Lawn Mowing Equipment Essentials for Starting Your Own Business
When you tire of the nine to five grind or working in a depressing office cubicle, you may start toying with the idea of starting your own lawn mowing business. You get to set your own hours, work outside in the beautiful sunshine, and make all business decisions for yourself.
However, one of the most challenging parts of starting a lawn care business is knowing what equipment you need to purchase to get your new venture off the ground and begin providing a range of lawn care services. It might be time to add the following equipment to your shopping list.
Lawn Mowers
When you start a lawn mowing business, it makes sense that your first purchase should be a lawn mower. However, picking the right one for your needs can be a lot more challenging than you might think.
There are many different options to choose from, such as walk-behind lawn mowers, zero-turn mowers, ride-on lawn mowers, and even robotic mowers. Each type has its pros and cons, and not all makes and models will be suitable for your business needs.
However, at a minimum, consider the purchase of a commercial push mower and, if tackling large commercial properties, a ride-on mower, as well.
Whipper Snippers and Line Trimmers
Lawn mowers are an essential tool of the trade, but nothing makes a lawn the picture of perfection as effectively as a whipper snipper or line trimmer. These tools can be useful for edging gardens and lawns and clearing long grass that your mower isn’t capable of tackling until it’s much shorter.
While shopping for a new trimmer, consider whether you’d prefer electric, battery, or petrol-powered. While petrol-powered tools are sometimes more powerful, they require the use of costly fuel and can require a significant amount of maintenance.
Electric line trimmers are clean and lightweight, but you’ll need access to a power supply at each client’s home. That leaves battery-powered trimmers. These tools of the trade only require the use of batteries which you can charge at the end of each working day. They are among the most popular options in the business.
Hedge Trimmers
If you plan on offering hedge trimming as a service, it makes sense to include a hedge trimmer on your list of essential equipment to purchase. Long-reach trimmers are among the most versatile and safest options, preventing the need to use ladders and other heights equipment.
Leaf Blowers
Autumn and winter can take their toll on a property. Leaves, dirt, and debris can end up scattered everywhere, and yards can look generally untidy. Rather than manually brushing pathways and courtyards by hand, you may see the value in investing in a leaf blower.
There are many different battery-operated options on the market, many of which can clean up all manner of debris to leave your clients’ properties looking clean and tidy.
Pruning Tools
Some lawn care service providers offer lawn mowing as a service and nothing else, while others dabble in anything yard-related. If you decide to provide other services like tree trimming and rose bush pruning, then pruning tools will be necessary additions to your shopping list.
Do your homework before purchasing any random pruning tool you find, as some are made with better quality materials than others. The more well made they are, the longer they may last.
A Vehicle & Trailer
Now that you’ve decided which essential equipment you need to start your own lawn mowing business, you now require a suitable vehicle and trailer to get it from your home to those of your clients.
What you buy and how you choose to transport your equipment is a personal choice, but there’s no harm in being observant and seeing how other business owners do it. Some buy all-inclusive vans that house everything from lawn mowers and PPE to hedge trimmers and everything in between.
However, one of the most popular options is a truck and trailer combination. You may decide to purchase a purpose-built trailer or use a standard model and adjust it to suit your needs.
These trailers need to be large enough for a standard lawn mower and/or a ride-on model if you decide to purchase one.
Personal Protective Equipment
Most people are familiar with personal protective equipment (PPE) in a medical sense, but did you know it’s also essential in the lawn care industry? WorkSafe offers practical protective clothing guidelines to help you make informed choices about what you buy.
These might include safety glasses, sun hats, long-sleeved shirts and pants, covered-in shoes, gloves, and earmuffs. If you are in close contact with your clients, the use of a mask may also be necessary for their protection and yours.
Start Your Lawn Care Business Now
Now that you’ve got a fair idea of the basics you need to start a lawn mowing business, why not turn those business dreams into reality? There are many well-established lawn mowing businesses for sale, and a career change may be more within reach than you think.