The Green Industry's Resource Center

Runner · #11 10-28-2001, 12:36 AM

Now THIS would be a better article for Turf Mag's "Ask the Pros!
Now let me see here. They tell us that we can go rent an aerator like that unit, (which costs atleast fifty bucks to rent) OR we can just hire a lawn service to come in and do it for 35 to 40 bucks. Makes sense!

KirbysLawn · #12 10-28-2001, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MOW ED
Ya know what the sad part is- some SAP SCRUB is gonna do it for 35 an acre with a pull behind P.O.S. and be happy!!!

LOL...I saw a guy Friday pulling a 3 tine aerator behind a crapsman mower with nothing added to the pull behind for weight. The aerator was doing something like this.....:blob1: ...:blob1: ...:blob1: ...bouncing along.

David Haggerty · #13 10-28-2001, 05:05 AM

If he'd given an accurate cost, it would have scared off a lot of customers.

Just do like Kunkru said and explain what HGTV means is $35-$40 per thousand square feet, not per yard.
HGTV set the hook but it's up to us to reel 'em in. Sell 'em on it!

One of the core aerator manufacturers says that only .3% of home lawns are core aerated. That leaves a big untapped market.

I just billed $7K for core aeration for October. None of them had ever been core aerated before. I think my annual income just went up $7K per year!

Without Lawnsite I wouldn't have been prompted to try aeration this year. So thanks to everyone on Lawnsite for the raise!

Dave

jrblawncare · #14 10-28-2001, 05:43 AM

I'am with you Dave....I have found the same thing in my market....Just wish I had got it sooner!!Also taking few few jobs away from Chem lawn...I think with a Revenue of 906,000,000 thet won't mind!!!!

Guido · #15 10-28-2001, 06:23 AM

what their thought on this thread is (and gave them the link). We'll see if I get a response. It says they get a trillion e-mails and may not have time to respond to everyone. Thats going to be the answer I think!

We'll see!

MOW ED · #16 10-28-2001, 07:08 AM

Ray, you reminded me of somthing I saw that was similar.
The parks manager of the city I live in asked me for a quote on aerating some soccer fields. He said that the city has a plugger but he wanted a price anyway. Of course they didn't take the bid, I'm sure he just wanted to know how much a commercial job would cost so he could bill the soccer association.

About 2 weeks ago I see the Holder (multi-purpose vehicle) pulling, no BOUNCING:blob3: :blob1: :blob4: , this aerator over the rock hard clay. I had to laugh. It looked like he was using a ball peen hammer on the ground to a depth of 1/4 inch.

I hope they got the desired result.

jeffex · #17 10-30-2001, 06:56 AM

Here in my neck of the woods I charge $50 for a 1/4 acre. It costs $45 for a 1/2 day rental of a wb bluebird aerator. Most homeowners don't have a truck to haul the equip. and they can be dangerous to operate. tru-brown charges $75 to $100 for same lawn. The price is whatever you can get. Most people buy name brand service. I'm just trying to build my own "name brand"

scott's turf · #18 10-30-2001, 07:13 AM

I rent a core aerator about twice a year for about $50/day and make about $700 a day with it. I try to charge about 3 to 4 times the cost of mowing. Is this too low. True Green's prices were almost 7X some of my customer's lawn. I try to make about $50/hr mowing and I make about $75/hr aerating. Am I charging way too low? Do most of you rent or own aerators?

TLS · #19 10-30-2001, 10:36 AM

jeffex,

Why not charge $75 - $100 like Tru-Green is??? Why lowball them. If they know what the going rate is (most of the time they do), and you are already their "lawn guy" you should have it made. Why work for half the going rate?