Lawn care & pest control

[Karen Fort]

Looking for a company that will do lawn care and pest control.
Any recommendations?

[jblum315]

Dean's or Massey

[glencus]

Looking for a company that will do lawn care and pest control.
Any recommendations?

Lots of them. See Yellow pages

[rayschic]

Looking for a company that will do lawn care and pest control.
Any recommendations?

Welcome Karen !
Deans and Massey are two of the most popular in The Villages.I prefer Deans.
If you use the Search button above you will get many opinions on these two companies and many others.

[Paperboy]

Looking for a company that will do lawn care and pest control.
Any recommendations?

Call STELLAR. They are an advertiser here & do a GREAT JOB. Call them to come over for an estimate. I've had them for almost 2 yrs. with NOT an issue with them!

[skyguy79]

I guess there's a whole lot of us lucky ones from what I've read here on TOTV over the last couple of years and from personal experience. Stellar has always come when they were scheduled to provide their services and I have quite a few of their service slips that demonstrates that to me. The only time I've had to call them is when there is a problem between scheduled services like rapid weed growth and when I've found insects like trail ants inside, and I've had no problem getting them here when I have called. Why they've even been here up to three times in a single day for different services. Sorry you're having a problem, but what you state seems to be the exception and not the rule!

[redwitch]

sky, I've found Stellar to be very good for frogs. However, it is frequently another story for snowbirds or snowflakes. I had one house where I considered the service so poor I wanted the owner to meet me at the house to discuss the issue and let him see how bad the weeds were. He said he would just go there on his own (so far as I know, he never went to the house). So, I'm another one who is pretty dissatisfied with Stellar.

[skyguy79]

sky, I've found Stellar to be very good for frogs. However, it is frequently another story for snowbirds or snowflakes. I had one house where I considered the service so poor I wanted the owner to meet me at the house to discuss the issue and let him see how bad the weeds were. He said he would just go there on his own (so far as I know, he never went to the house). So, I'm another one who is pretty dissatisfied with Stellar.Dee, thanks for the information. I had heard what you are saying before, but I'm not sure if it was from one of your postings or somebody elses. None-the-less I still stand by my statement that the stated bad service is the exception and not the rule, which doesn't mean that I think there are no problems. I also have several neighbors, a few of which are not frogs, that also have Stellar and have not seen or heard of their having any problems with Stellar either. I almost see Stellar around here as much as I do Neighborhood Watch.

One thing for sure I can tell you about Stellar is that their service has been by far better and reliable than the first 5 lawn and landscaping service hires, or should say headaches that we tried during the nearly 2 years following our home's closing, part of which was before we became frogs.

I can also say that before we contracted with them I did questioned them about exactly what you described to a T, even though I'm no longer a snowbird or snowflake. The reply was that they were aware of it and had already identified two employees that were responsible and dismissed them from their employment.

If we had remained a snowbird or snowflake, know what I know now, and had the kinds of problems you've described, I would go to the top the second time it happens and call Marty personally. IMO, he cares about the services his company provides, would welcome feedback when his staff or crews repeatedly let's him down, especially since it's just not possible for him to personally check up on all of them all by himself.

Finally, so nobody gets the wrong idea, I want to state that I have no connection or interest in Stellar Services what-so-ever except for wanting for good service like everyone else. Matter of fact I'll go as far as to reveal that Stellar was one of the companies and we got quotes from for a 10G+ re-landscaping project last fall, and they did not get the job!

[gomoho]

They must have hired those 2 guys back because the house behind me is (or at least was) maintained by Stellar and looks abandoned at this point. I have had to call them previously to get them out here to do something so I guess I need to do so again. No one has occupied the house in the past 2 years so the cat's been away!

[batman911]

Like most companies, it comes down to the skill and professionalism of their employees. Every company will have a few bad eggs and good management will eventually find them and show them the door. We have Stellar and are very pleased with their service. They always answer if we call and immediately take action to investigate and solve any problems.

[tommy steam]

Use Massey ... Found them to be good.

[james951]

Stellar has been really good at customer service side. They come when we call. We had our landscape designed and put in by another company who also gets high marks for maintenance. but we already had signed up with Stellar. They helped me bring in my grocery's one day just being helpful. That was really nice of them.

[gomoho]

Fired Massey after a year (grass looks much worse than when we bought a year ago), have to call Stellar every few months to come take care of my absent backyard neighbor's yard, am now going to try Bates who was maintaining things when we bought and they were in tip-top shape. Why did we change??? fell for Massey's big sales pitch. Ask me in a year - if they don't work out I'm ripping out all the grass and going with rock!

