Suissevale yard cleanup

[donnamatrix]

Sometimes, it is foolhardy to post anything on this forum without expecting vitriolic comments to be posted by readers.

Steve Colby is the fellow who did our yard cleanup, and did a fantastic job. He owns a legitimate business (he's not a teenager or an undocumented "alien"). He lives in Moultonboro. Our property is on the newer end of Suissevale, with a large lot (after the town forced Suissevale to amend lot sizes due to overcrowding-years ago). I know that blowers and other tools can suck up and toss debris, and possibly cause damage - who wouldn't know this, if you've ever used a blower yourself.

I was simply trying to let folks in my neighborhood know that we feel we found a fellow providing a good service at a good price.

[wifi]

Originally Posted by donnamatrix

Sometimes, it is foolhardy to post anything on this forum without expecting vitriolic comments to be posted by readers........

I know too well what you mean, just reading thru comments on almost every thread.

[lawn psycho]

Originally Posted by donnamatrix

Sometimes, it is foolhardy to post anything on this forum without expecting vitriolic comments to be posted by readers.

Steve Colby is the fellow who did our yard cleanup, and did a fantastic job. He owns a legitimate business (he's not a teenager or an undocumented "alien"). He lives in Moultonboro. Our property is on the newer end of Suissevale, with a large lot (after the town forced Suissevale to amend lot sizes due to overcrowding-years ago). I know that blowers and other tools can suck up and toss debris, and possibly cause damage - who wouldn't know this, if you've ever used a blower yourself.

I was simply trying to let folks in my neighborhood know that we feel we found a fellow providing a good service at a good price.

Passive-aggressive much?

Go look up the current case that went through the courts where an Epping volunteer firefighter is suing a homeowner after he slipped on their driveway during a response to call for a water heater that caught fire. Oh, and it was during a winter storm and guy has been out of work due to a back injury from slipping.

Your first post did not say who was doing the work so people surmised it was a fly by night place doing it for the low price (even for the small lots in there).

The forum is a place for discussion. I think it's important for anyone to understand that liabilities exist when contractors come on to your property and it is important to make sure they are insured. Everyone thinks it's silly until something happens. I mean, it's just a yard clean up, right?

Always ask ANY contractor doing work on your property if they are insured.

[phoenix]

Donna thank you for making us aware of this option. I am sure some will use this individual to clean up their yard

[Belmont Resident]

Originally Posted by donnamatrix

Sometimes, it is foolhardy to post anything on this forum without expecting vitriolic comments to be posted by readers.

Steve Colby is the fellow who did our yard cleanup, and did a fantastic job. He owns a legitimate business (he's not a teenager or an undocumented "alien"). He lives in Moultonboro. Our property is on the newer end of Suissevale, with a large lot (after the town forced Suissevale to amend lot sizes due to overcrowding-years ago). I know that blowers and other tools can suck up and toss debris, and possibly cause damage - who wouldn't know this, if you've ever used a blower yourself.

I was simply trying to let folks in my neighborhood know that we feel we found a fellow providing a good service at a good price.

Sorry things got off track but in revisiting your original post you were not exactly detailed in your comments as to who did the work.

[dpg]

He has to get rid of the debris, pay for truck, fuel, trailer, tools, advertising, taxes, etc so that "125/hr" gets eaten up pretty quick. So many guys come and go in the landscape business because they lowball and then figure out they aren't making any money.


$125.00 an hour is about right and gets eaten up pretty quickly???? Assuming someone (again assuming) can earn that and can keep busy 40 hours a week that's $5,000/week, sign me up!!! Guess I never should of bothered with college and my desk job. If I could keep busy even half the year at $5,000/week I'd pull down a cool $120,000 a year. I don't currently make that working ALL year. At that kind of return I'd manage a truck, equipment and gasoline somehow.

[lawn psycho]

Originally Posted by dpg

He has to get rid of the debris, pay for truck, fuel, trailer, tools, advertising, taxes, etc so that "125/hr" gets eaten up pretty quick. So many guys come and go in the landscape business because they lowball and then figure out they aren't making any money.


$125.00 an hour is about right and gets eaten up pretty quickly???? Assuming someone (again assuming) can earn that and can keep busy 40 hours a week that's $5,000/week, sign me up!!! Guess I never should of bothered with college and my desk job. If I could keep busy even half the year at $5,000/week I'd pull down a cool $120,000 a year. I don't currently make that working ALL year. At that kind of return I'd manage a truck, equipment and gasoline somehow.

And this is classic example of not understanding the lawn care industry. The season if very short for starters to you already knock down the figure quickly.

