Looking for aerator

I'm looking to buy a good used aerator. Is this a good idea or should I just get a new one. I only have 5 customers right now that I aerate for, and have rented the equipment in the past. I would like to get one and increase my customer base in this area but don't want to shell out a couple grand if I can't increase my customer. Does anyone have an aerator for sale and what kind of brands do you recommend? I've used Ryan the piston action and I have used the rolling type. I like the piston action but I know I don't want to spend $5,000 on this equipment. At least not at this point. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Why not increase your need for one?

I know, owning the equipment would mean you can jump at the job at any time. Renting you would have to schedule.


If your only aerating 5 of your customers. Why not all of them?

Get out and sell the aerating to your existing customers NOW!
Notes in the doors
letters with your invoices
Offer a 1 time discount
Talk with your customers
Call them

And keep doing that..............Then you will be ready to own one. Lesco has a decent one that is much less $ than a Ryan

 

At the moment I only have 5 lawns that are worth aerating. The rest are weed infested dirt pits and they don't want anything but the weeds mowed. I'll to it for now but am working on some higher end lawns. I've got 4 more in the past 3 days so it's looking up. I'll probably go to lesco and get one. I did find a used one on ebay. A Bluebird. Thanks for the tips I had the fliers made up already just finding a day to get them out.

 

I have found the Rock Solid Plugr to be the best aerator around. I bought one last year and aerated well over 100 yards with it -- and it did very well. '

Get the PL800 -- itas about $2500 or so. I would be happy to answer any questions about it for you.

http://www.ims-ipc.com/rocksolid/

 

Go check out www.alamia.com

They have good prices of Bluebird aerators
I think their cheapest one is around $1,800, which i have used that model from the rental yard numerous times and works really well. Will probably be purchasing one this fall.

 

Good used aerators are impossible to find. Only way to find one is from someone getting out of the biz or a rental yard selling one (which will be spent). I looked for a couple of years for one before finally just buying a new one and selling the service to more and more clients.

Like Glan said, increase your need for one. They will pay for themselves time and time again.

 

How much can you charge for aeration?? Never done this type of work before. How do you sell this type of service to new/existing customers?
M11792

 

My personal experience says stay away from the Bluebird. Had a walkbehind for a day and took it back and got the Ryan. The ryans drum makes it much easier to turn and maneuver. Also am stuck with a Bluebird pull behind that I foolishly bought without demoing and will not use. It will not pull plugs because the small 1/2" coring tines get plugged up and just end up punching holes. As I said the Ryan works good but like most walk behinds is hard on the body. If you have a ZTR, I strongly recommend the new Gator-Rator. I demoed it just today from Bryant (the owner and a Lawnsite sponsor) and am definately buying one in the next week or so. Nice guy and an awesome machine.

 

JTHutch, email me, I know where you can find what you are looking for!