How To Do A Fall Leaf Clean Up - $145 In 1.5 Hours, Bagging Leaves | Simple Basic Clean Up

[@jontyler6611]

I love land scapeing and want to do it when I grow up because I'm 8 in a half.

[@BriansLawnMaintenance]

That’s awesome!

[@sodiverseproductions7926]

You can make good money, it’s also a good accompaniment to a career based job that way you can move companies if you need to.

[@andrewbrown8631]

You don’t wanna do it your whole life tho. Work with your head not with your back.

[@nicholaslandolina]

8 and a half doesn't type like that

[@danielm3835]

Wow really setting the bar high aren’t you Jon?

[@augustreil]

I did lawn care for 25 yrs and I hated the fall clean-up part ! I did use a leaf rake on the front of an old school 61'' Bobcat Jaguar and it worked pretty good for dozing the leaves into the wood line on the customers that allowed it. I did pretty much the same as you, blow out the beds into the grass, then vacuum up and dump. Get a helper, everything goes 4 times as fast, not just twice ! I always pushed as hard as I could for the highest price but also did a superb job. My thinking was, I would rather have 20 - 50.00 lawns than 50 - 20.00 lawns and then pick up other types of lawn/home maintenance jobs. Good luck to you and a very nice job sir !!

[@BriansLawnMaintenance]

Ty!

[@swimbait1]

Brian that was cool of you to show this to others and talk about pricing. I dump leaves in fields, woods, pastures, etc. leaves are part of the soil cycle. They provide food and cover and help insulate plants during winter and reduce soil erosion. Great job.

[@BriansLawnMaintenance]

Swimbait1 thanks pal

[@sharonfrees9128]

I enjoyed this video. I think that you are the only one who can judge on how much you charge. You know all your overhead and charge accordingly. The income for the area should also be a consideration. The good Karma for not gouging the customers will be rewarded in the end. I know this video was awhile ago, but, thanks for sharing. All of you guys probably don't know how satisfying it is for us to watch this.

[@BriansLawnMaintenance]

Haha thank you!

[@notavailable9919]

One tip, and it isn't always applicable, in larger areas I mulch leaves once without bagging then make another pass bagging it, it tends to chop them into finer pieces and you can catch more without having to empty your catcher as often.

[@BriansLawnMaintenance]

Great tip!

[@ThomasHeun-t1j]

Common sense if you’re a pro 😅😅

[@jimw3412]

Tip for you to try.If you have an extra line trimmer around, set it up with a 8 tooth or so steel blade for hosta type junk that doesn't cut well with your hedge trimmer, it's quick drama free just finish with your blower like normal.

[@98047175]

I’ve not read all the comments here, but I work for a council here in the UK and to save your back we use a Stihl long arm hedge cutter with it adjusted so you can stand upright and the cutter blade is level with the ground........just a thought

[@dadsvespa]

I've been picking up leaves ..(and sticks !) my entire life !lol I live in an old New England farmhouse. Only 2 acres but a lot of maples, pines, nut trees, and lawns. I have always cut my own lawns. Never have bagged leaves. 30 + years ago, I bought an Ingersol tractor, with a hydraulic vacuum attachment ..to a trailer which holds quite a bit. As you know, Its a continuous job, vacuuming leaves...until the snow flies, or a heavy frost.. I dump all the leaves in a wooded area on our property, and spread them around every year. I just finished last week. (some trees are still holding on to their leaves). I used to work year round on a golf course too...as a mechanic and I mowed fairways, tee's, aprons, roughs, greens, etc. during the spring summer fall. The fall was tough. It was a huge area to clean every year. I'd hitch up, a Jacobson Leaf Blower, 5 feet diameter ...to one of the Ford tractors. Even that monster, took a while to clear off all the area's a golfer would play. TONS of leaves !. Of course we had push leaf blowers, and hand held blowers. Vacuums. It all ended up in the woods, or in a dump on the course's property. I worked there for 6 years, seven days a week. As a teen, I worked there during the blizzard of 78" ! I alone took care of 75 golf carts..that had to start every single day..all day!..or the golfers would get pissed off. I top dressed greens, seeded fairways, plowed snow, rebuilt all worn equipment, grinded every reel, replaced ground every bed knife, for the 7 gang mowers and the 7 reels on the Jacobson F10, the triplexes , Toro greensmaster's, chain saws, etc....during the winters. I worked my ass off, for 9 bucks an hour !! Spent YEARS painting, greasing, driving, cutting trees down, and chopping the wood for heat, in a stove my boss and I made from a 275 gallon oil tank ! I had to fill, 75 golf carts, twice a week, and clean the air filters once a week ! That sucked ! I worked myself so hard to this day I have scars, and a destroyed back to prove it...then for 30 plus years, I was an auto tech...that sucked too! I had many many cars, a few dirtbikes and road bikes...now...I'm in my 50's..bad back, bad knee, ringing in my ears, broken finger I never had fixed...God !..all those years!..I wish I could start over.