Then, it's not all profit. You have to pay for the truck, tools, etc. Taxes, insurance, etc.

May sound like a good deal but many guys low ball price to win a bid and notice how you see so many "companies" come and go in the lawn care business?

There is money to be made but it's not the guy doing budget clean-ups

[dpg]

Originally Posted by lawn psycho

And this is classic example of not understanding the lawn care industry. The season if very short for starters to you already knock down the figure quickly.

Then, it's not all profit. You have to pay for the truck, tools, etc. Taxes, insurance, etc.

May sound like a good deal but many guys low ball price to win a bid and notice how you see so many "companies" come and go in the lawn care business?

There is money to be made but it's not the guy doing budget clean-ups

I some-what understand the industry as my family owned and operated green houses for 27 years in Mass. Now we're all older and they have been closed for years and I'm sitting behind a desk Just saying with the figures thrown around seems like 100,000 is easy pickens in the landscaping business (I'm sure it's not.) I don't need to be explained the concept of bills I make less than six-figures and also pay house taxes, home/car insurance, car paymants, home maintenance, monthly utilities, etc... If any landscaper out there is billing at 125.00 an hour I do not feel bad about them at all.

[Belmont Resident]

Originally Posted by dpg

I some-what understand the industry as my family owned and operated green houses for 27 years in Mass. Now we're all older and they have been closed for years and I'm sitting behind a desk Just saying with the figures thrown around seems like 100,000 is easy pickens in the landscaping business (I'm sure it's not.) I don't need to be explained the concept of bills I make less than six-figures and also pay house taxes, home/car insurance, car paymants, home maintenance, monthly utilities, etc... If any landscaper out there is billing at 125.00 an hour I do not feel bad about them at all.

If a contractor is billing out at $125hr and that price is for 3-4 laborers then that is about right. But if a landscaper is billing at $125hr for himself then I agree.
But if a homeowner is happy to pay someone that much for an hours worth of work I'd say sign me up as well. Hell I'd clean crap off a toilet with a toothbrush for $125hr. Without gloves!
Many contractors have had to reduce their pricing to get jobs. Many are competing against fly by night builders, painters, landscapers who are willing to work for $10hr.
I tell prospective customers you get what you pay for.
I have met homeowners who have elected to go with the cheapest estimate for a job they can get, then 2-3 years later when their house is again in need of work they complain they did not get what they paid for. Well actually they did get exactly what they paid for.
You cannot guarantee that a higher price means better quality workmanship, but you can almost guarantee that the extra low estimate means low quality workmanship.
I always sit down and go over cost and work expectations with my customers, so they know exactly what they are getting for their money and I’m always willing to support my materials usage with dated purchase receipts to back it up. My estimates also include a detailed breakdown of all work to be completed. If your not getting that from a contractor then you have no grounds to support a claim should something go wrong.
Example:I can write an estimate to paint your house that says materials cost and labor cost then go out and buy the cheapest paint I can find and slap it on and you will never know the differance.

[SIKSUKR]

Originally Posted by Belmont Resident

Example:I can write an estimate to paint your house that says materials cost and labor cost then go out and buy the cheapest paint I can find and slap it on and you will never know the differance.

If I make a deal like that I and most people I know would buy the materials themselves.I do quite often for my commercial property.

[lawn psycho]

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

If I make a deal like that I and most people I know would buy the materials themselves.I do quite often for my commercial property.

This is the kind of customer I avoid. If you don't trust someone to do the work and provide the agreed upon materials don't hire them to begin with.

Landscaping has so many low-balling fly by night guys that it's best just to leave the little deals alone. One you prove your quality and don't sacrifice your worth to homeowners wanting things for next to nothing it's easy to make money. Many guys don't have that confidence to turn down jobs.

Example: Homeowner #1 gets his lawn mowed and trimmed for $X weekly. Next door homeowner who has 20% larger yard, long driveway with 2X trimming comes along and wants same price. Nope! Don't give away your time and services!

As for customers getting what they paid for, customers who pay the premium prices also get a truck at their house the next morning first thing if they have an issue or concern (and often that same day depending on location).

[SIKSUKR]

Originally Posted by lawn psycho

This is the kind of customer I avoid. If you don't trust someone to do the work and provide the agreed upon materials don't hire them to begin with.

Not sure where your coming from here. My post was in response to BR's where he states he can could quote a job and then use the cheapest paint and nobody would know. I have many painting jobs at my buildings and I have been using the same painter for 8 years. He picks up the paint I specify on my account and does the job. Not sure what you find wrong with that.

