Reliable cheap roller mower? Petrol Hedge trimmer? Commercial contracts?

Hello everyone I'm looking to start my own lawn care garden maintenance buisness, Im putting plans in and hope to buy equipment and hopefully start it proper next year in the season. I'm looking to cut grass but also interested in commercial contracts, I work part time for a housing association which has a relatively large site, I had a word with my boss about plans to get into the buisness and she seemed quite positive for me to have a go but they are looking to save money as the current company charge £9000 per year which they come to our work for 6 hours per week which covers everything grass cutting hedgtrimming etc. Obviously I'll have to have a thorough think about figures. How do I actually price the contract up?The maintenance company have 2 regular mowers to cut our site I know one of them is a mountfield mower and the other is a Honda, Hondas are great for the engine but seems really expensive is there any that are relatively cheap but reliable for under £500 or recommend a 2nd hand site? I'm looking for a roller mower which is durable and reliable but not too expensive and also I'd need another mower at least, so can anyone recommend some mowers for me to have a look at, I'm interested in the Hayter 41 which looks alright. I need hedge trimmers too so any recommendation would be great. Thank you for reading this and any help would be terrific. Richard.

Replies

Dan Frazer Gardening August 23, 2016 at 3:35pm

Forget the Hayter 41. It's tiny, slow and flimsy.

A danarm 21" pro roller mower is under £1000. I'd also forget trying to jump into a £9k contract at the very start of your foray into being a professional contractor! Go door to door with a simple leaflet, or contact site managers at smaller factory units, flats, housing estates and go from there.
- Richard > Dan Frazer Gardening August 23, 2016 at 4:10pm
  
  Hi Dan thanks for the comment. Yeah I'll have to take everything in to consideration and have a think after I've had another chat with my manager this week. I don't have the money to shell out £1000 on a mower at the minute maybe if it's 2nd hand so any other recommendations would be great. Private Grass cutting is my goal for my buisness and door to door is what I was going to do, I'm looking to get leaflets and good buisness cards to get my name about. Thank you Dan...
PRO

Harry@VWGS August 23, 2016 at 3:53pm

Hi there, what Gardening experience do you have? You say you work part time for the housing association but you haven't said what it is you do? If you don't have any experience I think this may be a big jump taking on a contract of this size. I agree with Dan, forget the Hayter, if your looking at taking on a pro contract surely you need to be looking at buying pro grade machines (even if second hand) ? I would not say forget this contract, Id say go for it, but only if you have the experience and equipment to forfill your promises, you don't want to get yourself a bad reputation by not providing the level of service they expect, Cheers Harry
- Richard > Harry@VWGS August 23, 2016 at 4:04pm
  
  Hi Harry thanks for replying. I don't have a lot of experience just the basic hedge trimming etc but have done a lot of grass cutting in the past but I've always had a love for it and have come to the time in my life where I want to follow it up. I work as a maintenance man for the site with the 9k contract, I finish at 1pm then feel I could do it after that, I have my brother and my dad who will help me for the bigger jobs. Yeah I think I'd have to go for the pro mowers as I just don't want to be bogged down with unreliable equipment. I may have to buy 2nd hand but do you have any recommendation or sites to get mowers? Thank you Harry I really appreciate it.
  - Ben Jakes > Richard August 23, 2016 at 4:24pm
    
    Main problem as I see it will be delimiating the boundaries between your day job and the commercial contract at the same property. You will need your own public liability at the very least.
    
    That said, if your boss is keen for you to have a go a bit cheaper then I think you've got leeway, and of course the security of your regular job. If you get on well with your current boss I'd go for it and look upon it as a cheap way to learn.
    
    Sounds to me like the current contractors are milking it a bit. £9000 for six hours work a week is approx £30 an hour. I bet they don't come 50 weeks of the year either. And a Mountfield mower isn't exactly pro quality.
    - Graham Taylor > Ben Jakes August 23, 2016 at 5:43pm
      
      I think you're assuming there's only one person hence the £30/hour........ could well be a team so perhaps the 9k isn't so unreasonable?
    - Dan Frazer Gardening > Ben Jakes August 23, 2016 at 6:09pm
      
      I don't think it's very smart to make judgements on people's rates like that. Maybe a touch of jealousy?
      - Ben Jakes > Dan Frazer Gardening August 24, 2016 at 8:15am
        
        Not at all mate. Just trying to give OP some encouragement. As the OP stated 6 hours a week I assumed he meant 6 man hours.
    - Richard > Ben Jakes August 23, 2016 at 8:13pm
      
      Thanks Ben, yeah my boss is really nice she just wants to save money as its quite expensive, I'm going to have a word with her this week to get more fine details and then I could gauge if it really is something I could cope with.Yeah to be honest I see them every week trying to get the mountfield started....
      - Ben Jakes > Richard August 24, 2016 at 8:15am
        
        And my point is proven...