[John1]

Looking for a company that will do lawn care and pest control.
Any recommendations?

Dean does a great job

[Roaddog53]

Stellar is good on the customer service side and their employees are very personable. However, their performance is not that good in terms of results. I have them for pest, lawn and shrub fertilizing. I mow my own lawn, and thus the only way to get rid of weeds or ants is to call them in between their 2 month applications. They will come out and spot weed, fungus, or spot ant control. My lawn looks bad. Most lawns except my neighbor who uses them all look better. It has root rot, weeds, spotty, brown... They have used every excuse from not enough water..(they set the sprinkler control recommendations), its summer and the hot weather causes it, and the sod used by the builder is really poor. They do not use a weed and feed since they don't want it on the concrete and the sandy soils would not work according to them. Odd that Home Depot, others sell the product though. The shrubs are also not doing that well. I have got "I don't know what it is", bad soil, etc. The yard looks worse than when it was put in and than they took over.
Btw. The additional month you get if you pay for one year is nothing. You get NO additional maintenance of their products. What you DO get is one month of calling them for fixing one of their services not performing.
Thus I doubt I would renew or recommend them highly. Again, good customer service, but...
So if there is some company out there that is very good and reasonable, I too am looking along with my neighbor and friend.

[gomoho]

Have had a similar experience with Massey - great customer service and they would come out everyday if I called them, but I expect them to be proactive so I don't have to call continuously to address these issues. I have Zoysia and am convinced I would be better off with St. Augustine which I have had before. When Zoysia is good it is very, very good but most of the time it is bad and horrid. Lots of maintenance, fungus, root rot etc. Just doesn't hold up well under these Village conditions. And I don't believe it is the lawn service at this point it is either the soil or lack of, the sod that was put down, or God's way of driving me crazy.

I don't understand this crabgrass either - they tell me it's because of all the water. Well ever heard of crabgrass prevention??? I don't believe they do anything to prevent anything 'cause then we would think we don't need them. Don't know the answer - just that it is driving me nuts 'cause I love a nice lawn to walk in. Oh, and by the way I have to big dogs doing their business out there too, but don't see where they are creating a problem except in the winter when we don't get a lot of rain.

[FireOnWindCSR]

Massey. I used LeeCo for a few years and had issues with dying lawn. I've used Massey,s for a year now, my sprinkler zones are correct and no dead grass for a year! Oh yeah

[ankeny]

I'm in my second total care contract (13 month contract) with Stellar, the first year was great however there service has gone down hill fast during the second year. Let me state that I'm very pleased with the mowing service and have no complaints but it seems like the only time they come for any other service is when I call and my yard looks the worst it ever has. I recommend them last year to a friend that moved to The Villages but refuse to recommend them to anyone else. If they don't start performing I also will be looking for a new company next year.

[Michigan Snowbirds]

I'd like to share an incident we recently had with MASSEY Pest Control, in hopes that it saves other Villagers the same experience. We hired MASSEY for pest control and also purchased their termite protection plan for our new home in St. James. We paid up-front for an annual service plan and have been pleased with their service until now.

Last week we received an invoice for $65. When we called to ask why we received a bill, we were told that our annual service plan had expired even though a year had not yet passed! After talking to one employee and two supervisors, we learned that MASSEY does not consider an annual plan as "12 months of service" but rather "12 service calls" and since we called for service for some ants in the kitchen, this was our 13th service call in the year, so we were billed for that service call separately! We have paid the bill, but will not use MASSEY again, as we view this practice as "MISLEADING, at best, SO, PLEASE BEWARE OF MASSEY PEST CONTROL - READ and CLARIFY THEIR CONTRACT CAREFULLY before hiring them!

[Barefoot]

... the house behind me is (or at least was) maintained by Stellar and looks abandoned at this point. I have had to call them previously to get them out here to do something so I guess I need to do so again. No one has occupied the house in the past 2 years so the cat's been away!

They always answer if we call and immediately take action to investigate and solve any problems.

Stellar has been really good at customer service side. They come when we call.

I'm in my second total care contract (13 month contract) with Stellar, the first year was great however there service has gone down hill fast during the second year.

I find the comments about Stellar troubling. We recently had a problem which was reported to us by our neighbors and our Housewatch company. Yes, Stellar is responsive when you call. But as a seasonal resident, I don't want to rely on complaints from neighbors or reports from Village Watchdogs.

Having said that, Stellar is still the best company we've found for "one-stop shopping/package lawn care".