[@lightninglawnservice2803]

I first started watching lawcare vids - because of your channel.. your channel is by far the most informative... just trying to get my biz off the ground... your a big help

[@BriansLawnMaintenance]

Thanks buddy!

[@sarahglanville1352]

I was relieved to see you have the big old driving mower. When I started watching the video I thought... "I would cry if I had to clean up all those leaves in an hour and a half." Good strategy. Hey, woods need mulch, too!

[@osvaldosalinas3592]

I️ know it’s a pain making videos while you try to work but these type of videos are awesome. Seeing how differently people handle the same job is pretty cool.

[@BriansLawnMaintenance]

Osvaldo Salinas I'm glad you guys appreciate them! It was 20 degrees that day lol

[@waynetang1763]

Your are young, but you ain't afraid of a hard day's work. You will do just fine in life. Learn as you go. Sometimes you will eat the bear and sometimes it will eat you. That's life.

[@tianaanderson5337]

Wayne Tang well said 💚

[@bryanmartinez6600]

I do roofing and this guy mad more for that than I made in a day.

[@yycguy8722]

Only thing i find most guys miss is the leaves that build up along the street. I blow them up on the grass and collect them as well. Nothing worse then dealing with that mess in the spring time, not to mention customers notice that a great deal.

[@mrme5218]

Exactly!

[@williamhighland4868]

Brian I have four of those X Mark mower‘s with the bagger system first thing I did was I took off the weights off the front you don’t need them they were giving me grooves in the lawn it is way too heavy

[@dortchsdiesels7483]

Great video, the only things I would suggest would be to use a weedeater to cut the hostas, then blow them into the lawn and vacuum with the ultravac. The ultravac has stronger suction when you mow lower. I've used mine to pick up hedge clippings no problem.

[@nhallstar007]

Leaf plows work really well once you have established a solid pile. Obviously they do not grab everything, but they can knock out the bulk of the leaves. One guy running the leaf plow and one with a backpack is a good strategy to run.

[@ryanlischka4975]

We pretty much do everything like you do. We trim bushes and cut back hostas and lillys with a hedge trimmers. Then we blow everything into large piles or pile depending on the size of the yard and layout. Sometimes we just blow out to the ditch and maybe make a pile or line of leaves. Then we have a truck loader on one of our dump trailers. Back up to the pile and or line of leaves and suck up 95% of them.One guy runs the truck pulling ahead if its a line and the other rakes towards the 10" diameter suction tube. While the piles are being sucked up one person vacuums the yard with our Trac Vac collection system and cleans it up real nice. We live in Northern Ill. If we have a crew out (3-4 guys) and equipment we typically charge $40 per man hour and usually about $50 an hour to cover the mower, trimmer, blowers and vacuums running. Then we charge $75 per load in our dump trailer to dispose of leaves and trimmings. Our shop is in a rural county. So we have a huge fire pit and just keep burning the loads as we drop em off. Prices here are all over the board. There are companies way cheaper than us and there are several more expensive. In my mind I don't care what someone else charges. I know what I pay my guys (which is high for the industry) as I want them to appreciate the job and feel that this opportunity is worth while to them. I'm always on the lookout to find a better and more efficient way of doing things as labor costs are my biggest expense. Between wages, overtime, unemployment insurance, workmans comp, payroll taxes (half of employees social security) and everything else I have to charge what I charge. I started in 2002 with a pickup, mower and a wheel barrow. Now its a different story. Over the years I've seen so many guys get into this line of work and for one reason or another they last 2 or 3 years and thats it. Theres about 6-8 other companies that were either in business before or about the time I started.The rest have fallen on the side of the road so to speak in the Rockford and Roscoe area.

