Starter Equipment List
Totals
- Bootstrap: $17,000-$27,500
- Standard: $52,000-$82,000
- Premium: $105,000-$160,000
What the tier choice costs
Safety
| Item | Bootstrap | Standard | Premium | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANSI Z89.1 hard hats (Type II, Class E), 3 units for crew of 3 OSHA General Duty Clause applies to landscaping crews. Required for landscape install and hardscape work. One per crew member. | $30-$60 | $60-$120 | $120-$180 | Gemplers, SiteOne Landscape Supply (Kansas City, MO) |
| ANSI-rated safety glasses with side shields, 3 units Required when operating mowers, string trimmers, and blowers. OSHA 29 CFR 1910.133 eye protection standard applies. | $15-$30 | $30-$60 | $60-$90 | Gemplers, A.M. Leonard |
| Hearing protection (NRR 25+ earmuffs or foam plugs, bulk pack), 3 sets OSHA occupational noise exposure standard applies to landscaping employees. Backpack blowers exceed 100 dB at operator ear. | $20-$40 | $40-$90 | $90-$150 | Gemplers, A.M. Leonard |
| Chemical-resistant nitrile gloves (box of 100) and forearm-length chemical gloves (3 pairs) for pesticide and fertilizer application Missouri Pesticide Use Act requires licensed applicators to follow label PPE requirements. Nitrile gloves for general use; forearm-length for mixing and loading. | $25-$50 | $50-$90 | $90-$140 | Gemplers, Ewing Outdoor Supply (Olathe, KS, serves KC metro) |
| Half-face respirator with OV/P100 cartridges, 3 units for pesticide and herbicide application Required when applying pesticides or herbicides per EPA FIFRA label instructions. Missouri Commercial Pesticide Applicator license (Category 3, Ornamental and Turf) is required before offering fertilization and weed control services for hire. | $90-$150 | $150-$270 | $270-$420 | Gemplers, A.M. Leonard |
| High-visibility safety vests (ANSI Class 2), 3 units Required for roadside and curbside work. OSHA 29 CFR 1926.201 applies when working adjacent to traffic. | $30-$60 | $60-$105 | $105-$180 | Gemplers, SiteOne Landscape Supply |
| Steel-toe or composite-toe work boots rated ASTM F2413, 3 pairs Chainsaw chaps (ASTM F1897) should be added if chainsaw work is performed. Budget per pair; multiply by crew size. | $150-$300 | $300-$540 | $540-$750 | Gemplers (Red Wing, Wolverine brands stocked) |
| First aid kit (ANSI Class B, 50-person) with eyewash station for truck OSHA requires readily accessible first aid supplies. One kit per truck. Replenish after each use. | $40-$80 | $80-$140 | $140-$220 | Gemplers, A.M. Leonard |
| Sun protection kit, SPF 50 sunscreen (bulk), cooling neck gaiters, and wide-brim hats, 3 sets OSHA heat illness prevention guidelines apply to outdoor crews in Missouri summers. Provide water, shade, and rest breaks per OSHA heat standards. | $30-$60 | $60-$100 | $100-$160 | Gemplers |
| OSHA 300/300A/301 injury and illness log binder with posted OSHA Job Safety and Health poster Employers with W-2 employees must display the OSHA poster and maintain injury logs. Required at 3+ employees under Part 1904 recordkeeping rules. | $10-$20 | $10-$20 | $10-$20 | OSHA.gov (free download and poster) |
Core Tools
| Item | Bootstrap | Standard | Premium | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial zero-turn mower, Exmark Lazer Z E-Series or Scag Tiger Cat II, 52-60 in deck, 1 unit (primary mowing machine for routes) Exmark Radius E-Series starts around $6,100 at the entry commercial tier; Lazer Z E-Series runs $9,000-$13,500 new. Founder likely already owns a mower at 5-10 years experience, verify before purchasing. Premium tier: Lazer Z X-Series or Scag Turf Tiger II with suspension seat. | $6,500-$9,000 | $9,000-$13,500 | $13,500-$18,000 | Exmark dealer (KC metro); Scag dealer (KC metro) |
| Commercial walk-behind mower (Exmark Turf Tracer or Toro Grandstand 36-48 in), 1 unit for gated yards and slopes Needed for residential accounts with gates under 48 in or steep slopes where a zero-turn is unsafe. Bootstrap operators can skip initially and use the zero-turn only. | — | $4,500-$7,500 | $7,500-$11,000 | Exmark dealer, Toro dealer (KC metro) |
| Commercial string trimmers, Stihl FS 131 R or Husqvarna 535RXT, 2 units for crew of 3 Founder likely already owns at least one trimmer. Verify before purchasing. Two units keeps the crew moving without waiting on one machine. | $500-$800 | $800-$1,200 | $1,200-$1,800 | Stihl dealer (KC metro), Husqvarna dealer (KC metro) |
| Commercial stick edger, Stihl FC 131 or Echo PE-2620, 1 unit Dedicated stick edger produces cleaner bed and curb lines than a trimmer-edger combo. One unit per crew is standard for residential mowing routes. | $300-$450 | $450-$650 | $650-$900 | Stihl dealer (KC metro), Echo dealer |
