Yowza! That's seems like a lot, but if is frees you up to spend 3 hours driving the NSX or something enjoyable, might be worth it. The wife pays $25 - plus throws in a couple of bottles of Gatorade. Of course, our front yard is pretty small, 40 x 40 ft as a wild a$$ guess. Mowing and edging, two guys are probably done in half hour (they do our neighbors yard at the same time, so that's a guess on my part). Happily, it's been hot and dry, so the grass in the back yard - which is my bailiwick - is more or less dormant for the bits in the shade. The parts that get direct sunlight are turning into hay. Fine by me. T
Wow that rate would be crazy. That is better than what pediatricians make... If I ever get a yard again, I'm going with Zoysia Tenuifolia (no mow) or just building in the woods and have no lawn...
My guys charge $35 hr. This in Fairfield county, Ct. Im sure some are more but..... That said i do most everything, in fact thank goodness for headlights on the tractor....just finished few minutes ago.
The industry has become addicted to less expensive foreign labor, but the H2b visa program is a mess. Companies here are poaching each others labor and paying crazy labor rates in the process. A laborer that may have cost us $12.00 an hr. last year is anywhere from 15-$18 this year. Auto mowers are starting to gain traction, but they are still too expensive for commercial applications - in our case, at least. Sooner or later they'll replace laborers pushing 21" mowers. I installed a Husqvarna Auto-Mower at my house last year and it did a nice job. My yard is too big for the husky to handle all of it, and I'd rather cut grass than run on the dreadmill, so I'm cutting it myself this year with a 60" walk behind.
I'm having a guy do my landscaping..... I hate doing that part. But the lawn itself, I like doing it. Sit back and steer my little tractor. Can drink beer while doing it.
Shall be selling my 36” ExMark Metro w/Accelerator catcher and Proslide this week. An employee that services a neighbor has been wanting me to sell it to him for his side work for a couple years now. I’ll use an Ariens Zoom 34 and Husq 22” awd in its place. I know I will miss it big time come fall leaf drop, but I have too much equipment.
I'm blessed... We have about an acre. I do the big stuff... tree cutting, shrub trimming, etc as needed. My wife doesn't mind doing it, so she mows and weed-whacks the fenced back yard around the pool and deck. The neighbor cuts his acre, and mows our front / side yards at the same time. I keep a fuel can outside so he can fill his mower, but he rarely does. He has a Bad Boy zero-turn, with about a 52" deck, and enjoys mowing. He says he finds it relaxing. Sometimes, if the neighbor is busy, I'll grab his mower to do both yards. I think I did that three or four times last year, but haven't done that once in 2018.
I usually did in the past. Let it go too far this spring so called a local landscaping place to come out. They then started coming out every Thursday, cutting the grass and clearing the driveway. After 6 months I still haven't got a bill. Called them several times, no one answers but I leave messages saying hey I never got a bill. Still nothing. So, I guess I would do it if they stop coming out one day
I can get my front and side lawn done in 20 minutes so why not... the back yard is mostly astro tuff. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Awesome. I agree with therapy, exercise and do it yourself. I live in a 3 family condo and started 12 years ago with a push reel style mower. All I could afford. I renovated the lawns myself. Back was atrocious. Numerous phases of patchmaster where required. Crabgrass preventer and other Scotts products. We upgraded to a battery Electric from Craftsman and never looked back. Our lots in old Boston suburb are very narrow almost shotgun. Front yard on retaining wall is a postage stamp. Just did 3 of the 4 yesterday after raking and dead heading the roses. It's kinda competitive in the Air Force and that's where I picked it up as well as doing it at home when I was a kid. More gas and parts money. Got to do the ball joints next year.
I don't know about anyone else, but I'm thrilled I've only got one more mow and some landscaping to do until next March/April.
I have always mowed my own grass. I built most of my house, so to me it's just natural to maintain it. I have a hard time watching people do what I can do myself. Luckily one of my top clients is a large landscaping company so I do have a back up if need be. I can't sit still, so any chance I have to drive something and think up crazy car ideas to drive my wife nuts, I do it !
Mowing is therapeutic........so many occupations and efforts seem never-ending (i.e. "my work is never done"). Upon knocking out my one acre with some 80 pines and spruces, and cleaning up my Walker MB joy-stick rider to put away for next time, I get a nice sense of satisfaction of the job being done. Done right, and I completed it.