Most of the visible trees on SV dont require trimming!

I would break it into 2 half's and do each half over 2 days unless you have a crew on trimmers etc.
I would certainly want at least one helper on the trimmer.

As far as cost this is how I'd break it down. Not saying these are the numbers you should use but just a way of thinking of it...

What do you consider a decent daily wage? Add 20% for trimmer wage.
You have to buy a machine for it so I'd put on another $100/cut for that.

Lets say $500 is an ok days pay, then it would be $500x2+200+$100, x2=$2600/mth.
You could add fuel and contingency. Say another $100/mth.
Total then would be $2700/mth

As far as mowers go, I would certainly look at one that has suspension. The triangular paddock looks like it could be pretty rough. I would certainly look at the SuperZ (demo the cut). An SZ would smash that place out no problem. The nicer yards could be cut flat out, thats going to save a heap of time over most other machines!

Groomer · #37 10-20-2012, 07:29 PM

So apparently its a horse farm/estate that is now vacant? Turf areas mixed with old pasture/paddock areas? What are the plans for the land? Does the school plan to use the property or sell?

32vld · #38 10-20-2012, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HPI_Savage25

I wouldn't use my walker on this account to be honest. I do have a 54" SD deck that I could put on the walker if I wanted to though. I can get a brand new exmark with a 38hp motor and 60" deck with 0 interest for 48 months and payments come out to be around $250 a month. So if I charge say $1600 a month....that more than covers the price of the mower and I also have a few yards I could use it on also that I currently use the walker on but I open the back up as the yards don't need to be bagged and the customers can't tell the difference.

How are you going to make the payments if they dump you after the first year and you have 3 more years to pay?

jrs.landscaping · #39 10-20-2012, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 32vld

How are you going to make the payments if they dump you after the first year and you have 3 more years to pay?

He did mention he had two other accounts where he could use the larger mower.

HPI_Savage25 · #40 10-20-2012, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 32vld

How are you going to make the payments if they dump you after the first year and you have 3 more years to pay?

Only way I will do the job is if I can get a year long contract for about a total of anywhere from $20-25k for every two weeks.

If that happens, it will be paid off in a year or less.