Lawn Care Equipment - Starting a Lawn Care Business in Peel Region - Part 2
Published: 05/06/2009 by PeelSeek Staff
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Okay, so the idea of starting a new business venture somewhere in the Region of Peel where you can turn a profit taking care of turf sounds reasonable. Before you begin your business venture, you have to consider and decide on the type of lawn care equipment and supplies that you’ll need.
Inexpensive lawn equipment and tools are widely available for the very basics of lawn mowing, grass trimming, and for raking and hauling away of yard waste. Initially, you might start with a truck or van, a lawn mower, a pair of clippers, a rake and a wheelbarrow.
More than a few lawn care businesses have started out with very little equipment before moving on to acquire landscaping material and heavy duty lawn machinery to expand their lawn service offering. If you don’t already have a decent work truck, you’ll probably have to purchase or lease one. You can also use a good work trailer.
Fortunately, truck or trailer, you can always haul away debris and junk as a service and in winter, you can use a truck for snow plowing. This is a necessary capital expense and if you don’t presently have an adequate work vehicle then this should be one of your very last pre start-up decisions.
And it doesn’t matter if you’re based in Brampton, Mississauga or Caledon, there is no shortage of new and used car dealers who’ll love the opportunity to help you make the right work vehicle decision. For any vehicle you purchase or lease, you will have to add the appropriate level of business liability insurance. A commercial vehicle license may also be required. Talk to a commercial insurance broker before you make any vehicle purchase decisions.
Bear in mind that a brand new truck is not always the way to go. Your truck must, however, be capable of doing the job. The truck must be reliable and it has to be able to haul the equipment you require around from job-to-job. Nothing will work against you more than failure to show up or complete a job because of unreliable transportation.
The truck must also fit into your new professional image. If you can afford a logo or deco on the truck, do so. It will heighten your visibility and it’s an inexpensive form of advertising. Make sure everything is spelled correctly. Include the name of your lawn care business, phone number and web address.
Other capital expenses for your lawn care business involve the actual lawn maintenance equipment. If you have a lawnmower, you must consider such things as its power source. This relates to fuel efficiency and your clientele.
If you have an energy efficient machine, it will reduce your costs. If you use a cordless, electric mower, it will help you maintain good relations with your customers in a number of ways. The quieter lawn mower will not upset neighbors or disrupt sleeping children or adults.
An energy efficient lawnmower may also help you gain environmentally conscious clients. Even using a push mower is a possibility. The problem with this type of machine, however, is that it's impractical for larger lots.
Very large properties may require a riding mower. But it is not advisable to purchase a large rider mower immediately. If you already have one, use it when applicable. If you do not have one, do not purchase one unless it proves to be necessary.
If you are cutting the lawns of estates on Mississauga Road for example or large commercial properties throughout Peel Region then a heavy duty riding mower will become necessary. If you're mowing the average residential lawn, it’s not. You can save on this sort of purchase until you require it - as your business grows.
If you decide to increase your customer base, you will need to hire people to carry out the work. Keep this in mind when you purchase new equipment. Not only will you need to understand how to operate the equipment safely, you will need to teach them how to use it wisely and carefully.
Be aware, as well, that your liability may also increase with the purchase of new equipment. You will require different types of equipment for your business. Some will make it easier for you to keep up with the customers’ needs.
Printed landscaping and lawn care periodicals and internet sources can provide you with further information on make, style, performance and suitability of lawn equipment that suit the requirements of your new lawn service business. One thing you should not neglect is maintenance.
You need to treat your tools with care. Do not neglect them or they will not serve the purpose for which you intend them. Take good care of your equipment and your business will benefit from it. It's also possible that your equipment can be resold or used as a trade-in if it's in good shape and still useful.
Always research thoroughly before you make a decision to purchase any piece of lawn and garden equipment. Talk to others in the business. Stop in and visit some Peel Region home improvement centres such as Loews, Canadian Tire, Home Depot, Rona, and Home Hardware.
Ask about the specs, features, benefits and the price of the lawn care equipment that you’ll need to start. Part 3 takes a look as some basic lawn care supply needs that you new lawn services venture may need to get rolling.
