Lawnmowing...

[drives]

John, what's the best way to care for the steel deck?

Andy

My dad has had honda mowers for decades and always hoses the deck down after use- takes about 5 minutes. He's never had to replace one due to rust and he's only had two over the last 35 years.

I had a Makita petrol mower for a few years before buying a Honda. The Makita was good but the Honda is definitely worth the higher price. Better engine and self propels much quicker. Generally much better build quality. Mulchers are also worth a look- saves a lot of time and effort not collecting the grass. Again, the Honda mulches better than my previous mower but in general don't have to worry about it leaving clumps of grass everywhere if you keep the blade sharpened.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Yes, I bought a honda self propelled mucher this summer, I love it!

Andy

 

[robinbanks]

He's never had to replace one due to rust

But if you added up the value of his time and the water over the 35 years you could have bought 12 decks?

 

[A.Steve]

Pay someone else to cut it.

The idea had crossed my mind. Historically, I've tended to do things myself by default. As I've got older, I've tried harder to find tasks where I'd be able to pay someone competent a fair price and avoid putting in all the effort myself. In the last few years, I've had a few minor successes - but I could do a lot better.

An example of failure: I redecorated a bedroom... got rid of the 1980s built-in furniture; took the artistically acrylic painted walls back to bare plaster; fixed the dodgy wiring and replaced sockets and switches; installed coving and replaced the radiator. The materials costs were minimal - but the time-cost was huge. Next on the list - the en-suite. I want a better shower; a different type of shower door; nice tiles everywhere (the shower space is some plastic board on the walls right now); nice floor tiles (which will require something to be done about water-damaged chipboard floorboards - everything works and doesn't leak at present. Perhaps a new bog-n-basin (though these are OK)... probably a new shower tray. I thought to myself: "I'd be slow at all of that... I bet someone who knows what they're doing would be better. I estimate materials at between £1500 and £2000 - and wondered what it would cost to professionally renovate the en-suite. I asked Google - and Google suggested £2k-£4k total. I'd be prepared to pay that plus materials. A week ago, an email was sent to 7 local companies advertising that they specialise in bathroom refurbishments. One replied with a guaranteed minimum price of £7,500 (for him to do any work at all) and a strong hint that anything good would cost substantially more... lead time would be ~6 months. One had replied within 24 hours - suggesting he'd want to view... and asked where the house was (it was in the initial enquiry - the business was local). He got a reply - asking when he'd like to visit... and then - complete silence. The other 5 didn't bother to acknowledge the enquiry.

It looks as if I'm failing to pay someone else to do work. I might sound like (be) a skinflint... but I've not rejected anything solely on price. I didn't run with the guy who'd said "minimum £7.5k"... but it was not because that seemed expensive - but because, if all I wanted was a few tiles put on the wall - and, after a discussion that would be the scope of the work... £7.5k would be ridiculous as a price. I rejected that tradesman because I got the distinct impression that he didn't really care what I wanted - and I anticipated this would cause problems if I engaged him. I got the vibe of a chef at an expensive restaurant telling me I wouldn't be allowed to order a steak "well done"... I might accept that the chef knows "best" - but I'd still want to be involved in deciding what I want. With none of the other traders, to whom I made enquiries, showing any interest in a sales lead... I feel rather disheartened. It certainly looks as if DIY is easier than finding and overseeing someone else doing the work.

 

[scbk]

The idea had crossed my mind. Historically, I've tended to do things myself by default. As I've got older, I've tried harder to find tasks where I'd be able to pay someone competent a fair price and avoid putting in all the effort myself. In the last few years, I've had a few minor successes - but I could do a lot better.

An example of failure: I redecorated a bedroom... got rid of the 1980s built-in furniture; took the artistically acrylic painted walls back to bare plaster; fixed the dodgy wiring and replaced sockets and switches; installed coving and replaced the radiator. The materials costs were minimal - but the time-cost was huge. Next on the list - the en-suite. I want a better shower; a different type of shower door; nice tiles everywhere (the shower space is some plastic board on the walls right now); nice floor tiles (which will require something to be done about water-damaged chipboard floorboards - everything works and doesn't leak at present. Perhaps a new bog-n-basin (though these are OK)... probably a new shower tray. I thought to myself: "I'd be slow at all of that... I bet someone who knows what they're doing would be better. I estimate materials at between £1500 and £2000 - and wondered what it would cost to professionally renovate the en-suite. I asked Google - and Google suggested £2k-£4k total. I'd be prepared to pay that plus materials. A week ago, an email was sent to 7 local companies advertising that they specialise in bathroom refurbishments. One replied with a guaranteed minimum price of £7,500 (for him to do any work at all) and a strong hint that anything good would cost substantially more... lead time would be ~6 months. One had replied within 24 hours - suggesting he'd want to view... and asked where the house was (it was in the initial enquiry - the business was local). He got a reply - asking when he'd like to visit... and then - complete silence. The other 5 didn't bother to acknowledge the enquiry.

