Had a little laugh today

[mckeetree]

I got a little laugh today out of a guy that called to gloat because he had "stolen" a yard from us we had mowing the last three years. First off, we don't mow for the public. There is no money in mowing around here. Oh, I know, there are places there is money in mowing and some big landscape maintenance companies elsewhere that have done well with mowing, but here, it ain't happening. We are just east of Dallas and maybe in Dallas proper there is money to made mowing residential yards but here where we are there are the ching-golly brother types mowing so cheap it would scare the toughest man in this forum. Anyway, an old customer asked us three years ago would we mow his yard and somehow got talked into it. Didn't want to do it, it has been a PITA and a money loser EVERY time I send a couple of guys over there to knock it out. He thought the guys that were mowing before stole his grill and based on what I have heard about those people they probably did. Mr. "gloat" called today to inform me he would be taking care of that particular yard this year, that the client felt old Charlie was just too damn high at $60.00 per mowing. Bad ass. I told the gloating fool "Bobby, there is no money in mowing around here and there hasn't been for almost 30 years. I owe you lunch for taking that yard." His response was he was making plenty of dough mowing. At that point I couldn't keep myself from asking him then why does he live in storage bldg. behind his elderly in-laws.

 

[treemandan]

You have to wonder. I probably would have stopped the conversation at "Hello" but I don't think there is a jury in this world that would convict you if you :censored:

 

[husabud]

Is this Lawnsite? Did I somehow check into the wrong place.

Seriously though, I am glad you are smart enough to know where your dollars come from.

 

[treeclimber101]

I got a little laugh today out of a guy that called to gloat because he had "stolen" a yard from us we had mowing the last three years. First off, we don't mow for the public. There is no money in mowing around here. Oh, I know, there are places there is money in mowing and some big landscape maintenance companies elsewhere that have done well with mowing, but here, it ain't happening. We are just east of Dallas and maybe in Dallas proper there is money to made mowing residential yards but here where we are there are the ching-golly brother types mowing so cheap it would scare the toughest man in this forum. Anyway, an old customer asked us three years ago would we mow his yard and somehow got talked into it. Didn't want to do it, it has been a PITA and a money loser EVERY time I send a couple of guys over there to knock it out. He thought the guys that were mowing before stole his grill and based on what I have heard about those people they probably did. Mr. "gloat" called today to inform me he would be taking care of that particular yard this year, that the client felt old Charlie was just too damn high at $60.00 per mowing. Bad ass. I told the gloating fool "Bobby, there is no money in mowing around here and there hasn't been for almost 30 years. I owe you lunch for taking that yard." His response was he was making plenty of dough mowing. At that point I couldn't keep myself from asking him then why does he live in storage bldg. behind his elderly in-laws.

Got any pics of your lawnmowers?

 

[mckeetree]

Got any pics of your lawnmowers?

Hey, I'm not in the lawn business. My "mowers" are just old sears specials. BUT, I did get my new swinger loader today and Mark Brown from swinger sent me a picture of it before it shipped. Give me your email again and I'll send it and you can post it.

 

[imagineero]

I got a little laugh today out of a guy that called to gloat because he had "stolen" a yard from us we had mowing the last three years.

Hey, I'm not in the lawn business.

Turns out you are in the lawn business. You have a mower, and you mow lawns for money.

 

[mainewoods]

Can't even imagine mowing a lawn in that heat. Kudo's to you for being willing to provide such an underpaid and under appreciated service. You are to be commended for your restraint! :msp_thumbup:

 

[RDAA]

I Know a couple of guys that mow around here and they will take thier work truck, trailer and commercial mower and bag and haul away your leaves for thirty bucks an hour. This guy doing this started out in business a coulple of years ago by having his father in law buy everything for him to get started. How will he ever replace his stuff when it wears out? His competitior drives an old F-150 with 3 different colored body panels and piece of #### trailer. He mows a client of mines 3 acre yard with a ton of trees in it for about eighty bucks. They just cut each others throats.

 

[ducaticorse]

Mowing is for the birds.. I have been asked by two of my larger PM's to quote their LS needs this year. I tell them it will be similar to my snow and ice management pricing (which I do very well on) not including the spring and fall clean ups. They seem to be fine with that. I see pricing on CL that is just stupid. People with no business sense actually do it though, and sure, they fail and go out of business in a season but there is always another idiot to pick up the slack. I will work off of referral business, and neighbors approaching me when doing my PM's properties, but I won't bother advertising the service. Not worth the aggravation.

 

[treeman75]

A friend of mine has 2-3 crews of two on a crew and charges 60 per man hour. He does both commerical and res, but the res are normaly big yards. He is always busting his ass to stay caught up, but so are we.

 

[mckeetree]

Turns out you are in the lawn business. You have a mower, and you mow lawns for money.

"Lawn", not "lawns". No "s". But since I'm not mowing that one I'm out of the lawn business 100%.

 

[treeclimber101]

"Lawn", not "lawns". No "s". But since I'm not mowing that one I'm out of the lawn business 100%.

You bought all the stuff for a lawn ? That seems crazy to me .

 

[mckeetree]

You bought all the stuff for a lawn ? That seems crazy to me .

It was a couple of old mowers I use to mow out at our shop and my Dad's place. Didn't have to buy a mower.

 

[BC WetCoast]

There's money to be made mowing, but it is hard. A friend of mine has about 12 guys mowing for him, each runs a single truck. Each guy does 14-16 yards per day, that's edging (string trimmer), mowing and blowing. The mowers make a % of the yard price on top of their salary.

 

[mckeetree]

There's money to be made mowing, but it is hard.

Worse than hard.