Bagging grass

How do you guys charge a customer who wants the grass caught & hauled? For me, it takes double the time to catch the clippings,then dump them in the truck or trailer. Ive been only charging $5-10 more. That is not enough because the extra time involved and dumping. I guess Im afraid of shocking the customer with a price double the regular amount. I dont want to lose customers. I need some advice. THANKS, SJR<p>----------<br>SJR Lawncare<br>

 

Tell them your bagger broke. Baggin sucks

 

I charge by the hour. That covers extra grass in spring and extra time for leaves befor fall clean-up, also for picking up junk befor mowing or any other extras the customer may request. If you are going to collect you need an effecient unit.I run a Walker 48&quot; ghs unit with the 7 bushel catcher.I personally don't belive it takes any longer to collect than to double mow or mow and blow.

 

Come out of the Middle Ages and dump your grass catcher. Nobody should be bagging grass today, with all the decent equipment and techniques out there.<p>I bag one 32-gal can of grass a week, keep a bag on my trim mower just so I have some greens to mix in the compost heap. Otherwise I wouldnt bag a blade. You shouldnt either.<p>Bill

 

Hi Bill: I don't collect every thing but in close areas its nice not to worry about spreading clippings over the beds or on the house and cars and to be able to trim cut on either side of the deck,(rear discharge).I'm still looking for the perfect mower.Hope to demo a Hustler short cut, upper cut model with a bac-vac unit soon.

 

Sometimes I bag, when it's more convenient, & usually in small quantities, & I bag in the fall too (obviously).<br>I charge 40% more to bag. A $25 lawn will cost $10-15 more to bag. A $35 lawn may cost $15-20 extra, etc. I try to intelligently talk the customer out of having it bagged all the time; usually the extra $$ it'll cost is reason enough. If I bag, I make it worth my time & $$.<p>----------<br>Smitty ô¿ô<br>

 

I remember when I first got in the this kind work I bagged and then someone said mulch all the grass and leaves, its good for the grass. It saves a lot more time if you can mulch with a mower.

 

Bottom line is time is money.....if I see I'm going to be chasing stuff all over the yard I'll pull my bagger off and pick it up, saves me time cause I usually only have to dump the 45 gallon bucket one time. If the custmer requests that it be bagged every time then the price generally goes up $15 to compensate, higher if i have to haul the clippings off. I find the nearest dumpster at my commercial properties and dump it in there! <p>Homer

 

I agree that bagging is a pain and I run a Walker as my 1st line mower but only bag for about 1/4 of my customers. I have some customers that have their own compost sites in their yard which is nice for me. Some customers also have swimming pools and I can see not having all the lawn in their pool. Others just want it bagged because they want it bagged. I do what the customer wants and charge up according to the situation. <br>It is nice to have a bagger when the grass grows 6 inches+ in a week. For the lawns I dont bag I discharge out the back with the door open or use my Toro.<br>Cover your expenses. Baggers are at least worth an extra ten bucks for a small one.

 

My large residential setup is a pair of 52&quot;<br>toros w/stand on sulkys with twin kohler magnum engines.<p>One has a set of high lift blades the other<br>has standard mulching blades both have<br>a bracket for jumbo a metal bagger.<p>A man needs to keep his options open.