Just Starting out-SOLO

[newjerseylandscaping]

I was asking chadslawncare. And i never ask questions that are meant as a posotive thing, i dont like the nay sayers on this forum, thats not what we all post for here on lawnsite.

[M & L]

was not sure if you were asking me or him. not sayin you nay say.

[newjerseylandscaping]

just making shur i know the way it was worded was kind of blunt. M&L i take it its your 1st year?

[MisterBreeze]

Originally Posted by SNAPPER MAN

That is the biggest problem with this business. People get go get cheap equipment and lowball prices because they do not know how to run a business. I can probably count on my two hands the number of legit businesses on here who are run by businessmen and are not just lawn boys. The reason we all come on here bitching every year is because this industry has very few barriers of entry compared to most others.
Posted via Mobile Device

I'm not sure I understand your position. Are you upset because of lowballers or that guys can buy equipment cheap. What I was trying to say is don't start a business by going into too much debt. Buying new is fine but I don't think it's necessary to purchase top of the line equipment. And I don't like to see guys driving around in a "Sanford & Son" pick-up but you can't assume they are "scrubs" if they do. You don't know anyones situation.
And also, lawn equipment is not cheap, even if it's used. It's still cost a few bucks for a reliable mower and needed equipment.

[chadslawncare]

Originally Posted by Houston Wyatt

None of you had even bothered to ask him whether he financed anything, how much money he had saved up, if he had a full time job that he was able to fall on, or even if he was planning on buying the truck with or without starting a lawn company(like myself).

I think these are in fact some good questions. I do have a full-time job and yes, I would have the need for some kind of vehicle. I traded in a 2007 Lincoln MKX for this 4x4 Ford. I figured I could put the truck to some better use instead of the Lincoln MKX. It was a nice ride but I could not plow snow and I really didn't want to pull a trailer with a Lincoln. Anyways, I upgraded from a 42 " Toro so that I could do my own leaf pickup in the fall. This saves me 350.00 a year alone (about 2 mower payments). I figured that starting a lawn care business would help me with tax benifits also. I was going to have to purchase a trailer anyways for a couple of off road toy's so the trailer, the mower and a good part of my truck will be a good tax benifit for the next 5 years. I am glad that I purchased the new equipment and if I did not think I could make enough money to pay for it all, I probably would still be driving a Lincoln MKX and paying someone else to do my fall leaf pick up. But I am not, I am mowing, plowing and . Thanks for asking the questions. Nobody seemed to ask earlier so I just didn't feel a need to reply to many of the above rants. Chad

[newjerseylandscaping]

hows that 150 handle the plow? also is it the 5.7 or the smaller 8?

[chadslawncare]

Originally Posted by newjerseylandscaping

hows that 150 handle the plow? also is it the 5.7 or the smaller 8?

The 150 does ok with pushing snow. It has the smaller engine and the plow is the smaller lighter plow. I primarily limit my customers to smaller commercial lots and residential driveways. Loosing sleep is a litle more difficult to handle compared to when I was younger. We just had 14-20 inches of snow a few days ago here in NE Ohio and the Ford F150 and the Boss 7.5 ft Sport Duty held up better than I did. After 3 days of snow plowing, about 6 hrs total sleep in 3 days, the truck was still able but I was not. Had to get some sleep.

[chadslawncare]

Originally Posted by newjerseylandscaping

Howed you do your first year?

I am just now getting around to sifting through this thread for replies. I have been bussier than I expected to be with fall leaf cleanups. I did this while working a full time job and probably could have taken on more customers but decided that I did not want to work that much. I just bought the mower in the end of August this year, I did not have any mowing customers and went after my first fall cleanup customers the beginning of September. In just the 6-7 weeks of fall cleanups, I was able to make enough money to pay for the mower for 12 months. I consider my first fall cleanup a success. Chad

[gasracer]

Chad, Maybe I read it wrong but you were writing off the truck for business use but still use it for personal use? Once you put commercial tags and insurance on it and get it lettered it is no longer a personal truck. If you still use it for personal use you can only write off mileage. I would talk to a CPA about it to make sure.

[chadslawncare]

Originally Posted by gasracer

Chad, Maybe I read it wrong but you were writing off the truck for business use but still use it for personal use? Once you put commercial tags and insurance on it and get it lettered it is no longer a personal truck. If you still use it for personal use you can only write off mileage. I would talk to a CPA about it to make sure.

You are very correct in this statement. I am only able to use the mileage for tax purposes. I didn't expect to write off the cost of the truck. I will be pleased with only being able to write off the mower, trailer, hand held equipment and snow plow for the time being. Hopefully, I can purchase a F250 in a couple of years then I will use one of the trucks as a complete write off. Not to mention the convenience of being able to leave one of the trucks attached to the trailer. For now, I am having to drop the trailer when I have a few days off of work and hook again when I need to work. Chad