Lots of different people have a need to get hold of various items of lawn care equipment.  You might want to buy some if you have a garden of your own that you’d like to take better care of.  And you will definitely need some if you are going to start your own business providing landscaping and lawn care for people in your neighborhood.

The question is how much should you pay for it?  New lawn care equipment can be very expensive, and there are ways that you can get hold of it at a knock down price.  You do need to consider whether it is good value to buy second hand though, and the answer could vary depending on the situation and the particular piece of equipment you are buying.

For starters no two pieces of used lawn care equipment will be the same.  People have lots of reasons for getting rid of garden equipment.  For example someone might want to get rid of a leaf blower that is only a year old and has only been used once.  This could simply be because they are moving somewhere that doesn’t have a garden, or there are no trees there that will drop their leaves.

On the other hand they might be selling something simply to get rid of it because it has almost reached the end of its useful life.  As you can see it is very important to take a closer look at any piece of garden equipment you are thinking of buying.  That lawn mower might look great at first glance, but try turning it over to see what the underside is like.  After all this is the part that gets into close contact with the lawn, and it doesn’t matter how good the presentable bit looks, the blades need to be able to do the job properly.

Of course you can fully expect to have to replace certain parts of equipment that are subject to normal wear and tear.  The blades on a lawn mower are a classic example.  But you should look for other potential damage or problems that cannot be fixed as well, before buying anything second hand.

The main advantage of buying used equipment is that you will get it cheaper.  But you do need to consider whether it is a false economy.  For starters how long is that equipment likely to last now?  And will you still be able to buy spares for older equipment, or will you be stuck with something that won’t work in a few short months time?

Used lawn care equipment can provide a good stop gap if you cannot afford to buy brand new items.  But do consider all the options before you finally decide whether new or used is the best route for you.  What seems like a good value buy can be very far from it on occasion.  It all comes down to what it is, how much it is and how much you need it.

Interested in starting a Lawn Care Business? Click here to learn more about our Lawn Care Business Guide.