GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Lawn Ranger plow service on Plainfield has been booked ever since the snow started to fall this November. Owner Brent Fields said that they've been so busy, he re-recorded his voicemail to let clients know that their next possible available date is Tuesday, November 22.
“The phone is on fire and at this point, c’mon? Why are you waiting ’til now? At this point it’s going to voicemail,” Fields explained to FOX 17 Thursday. "We can’t do it. My voicemail says if you want to talk about it on Monday we can revisit it, but currently, I just can’t.”
However, once Fields has clients on the line, he tells them to expect to pay a little extra. In 2021, they charged $300 for single or double driveways. Now, it’s $400.
“I haven’t had any pushback on $400 to be honest with you,” Fields said. “I know a couple of companies right out there now that are doing it for the $230, $240, $250. I don’t know that they’ll make it.”
Fields said he had to increase prices because of inflation and high gas prices. The Lawn Ranger services 400 clients with 12 plow trucks, and an additional four for backup. Fields says the vehicles are expensive to buy and to maintain.
“The brand new truck we bought this year was about $50,000 for the truck,” Fields said. “By the time we put front rear blades on it, the strobe lights and all the fancy stuff on it, [it's] another $20,000. It’s $70,000 for a pickup truck.”
Parts are another reason Fields says he increased his prices; some are harder to get than others.
“The other day we had to put brake lines on one of these trucks, the ’06. [The part was] not available. We had to make a brake line,” he said. “So, if you can get the parts it’s going to cost a lot if you can’t even get the part. So, parts are an issue. That’s another thing too. And help, fortunately, we’re covered with all help.”
Fields said getting parts has been a struggle all year and he doesn’t see it changing anytime soon.
He recommended everyone book their services sooner rather than later. He said others in the business are booked up as well.
“There’s no neighbor kid doing it anymore. You know, I started out as a kid. I had a shovel. I don’t know that kids do that anymore,” Fields said. “So, I think that’s where the demand comes is the younger generation doesn’t go out there and go after. So, they need professional people to do it.”
