Читать книгу Start & Run a Landscaping Business - Joel LaRusic - Страница 37

A fully enclosed trailer has four sides and a roof. If it is nicely painted with your business name and logo, it presents a classier and more professional look than an open trailer. It also has several practical advantages:

• You can keep your day-to-day equipment in the trailer and lock it up each night, saving you the trouble of loading and unloading everything each day.

• You can keep your equipment secure on the jobsite by locking the trailer.

• You can protect your gear from the environment. For example, you can keep weather-sensitive supplies, such as fertilizer and lime, in the trailer and not worry that they will be rained on.

• The trailer can provide a bit of shelter for you, too. For example, if it is rainy or windy you can step inside the trailer to fill your fertilizer spreader or your chemical applicator.

If you’re in the market for a fully enclosed trailer, be sure to check out the following options. They should be available at purchase or can be installed professionally once you’ve got your trailer.

• Floor tie-downs. You will need a few tie-downs to help secure your equipment while you are moving.

• Wall tie-downs. These may be as simple as perforated metal strips (similar to shelving tracks) running along the length of both sides of the trailer. Ideally there will be two or three parallel tie-downs to provide plenty of anchor points for securing all of your equipment. Alternatively, you can install special wall mounts, similar to the floor mounts.

• Rear ramp door. A ramp door requires more room to open but makes unloading and loading much easier.

• Dome light. A simple dome light is helpful if you are loading or unloading at night.

There are some disadvantages to the closed-style trailer. Keeping dirty equipment in the trailer can create a stench, and if there is no airflow in the trailer, mold will quickly develop. However, you can solve or avoid these problems by choosing a trailer with a rooftop vent and side vents. Leave the rooftop vent open when you park the trailer overnight. The side vents provide airflow while you are moving. (The rooftop vent should be closed for traveling to prevent it from being damaged by the wind.) With a good venting system, your trailer still won’t smell like springtime roses, but it won’t be offensive either.