Home

Export thread

What would you do

Jun 2, 2013#1

Ric

Just suppose you hired a Professional lawn care firm or business to cut your Lawn and they left you the client with this on your front lawn, what would you do? Would you consider this professional work?

14712-what-would-you-do-clients2-009-jpg

Jun 2, 2013#2

lawn mower fanatic

Ric said:
Would you consider this professional work?

Definitely not! I really dislike it when people do a half-butted job just so they can move on to the next house! :confused2:

Jun 2, 2013#3

fry

OMG....I don't consider that professional at all.
Did we pay them yet?.....if not, I would call them up and tell them I'm not paying until they clean that up.
I think "Joey" the 10 year old down the street would do a much better job than that!

Keep us updated.

Jun 2, 2013#4

M

motoman

The next door neighbor left with her house for sale. She was religious about mowing and then sweeping. I guess she hired someone to mow her 1 acre. They left windrows that make your picture look really neat. The grass was tall and wet. I mowed mine taking only a half-bite and many plug ups of the Craftstman. Is this service an item on the menu (seriously)?

Jun 2, 2013#5

Ric

I don't consider it professional either. I mow two homes on that same street and I've considered going to the door and talking to the people but I hate to to do that because I don't want it to seem like I'm trying to cut the guys throat but at the same time it's this type of lawncare company that's giving the business a bad name. That home has a 3/4 to 1 acre lot and he mowed the whole thing in less time that it took me to mow the front yard across the street.

Jun 2, 2013#6

Carscw

Ric said:
I don't consider it professional either. I mow two homes on that same street and I've considered going to the door and talking to the people but I hate to to do that because I don't want it to seem like I'm trying to cut the guys throat but at the same time it's this type of lawncare company that's giving the business a bad name. That home has a 3/4 to 1 acre lot and he mowed the whole thing in less time that it took me to mow the front yard across the street.

This is a tough call but I think the right thing to do is go and knock on the door.
Maybe the homeowner is not really happy with the job he is doing and likes how your doing the yard across the road. But thinking you might cost to much more than they are paying him. I bet you both charge close to the same.

Do I think that it is wrong for you to take this yard from him ? NO he needs to learn if he wants to keep his yards he needs to step up the quality of his work.

You and I disagree a lot but I do believe you take some pride in your work

(( racing is the only sport that you need two balls ))

Jun 2, 2013#7

reynoldston

Do you know the particulars as to how the deal was to mow the lawn? Could the owner want this type of job to get it done cheap or maybe a free job. Maybe the owner made the deal to clean up after? I think I would want all the facts first as to why this type of work was done. Yes it could of been a bad job but we don't know for sure.

Jun 2, 2013#8

reynoldston

I was just looking at the picture again and from the looks of the fence in the back ground I don't think the owner is that worried about how the lawn is mowed if that is his fence??

Jun 2, 2013#9

Ric

reynoldston said:
Do you know the particulars as to how the deal was to mow the lawn? Could the owner want this type of job to get it done cheap or maybe a free job. Maybe the owner made the deal to clean up after? I think I would want all the facts first as to why this type of work was done. Yes it could of been a bad job but we don't know for sure.

reynoldston said:
I was just looking at the picture again and from the looks of the fence in the back ground I don't think the owner is that worried about how the lawn is mowed if that is his fence??

I don't know the particulars or what the deal was that was made and that's why I haven't gone to the door. I do know there were three individuals there on the job, two of which set on the trailer watching me and when the guy on the mower was done with the front and moved to the back one of the guys picked up a back pack blower and blew off the drive and then set back down on the trailer until the guy finished mowing. They never used a trimmer or edger at any time. The fence in the upper left hand corner is the fence that goes with the house, the fence with the large double gate goes with the foreclosure next door.

Jun 2, 2013#10

reynoldston

I don't mow professionally so don't know all in in and outs about it. What I do is repairs. What I have had happen is I will get a job all apart and the customer doesn't like the cost of the repair but wants it put back together. When I put it back together I can tell you its not the type of work to be proud of. Do I care NO, Do I want them back NO. You have to have the same type of customers in mowing also?

Jun 2, 2013#11

AmericanTurf

What would I do? Glad you asked. I would hire a new company. It's easier than posting on this site. These post are just plain full of crybaby Americans. What would you do? Are you an adult or a kid that needs advice? Seems an adult would have this issue resolved before posting such crap on here. Haha!!!!

