# Best equipment for a startup



## Guest (Sep 27, 2003)

I want to start a lawn business on the side and I'm trying to figure out what equipment to buy. There wont be any other employees and I'll only be working part time until business picks up. 
I have about $3000 to buy everything including a mower (I do have an old F150). 
What should I buy? 

Newbie


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## Guest (Sep 27, 2003)

oh, I forgot

What is the best way for me to get business?

Flyers, signs etc..

Newbie


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## Guest (Oct 4, 2003)

If you advertise you will get business. Offer the first month free.


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## Floorwizard (Sep 24, 2003)

Funny stuff...tee hee hee.
Seriously, 3000 should do it, looked for some good used deals first. Then start an advertisement in the section of your most popular newspaper, the section that other contractors put ads in. That should give you a good start, and if your good enough, word of mouth should get you the rest of the way.

good luck.


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## P.Jackson (Oct 19, 2003)

If i where you i would get a mower with a collector on the back Flymo seem to be the best for the job also consider getting a decent strimmer saves a hell of alot of time when cutting longish grass advertise in your local paper and shop see if you get anything back from that also do you have a van or?


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## Grumpy (Oct 8, 2003)

Newbie said:


> I want to start a lawn business on the side and I'm trying to figure out what equipment to buy. There wont be any other employees and I'll only be working part time until business picks up.
> I have about $3000 to buy everything including a mower (I do have an old F150).
> What should I buy?
> 
> Newbie


Call local builders and general contractors and ask them to do their landscape. They will always need landscapers to make the house look pretty once the house is actually built... or else nobody will buy it.

These guys will be your startup bread and butter. Then go door to door flyers for a few blocks in each direction on the jobs you work on. Say "I worked at Xhouse, just down the street. Use this flyer as a coupon for one free whatever."

Try yellow pages, but obviously yellow pages but don;t expense too much there. It's good to have.

These are your cheapest ways of advertising. There are a ton more. Oh yes word of mouth. Ask all your customers, especially the elderly ones, to tell their freinds and family about you. You may have to kiss some butt or offer incentives.


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## Floorwizard (Sep 24, 2003)

Renters are another good lead, some renters include yardwork inthe rent, find a couple of those and you will have lots of houses before long. Your best bet is to look for rental houses in your area and call the number listed to talk to the renter directly.
Practice your selling technique.


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## Grumpy (Oct 8, 2003)

Florcraft said:


> Renters are another good lead, some renters include yardwork inthe rent, find a couple of those and you will have lots of houses before long. Your best bet is to look for rental houses in your area and call the number listed to talk to the renter directly.
> Practice your selling technique.


That sign idea is excellent. I shall add it to my arsenol!


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## WO_Farm (Jan 22, 2004)

Hello! This is my first time here. I went into business 10 years ago and still use flyers. They work great! I would offer some sort of discount for the first three months, but not give the first month away free. I know several business owners in my area that got burned by offering that type of deal. You make their landscape look nice during that first month and the clients get rid of you. Plus, it makes you look desperate and you probably are during a start up period, but never let the client know. Always, look, act and be professional. In my opinion, none of the latter are associated with free.Good luck!


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## Nathan (Jul 21, 2003)

Welcome to the board WO Farm! 

If you use a flyer with a coupon... make sure you put an expiration date on it! Otherwise you might get a surprise call 5 years down the road asking for that great deal you advertised.


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## LGSGROUND (Jun 23, 2004)

*This is what I did.*



Newbie said:


> I want to start a lawn business on the side and I'm trying to figure out what equipment to buy. There wont be any other employees and I'll only be working part time until business picks up.
> I have about $3000 to buy everything including a mower (I do have an old F150).
> What should I buy?
> 
> Newbie



Go buy a Nice Gravely 36 inch walk behide. You can get it for right around $2100.00. Its new dependable and its big enough to do good size lawns, and also small enough to get threw gates and little stuff.


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

I have a very old friend that works in the repair end of this business. He reconditions trade-ins and they sell for a fraction of the price of new. I use old commercial equipment around the house. Example; 11 hp, 33" cut Snapper rider $200.00, 21" Snapper trim mower $87, Echo straight shaft string trimmer $100. You get the idea.
My friend deals only with commercial business and is a dealer for Graveley, Ford, IH, Snapper, Echo, Stihl, Huscavarna? and a bunch of others and all of the engines that power them.
Find a good dealer and stick with him. I have seen my friend give a good customer a new piece of equipment just because he knew him. I saw him do this once with a $12,000 Gravely with a 52" belly mower and 2 48" wing cutters. He knew that the guy would pay later.
Good luck on your new business! Join your local Chamber and network, network, network.


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## mdvaden (Aug 16, 2004)

Depends on your financial situation and if you have to rip loose of a main job. If money is not a huge factor, think of this:

Suppose spring is the best - I don't know - just suppose.

Well, lawns grow in fall a bit, and leaves need cleaning. So why not start in the fall, and have a few customers ready to roll, or giving referral when you make a drive for full speed in spring.


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## K c m (Jan 9, 2005)

Unregistered said:


> If you advertise you will get business. Offer the first month free.



I can't tell if this is sarchasm but if it isn't thats bad business. Offer the 5th cut free and mark up the price so its actually paid for. Or off a free cut for any referrals

on to your question. Pick up a 21" lawnboy or a toro proline (the lawnboy will run you about 500 dollars, the proline will cost about 1050) get a stihl fs-85 trimmer and a bg-45 blower. I would say work out of your truck for the first year doing small residential. 20-30$ lawns. As the work load increases buy equipment accordingly. 

for marketing im not sure where you live. I live outside philadelphia about 2-3 miles. Our paper is the inquirer. However there is a bucks county and northeast part of the newspaper. So we just advertise in those sections cause they are max 25 min drive from us. Secondly make fliers and figure out where you want to hit.

after all that. Insurance, business licence, etc. 

good luck, best wishes

rob.


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## Hack-Man (Jan 7, 2005)

I found a good way of purchasing tools when I started my company is to go to auctions. Look in the classified ads part of your paper. 

In regards to advertising. I've had great success in taking my business cards to coffee shop and posting them on there bulletin boards. **IT'S FREE


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