It looks as if I'm failing to pay someone else to do work. I might sound like (be) a skinflint... but I've not rejected anything solely on price. I didn't run with the guy who'd said "minimum £7.5k"... but it was not because that seemed expensive - but because, if all I wanted was a few tiles put on the wall - and, after a discussion that would be the scope of the work... £7.5k would be ridiculous as a price. I rejected that tradesman because I got the distinct impression that he didn't really care what I wanted - and I anticipated this would cause problems if I engaged him. I got the vibe of a chef at an expensive restaurant telling me I wouldn't be allowed to order a steak "well done"... I might accept that the chef knows "best" - but I'd still want to be involved in deciding what I want. With none of the other traders to whom I made enquiries showing any interest in a sales lead... I feel rather disheartened. It certainly looks as if DIY is easier than finding and overseeing someone else doing the work.

You should go back to that £7.5k guy, and ask will he mow your lawn.

 

[Old Salt]

For £7.5 k I’ll come and mow your lawn.

 

[A.Steve]

For £7.5 k I’ll come and mow your lawn.

I'd be more interested to discover how to engage reputable, capable trades who actually want the work.

It seems it's another skill I haven't mastered... but that's rather de-railed a discussion about lawnmowers.

 

[Old Salt]

Not really you’ve had plenty of advice on lawnmowers you just need to make up your mind which one to buy. Lots of pros and cons but we cant decide for you.

The offer still stands

 

[scbk]

I'd be more interested to discover how to engage reputable, capable trades who actually want the work.

It seems it's another skill I haven't mastered... but that's rather de-railed a discussion about lawnmowers.

Yes it's another thread in itself!
I've been self employed since a teenager.
The amount of effort a new customer puts in to contacting you seems to relate to how likely they are to actually go ahead with the work.
I try and filter it, I have a basic website which tries to set out the all the information, including pricing. (If someone thinks I'm too expensive, I don't want them to phone me)
I don't have an email address, If people are serious they phone me up
Sometimes people will text, I'll phone them back. A 3 minute phonecall can get more information across than a hundred text messages!
People who text are more likely to be tyrekickers (not always though!)



For a lot of (defiantly not all) self employed/tradespeople doing the practical jobs during the day is the easy bit they enjoy.
The "running the business" side is the crappy bit they might not be as organised at.
Dealing with customer enquiries, doing paperwork, chasing up unpaid bills, paying suppliers etc

The better customers tend to be ones that come via a recommendation from their friend (less tyre kickers)




IMO don't bother with emails.........pick up the blower

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I would suggest - fix up the ride on, you know it makes sense. My garden would take most of the day, with a walk behind and it killed several of them over the years. Since swapping to a ride-on tractor type, it's done in 30 minutes, and mostly effortless.

 

[A.Steve]

IMO don't bother with emails.........pick up the blower

I suspect that's good advice - and something I've done wrong. I specifically chose businesses advertising with email addresses.

I had thought that a picture is worth a thousand words... and I'd always prefer email over a telephone call. I can think about email at any time... but when the phone rings - it's (almost always) an unhelpful interruption. It certainly seems odd to me that a business would put lots of effort into online advertising - but then not be sufficiently interested to acknowledge if they're interested in an enquiry.

I would suggest - fix up the ride on, you know it makes sense. My garden would take most of the day, with a walk behind and it killed several of them over the years. Since swapping to a ride-on tractor type, it's done in 30 minutes, and mostly effortless.

Your garden is bigger than mine.
I do intend to fix up the ride-on... but doing that will take a lot of hours - and it isn't my top DIY priority... for the next few years at least.

 

[foxhole]

Bought the cheaper hawksmoor online slightly less the Toolstation , has been fine so far though the wife sometimes struggles to start it (she is only five foot ) being a pensioner , arms are too short .

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Bought the cheaper hawksmoor online slightly less the Toolstation , has been fine so far though the wife sometimes struggles to start it (she is only five foot ) being a pensioner , arms are too short .

Do arms shorten, when you become a pensioner?

 

[robinbanks]

The other 5 didn't bother to acknowledge the enquiry.

Par for the course with trades at the moment. Send out 10 invitations to quote, 3 might look and 1 might quote. Send out 30 and you might get your 3 quotes for comparison

It's wearying but there is so much work out there at the mo and people paying silly money for shoddy efforts that even the muppets are overflowing with jobs

 

[foxhole]

Do arms shorten, when you become a pensioner?

Everything shortens .