Jun 2, 2013#12

Carscw

AmericanTurf said:
What would I do? Glad you asked. I would hire a new company. It's easier than posting on this site. These post are just plain full of crybaby Americans. What would you do? Are you an adult or a kid that needs advice? Seems an adult would have this issue resolved before posting such crap on here. Haha!!!!

You dumb fuk it's not his yard.

(( racing is the only sport that you need two balls ))

Jun 2, 2013#13

jzyla12

That's shits garbage, I'm a foreman at united lawnscape. And if I ever left a job like that I'd be fired no questions asked. They can't all be professionals like us guys at united

Jun 2, 2013#14

reynoldston

AmericanTurf said:
What would I do? Glad you asked. I would hire a new company. It's easier than posting on this site. These post are just plain full of crybaby Americans. What would you do? Are you an adult or a kid that needs advice? Seems an adult would have this issue resolved before posting such crap on here. Haha!!!!

What I would do if I don't like what I am reading is go to a different forum. If I don't like a thread or post as for me I just pass over it.

Jun 2, 2013#15

exotion

AmericanTurf said:
What would I do? Glad you asked. I would hire a new company. It's easier than posting on this site. These post are just plain full of crybaby Americans. What would you do? Are you an adult or a kid that needs advice? Seems an adult would have this issue resolved before posting such crap on here. Haha!!!!

Anyone else but me getting annoyed with this guy?

I would offer a free mow to the customer and tell them how much it was worth. When they see what you can do vs the current company they are sure to either hire you or change company's. If he is leaving yards like that he doesn't deserve the work and who knows if he gets enough customers fire him maybe hell slow down and figure it out.

Jun 2, 2013#16

lawn mower fanatic

There is a yard next to one I mow that looks like crap. I don't know if it's a pro or a homeowner that mows it. I think he waited 2 weeks to mow it. I wouldn't mind it but he discharges the grass into the yard I mow which makes mine look like crap! :mur: Here is the neighbor's yard.

Jun 2, 2013#17

BHLC

I take care of two bi weekly yards. When the grass grows fast it is sometimes unavoidable. Do I like the way it looks? No! Is the customer happy with the job? Yes! I try to tell them we should move it to weekly, they don't want to. Do I want to drop them as a client? In this current Obama economy I can't afford to drop them over something as minor as some extra clippings. If they are happy with the job then don't worry about it.

Jun 3, 2013#18

Ric

lawn mower fanatic said:
There is a yard next to one I mow that looks like crap. I don't know if it's a pro or a homeowner that mows it. I think he waited 2 weeks to mow it. I wouldn't mind it but he discharges the grass into the yard I mow which makes mine look like crap! :mur: Here is the neighbor's yard.

I didn't get a picture of that but that's what the other side of the lawn look like. you can see by your pictures the guy doesn't mow frequently or every week the way he should.

Jun 3, 2013#19

RatRacer

Ric said:
Just suppose you hired a Professional lawn care firm or business to cut your Lawn and they left you the client with this on your front lawn, what would you do? Would you consider this professional work?

That looks like a $20 "per cut" job, and an excellent opportunity to gain a new monthly acct. That, or a code enforcement appeasement quickie cut.

Jun 3, 2013#20

Ric

Doesn't have anything to do with HOA or code enforcement, there's somebody living there and it's not a foreclosure. I think I may the next time I'm down there cutting I'm going to do like exotion said or suggested and offer the guy a free mow and give the guy my price and see if I can gain an account.

Jun 3, 2013#21

exotion

Ric said:
Doesn't have anything to do with HOA or code enforcement, there's somebody living there and it's not a foreclosure. I think I may the next time I'm down there cutting I'm going to do like exotion said or suggested and offer the guy a free mow and give the guy my price and see if I can gain an account.

