Lawn prices, please help!!

[kkk2]

Cost per m2 depends on quality and frequency of cut, be it rough cut, uncollected mowing, or collected mowing 7 day 10 or 14 day cycles, each demands a different price, I agree with Richard dedicated mowing machines are the way to go if you can get the work for one.

 

a good second hand machine would be a good compromise to start with

Edited December 17, 2017 by kkk2

[G5cott]

I also run a small grounds/garden maintenance business and have been looking into the same thing, the going rate I found to be most common was about £25 ish per 1/4 acre. (Wilts/Glos area)  I'm sure you price per job at the moment as I do, so I will prob do the same with commercial if I decide to go for it next season. I never price per hour as most of my standard domestic lawn and hedge cuts take 15 to 30 mins and I would never make any money! Also Looking to do chainsaw certs up to 380 as keep being asked to do small tree work and am having to turn it away!

Edited December 17, 2017 by G5cott
typo

[Richard 1234]

Wow!  And that's excluding the tractor!  Just had a quick online search and found this:
 
https://horsejumpsforsale.co.uk/pto-driven-flail-mowers/6082-triflex-gang-flail-mower-50m-wide.html?gmc_currency=2&gclid=Cj0KCQiAyNjRBRCpARIsAPDBnn2ikjXL9PQC5Ivi60rl9nwRjdv0tlWABZv4a0H46p9XI1S4UB_ra94aAmUFEALw_wcB
 

No that’s a stand alone machine.
Like this
http://www.jacobsen.com/ransomes-mp655

[inthewoods]

6 hours ago, kevinjohnsonmbe said:

I'm confused now!  Are you saying you cut 30000m2 per hour?  That'd be £120/hour would it?  Who's got a lawn (or even grass) that size??  Are we talking golf courses?  And what machinery does it take to cover that sort of area?  Is it tractor gang mowers?

 

Grass cutting is not really my 'thing' but I got a mowing deck for the front of the multione and I cut the sports pitch at the school our nipper goes to.  It's 10 minutes away, the previous contractor was a shambles and there is ancillary tree / hedge and other works which make up for the low return on grass cutting.  I can have it done in an hour.

 

I guess we're at opposite ends of the scale so possibly not either giving a representative / useful answer to OP.

 

Maybe if OP could provide a bit more detail about scale and frequency + equipment availability we might be able to thrash something out??  

 

 

Hi Kevin, sadly can I see a picture of your multione with the mower attachment please? I'm Currently tendering for a 32 site housing association & on the lookout for prospective toys.

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

41 minutes ago, Richard 1234 said:

No that’s a stand alone machine.
Like this
http://www.jacobsen.com/ransomes-mp655

Is that the 65k machine you mentioned earlier?  Holy smokes, I didn't mean to be dismissive of 1 trick ponies, they are designed and built to do 1 job absolutely to perfection.  The point I was trying to advance was that you'd need to be shoulders deep in grass cutting and as busy as a three legged cat burying turds on a frozen lake to warrant that kind of outlay.  It's not for me.

 

For Inthewoods:  these are stock internet pics...  

[IVECOKID]

I have been using a 22hp Yanmar and a 6ft flemmig finishing mower on Turf tyres for over 7 years now on large area ie footy pitch, Housing estate greens and paddocks . 

Simple setup and cheap to run and easily  paid for itself in no time at all and great results cutting fortnightly religiously. 

Prices are vary and would not dream of investing large amounts for grass .

Example these 2 pictures I cut on a Residents housing estate  and take hour and half and little plot to one side.  £35 hour 

 

Ste 

[Tomtop]

Hi Kevin, sadly can I see a picture of your multione with the mower attachment please? I'm Currently tendering for a 32 site housing association & on the lookout for prospective toys.

That sounds like my sort of job. Could be good money in that.

[inthewoods]

21 minutes ago, Tomtop said:

That sounds like my sort of job. Could be good money in that.

They approached me last week and I thought it was just going to be a few patches here & there but it's actually whole housing estates, sheltered accommodation blocks with quite a lot of greenery. It's going to take me at least a day, maybe two to just check out each site :-) 

[Tomtop]

Lucky that the approached you. Wish that would happen to me. Spend again hunting work. Sound like a job I need. Alway good when you think it going to be a small job and it not. Plus maybe lots of extra like hedge cutting.

[Richard 1234]

Is that the 65k machine you mentioned earlier?  Holy smokes, I didn't mean to be dismissive of 1 trick ponies, they are designed and built to do 1 job absolutely to perfection.  The point I was trying to advance was that you'd need to be shoulders deep in grass cutting and as busy as a three legged cat burying turds on a frozen lake to warrant that kind of outlay.  It's not for me.
 
For Inthewoods:  these are stock internet pics...  

I agree it’s bonkers money for a mower!
You need 5 year contracts with enough grass for 35 hours cutting time per week for 8 months a year to make them pay. Then you’ve got a £2k overhaul bi annually and about £1k on the other years to find
I’ve got the smaller 3 gang machine about half the price but will cut around 5 to 5 and a half acres an hour depending how big the area is (less turning more output)
But they are able to cut verges and get in tighter areas etc as well where the 5 gang is simply too big.
So more scope for work.