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I just bought my first house! It's a very small house but on a big lot, almost 1/2 acre, and that's posing a problem.
All the lawn companies I've called are quoting me $50-$60 a week just to cut the grass and edge. I can't afford $200-$240 a month for that, so it looks like I'll have to cut it myself. I've always lived in an apartment and have never used a lawn mower in my life! And I'm a little scared of gas tools (okay more than a little!)
I saw another thread here about battery powered lawn mowers but it doesn't sound like one would be practical for my yard, which isn't level and has a lot of trees (not evergreens) which means lots of leaves and twigs. If I did get one it would cost $450 plus $100 for a spare battery, plus shipping, but the only maintenance it needs is to get the blade sharpened once a year. No messing with gas or oil or whatever, and it would be very quiet. But it sounds like it would be a pain in the you know what to use, and take a very long time to cut the whole yard.
Or I could buy a regular gas powered lawn mower. I see all kinds of brands and prices but I know I don't want one that you have to yank on a cord a million times to start it! So I guess that's the Electric Start kind? And also self propelled (?) because I'm 5'2"/110 lbs! These seem to cost the same as the battery mower (without the spare battery). But it would probably take less time to use, and would be able to chop up leaves as well?
How much does it cost for the upkeep of a gas mower every year? Aside from the blade sharpening which I'd have to do for either mower. What else does a gas mower need? I can think of (a) gas, and (b) oil??? and I've heard that they need to be tuned up every spring, how much does that usually cost? I have a very tiny car and there's no way I could bring a lawn mower to a shop for that, so I guess I'd have to pay to have someone come to my house to tune it up. Does anyone know how much that usuallly costs?
I feel really stupid having to ask these questions but EVERYBODY that I know either lives in an apartment or condo, or if they live in a house they have a service do their lawn (ALL my neighbors have them so I guess they'll be laughing at me out there no matter what I'm using!).
Frankly, it seems like everyone you are calling is percieving your ignorance, and taking advantage of you.
Why can't you just tell them to mow, once a month, OR once every six weeks ?
You should know by now how long your yard takes, to get out of control !
No ONE mows their lawn EVERY WEEK unless you're REALLY obsessive about twigs, even when they have a lawn mower, to do it themselves !
I called six lawn companies. Two were the ones I saw doing neighbors' yards (got the number off the trucks) and four from the yellow pages that are not located too far away. When I called, all I said was "We just moved into the area and we have a half acre. How much do you charge just to cut the lawn and trim the edges? We don't need anything else." I wrote down the price they gave me and just said "Thanks, I'll let you know". So I don't see how they could know whether I'm lawn-ignorant or not???
I did ask them all whether the lawn could be cut every other week or every 3 weeks instead of every week. They ALL told me that if I did that, they would have to charge more for the cutting! The longer between cuts the more expensive the cut is.
I just moved into my house last month so I have NO idea how long the grass here will take to "get out of control". And I'm kind of a neat freak so I don't want my yard to look sloppy either.
Btw, when I asked my neighbors how often their lawn gets cut, they ALL said "Once a week". I don't know if that's just because that's what the lawn services all do, or whether that's the way they want it to look whether or not the grass "needs" it that often.
When I was a little girl we lived in a house and my Dad WOULD cut the lawn every weekend though. But my Dad was forever watering it and putting down fertilizer so maybe that's why.
u gotta do it urself or cough up the cash... maybe look into a ride-on mower. a new one will probly cost u $1500+, but it will save u alot of time and effort. not to mention, that it will pay for itself within a few months, instead of paying $200 a month for someone to come do it
u gotta do it urself or cough up the cash... maybe look into a ride-on mower. a new one will probly cost u $1500+, but it will save u alot of time and effort. not to mention, that it will pay for itself within a few months, instead of paying $200 a month for someone to come do it
Definitely! I tried mowing a 1/2 acre at my Smithtown home a few years back and I always regretted NOT get a rider. I had a walk behind and hated it, even though it was self propelled. A rider is your best bet. Especially w/the humidity Long Island is swathed in from June thru September.
If you feel that you must hire a service -- ask them to come out to see the property to give you a price. You're telling them a half acre, but when the house, walks, driveway any patios, etc., are figured in -- it's less than a half.
Someone suggested less frequent cutting -- the longest I can go without cutting is 2 weeks and by then things are really shaggy. I cut long -- no short cropped grass which can burn easily in the summer. We have a gas, self-propelled. At one time we had a ride on, which took up lots of space and was a bigger pain in the tush than it was worth -- if we had level land without lots of shrubs, hedges, stone walls and curved beds, it might have been a different story.
I have lots of trees and once a week (or after storms) do stick and twig patrol -- it takes no time at all once you have a routine.
Now if you have lots of trees, another thing to consider is that you'll have spring and fall clean ups. Spring gets all the remaining junk that blew into the yard in the winter, gets the grass ready, gets the flower beds ready. Fall is all about the leaves and cutting back ornamental grasses, dead plants, etc. This year I was ill and unable to do it and we had to hire someone. Almost $900 for 3/4 acre which is loaded with trees. OUCH -- especially the month before Christmas.
One thing I have done over the years is to create walks bordered by perennial plants, brought in many shade resistant perennials to naturalize and cover areas where the grass is spotty (under trees.) I have been gradually eliminating my front lawn in favor of creating outdoor garden 'sitting rooms' with minimal lawn.
One thing there is NO shortage of, in most properties, is trees.
The usual applies...make sure they are cleared from power/cable lines going into your house, as well as keeping them away from the house itself.
USE YOUR JUDGEMENT, but err on the side of being conservative, about the safety to your house ! Just use common sense !
When you find a tree removal company, they should give you an estimate, which includes, a free form picture of "what" trees have to be trimmed or taken down, and on the same piece of LETTERHEAD PAPER, the cost.
Another tip...BE THERE when the work is done. What happens is you get nosy neighbors, actually, telling the tree removal people of what trees to take down.
YES, IT HAPPENS ! The companies are "smart" enough to know they take orders from you, and NOT the neighbor !
I guess I wasn't clear enough in my first post about what my real question is. Sorry.
What I need to know is:
How much does it cost for the upkeep of a gas mower every year? Aside from the blade sharpening which I'd have to do for either mower. What else does a gas mower need? I can think of (a) gas, and (b) oil??? and I've heard that they need to be tuned up every spring, how much does that usually cost? I have a very tiny car and there's no way I could bring a lawn mower to a shop for that, so I guess I'd have to pay to have someone come to my house to tune it up. Does anyone know how much that usuallly costs?
This was asking about a regular walk-behind gas mower but from PeterB's post I'm also interested in how much it costs to maintain a riding mower. I'm sure it's more expensive than a regular one. And I'd have to give up my one-car garage since there's no way that both that and my car could fit. Or else buy a shed which would cost even more money!
But right now I don't even know how much a regular mower costs each year to maintain. Doesn't anyone here cut their own lawn with one of those?
You have to maintain this piece of yard equipment, too.
You can't leave ANYTHING like this, for any extended period of time, and expect it to, magically, start up and work.
It's work.
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It's a very small house but on a big lot, almost 1/2 acre, and that's posing a problem. 
