Buying a pole hedge trimmer

[Hills Lawncare Services]

Hi All,

Looking at buying a pole hedge trimmer, does anyone have any suggestions? Also do people charge extra for this kind of work as the equipment is more expensive and work more dangerous, if so what kind of rates are people charging?

Thanks,

Charbel

[mojo111]

Tanaka have a model that has multi head attachments. Base unit trimer starts at about the $450 mark and the attachments that ya can get are pruning saw, hedge trimmer, rotary hoe, rotary broom. They Veriee in price from $300 / $500 give or take. Cheaper than buying just a designated hedge trimmer at $1000. Stihl, Shindawa
have same sort of set ups but more expensive.

I do hedge trimming on $50 / $60 hr depends on the job, How hard, how much rubbish ya have to haul away etc.

Hope this helps :i dunno: ;) cheers.

[odin]

I use sthil extended hedge trimmer all i use ..dont have to bend the back as much.

Bush trimming is tiresome work we charge 80 dollars an hour american...and we charge a deposal fee for the debree.

[Alex Callaghan]

I've had nothing but good experiances with the Shindiawa M230 multi-tool.

0-90 degress adjustable cutter head on the hedge trimmer attachment so I can use it on low shrubs too and set it up for anykind of contours and angles in the hedge I'm trimming.

It's a good piece of equipment cause you can get other attachments as you might need them instead of bying lots of seperate machines.

I've got the hedger, Pole pruner and edger for mine but you can get a power broom and a trimmer attachment too.

I've never had any issues with it apart from somtimes it's takes a few go's to get the attacments into the hole but it's no biggie.

I'm very happy with it!

Which area are you servicing down there? Cherrybroke, Castel Hill, Glenhaven?
I grew up in Galston and have lived in Kenthurst and out at Marroota for a while too. Great spot. I miss it a bit.

Go and see the boys at Hills District Farm Equipment over the road from Maccas in Dural and have a look at the Multi Tool mate.

As far as charging for trimming go's I have not set hourly rate.
Every hedge is different and I usually just measure top to bottom length and width, look at acsses...Ie somtimes you can have problems hauling the bebris out to your ute and somtimes you can drive ya ute right along side it and use the tray to stand on it its a really big hedge?, Is the hedge overgrown...Ie will there be some section that have growth that is too thick for the hedger teeth and will I need to get the pole prunner onto them?, Am I gunna need to hire a painters scafold?, ease of clean-up...Ie. is the hedge in a garden bed with fragile plants that you will have to tip toe around or is it surounded buy lawn and how much debris I think there will be etc.
I'll take that info home and sleep on it usually and get back to them with a fixed rate.


Good luck with your purchase mate.

[Topcat]

I am currently looking also, this has been good reading.

So far it's between the Stihl & Shindawa, I loaned the Shindawa for a job from a mate great to work with.

Anyone used a stihl, cos I have all stihl products But the Shindawa seems to be everyones pick when it comes to this tool... :i dunno:

[Rod]

I prefer the Stihl products too.

The "Stihl" service people look after all out equipment.

I borrowed a "SHindawa*.*" appliance from a friend one day to prune a "Fan Palm" sadly it had not been looked after and I stuck it up a Possums Ar*se during the process.

Its all about personal choice.

[Hills Lawncare Services]

Alex funny enough I went out to hills district farm equipment just after I wrote this and they were helpful, showed me the shindawa I really liked it. I went down the road and had a look at the stihl stuff found very heavy, didn't have the same reach and alot more expensive.
I have actually changed the business name, I should reflect it here. I have moved most of my business to the north shore (wahroonga, pymble etc), about to finish my hort certificate (landscaping) and focusing more on gardens then lawns, hence the immediate need for a pole hedge trimmer, they obsessed with hedges and their formal gardens in the north shore.
I will probably sell my rounds in the hills area when i have enough work under the new business name.
I wouldn't mind getting some work out dural way, I know there are some property's on acreage with fully landscaped gardens, hope to crack that market one day soon.

Thanks for all the feed back everyone, I think I will go with the shidawa.

Charbel

[Alex Callaghan]

G'day Charbel,

I can't speak highly enough about the blokes at Hills District Farm.
They're more than helpful and very honest when it come to eqiupment sales and as far as service goes, I havn't experianced better and I've had alot of dealers over the time I've been cutting.

Good to hear you'r going with Shindiawa mate. You wont be sorry.
100s of Maccadamia farmers up here have have sold their Sthil stuff and are replacing with Shindiawa. I think thats gota say somthing.


I used to work a run around Pymple, St Ives, Turrumura, Waitara, Terry Hills...etc with a mate years ago. I can totaly understand why you need the Hedger mate ;) The client expectaions and level/quality of work that is done around there is top notch. You've really gota step it up if you want in on the Upper north shore market as I'm sure you know ;)
Thats where the money is mate! People around the Hills area are all paying off morgages etc. No real expendiable income.
Dural, Kenthurst, Arcadia even Glenorie on the other hand is full of people with money. Ya can't buy a property out that way for under a Mill!! It's a good spot to have a good ride on and do quality work. Do your self a favour and take a drive down around Davey Rd, Wyoming rd off Old Northern. Amazing propertys around there!

You don't know a Lawn and Landscape bloke called Mick Nix by any chance? Think he calls him self "A Greener Life" or somthing? He does alot of work round the North Shore.

Anyway.....good luck with it all mate.
There's good money to be made on some of the acerages up the old northern rd way.

I miss Galston and the area alot :sad: When I can afford to I'll be back down there I reackon. I miss havin a few beers up at the Vicar and at the Tav with all me mates.



Have fun with ya new Shiny mate!

There a tops piece of equipment.

[Hills Lawncare Services]

Hey Alex,

You are right, there is heaps more money on the north shore, but its not only that they really appreciate their gardens, I find the work alot more satisfying. Though I am happy I started in the hills area, it allowed me to make my mistakes and gave me time to get my hort certificate. I would have never survived if I went straight for the north shore market with no experience

I too am a local boy have lived in cherrybrook all my life, most of my friends live out dural and beyond, I have always been so jealous of them living on acreage especially more now as one of my aspirations is to have my own nursery.

Don't know your mate mick, but I have seen his ute around i like the name of his business.

If you're down this way, let me know I will meet up with you for a beer at the vicar.

Charbel

[Alex Callaghan]

If you're down this way, let me know I will meet up with you for a beer at the vicar.




No worries.

I'm gunna be coming down on the 12th October so I'll give ya a buzz and we can wrap a cooldie or 2 round the laughin gear up at the Vicar.

[Alex Callaghan]

How'd ya travel with the Hedger Charbel?


Have you used it yet?

[Hills Lawncare Services]

I havn't got it yet, hopefully this week I will let you know

[Topcat]

I made my call today.

I ordered a shindawa extenion hedge trimmer after having a good look at them all at green X.

[Hills Lawncare Services]

I got mine 2 weeks ago and have used it every day since, I wonder how I have survived without it. Another bonus is how many clients comment how great the machine is and don't mind paying a little extra, as they see the added value. Just makes your business look one step more professional then the contractor on a ladder with a set of shears.

[Topcat]

I got mine 2 weeks ago and have used it every day since, I wonder how I have survived without it. Another bonus is how many clients comment how great the machine is and don't mind paying a little extra, as they see the added value. Just makes your business look one step more professional then the contractor on a ladder with a set of shears.


What are you charging it out at.

[Topcat]

I just picked up the edger attachment, What a knockout, how good that also worked for a small outlay off about $200bucks (tightas#) But for the client that I can use it on it'll do for know.. ;)