[@jessel8833]

Brian -- always love & appreciate your videos, how to's, equipment, & just what you do day-to-day. You start the project with trimming the dead growth on perennials (Hosta) -- You may want to bring a can (or, you use bags) & hand yank that dead growth. Most of it is so dead & weak at this point -- If lightly/gently tug, it pulls right off & put straight into bag/can -- instead of extra gas of hedge trimmer use, and time going over it multiple times. If you have hand shears or pruners in your pocket -- you can clean up any stalks that wouldn't rip off, or any stalks thicker or branchier on different perennial varieties. I love it when your client's let you dump in their woods. Easy to hide / conceal leaves & CleanUp brush easy. Plus, it all composts & biodegrades over winter. You would never know it got blown back there, unless you pile it all together sloppy. Great way to save yourself time & dumping costs -- which is exactly how you do & should sell it to customers (savings).

[@BriansLawnMaintenance]

Thanks mate! Great tips.

[@ricknorth2365]

Weed whacker for the hostas and tall weeds, blow all to the middle of the lawn, mulch the leaves first then vacuum with the tractor (much less volume) then throw in the veggie garden for best fertilizer and soil treatment, in your case bag it and sell it :)...

[@jonathandoble4105]

Where I am in Canada a lot that size I’d charge 350 to 400. I like videos where ppl talk about pricing since it’s the hardest part of starting out in the property maintenance business. Keep up the good videos.

[@Pure_KodiakWILD_Power]

i prefer to tarp and move leaves the old school way ( using a blower, that is...in fact, i blow the leaves onto the tarp, i barely use a rake ) i do it fast, and the money's worth it. and don't feel bad about your pricing; you got your sweet new truck, trailer, equipment, and so on....sounds like you're doing something right.

[@BriansLawnMaintenance]

Ha were making "good" money, not worried about a thang! Thanks pal

[@wh8085]

Say kodiak wild , this was my first year to mow & I don't have anyone wanting leaf pick up right now but I'm curious. Do you charge more for leaf pick up than for mowing ? Say if you have a $75.00 yard , roughly 1/2 acre ? Hopefully I get a few next year but this year all my yards were country yards and a few small places that don't have any leaf problems. Guess I still have time to put an add in the local paper, might even get hooked up with some new customers for spring ! 8 ) Thanks

[@Pure_KodiakWILD_Power]

mowing is a recurring service, so it makes sense it isn't higher priced, but leaf cleanups are specialty jobs, 1 to 3 times a year, so you can charge more ( especially if you leave it looking sharp when you're done ). i go by an hourly rate based on business costs, and my own personal experience and productivity, and if i have a helper, i charge half that for him ( or her ). so, if it's x per hr for me solo, then it's x.5 per hr for two of us ( unless the helper is slow, because you can't charge a good hourly for someone who's not working up to snuff ). but i don't tell customers the hourly, and they usually don't ask for a quote for leaves. long story short, wrangling leaves is definitely worth more than a single mowing--unless you're going to use a mower to bag them. even then, you charge more for blowing out beds, handling material and dumping, etc. come up with an hourly you're comfortable with, & be confident in your pricing, & personable with your customers.

[@wh8085]

Thanks much Kodiak Wild ! Being personable with customers comes natural. I had great customers this year , the ladies all sent me home with cookies and cakes and stuff. Those ladies like having their yards looking good ! It was the most gradifying job I've ever had . Looking forward to spring. Gotta buy a new ztr but looking forward to that too ! The hard part is deciding what to buy ? ? ? ? ? ? Happy Turkey Day !

[@jswyka8]

just pull the hastas up by hand...it so much easier then cutting...hella good job tho

[@kennethlemire]

I’ve been using a Jrcho leaf plow for a while now and absolutely wouldn’t do cleanup’s without one. I can blow leaves into large piles a move it wherever I want in minutes

[@kidphillyorg]

I like this and can be used as a training video. Everyone and their business is in process. Seems like you’ve embraced the grind and are gracious enough to share it. That’s what it’s all about! Thanks for making this video. It’s encouraging and informative. Have a great day!