Please let us know how it goes

Jun 3, 2013#22

Ric

exotion said:
Please let us know how it goes

I don't get back there until Friday but I'll let you know how things go :thumbsup:

Jun 9, 2013#23

Ric

Well I stopped back Friday And talked to the lady, I don't think she was real happy with what was going on but she was accepting it. I told her I thought the company she was doing business with was doing her and the lawn an injustice and it shouldn't be left the way it was, she asked me for my business card and asked me how much I would charge her and I gave her a price for doing the acre and she said she would think about it and get back with me in a few days. I'm wondering now if she's going to use my price as leverage against the guy who's doing the lawn.:smile:

Jun 9, 2013#24

RatRacer

Ric said:
Well I stopped back Friday And talked to the lady, I don't think she was real happy with what was going on but she was accepting it. I told her I thought the company she was doing business with was doing her and the lawn an injustice and it shouldn't be left the way it was, she asked me for my business card and asked me how much I would charge her and I gave her a price for doing the acre and she said she would think about it and get back with me in a few days. I'm wondering now if she's going to use my price as leverage against the guy who's doing the lawn.:smile:

Good luck Ric

Jun 9, 2013#25

E

ericds

Ric said:
Well I stopped back Friday And talked to the lady, I don't think she was real happy with what was going on but she was accepting it. I told her I thought the company she was doing business with was doing her and the lawn an injustice and it shouldn't be left the way it was, she asked me for my business card and asked me how much I would charge her and I gave her a price for doing the acre and she said she would think about it and get back with me in a few days. I'm wondering now if she's going to use my price as leverage against the guy who's doing the lawn.:smile:

Just out of curiosity, how much did you quote her? I only mow 1/4 to 1/2 acre lots and charge $25-$30

Jun 9, 2013#26

Ric

ericds said:
Just out of curiosity, how much did you quote her? I only mow 1/4 to 1/2 acre lots and charge $25-$30

Not that I object but you do realize that that question is not ethical for you to ask as a professional or for me as a professional to answer. Just as it wasn't ethical for me to ask her what the other business was charging her. As far as my prices go they range from $15 to $40 a cut depending on how much trimming and edging there is to do.

Jun 10, 2013#27

jekjr

Most of the yards we cut are two week cuts. It is not pretty and I don't like it but that s what people are forced to do because of this economy. You either cut them every two weeks or you stop cutting. There are even some that will try to get you to squeeze even longer than two weeks. Money is tight for a lot of people.

Jun 10, 2013#28

BHLC

jekjr said:
Most of the yards we cut are two week cuts. It is not pretty and I don't like it but that s what people are forced to do because of this economy. You either cut them every two weeks or you stop cutting. There are even some that will try to get you to squeeze even longer than two weeks. Money is tight for a lot of people.

I completely agree!

Jun 10, 2013#29

Ric

jekjr said:
Most of the yards we cut are two week cuts. It is not pretty and I don't like it but that s what people are forced to do because of this economy. You either cut them every two weeks or you stop cutting. There are even some that will try to get you to squeeze even longer than two weeks. Money is tight for a lot of people.

BHLC said:
I completely agree!

I agree, I've been saying for a long time that the guys that think or say they need big money per hour are slowly going away because the economy will not support there prices anymore. I know they talk about the lowballers being bad for business but people are having a hard time with money and with all the cuts to services people have had I don't think it's getting any better for a lot of people.

Jun 11, 2013#30

djdicetn

exotion said:
Anyone else but me getting annoyed with this guy?

I would offer a free mow to the customer and tell them how much it was worth. When they see what you can do vs the current company they are sure to either hire you or change company's. If he is leaving yards like that he doesn't deserve the work and who knows if he gets enough customers fire him maybe hell slow down and figure it out.

Yep...in answering your first question!!!! These type of comments are what caused the Forum Administrator to remove a thread I started in this forum about laws concerning ROPS. Never any "constructive criticism" or "real advice" to assist others, just derogatory comments and insults:0(

Jun 11, 2013#31

reynoldston

Ric said:
Not that I object but you do realize that that question is not ethical for you to ask as a professional or for me as a professional to answer. Just as it wasn't ethical for me to ask her what the other business was charging her. As far as my prices go they range from $15 to $40 a cut depending on how much trimming and edging there is to do.

I don't mow lawns other then my own and not going to start, I repair mowers. 40 dollars a cut has to add up to about a 1000 dollars a year or so? A person could buy one cheap mower a year and mow there own lawn for that type of money. I guess being a mechanic all my life is the reason I can't afford to have my lawn done. On the other hand you will need a lot of lawns to make a descent living seeing you must have a lot of expenses. One fill up with gas on my mower is over 20 dollars.

Jun 11, 2013#32

Ric

reynoldston said:
I don't mow lawns other then my own and not going to start, I repair mowers. 40 dollars a cut has to add up to about a 1000 dollars a year or so? A person could buy one cheap mower a year and mow there own lawn for that type of money. I guess being a mechanic all my life is the reason I can't afford to have my lawn done. On the other hand you will need a lot of lawns to make a descent living seeing you must have a lot of expenses. One fill up with gas on my mower is over 20 dollars.

