Mowing/slashing vacant blocks

[collingwood]

Hey all

Just a question about mowing vacant blocks (up to an acre). Had to do a quote the other day on one that is overgrown in places. Do you guys normally walk the whole block before you mow or even give a quote to see what surprises are there that might damage your gear??? This block we looked at had wooden stakes, rocks, bones, steel pipes, signs & piles of lawn clippings. Would you normally factor all this in as a cleanup before you get your equipment in there??? or would you get the owner to clean it up first??? ( I guess it depends how much they are prepared to pay).
How careful are you guys before you do a job like this???? (wouldn't want to bugger up the Toro... hey Tony???)
All feedback appreciated

Thanks
Lindy

[Grillonz]

I only quote on Jobs after I have seen them. With overgrown grass I cut higher to avoid all the small bits of rubbish. A walk through is good but I find that I never find all the rubbish, so charge plenty to cover the possible damage.
If you can use swing back blades you save a lot of shock loading on spindles etc.
Happy mowing
James

[mick]

I usually try and walk over it. I never quote over the phone!
Always cut at highest, non transport deck height if the grass is over say 1 - 1.5 feet tall. Easier to find the rocks etc when its been cut. Double cut if necessary!

You'll never find all the rubbish the first look and if you let customers do it, they wont be as thorough as us. Its our machine not theres!

Charge accordingly! If I know theres rubbish on there that I may of missed, I'll up the price!

To damage even one blade is a loss or $20-$30 let alone a spindle or a belt!

Be prepared to walk away from a job if you dont want to risk it. I've walked away from plenty.
Vacant blocks are usually one offs and if you break something, you wont make your money back on that job if there not regular!

[Alex Callaghan]

Charging "Over Burdan" for hitting bits of rubbish in long grass is good.

Just put together some over burdan pricing. Ie, $10 for stuff like big branches etc then anywhere up to $40-$50 for star stakes and rolls of barbed wire etc.

Just need to explain this to the clients and let them know that you will do a good walk through but you arn't going to spend the whole day walking around in long snakey grass looking for rubbish and if they don't want to be hit with over burdan charges they should have a look themselfs aswell.
It's only fair that you are compensated for hitting somthing thats less than desirable for a mower deck to ingest!

I also always ask if it's been mowed regualy in the past and 9 times out of ten they say yes and that there is no crap in the grass. Then I'll go ahead and explain over burdan

Worst thing I've ever hit was a huge roll of barbed wire.
18,500 ft per second of bar blade tip speed and rolls of barbed wire aint a good combo!!!
It was a bloody nightmare

[mick]

I also always ask if it's been mowed regualy in the past and 9 times out of ten they say yes and that there is no crap in the grass. Then I'll go ahead and explain over burdan

Worst thing I've ever hit was a huge roll of barbed wire.
18,500 ft per second of bar blade tip speed and rolls of barbed wire aint a good combo!!!
It was a bloody nightmare

Thats a good idea!

I'm just waiting my turn hitting wire! Cant wait!

[GregG]

After my recent dramas that I have had with vacant blocks I will be adding at least $20/acre for overgrown even $70/acre for a block that I have just started to do which is 1 to 1 1/2 foot and some 2 foot in thick and green kikuyu. I took 3 hours to get through 1.5 acres with my Scag. Bloody thing should do it faster but it could have something to do with the 1/2 to 3/4 inch bow that we found in the deck yesterday its now off getting pressed/straightened at fabrication shop. Never buy a mower off large contractors the workers abuse them and the mechanical staff don't give a ****.

Good idea Alex I will also be instituting an Over Burden fee.

If anyone complains about my fees I will start my sob story of high mechanical repair costs as well as the preventative maintanace that is done at home on our time. Also I will be pointing out that the rate for usage of a car for business is 68c/km approx?? and if a car averaged 50km/h then that is an operating cost of $34 per hour. The Ride ons and paricuarly ZTR's have many items that wear quickly and can break often, so I think $70/acre is fair.

I will step down from the soap box now and turn off the violin music

[Alex Callaghan]

I will step down from the soap box now and turn off the violin music

You'd better mate....cause ya breakin my heart


Nah........really Greg. I fell for ya, ya poor bugger.

I'd be pi$$ed! I can tell ya.

You shouldn't be having as many issues as you are.
Don't let you'r bad experiances with your Scag turn ya off mate.
ZTR's are the go and you should be having very little if not any down time.
Almost sounds like it would be worth trading in on anouther unit?