[@natee2169]

I did a leaf clean up job this year and am considering doing more. First I blew the persons leaves into their woods because it would cost less but then we had a big storm and they all flew back on so I blew them into piles and put them on a tarp into my 5 by 8 trailer with 2ft2 sides. So it’s pretty time consuming when you have to make a lot of trips back and fourth

[@CPreacher40]

the dead leaves on the plants you were trimming with hedge trimmer is easier and quicker to use hand clippers. you grab and cut and what you have in your hand you put in some kind of disposal container. plus when you remove the stuff right away it clears your view so you don't miss anything.

[@grizzly--vv1lh]

Try a brushcutter for hostahs

[@boots7859]

One suggestion I heard from a guy doing grading/harley raking. Always rake backwards and forwards, twice the work done. In your case, anytime you have to backup, steer so you are covering new, leave covered ground if at all possible. Fewer wasted equipment travel time. Even better is to plan your path so you are always moving forward, and when 95% is done go back and hit those one-off areas directly.

[@andrewenneking1673]

Use to make good money partnering up with buddy who also mowed yard during leaf season. Run his mower with a mulvh kit over leaves first, then ran my machine with a bagging unit. Cuts way down on the amount of times needed to empty hopper. My first lawn mowing job, ran grasshopper front mont, had the power broom attachment and would send leaves flying into the woods. Use blowers to make a pile and power broom them away. Finish with a final mow and bag and didn't have to empty Hopper more than 2 times for a quarter acre yard. Nice video, tight beds with evergreens take forever to blow out solo.

[@meadowviewlawncarellc8079]

Just had a full day of this. Wind wasn't in out favor tho. I have one of the leaf pushers for my 60 in lazer and I find it more of a pain. Once we get the leafs in a pile, I just drop the deck all the way down and push them. It's easier and faster for us that way and you don't have to keep taking it on or off, or having it folded up and in your way. Also it's expensive and the aluminum bends easy.

[@bobclifton7346]

Yeah windy days and leafs aren't fun.

[@HandyMike78]

Yea I push mine with my deck as well. Built in pusher!

[@jonlarson3035]

A lot of similarities in cleanup styles. I have used my adjustable hedge trimmer extension on my Kombi system to avoid having to bend over to save my back when trimming back the landscape plants. The saw blade on a weedeater works well also. I use a Cyclone Rake and it is great, just takes a little getting use to with the extra length that swings behind you. On another note, if you have to haul away, the Cyclone rake can be a pain to back onto or into a trailer to dump. I have never owned or used a leaf plow, but the only time I see it being beneficial is if you can take the leaves to the woods or a have a leaf loader. Otherwise I find it is better to fan the deep leaves out like you mentioned when bagging. I have pushed leaves with my deck and found it effective, but also be sure they don't all cram up under your deck and try turning on the PTO. Smoked and broke belts are no fun. Great videos! Need to hire a camera man so the filming isn't so tough!! Lol!! (Next years budget!!!)

[@davidwho8215]

I would add a step to mow over the leaves few times without the bags to mulch them up so that you don’t have to empty the bags as often.

[@JoeBlow-24]

Just an FYI when the Hostas get really limp and yellow like that you can simply pull them, they break off right at the surface with virtually no effort. Its a lot faster than cutting them down and doesn't use your fuel up or get your blades in the dirt. I get similar prices up West Bloomfield way.

[@CH-sm5tv]

Great video man, like mentioned before using the string trimmer to grind down those perennials will save your back and save you a lot of time. Keep up the good work!

[@lindaforrester464]

I wish someone would start that job here in the uk there are tree surgeons I get everyone's leafs front and back and I spend at least 2 hours everyday I would pay good money for that kind of work I get tried but I just crack on you deserve the money you work hard my husband has ordered me a blower that straps to my back cant waite to get it then I can get to finish of for another year good work

[@GRAY_203]

The front attachment for the toro is called a dethacher and it works really good for leaves and grass

[@thatrealba]

Actually, I trimmed and edged before the mowing. I pretty much only used mulching blades or I bagged. The way I did things prevented having a nicely cut lawn with trimmings and edging debris all over the place. Yes, it pretty much meant using the blower twice, but to me, and apparently to my customers, it was worth it. Nothing wrong with your leaf cleanup style to me, just the pricing where my business was, is much different. I started out at the higher end of pricing in my area, but I knew I could deliver the goods. I learned that lesson from watching my brother with his excavation business. He had a great reputation in the area as an operator, so when he hung his own shingle, he had top-tier prices. His first month netted only 9k, but his second month netted over 50k. It only grew from there.

