Wildbend Funding Group, a small-business funding service in Newark, Ohio, explains lawn care equipment financing for Licking County, OH landscapers: how mowers, trailers and compact machines are financed, how dealer offers compare with equipment loans, what partners look at on used equipment, and how to check a payment with a calculator before you sign.
A trade of small operators
Licking County, OH had 71 landscaping services employer establishments in 2023, and 64.8% had fewer than five employees (U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023). Another 344 landscaping businesses had no payroll in 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics 2024). A mower or trailer that breaks down at the wrong moment can cost a crew jobs.
What lawn care equipment gets financed
- Mowers: zero-turn, stand-on and walk-behind commercial units.
- Trailers: open utility and enclosed trailers sized for the mowers they carry.
- Compact machines: skid steers, compact track loaders and mini excavators for hardscape work.
- Smaller tools: aerators, dethatchers, blowers and trimmers, often grouped into one request.
- Trucks: usually through commercial vehicle financing.
Dealer financing or an equipment loan
Mower dealers may offer promotional financing on new units. For that one machine, compare the promotion honestly with equipment financing through a partner. Look at the total cost, whether the promotion requires a minimum purchase, what happens if a payment is late, and whether the promotion ends with a higher rate on any remaining balance.
Dealer offers may not cover used equipment, trailers from another seller or a mix of brands. An equipment loan can bundle several items from different sellers into one request.
Used equipment: what partners look at
Used mowers and compact machines are financed routinely. Partners weigh hours, model year, brand resale demand and condition, and may ask for photos and the serial number. A mower with high hours may get a shorter term than a newer one. Match the term to how long you will actually keep the machine; paying for a mower after it has been retired is the common mistake.
An equipment trailer financing calculator, by hand
The equipment payment calculator works for trailers and mowers: enter the price, down payment, an annual rate you assume and the term.
Illustration only, with invented figures: an enclosed trailer at $11,500 and a used zero-turn mower at $9,500 are bundled into a $21,000 purchase with $3,000 down, financed over 36 months at an assumed annual rate of 11. That is about $589 a month and about $24,215 in total cost including the down payment. If the new mower lets a crew add four residential cuts a day, the added revenue is the number to compare against the payment. Not an offer.
Timing the purchase
Buying equipment ahead of your busiest stretch means the first payments may land before the extra revenue does. Ask whether a partner offers a deferred first payment or seasonal payment schedule, and keep a line of credit or cash cushion for the gap. Your own statements, not assumptions about the weather, should guide that plan. The landscaping company funding page covers lines of credit and buying a route.
Local context
21 of the county's 71 landscaping employers had a ZIP 43055 address in 2023 (U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023). More local data is on the Newark, OH data page.
By Wildbend Funding Group · Updated