[dpg]

Originally Posted by lawn psycho

This is the kind of customer I avoid. If you don't trust someone to do the work and provide the agreed upon materials don't hire them to begin with.

Landscaping has so many low-balling fly by night guys that it's best just to leave the little deals alone. One you prove your quality and don't sacrifice your worth to homeowners wanting things for next to nothing it's easy to make money. Many guys don't have that confidence to turn down jobs.

Example: Homeowner #1 gets his lawn mowed and trimmed for $X weekly. Next door homeowner who has 20% larger yard, long driveway with 2X trimming comes along and wants same price. Nope! Don't give away your time and services!

As for customers getting what they paid for, customers who pay the premium prices also get a truck at their house the next morning first thing if they have an issue or concern (and often that same day depending on location).

My god lets keep things in perspective here...I mean absolutely no disrespect to anybody but we're talking about cutting lawn, trimming and picking up leaves here not surgery! Kids (high school) do it in my neighborhood in Mass and the lawns they cut look just as good as the people who have the shiny truck pull up with a big-ass trailer. I know for a fact most of these homes have a seperate service applying fertilizer but still...

[lawn psycho]

Originally Posted by dpg

My god lets keep things in perspective here...I mean absolutely no disrespect to anybody but we're talking about cutting lawn, trimming and picking up leaves here not surgery! Kids (high school) do it in my neighborhood in Mass and the lawns they cut look just as good as the people who have the shiny truck pull up with a big-ass trailer. I know for a fact most of these homes have a seperate service applying fertilizer but still...

The reason it's a seperate service is to apply fert and herbicies requires licenscing and insurance. Plus, it's difficult for a lawn service to also keep up with the application timings as there are windows of time for it to go down.

And the "it's just cutting a lawn" is why many lawns look like chit versus the ones done professionally. Let me tell you, there's way more to lawn care (when done right) than meets the eye. That high school kid also can identify a single lawn or turf disease.

I can pick apart 99% of lawns out there with weed and disease issues. See all those lawns with light yellow grass patches? That's Poa Annua that most people don't even now what it is let alone how to get rid of it. It's also why so many lawns will never have the sought after uniform appearance. And that's just scratching the surface.....

If it's so easy, go out and do it

[Belmont Resident]

Originally Posted by lawn psycho

The reason it's a seperate service is to apply fert and herbicies requires licenscing and insurance. Plus, it's difficult for a lawn service to also keep up with the application timings as there are windows of time for it to go down.

And the "it's just cutting a lawn" is why many lawns look like chit versus the ones done professionally. Let me tell you, there's way more to lawn care (when done right) than meets the eye. That high school kid also can identify a single lawn or turf disease.

I can pick apart 99% of lawns out there with weed and disease issues. See all those lawns with light yellow grass patches? That's Poa Annua that most people don't even now what it is let alone how to get rid of it. It's also why so many lawns will never have the sought after uniform appearance. And that's just scratching the surface.....

If it's so easy, go out and do it

I’ve had those yellow areas for ever, they green over but they yellow area still appears.
But I’m not out to impress anyone and although it isn’t perfect there are far more important things to worry about, for me anyways, then weather my lawn is as good as it can be. I can’t afford to pay someone so I just cut it and let Mother Nature do the rest.
If it rains it gets watered if it doesn’t rain it don’t get watered.

[lawn psycho]

Originally Posted by Belmont Resident

I’ve had those yellow areas for ever, they green over but they yellow area still appears.
But I’m not out to impress anyone and although it isn’t perfect there are far more important things to worry about, for me anyways, then weather my lawn is as good as it can be. I can’t afford to pay someone so I just cut it and let Mother Nature do the rest.
If it rains it gets watered if it doesn’t rain it don’t get watered.

And that's why some people drive a Dogde and other's drive a Maserati. But don't knock the guy driving the more expensive car.

There are many people who want a nice lawn and do wish to pay for it. And that is what DPG is missing. Sure you can pay the HS kid to cut the lawn.

But truly compare a professionally maintained lawn versus a kid just doing a mow and blow is rather silly.

There is a big difference between the truly educated lawn care professionals compare to the guy with a clip board and mowers who just "cuts grass". That's what sucks about the industry since everyone just lumps people in as grass cutters.

And the difference between a nice lawn (there is NO perfect lawn) is the "Scott's Lawn" is often just the quality of the seed. Realize that the work to get a really, really, nice lawn is not that much incrementally more difficult than what you have for a lawn. 90% of the battle is getting your soil chemistry right. But you can ask the HS kid for what the tests mean and when and what to apply