[@albruce1949]

a trick i use disposing of my leaves on my 1 acre lot. i’ve tried every tithing catching , blowing, sweeper, even a rake. BUT the best thing i’ve found is getting on your mower , chop them up , and then block your chute and start mowing , the leaves seem to disintegrate. i’ve found that if you start in the center and start going around in tight circle and keep going out . it is faster and easier then anything i’ve tried .

[@janeames1513]

Brian you did a fine job..i know you said you are pretty new to leaf cleanups so the only tip i would like to give you as a former landscape owner is when you are cleaning up the beds with shrubs like that is rake the shrubs with a el cheapo walmart garden rake..it makes the leaves come out easier than trying to blow them out and once the leaves hit the ground you can blow them out ..don't use a heavy rake on them use the little flimsy rakes ..you made a good decision with the leafvac bagger system..makes it pretty painless after you get the beds and concrete blown onto the grass

[@Dollapfin]

Leaf mould is a valued compost. You could probably sell that waste once decomposed.

[@dave434]

Leafs in my yard made this look like a picnic!

[@joshtaylor693]

What we do is have a guy blow everything off like you did and have another guy chopping up leaves with one mower and another guy using the bagger. Just chopping them up makes for less trips with the bagger just a little tip for ya. Good work man.

[@logdon17]

Not sure if Stihl is the same way but those Echo's hate the cold. I noticed that hedge trimmer start up had to have a cutaway to allow to warm up, my weedeater is the same and takes forever to get going in the cold.

[@BriansLawnMaintenance]

Oh yeah, it takes a good 30 seconds when cold start. First time I used it that day, it was definitely a cold start ha

[@556blackwater]

When hostas wilt down like that the leaves release from the bulb. Its a lot easier to just grab a handful and pull them out by hand.

[@andrewschoeman6753]

I was just gonna say that. Plus, you'll save your blades

[@williamkrammerjr4343]

Over the years of doing this type of work. I deal with fall cleanups etc... I wait until Spring to do the hostas, grasses, daylilies. With the new growth pushing out the old, it takes seconds vs minutes trimming and bending.

[@HandyGuy2016]

I mulch and then vacuum, saves a lot of vacuum space condensing the leaf size first.

[@lrcb40]

Good work! I've seen a trailer like yours used and they hung a big tarp off the walls and dumped the leaves out of the mower into that (ike a kinda hammock)

[@fitzfitz2801]

I always try to blow the leaves off the tops of the bushes you don't have to get them all but at least out of sight out of mind

[@stevesquirrel13]

In mass at my company we do cleanups with a hurricane and a few guys with backpack blowers and walk in a line and get everything sticks acorns pine needles then go over it with the mower afterwards so tedious but comes out nice

[@allenthomas8893]

The leaf pusher on the mowers work really well for leaf clean up, shaved 30 mins off of our time, highly recommend

[@colbycunningham4022]

Hasta tip. Push mower with a bag attached - carefully lift over hasta and it cuts and bags in one step!

[@Gantzz321]

find local gardeners to get rid of the mulch for free to feed there compost needs, would be doing them a favor an making more contacts

[@Jasha333]

Sometimes what ill do is drop then deck down (take the pin out) just gotta be careful and use that then to push the leaves seems to work pretty good on a pinch

[@rudy52350]

Great vid , very good job , super good prices . I've watched this vid several times ...

[@hairstonpropertymanagement2937]

Always more Brian!!! Always love your Videos dude!

[@joesnides5223]

Awesome vids man. I use a leaf plow and its 10times easier getting big piles to where you need them.

[@thomasanderson4664]

I enjoy Your videos . Your a good guy I see. I've done lawns now 35 years . Sometimes pricing isnt easy . But I enjoy my job so I might not charge enough. Which is fine. The mack thing I'd just grow some facel hair. I'm not liking Mack's at all. It just shows fear. Not yours but I think you know what I mean. I was told 35 years ago I had 6 mouths to live so now I see this fear in everyone. Throw your mack away and grow hair the God gave us for the cold. Have a Great Year young man.

