The season has started!
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aye, a couple late cold snaps has kept us hungry down here...Im going to start advertising and dropping off cards to my usual word of mouth folks...expecting to be a few days backed up within a couple weeks, and 2-3 weeks backed up by April...fun times.
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8,636 Posts
Pensacola
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1,333 Posts
We stay a week out, but last week the sky opened up and rained lawnmowers on us!! Looks like 3 weeks and building.
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432 Posts
I do this on the side.
Everyday this week, there's an average of 2 messages left on the machine asking for service.
So, so far, it has been a steady inflow of customers. I used to fix everything from weedwackers to riding mowers. Now I only fix walk behind mowers. The reasoning is this...
1. there is no profit in weedwackers or blowers....they are too cheap to buy new and I cannot in good conscience charge what I need to to stay profitable.
2. I don't fix riding mowers because they take up too much room. each riding uses up the space of 4 push mowers in the garage. Since I cannot charge 4 times as much, there is no reason to keep doing it.
Walk behinds are where the profit is. There is a universality in the parts and a universality in the problems they have. Me likee likee very muchee.
Everyday this week, there's an average of 2 messages left on the machine asking for service.
So, so far, it has been a steady inflow of customers. I used to fix everything from weedwackers to riding mowers. Now I only fix walk behind mowers. The reasoning is this...
1. there is no profit in weedwackers or blowers....they are too cheap to buy new and I cannot in good conscience charge what I need to to stay profitable.
2. I don't fix riding mowers because they take up too much room. each riding uses up the space of 4 push mowers in the garage. Since I cannot charge 4 times as much, there is no reason to keep doing it.
Walk behinds are where the profit is. There is a universality in the parts and a universality in the problems they have. Me likee likee very muchee.
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8,636 Posts
See, Im the exact opposite, I despise push mowers, Profit is sparse...
Today I picked up 2 mowers for repair from a guy, got them back..work order was to service both, make sure they both work, and put a rope on unit #2.
unit #1, I put fresh gas in it, pulled the rope...nothing, no engagement with the flywheel. I pulled the recoil off and the pawls were worn, I put in new pawls, primed it...pulled the rope and it snatched it out of my hand so hard that it wanged me in the side, and I have a T shaped Welt on my side right now. I flipped it up...blade is bent, crank is bent...so its screwed.
Unit #2, I checked the crank and blade, looked fine, I put on new rope, new oil, new air filter, new spark plug, sharpened the blade, and put on a used handle and bail assembly.
Starts and runs great...I did a $10 fuel surcharge to cover P&D costs, $45 labor, and $28.xx in parts.
its cleaned up like new, and runs great...
Ill clear about $55 on it...which isnt bad,...but Its nothing like the profit I make on riders and 2 stroke repairs.
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8,636 Posts
Usually, on push mowers, Im lucky to clear $20 profit on a job, control cables, blades..eat up profit, as the repair/replace threshold is so low.
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10,717 Posts
As a hobbiest, I have found to be verry carefull. I buddied with a neighbor once that rode his rider to my house to visit (drink beer and watch NASCAR) years ago. I crimped a frayed wire on his mower to fix a charging problem..... fast foreward to yesterday, he has seperated from his wife, and moved across State. His EX has mower problems (Murry) and cause I live so close could I go over and fix the EX's mower !!!!!. I gave him the number to a local (35 mile away) closest repair shop. I felt bad doing that but I have too much going on to try and fix the Murry, expecially being electrical (no charging) as he said it was.
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432 Posts
interesting observations about the low profitability of push mowers. maybe it is geographical i don't know.
do you mind if i ask you guys....
how much do you charge to fix a weedeater with the usual carb cleaning issue? what about parts? with so much carb kits out there, what parts do you stock (or do you just order as you need it)?
how much do you charge to fix a riding with a simple carb issue?
do all your repairs include a tune up? oil, plug, air? or do you just fix the problem?
Larry- are you same Larry Bible from the Mercedes forum???
do you mind if i ask you guys....
how much do you charge to fix a weedeater with the usual carb cleaning issue? what about parts? with so much carb kits out there, what parts do you stock (or do you just order as you need it)?
how much do you charge to fix a riding with a simple carb issue?
do all your repairs include a tune up? oil, plug, air? or do you just fix the problem?
Larry- are you same Larry Bible from the Mercedes forum???
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No, :Stop: I couldn't afford to even suscribe to the Mercedes Forum let alown own one. :sidelaugh
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432 Posts
I thought I'd ask!:fing32:
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432 Posts
Re: unit #1- Just replace the flywheel key if the crank is not bent.
Question- so you charged 10+45+28=$83...that's not bad. that is about what i charge but they bring it to me since I do not own a truck.
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