Start & Run a Landscaping Business - Joel LaRusic Start & Run Business Series

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the floor mounts.

      • Rear ramp door. A ramp door requires more room to open but makes unloading and loading much easier.

      • Dome light. A simple dome light is helpful if you are loading or unloading at night.

      There are some disadvantages to the closed-style trailer. Keeping dirty equipment in the trailer can create a stench, and if there is no airflow in the trailer, mold will quickly develop. However, you can solve or avoid these problems by choosing a trailer with a rooftop vent and side vents. Leave the rooftop vent open when you park the trailer overnight. The side vents provide airflow while you are moving. (The rooftop vent should be closed for traveling to prevent it from being damaged by the wind.) With a good venting system, your trailer still won’t smell like springtime roses, but it won’t be offensive either.

      2.2 Open trailer

      An open or flatbed trailer has several advantages. It is generally a lot lighter than an enclosed one, which means you will spend less on fuel pulling it around. It is also likely less expensive to buy. Open trailers are generally easier to modify with racks for your tools (there are plenty of aftermarket kits you can buy and install yourself), and proper airflow is definitely not an issue. If protection from the elements is not a concern for you, an open trailer is probably your best bet.

      Regardless of which type of trailer you use, don’t forget to think about security. If the trailer is attached to your truck, lock the hitch so that the trailer cannot be removed. If the trailer is detached, lock the hitch in the closed position so that it will not fit onto a corresponding ball hitch.

      For tips on how to organize your trailer, see chapter 5.

       TIP:

      Wells Cargo builds sturdy, great-looking trailers, both e closed and open. Check out the website at

       www.wellscargo.com.

      3. Choosing The Right Lawn Mower

      You are a lawn care expert (or will be soon enough), so your choice of mower is an important one.

      There are three types of rotary mowers to consider: a push mower, a commercial walk-behind (midsized), and a rider. Reel mowers, or cylinder mowers, are different machines completely, and although you will not likely want to start out with one of them, they are also discussed below to give you a full range of options.

      3.1 Push mowers

      Unless you are starting out with some big commercial properties or large residential lawns, you will want to begin with a push mower. The name says it all. You push, the machine mows. When selecting your push mower, consider the following features.

      Cutting width: Expect a 21-inch cutting width on almost all commercial push mowers.

      Horsepower: Look for at least 5 horsepower. Newer models boast 6.5 and more.

      Blade brake clutch (BBC): All new mowers must have this important safety feature, which ensures that if you lose control of your mower, the blade immediately stops spinning. There are two variations. In the first, the blade and the engine stop. In the second, the blade stops, but the engine keeps running. The latter option is better as it will save you time, energy, and your pull start cord too, since you will be able to safely empty bags, clean the chute, and drive over sidewalks without shutting the motor off each time.

      Self-propelled drive: As you may be cutting miles of lawn each day, having a self-propelled drive is well worth the extra cost. It is also useful to have a variable speed setting, which allows you to adjust the mower’s speed to your walking pace for different lawn conditions.

      Two-cycle or four-cycle: Many mowers come with a choice of two-cycle or four-cycle engines. The two-cycle requires that you put a mixture of gas and oil in the tank. Since the oil is burned with the gas, and because a two-cycle engine burns twice as much gas as a four-cycle, this is not the most environmentally sound choice. I recommend the four-cycle. It involves a little more maintenance (changing the oil), but boasts more power. I’d make an exception to this advice if you will be cutting steep slopes. Four-cycle engines have difficulty circulating oil on steep slopes.

      Mowing height adjustment: There should be at least five settings for mowing height, ranging from about one to three inches.

      Bagging: Avoid mowers with a side bag; rear bagging is the only way to go. A better mower will have some sort of spring-loaded hatch in the back so that if you choose not to bag (e.g., if you are mulching), you can simply remove the bag and the hatch will cover the hole where the grass would normally come out. Other models may have a detachable cover that must be manually removed and replaced each time you switch from bagging to mulching. In any case, make sure you have the option to not use the bag.

      Best names: Toro, Honda, John Deere, Ariens.

      Author’s recommendation: Toro Proline 21-inch Model 22172 (6.0 hp) or 22177 (6.5 hp). Both are four-cycle, have variable speed self-propelled drive, and feature BBC that does not stop the engine.

      3.2 Commercial walk-behind mowers and riders

      If you work on larger commercial properties, you will want to consider a larger mower. Even if you restrict your business to residential properties, once you build up a lot of customers or have a number of clients with large lawns, a commercial mower might be a good choice.

      There are so many brands and varieties of commercial walk-behind mowers and riders that it is difficult to recommend anything specific; your choice will depend largely on what you will be using your mower for. The best bet is to visit your local dealer and take a look at what is available. As well, check out the websites of the name brands listed below for ideas on what they offer. Here are a few general tips on what to look for in these types of mowers.

      Cutting width: There is a lot of variation within this class of mower. You can get deck sizes from 32 inches up to 60 inches. The best rule of thumb: Get as big a mower as will fit in your properties.

      Horsepower: Expect at least a 15 horsepower engine on your midsized mower. Higher horsepower options are available.

      Fixed or floating deck: Floating decks are suspended from the frame of the mower and allow more independent deck movement. Fixed decks are firmly attached to the mower. Floating decks offer easier mowing height adjustment than fixed decks. They also cost more, so if you cut mostly level lawns and don’t need to adjust the height of the mower from jobsite to jobsite, you may want to choose the fixed-deck style. However, fixed-deck mowers are not as forgiving on bumpy lawns and can scalp the grass. This becomes an issue with the larger-width models, so if you are getting something wider than 36 inches, you should choose a floating deck.

      Sulkey/velke: These are cool little attachments for walk-behind mowers, designed like a trailer for the person doing the mowing. You sit on a sulkey and you stand on a velke. Jump on the jointed foot plate or mini-seat with wheels and let the mower pull you around as you cut.

      Striping kit: Customers love that striped look on their lawn. A striping kit is a roller that flattens the grass a little after it’s been cut to give it a more pronounced nap.

      Other attachments: There are a number of attachments available for commercial walk-behind and riding mowers, including leaf-bagging vacuum systems, large-capacity bags, sun shades, deluxe seats for maximum comfort, fertilizer spreaders, and more.

      Best names: Exmark (a division of Toro), Bunton, Bobcat, Bad Boy, Scag, Husqvarna, Wright, Hustler.

      Author’s recommendation: Exmark is the biggest name in this market, and many people rave about its products. Check out the newcomer Bad Boy

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