[@jandblawncare8570]

I'd say you did ok, 145/hr is good anywhere. You know those Hosta's would just pull out too instead of cutting them. As far as a leaf rake, we used to have one when I had 3 crews thinking it would speed things along but found our walk behinds did a better job, it would tare up some uneven lawns so I sold it. I'd be telling my guys though, clean out on, in and around those bushed better. Just stick the blower hose right in the middle of the bush.

[@ricepadi29]

Great job Brian. We are still grinding up here near Flint. Building up our snowmobiling winter fun money.

[@kristianoleme]

Makes me wish I lived up north... in Florida the only thing that happens is cancellations because of one week of cold weather... leaves barely fall. Lol. Love your content man!

[@BriansLawnMaintenance]

Ha I feel ya, but you don't have to deal with snow :)

[@ram64man]

The pushers are ideal if you live in a heavily wooded garden boarders the grass, they take the bulk and allow you to push it deeper into the forest for dumping but don’t clear the bottom layer so you still have to vac mulch to get the best

[@changingseasonslandscape6142]

The Leaf Plow is a whole new level!! It saves so much time. Combine with a Little Wonder Blower. Excellent!! Those bags fill up so fast ... ur just in up wasting time. But u could try some Gator Blades just for Leaf clean up. That’s what I do to mulch them up finer to fit more in the bag when their not loads of leaves. I don’t like those blades cutting grass thou

[@ScoutLawnCare]

That's how we did them last year, and will do the same this year. We have the backpack blower now so should be easier. Only issue is our baggers... They are on riding mowers. Wish we had a setup like yours on our zero turns....

[@joreylabonte6915]

One suggestion to help u out bro when the hostas are that far gone u can just pull them by hand a lot less of a mess and don’t have to waste the gas using the hedge trimmer been doing it over 10yrs just a suggestion u can also buy a debris loader pretty cheap too 4-5g billygoat is a good cheap loader

[@ryaneckhout2509]

Great video I learned a lot. I had two questions for you. 1. Do you have your blades on while picking up the leaves? 2. Do you have your deck as low as it can go if you don’t have your blades on?

[@BriansLawnMaintenance]

Yes the blades suck up the leaves and create the vacuum w/ the blower. And for leaf cleanups we mow around 2.5-2.75", yessir!

[@emmanueletienne9995]

I have the same hedge trimmer. I found my first fall clean up job. Lots of pruning and trimming and leaf cleanup. $380 and the customer said yes.

[@ronhart4166]

Becareful when you add bed maintenance or trimming in on a leaf clean up. You are loosing a little profit. Might I say you are CHOOSING to lose it. Your basic lawn maintenance package tops out at a certain point. Keeping things separate will allow you to have an additional way to make profit. This was a perfect yard to upsale bed refining and mulch also. Think about getting you a articulating head for your string trimmer or a Sthil 130 combi . It will save you from all that bending over while trimming. You are a young man with a lot of life ahead of you so SAVE your back !! :)

[@alexvanhorssen7914]

don"t worry he bends the right way and doesn"t bend often. He also gets paid per hour so don't worry. Better don"t try to piss of your customers by trying hard to suck money out of them my friend that's so bad

[@bjgarbacz1]

But he lives in Michigan, like in NYS you mulch and bed work gets done after snow

[@Shortstickman]

Easiest way for hostas is like you said to use a hedge trimmer that can be put an an angle, and running it at the base of the plant. I do it all the time. I also think you have the right idea, contrary to what the other person said, if you are up selling customers it’s not forcing them into taking the “extras” it’s giving them options, any salesmen will be able to present it so they want it, in spite of the price.

[@stephengaughan2561]

I heard he bends over a lot outside of work so his back should be fine.

[@iceman27406]

@@stephengaughan2561 LOL

[@lawnboy1010]

I normally just keep all clients on their weekly mowing schedule and add a discretion based fee. Gator Blades and a chute blocker are the way to go. Some choose to only have 1-2 actual cleanups and I charge accordingly. How many cleanups do each of your customers get in the fall? You can just pull Hostas when they turn yellow. Just make sure you're not pulling roots. There's no money sitting at the dump multiple times per day to dump leaves. I like to mulch leaves down as much as possible and then only pick up what is necessary. Worst case scenario, I have my subcontractor come through with a vacuum truck.

