2 Pics of what I am starting with

[Splicer]

Originally Posted by MIKE'S LAWN MAINTENANCE

I think i have got it now.

Nice Mike!!!

[Jason Rose]

Originally Posted by NEPSJay

whats with the red X's??

Dude, that's the funniest thing iv'e seen in a week!!!

[nocutting]

Originally Posted by Splicer

Just a couple pics of my main equipment. Be gentle...

Looks like a nice start to me, considering I had a 20" push Murray Mulch Mower , think it cost $100 bucks at Kmart?.....Couldnt wait till I got 2- troybilt mulch mowers,32" at the end of the 1st season.......no trailer, just ramped them into my 1981 F-150 pick up......think my other best tool was a pole pruner that fell off a utility truck.....still have the original marvin pruner head...........

[DUG]

Originally Posted by justanotherlawnguy

godspeed, your a better man than me. if i had to start with that, i wouldnt. i would rather work for someone, or just get a job at wal-mart.

Wow!Not much motivation here Huh?If you like being someone elses robot and making minumum wage,i guess this is the frame of mind to have.

[daveintoledo]

but just the ride alone, the trailor ride, will start to break the machine .... you think no one here has tried to make a lawn tractor work... your the first one to try...... and there is nothing wrong with using what you have.....

but .... be prepared to hae alot of downtime... you will break down.....alot...

its just not moeny well spent that is all, you are better off with a used beltdriven walkbehind then either one of those machines....

save up and get something that will leave a cut you and your customer will be proud of.....otherwise, its just another guy with his lawntractor trying to compete with professionals......

yes my lawn tractor still runs..... after a complete moter rebuild and replacing several parts throughout the season..... i HAD to get a reliable machine..... i got the 48 inch toro 450 z master... now the lawsn i do look as good as a golf course fairway.... instead of looking NO DIFFERENT then the lawn the neighborhood kid does for 7 bucks....

have to figure out how you get the customer to pay you 35 bucks when the neighborhood kid does it for 7..(BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT LOOKS)

good luck and i hope you have a GREAT and successfuol first year...

[mexiking]

I started with a 21" mower, stihl weed wacker, a echo backpack (heavy as hell), and a old 4$$ 36" walk behind on a little pick up truck. Now I have a 2003 3500 Silverado Mason Dump, 2005 48" Walker with 20hp, 48" 16 hp walk behind, 36" Exmark walk behind, 5 redmax 7200 backpacks, some trimmers, and soon getting a Kodiak 4500 Diesel.

[Up North]

Hey Splicer,
Bottomline when starting out...it don't matter what kind of equipment you run as long as you do quality work, pay attention to detail, and charge a fair price (don't lowball).
As for the equipment, just make sure you do as much preventive maintence as possible and take care of it. It don't matter whether it's homeowner or commericial grade...break downs will happen and down time is lost $$. As your business grows you can upgrade the equipment to something more efficient & heavy duty. Also don't forget to get insurance and proper permits, licenses, (if needed), etc.

Good luck & hope all goes well.

Buck

[lawnspecialties]

Originally Posted by Splicer

Just a couple pics of my main equipment. Be gentle...

Hey Splicer. I started out in 1999 with a Scott's 25/54, ryobi split shaft trimmer/edger, and an Echo backpack blower. All from Home Depot. I just wish I had kept the Scott's for sentimental reasons. Years from now when you have two trucks, ztr's, and tractors, you'll look back on old Becky with fond memories. Try to hang on to her.

[lawn_pro]

Originally Posted by Up North

Hey Splicer,
Bottomline when starting out...it don't matter what kind of equipment you run as long as you do quality work, pay attention to detail, and charge a fair price (don't lowball).
As for the equipment, just make sure you do as much preventive maintence as possible and take care of it. It don't matter whether it's homeowner or commericial grade...break downs will happen and down time is lost $$. As your business grows you can upgrade the equipment to something more efficient & heavy duty. Also don't forget to get insurance and proper permits, licenses, (if needed), etc.

Good luck & hope all goes well.

Buck

I agree, buy new equipment when you have the money to pay cash....I see guys on here and around town with a new truck, trailer and mowers...they think they are making it...they stick around for 2 or 3 years and then they are just gone....actually an auction next week here for an lco that went under....check out his equipment-all new exmarks, dually pick-ups, a bobcat, all kinds of nice crap -all financed...I remember rarely seeing him around town and thinking, "he's never going to make it"-I almost felt bad for the guy when we crossed paths.....if your equipment is paid for and you are charging what you should be, you really cant go wrong. Good luck this season.

[Splicer]

Thanks guys I really appreciate all the love Dave is just trying to make me keep both feet firmly planted and he is a good person for doing so. If I were about 25 years younger I might listen

The FIRST thing I need to get is a proper nice looking trailer. Very cool to let me borry the one I am using but it its too little and too much for its size. It is a Bobcat or Ditch Witch trailer. Tandem, brakes, etc. VERY heavy. Especially loaded. Here is a pic of my bucket van and borrowed trailer loaded with a roller, Becky w/dozer blade and my cart. Did my 1st job today (restoration of cable line trench, burned spots needing reseeding). Homeowner was very impressed.
I ended up digging 2 holes to show the HO that everything was right with the world beneath his feet and then rolled the entire trench line paying particular attention to the 2 backfilled holes.

No pics of the job or job site, sorry. I figured I should work instead of taking pictures This picture was named wrong. It was taken in my driveway b4 I left for the jobsite.