| Commercial backpack blowers, Stihl BR 600 or Echo PB-8010T, 2 units Two blowers allow simultaneous cleanup at end of each stop. Founder likely already owns one, verify before purchasing. | $500-$800 | $800-$1,200 | $1,200-$1,800 | Stihl dealer (KC metro), Echo dealer |
| Commercial hedge trimmer, Stihl HS 82 R or Husqvarna 536LiHD60X, 1 unit Required for spring and fall cleanup shrub shaping and bed maintenance services. | $350-$550 | $550-$850 | $850-$1,200 | Stihl dealer (KC metro), Husqvarna dealer |
| Chainsaw with PPE, Stihl MS 271 Farm Boss (16-18 in bar) with chainsaw chaps (ASTM F1897), face shield, and cut-resistant gloves, 1 unit Needed for spring and fall cleanup debris removal and landscape install site prep. Bootstrap operators can rent or sub out tree work initially. | — | $500-$800 | $800-$1,200 | Stihl dealer (KC metro) |
| Ride-on or self-propelled core aerator, Billy Goat PR550H or Classen TA-26, 1 unit Core aeration is a high-margin upsell on mowing routes. Bootstrap operators should rent per job until route density justifies ownership. Ride-on models dramatically increase daily capacity over walk-behind units. | — | $2,500-$4,500 | $4,500-$7,000 | SiteOne Landscape Supply (Kansas City, MO), Ewing Outdoor Supply (Olathe, KS) |
| Broadcast spreader (Lesco High Wheel 80 lb or EARTHWAY 2150) and drop spreader (Scotts ProEdgeguard), 1 of each Required for fertilization and weed control services. Missouri Commercial Pesticide Applicator license (Category 3) must be obtained before applying any pesticide product for hire. | $150-$300 | $300-$500 | $500-$750 | SiteOne Landscape Supply (Kansas City, MO), Ewing Outdoor Supply (Olathe, KS) |
| Backpack sprayer, Solo 425 4-gallon professional or Chapin 63985 4-gallon, 2 units For spot herbicide and pesticide application on mowing and maintenance accounts. Missouri requires a Commercial Pesticide Applicator license (Category 3, Ornamental and Turf) for any pesticide application for hire. | $120-$200 | $200-$350 | $350-$550 | SiteOne Landscape Supply (Kansas City, MO), Ewing Outdoor Supply (Olathe, KS) |
| Lawn aerator plug tray and seeder, Earthway 2750 overseeder or JRCO tow-behind seeder, 1 unit Supports fall overseeding upsell on aeration accounts. Kansas City area is a transition-zone turf market (tall fescue and bluegrass); fall seeding is a high-demand service. | — | $400-$800 | $800-$1,400 | SiteOne Landscape Supply (Kansas City, MO) |
| Hand tool set, contractor-grade round-point shovels (3), square-point shovels (2), bow rakes (3), leaf rakes (3), garden forks (2), loppers (2), hand pruners (3), wheelbarrows (2, commercial poly tub) Founder likely already owns a partial set at 5-10 years experience. Audit existing inventory and fill gaps only. Quantities scaled for 3-person crew. Commercial-grade fiberglass handles and chromoly steel blades recommended for daily use. | $400-$700 | $700-$1,200 | $1,200-$1,800 | A.M. Leonard, Gemplers |
| Landscape install hand tools, mattock, digging bar, bulb planter, transplant spade, kneeling pads (3), trowel set Required for landscape design and install service. Supports planting, bed prep, and small grading work. | — | $150-$300 | $300-$500 | A.M. Leonard, Gemplers |
| Snow removal, V-plow (Boss 8.2 ft or Western MVP3) for primary truck, plus tailgate salt spreader (SnowEx SP-1875 or Western 1000), 1 set Kansas City averages 10-15 snow events per season. V-plow handles both residential driveways and commercial lots. Bootstrap operators should defer plow purchase until snow contracts are signed. Tailgate spreader handles ice melt on drives and walks. | — | $5,500-$9,500 | $9,500-$15,000 | Boss Snowplow dealer (KC metro), Western Products dealer (KC metro) |
| Snow removal, two-stage snow blower (Ariens Platinum 24 or Husqvarna ST224P), 1 unit for walk and stoop work Handles sidewalks, stoops, and areas the truck plow cannot reach. Pairs with the V-plow for full-service residential snow accounts. | — | $800-$1,400 | $1,400-$2,200 | Ariens dealer (KC metro), Husqvarna dealer |
| Tool and equipment storage, enclosed trailer interior shelving, wall-mount trimmer racks (4-position), blower rack (2-position), and locking fuel can holder Organized trailer reduces load/unload time per stop on mowing routes. Locking fuel can holder required for OSHA flammable storage compliance. | $200-$400 | $400-$700 | $700-$1,200 | Jungle Jake Racks, Green Touch Industries (trailer rack systems) |