[@BriansLawnMaintenance]

Just once at the end of the season, usually 2nd or 3rd week of Nov!

[@ousamaabdu794]

Virginia Refuse Trucks Sounds like a solid plan. So how does your discretion fee structure usually work, if you could give me an example. I think I would like to emulate that strategy. Seems very realistic, as most of my customers don't want a large clean up fee.

[@randyt3558]

@@ousamaabdu794 a discretion fee structure is variable. figure out what you want for the fall clean up, and offer the customer the service of extra up keep, in lieu of a large cleanup bill. You can pretty well double your money, and often still have a final cleanup, or at least a spring cleanup.

[@mccool24]

You said you don’t trim during a clean up. Do you edge? One thing that I know keeps me cutting later in the season is freshening the edges. It’s about the only thing making me come back I had a customer tell me the only thing having her keep coming was having the edges fresh. Something to think about.

[@BriansLawnMaintenance]

Nope. That's on the first mow for me.

[@jswyka8]

i have used leaf rake...it doesmt get every leaf or anythinf but it moves the bulk of them...the piles by the house....i did a massive woods peoperty that took the company a week before i got there...the whole job was completed in 2 days...and if i didnt loose the pics when my phone crashed i might still have pics of how it was done...just work your way across the yard with a blower and as you get piles just push them to the front of where they go...and if you have a billy goat and a stake body you would be amazed at how many jobs you can do in a day...

[@timothyd7478]

When the X-Mark is sucking up the leaves is it also cutting the grass? Just a question as a friend

[@ILC-eo6vk]

I starting a softwash and pressure washing company soon and will add hedge trimming because I enjoy it. I do not want to cut lawns but I assume people may want leaf cleanup.

[@MasterBasser]

dont know how i got here but for your camera situation you could just run a head cam or body cam style setup and double time the clip in post, if you have the space for that ofc.

[@Rzero11231]

Use a string trimmer on the hastas blow everything on the lawn then bag with mower

[@Rzero11231]

mowing for 35 years it don't get any more simple than that.

[@dustingoforth4475]

I hand cut hostas faster than that.

[@eliov6425]

Keep hustling my man and definitely raise those prices that yard is pretty big , good job 👏 👍

[@rwill4g]

Yeah I was thinking that but you have to reel in the customers sometimes introducing all the different services you can provide for them I 🤔

[@Something2LookAt]

Nice work! So, I see leaves on the trees still. Will you have to do this again on the same property? Same price again?

[@johnnylamuelo2102]

During leaf season you should consider just getting the bulk of the leaves. Once leaves are all down,then do a final clean up and pruning and your set for winter.

[@surfintheuniverse]

I found your video so funny, thanks, quit using back pack blowers 15 years ago, I don't like the smell , the sound, and pretty much they have complete useless range of motion

[@pattersonlandscaping5621]

I have the JRCO leaf pusher...it works but the design has shortcomings...the bottom tines bend easily ...most guys replace them with rubber or even plywood . They are for pushing large piles ..

[@augustreil]

That's what I did, I used old tractor trailer mud flaps. They worked great. Have to remember that with leaf plows, you're just trying to get the bulk and not scrape it clean.

[@terrypercy]

I love your attitude. It would be great to work with someone who works like you do.

[@BriansLawnMaintenance]

They're out there!

[@ricardojohnsonthon7547]

Brian, Do you have any tips and suggestions for someone trying to start in the business? Thanks!

[@BioHazardra]

nice to see your process Brian. I vary depending on how the lawn is laid out and how many leaves there are. sometimes i will mow first then blow the leaves out of beds and into tree lines or i will blow first then mulch everything. i've never had to haul off leaves yet

[@batterpm11]

Nice work man, I do it the same way. Smaller lawns I'll use the my Walker if they want them removed.

[@geoffrey_lee]

I would have you in my area anytime Brian! You do a. nice job and you recognize you could do. more, but it does not matter, you do a good job for the value and costs that you charge.

[@swibal1]

And it is the same for daylily. Because when the first freeze come it's way easier to "clean" them. Oh and by the way, when you don't have a place for the disposal of leafs, do you compost it?