Actually $40 a cut comes out to $1440 plus a year. Right now I'm looking right at 70 lawns. My prices very from $15, 17.50 20, 30 and $40 a cut depending on lot size and a number of other things. The thing is I'm considered cheap.

Jun 11, 2013#33

Carscw

reynoldston said:
I don't mow lawns other then my own and not going to start, I repair mowers. 40 dollars a cut has to add up to about a 1000 dollars a year or so? A person could buy one cheap mower a year and mow there own lawn for that type of money. I guess being a mechanic all my life is the reason I can't afford to have my lawn done. On the other hand you will need a lot of lawns to make a descent living seeing you must have a lot of expenses. One fill up with gas on my mower is over 20 dollars.

Most people that pay to have there yard cut have the money to buy a mower. They just don't want to bother with there grass.

I did I yard for a lady all I did was cut it and she did the trimming and blowing. I charged her $10 and a cup of coffee.

I can fill my mower for $7 and cut about 6 yards

(( racing is the only sport that you need two balls ))

Jun 11, 2013#34

exotion

Carscw said:
Most people that pay to have there yard cut have the money to buy a mower. They just don't want to bother with there grass.

I did I yard for a lady all I did was cut it and she did the trimming and blowing. I charged her $10 and a cup of coffee.

I can fill my mower for $7 and cut about 6 yards

(( racing is the only sport that you need two balls ))

Yah rich and lazy are definately my favorite customers lol I charge between 10 to 50 I am also considered cheap

Jun 11, 2013#35

Carscw

exotion said:
Yah rich and lazy are definately my favorite customers lol I charge between 10 to 50 I am also considered cheap

I get $45 a yard doing HUD most I would charge $30 but I have one I did today takes a hour and a half when I was done it looked ready to bail hay.
Gets cut every 20 days. Most are every 10 days.

Before I was doing this full time I was in a neighborhood and my cheapest yard was $50 for a half acre. The other guys there would have got $75

(( racing is the only sport that you need two balls ))

Jun 14, 2013#36

E

ericds

Carscw said:
I get $45 a yard doing HUD most I would charge $30 but I have one I did today takes a hour and a half when I was done it looked ready to bail hay.
Gets cut every 20 days. Most are every 10 days.

Before I was doing this full time I was in a neighborhood and my cheapest yard was $50 for a half acre. The other guys there would have got $75

(( racing is the only sport that you need two balls ))

There aren't any neighborhoods around me that would pay that much, although I charge $20 for most of my 1/4 acre lots every 2 weeks and I'm considered cheap. Others charge a minimum of $25 usually.

Jun 21, 2013#37

K

kjfishman

fry said:
OMG....I don't consider that professional at all.
Did we pay them yet?.....if not, I would call them up and tell them I'm not paying until they clean that up.
I think "Joey" the 10 year old down the street would do a much better job than that!

Keep us updated.

If that were my yard they would be fired. Everybody and there brother is a self declared lawn care professional around here. I am sure there are very good ones but they seem to be the minority. Our neighbor has a so called lawn care professional do their yard and the guy scalps the grass, leaves tracks from his heavy mower. He can't even keep the machine in their yard. He turns wide leaves tracks and scalps my yard. The subdivision common areas are a disgrace. They pay the guy big money to cut and control weeds. All we have is weeds in the common are. My hats off to the guys that do a good job and pride in their work. It has to be hard to be undercut (pun intended) by some guy who buys a big mower and declares himself a professional.

Now that I had my rant I will step down. You true professionals keep up the good work!

Jun 23, 2013#38

Ric

kjfishman said:
If that were my yard they would be fired. Everybody and there brother is a self declared lawn care professional around here. I am sure there are very good ones but they seem to be the minority. Our neighbor has a so called lawn care professional do their yard and the guy scalps the grass, leaves tracks from his heavy mower. He can't even keep the machine in their yard. He turns wide leaves tracks and scalps my yard. The subdivision common areas are a disgrace. They pay the guy big money to cut and control weeds. All we have is weeds in the common are. My hats off to the guys that do a good job and pride in their work. It has to be hard to be undercut (pun intended) by some guy who buys a big mower and declares himself a professional.

