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C Jovingo Landscaping · #41 11-22-2012, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by White Gardens

That or he needs to start marketing himself better. Regardless of any area you live in, you need to make sure your finding the clients that appreciate your services and what you can do. It's a slower growth business plan, but the pay-off is when you have a list of clients that pay, pay well, and your profiting comfortably for the time,effort, and investment in what you do.

Even being in the middle to upper end of the pricing spectrum for us, sometimes I still wonder if we are charging enough to compensate for the time and effort we've put into all of this. It's not easy work at all.

As for the loader. With just me and one other guy, I mounted the loader to the tongue of my equipment trailer in order to still pull a mower and equipment with us when doing cleanups. That and I didn't have to deal with a swing away mount on the truck bed, along with a tailgate mount that I would have to use my mini skid to take it on and off when going to unload the truck. Ultimately the trailer isn't tied up either, I just take the hose and stack off the loader if the trailer will get used for other things besides leaves.

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I thought abt mounting on trailer but wanna be able to diconnect trailer & back in a driveway to get to leaves instead of getting all the leaves to the truck & trailer. Or if I offer curbside pickup, I don't need to pull trailer around.
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Agape · #42 11-22-2012, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C Jovingo Landscaping

I'm solo, just bought leaf loader with no engine & watching CL for deal on engine to power it. My plans are to fab a tailgate bracket for my dump insert & mount this on trailer tounge. (Click link)
http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-hal...rane-1647.html

OP stated guys are doing for $45 & people in his area think $80 is expensive! Needs to find area to work with more disposable income!
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I agree, I love life now that I stopped trying to compete with the low-ballers, but it's still hard to be slow and watching the little guys going like gangbusters all day, all week, and well into the season. maybe, however, they are trying to catch up to what I've already made.

White gardens, I'm with you on buying equipment to make less is ridiculous, unfortunately, the other mindset ruins it for all.

Darryl G · #43 11-22-2012, 01:27 PM

I guess I'm on the boat of those who upgrade equipment but don't change my rates. I upgraded my backpack blower to a Husky 580 which makes things go a lot faster than my old Shindaiwa EB630s, but I haven't changed my rates at all. It wasn't much more $ than my old blowers, although it's a bit more wear and tear on me. The bottom line to me is just being able to get all of my cleanups done and keep my customers happy, even if I do end up charging them a bit less (I bill my cleanups hourly in most cases). It's not like I've giving my cleanups away, but at my rate and energy level I'm a pretty good deal for my customers, and that's ok with me.

White Gardens · #44 11-22-2012, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C Jovingo Landscaping

I thought abt mounting on trailer but wanna be able to diconnect trailer & back in a driveway to get to leaves instead of getting all the leaves to the truck & trailer. Or if I offer curbside pickup, I don't need to pull trailer around.
Posted via Mobile Device

I've seen it both ways, and I guess it just comes down to what works for you.

I'd rather save more time/money/and energy being able to hook and un-hook from the trailer to unload the truck, along with being able to haul any other equipment I needed to the job site.

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Darryl G · #45 11-22-2012, 01:47 PM

I like how White Gardens has his loader mounted so the intake is facing out toward the curb. I see a lot of guys mounting them so it's facing toward the truck or trailer, requiring you to bend it 90 degress to use it, which makes them more prone to clogging.

White Gardens · #46 11-22-2012, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darryl G

I like how White Gardens has his loader mounted so the intake is facing out toward the curb. I see a lot of guys mounting them so it's facing toward the truck or trailer, requiring you to bend it 90 degress to use it, which makes them more prone to clogging.

Yes, huge advantage. I rarely get a clog, and if I do, it's because of shoving too much plant material in, or the random stick or two. Be even wet leaves and leaves in general never clog it.

That and the lower tongue on my trailer keeps the hose relatively flat to the curb, so no huge bend and I take full advantage of the 8' of hose.

Only disadvantage is that you always have to load leaves on the passenger side of the truck, but that's rarely an issue.

Keeping the loader off the tailgate and farther away from the truck also helps to keep any stray debris coming off the truck away from the motor and muffler. I've seen numerous times where this same style Lesco loader would potentially catch fire from leaf debris getting around the muffler.

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32vld · #47 11-22-2012, 02:13 PM

$80?

$80 for a 1/2 acre?

I'd stay home. Can't get mexicans to do it for $80 here.

CowboysLawnCareDelaware · #48 11-22-2012, 02:14 PM

I should have been more clear with my first post, $80 isn't bad for a 1/4 acre to maybe an acre. But that is for cleaning up leaves 2-3 times in the Fall. I don't wait until all of the leaves are on the ground.

-Michael