[@BriansLawnMaintenance]

Yep

[@benwallacelawnworks3363]

you mentioned you picked up your hedge trimmers from being a “ UWG “ member ... what is that ? also you are on the right track for fall clean ups i have learned its eadier on me and my older model machines to just either continue weekly mowings or doing multiple clean ups on a property for a slight fee usually $20-$40 over normal mowing price .... i have a few that wait for all the leaves to fall and they get charged quite a bit more due to time and strain on the equipment .... i dont have a vac or vac truck so i perimeter blow and bliw out beds mow with discharge chute blowing in mulching everything downthen cutting 2 patterns in the property to spread it all back out

[@BriansLawnMaintenance]

The ECHO program. UAG.

[@bynumtreeandlandscape9000]

I watch your videos back to back mixing it up with Keith Kalfas. I've learned a lot from you guys!!! Definitely a inspiration to me!!

[@garymucher9590]

I have mulching blades on the mower and never ever rake, blow or bag the leaves. I mulch them up and they disappear. And the lawn looks fresh and gets all that nutrients back into the lawn.

[@1duramaxhd]

Gary Mucher to bad that doesn’t work in the real world with yards with trees.

[@ZomBRaider]

@@1duramaxhd For sure, If I mulched instead of bagged, my grass would be gone....

[@tomstevens751]

this also upsets customers that keep their leaves for compost each year

[@mikesautomaintenance5780]

Not to long and u will be banging out clean-ups again its crazy how just 2 years ago u were putting stuff in leaf bags and putting them out to the road at your moms now u have a dump insert and a place to dump it all rock on brother keep up the good work

[@BriansLawnMaintenance]

Amen to that. God is good

[@yardenvyofvirginia8780]

Your bagger is amazing. Sucks those leaves up so well.

[@atomiccheeseburger69]

Leaf plows are legit. Work real well

[@derekseelman5569]

Great vid man keep up the great work!!

[@samkelton85]

I did way to many of these last year. I would rather take a beating! I don’t know if I’m going to do any this year. Don’t have a bagger for turftiger and don’t see the investment for it for doing leaves. I’ll just blow out beds and slap some gators on and mulch em up

[@brianeisenman578]

F250 looking nice with that trailer!

[@chase_talley436]

Tip: look up the CYCLONE RAKE. You can tow it behind your mower and it will get EVERYTHING and it also comes with a hose to suck things out of beds and bushes

[@augustreil]

They are good but just not as fast as he is doing it.

[@Fastlane.2002]

We have one for are yard. They are really nice. We dump all the leaves in a pile then keep stirring the pile with a frontloader tractor(we use a john deer 1025r) and in a year you have a mulch pile. Great fertilizer.

[@norjg597]

The yard looked great after your work. Do you clean up the leaves in the street in front of the house? I know the City will probably pick them up, but I think the places looks a lot better without the leaves in the street.

[@BriansLawnMaintenance]

We do now yep, but before we just dumped curb side until my business was larger and we had our dump insert.

[@Justkeepontruckin35]

Keep it up love watching your video helping me how to do thing the right way for the start of my business next yr finally got a zero turn getting really excited about next yr still a lot of work to do but i just cant wait

[@Johnny53kgb-nsa]

I'm no expert by any means but you did a good job and at the same time treated the customer fair, which equals a return customer. Which in business is very important. Don't worry about others that gouge their customer, it will catch up to them.

[@diggermitch1]

if you ever can buy a big piece of property to where you can start dumping all of your leafs and grass and dump it and then start your own composting operation if its feasble

[@matteckert6676]

I have the same x series. This year ive opted not to run the caster weights. I kept the suit case ones on but i just felt it was too front heavy and would leave ruts

[@gx.santiago6842]

That is amazing , my pops definitely needs to invest in one of those big mowers he recently got a clients with a huge yard and a lot of big trees throughout and this fall was horrible

[@ronhughley6510]

Haha. Same. I totally use my mom's curb side pick up too. Lol. About 400 gal every month.

[@ousamaabdu794]

Ron Hughley I need to start using my township for leaf pick up, after all of the taxes I pay on it. Ron, do you leave the leaves in the Him depot style paper bags, or what do you store the leaves in for curbside pickup?