Now that I had my rant I will step down. You true professionals keep up the good work!

Trust me I know all about the self declared lawn care professionals, we have more than our share. Most will not last but you do have those homeowners that just don't see anything wrong with a lawn that has been scalped or that has large ruts in there lawn.

Jun 23, 2013#39

exotion

Ric said:
Trust me I know all about the self declared lawn care professionals, we have more than our share. Most will not last but you do have those homeowners that just don't see anything wrong with a lawn that has been scalped or that has large ruts in there lawn.

Or they don't care.

Jun 24, 2013#40

X-man

exotion said:
Or they don't care.

I have a lot of customers that don't care if I punch holes in their skirting :/

Jun 24, 2013#41

exotion

X-man said:
I have a lot of customers that don't care if I punch holes in their skirting :/

Ya I have a few people who simply don't care about their property they don't water and they have me mow when it gets long or when the city gives them a citation

Jun 24, 2013#42

X-man

exotion said:
Ya I have a few people who simply don't care about their property they don't water and they have me mow when it gets long or when the city gives them a citation

Lol. I love working for the trailer park because when they have me mow where the owner hasn't mowed the owner gets pissed because it's an extra $25 on next months lot rent. :laughing:

Jun 24, 2013#43

lawn mower fanatic

exotion said:
Ya I have a few people who simply don't care about their property they don't water and they have me mow when it gets long or when the city gives them a citation

I have a customer who wants me to mow their yard shorter so it will stunt the growth of the grass so I can come less often!

Jul 9, 2013#44

F

fatboy

I had a neighbor that just wanted his grass mown. He paid one of the lawn care company workers from down the street to run over his yard for a quick $10. No trimming, blowing raking nothing. His yard looks horrid the grass around his trees is three feet tall but he is happy with what he is getting. I personally cant do that if a client wants the bare basics I at least make it look somewhat decent or I wont mow it.

Jul 9, 2013#45

lawn mower fanatic

fatboy said:
I had a neighbor that just wanted his grass mown. He paid one of the lawn care company workers from down the street to run over his yard for a quick $10. No trimming, blowing raking nothing. His yard looks horrid the grass around his trees is three feet tall but he is happy with what he is getting. I personally cant do that if a client wants the bare basics I at least make it look somewhat decent or I wont mow it.

Yeah trimming and blowing is included in my price so even if the customer says "And you don't need to bother trimming...I can do that" I'll do it anyway since I'm not charging them extra.

Jul 9, 2013#46

djdicetn

lawn mower fanatic said:
Yeah trimming and blowing is included in my price so even if the customer says "And you don't need to bother trimming...I can do that" I'll do it anyway since I'm not charging them extra.

fatboy/lmf,

That's the difference(your approach to lawn maintenance) between someone who takes pride in their work(you guys) and someone who's just out to make a buck(lawn care workers from down the street that did the $10 job)!!!

Jul 10, 2013#47

J

JSB33

Next door they have a crew come every few weeks (yes, its more like a jungle)and I swear, they don't get within 2 feet of anything. The grass on the edges has a deer and a fawn living in it!
I go over with my trimmer and my mower and cut along the fence line up to where the crew cuts. They have a crap truck and crappy equipment and do a crappy job. I am sure they are the cheapest around though :thumbdown:

Jul 10, 2013#48

E

ericds

fatboy said:
I had a neighbor that just wanted his grass mown. He paid one of the lawn care company workers from down the street to run over his yard for a quick $10. No trimming, blowing raking nothing. His yard looks horrid the grass around his trees is three feet tall but he is happy with what he is getting. I personally cant do that if a client wants the bare basics I at least make it look somewhat decent or I wont mow it.

I have had a couple people want that. After doing it I look at it and can't stand it so I just trim it up atleast and blow, not edge. It's still your name your putting on it. But I don't want to edge it and give the cheapos the Full package for basically nothing

Jul 13, 2013#49

jekjr

I trim blow if necessary on every yard I have but one. On that yard I cut it sometimes and the owner cuts it some times. He also has a fence that has several dogs in it that I don't cut as well. He does his own trimming and does not want me to trim. He does expect a good job on the cutting which we deliver. I have trimmed a time or two when he got behind on the job because regardless of whether I cut it every time or one time if people see me and my equipment in the yard what it looks like is a reflection on me and my business.

Home

Export thread

What would you do

Attachments

Footer Links 1

Footer Links 2