[mick]

I also feel for you mate and if having a rant make you feel better, get back on the soap box!

The other day I had to mow this small, probably 30x30m sq back yard of some real long cr@p. I charged $50 for it and ended up hitting a couple of rocks and some sort of pipe sticking up out of the ground. I think I've bent something on the deck but not sure.
I charged $50 for the trimming and a little push mow so that made up for it. Total $100 for less than an hours work. Hopefully nothings damaged and the blades were older throw aways so no great loss there.

Greg, while surfin I had a look at the Aust Kubota site. I found something you might be interested in...
http://kubota.com.au/news/default.asp?ne_id=24

$20k for the base looks a great deal. Not sure if 34hp is enough but you could throw on a smaller slasher.
Check out the ZD28pro while your there!

Bloody p!ssin down outside now. Big storm came over and dosnt want to leave!

[Alex Callaghan]

Bloody p!ssin down outside now. Big storm came over and dosnt want to leave!

Yeh mate!


Servre weather warning in place here.

Pretty bloody hairy outside.


I've got the torch and candels ready

[GregG]

I also feel for you mate and if having a rant make you feel better, get back on the soap box!

Greg, while surfin I had a look at the Aust Kubota site. I found something you might be interested in...
http://kubota.com.au/news/default.asp?ne_id=24

$20k for the base looks a great deal. Not sure if 34hp is enough but you could throw on a smaller slasher.
Check out the ZD28pro while your there!

Thanks mick.
A rant is a relief
THat Kubota tractor looks good.
I wood love a ZD28 pro

I had a look at a New Holland Out front MC35 today its like a Iseki it has 35 hp dieasel, foldable ROPS,4WD, Diff lock and can have a 72in rotary deck or a 60in Superior flail deck for $26k and lease finance at 5.8%
Gunna try one on friday. Also a Case 33hp tractor with flail deck for $28k.

[GregG]

You'd better mate....cause ya breakin my heart


Nah........really Greg. I fell for ya, ya poor bugger.

I'd be pi$$ed! I can tell ya.

You shouldn't be having as many issues as you are.
Don't let you'r bad experiances with your Scag turn ya off mate.
ZTR's are the go and you should be having very little if not any down time.
Almost sounds like it would be worth trading in on anouther unit?

No i have not gone off em mate, but the next one what ever it is will be new, unless an exceptional one owned by little old lady to mow church on a sunday comes up and its very cheap.

[mick]

They look like great prices mate. Especially that New Holland! Where are they? Might look at one myself! Never seen one!

That bloody storms been sitting over us for about 4 hrs now! Was out in it just before trying to stop my drive way washing away digging trenches across the drive! Gonna be a mess in the morning. I'll get to that after I clean up downstairs! Yep, flooding! Carpets soaked, had 3 bags of fert down there, sitting in the water... Paper bags! Damn it!

Looks like another storm coming over later too!

[Tonyr]

Hi Lindy,

can't believe I missed this thread!

The rougher the block, the more ya charge, I have one, 1/2 acre, on side of hill, all rock n shale n ****t, every 6 weeks they pay me $150 to clean it up, 20 mins from town. But half acre blocks are 60 to 80, depends if it is monthly, 6 weekly etc....did one late yesterday, 1st time, 4ft, palm rubbish everywhere, rough as, I did this for $55 (cheapest ever!), it was rhodes grass and green panick, long and stalky, I double cut it and took 45 mins. finish height 2.5''.

This is usually about a $70+ job, but client also has me doing a few acres of lawn elsewhere and all is monthly, so it still works out.

Cutting 4ft grass is bs, i'll do it once but needs to be reg. maintained, if they are too tight, I sub to slasher.

Vacant block maintenance is what keeps me going, but is roughest on mower too.

I rarely quote over the phone, I will however give the max it could be and go from there. If there is a lot of rubbish, mow around it and trim with whip snipper, but charge accordingly. Do not do rough or potentially damaging work cheap, people need to start looking after their properties and not allowing them to turn to rubbish tips.

Some are just too much work, and ya gotta pass em on...

Client personality has a lot to do with my pricing too, azzholes pay premium!

[mojo111]

,

Some are just too much work, and ya gotta pass em on...

Client personality has a lot to do with my pricing too, azzholes pay premium!

Ya not wrong there tony.

Charge em like a wounded bull
that i'll teach em

[GregG]

They look like great prices mate. Especially that New Holland! Where are they? Might look at one myself! Never seen one!

Check out the site
http://www.newholland.com
THere will be a dealer up your way I am sure