[msfooter]

I'm in my second total care contract (13 month contract) with Stellar, the first year was great however there service has gone down hill fast during the second year. Let me state that I'm very pleased with the mowing service and have no complaints but it seems like the only time they come for any other service is when I call and my yard looks the worst it ever has. I recommend them last year to a friend that moved to The Villages but refuse to recommend them to anyone else. If they don't start performing I also will be looking for a new company next year.

I also recommended Stellar and am now about to hire a new lawn maintenance company. Stellar has become much less than stellar and my yard is the blight of the neighborhood. If you can recommend a lawn maintenance company that does it all, I would appreciate the information. Jimmie

[msfooter]

I'm in my second total care contract (13 month contract) with Stellar, the first year was great however there service has gone down hill fast during the second year. Let me state that I'm very pleased with the mowing service and have no complaints but it seems like the only time they come for any other service is when I call and my yard looks the worst it ever has. I recommend them last year to a friend that moved to The Villages but refuse to recommend them to anyone else. If they don't start performing I also will be looking for a new company next year.

Has anyone switched from Stellar to Massey for lawn maintenance and, if so, are you happy with the service and value of Massey? Thanks for your opinion. Jimmie

[ladydoc]

I agree. Stellar has done a wonderful job for us for 2.5 years. Mr. Fluty is one of the most responsive persons I have ever dealt with. You tlak and him and it is done. Marty will do Whatever it takes to make you happy. I would give the company an A+ for work done and customer service.Any issue I had was addressed immediatey, usually the same day.

Dee, thanks for the information. I had heard what you are saying before, but I'm not sure if it was from one of your postings or somebody elses. None-the-less I still stand by my statement that the stated bad service is the exception and not the rule, which doesn't mean that I think there are no problems. I also have several neighbors, a few of which are not frogs, that also have Stellar and have not seen or heard of their having any problems with Stellar either. I almost see Stellar around here as much as I do Neighborhood Watch.

One thing for sure I can tell you about Stellar is that their service has been by far better and reliable than the first 5 lawn and landscaping service hires, or should say headaches that we tried during the nearly 2 years following our home's closing, part of which was before we became frogs.

I can also say that before we contracted with them I did questioned them about exactly what you described to a T, even though I'm no longer a snowbird or snowflake. The reply was that they were aware of it and had already identified two employees that were responsible and dismissed them from their employment.

If we had remained a snowbird or snowflake, know what I know now, and had the kinds of problems you've described, I would go to the top the second time it happens and call Marty personally. IMO, he cares about the services his company provides, would welcome feedback when his staff or crews repeatedly let's him down, especially since it's just not possible for him to personally check up on all of them all by himself.

Finally, so nobody gets the wrong idea, I want to state that I have no connection or interest in Stellar Services what-so-ever except for wanting for good service like everyone else. Matter of fact I'll go as far as to reveal that Stellar was one of the companies and we got quotes from for a 10G+ re-landscaping project last fall, and they did not get the job!

[babbs455]

Looking for a company that will do lawn care and pest control.
Any recommendations?
give Jim a call...
352-454-8155 Jim's lawn and shrub care
he is really good at lawn care...very meticulous for you!!!
he does not do pesticides though...
tell him Barbara sent you...HE's the MAN!!!!:BigApplause:

[Barborv]

I will be closing in Gilchrist and want to know if anyone in that area can recommend a company. Massey Co. did the original termite treatment when the house was being built through the builders. I called them and they told me after a year I could continue with them at $105.00 for the yearly termite protection contract.(Not sure what that covers, since they didnt put a baiting system) They also said they do pest control and lawn care. Has anyone continued with them and/or used their other services? If not any company that is seen in this area of Gilchrist? Thanks

[bluedog103]

We started using Massey the first year and had no problems. We switched to Superior the second year due to a much lower price and have been very pleased with their service. We use them for irrigation maintenance as well. I rarely have to call them out since their routine service is effective but occasionally we get some ants in the house and they're usually out the next day. I recently gave them a call because my irrigation donuts we starting to be overrun with grass and, again, they were out the next day.

[e-flyer]

I've heard good things about Superior as well, like they treat the lawn every month, where others only treat every other month. They offer pest, lawn, shrub, termite, and irrigation services. Packages are the best option, but they do require an annual contract to be prepaid (something I'm not fond of), but they have been around for a long time, and lots of folks in Amelia seem to be very happy with their services. Massey turned me off on the entire "all in one" package sales push, and no offer of packaging up several services at discount pricing.

[Polar Bear]

So where is this Superior Pest Control? I don't see them listed in TV yellow pages.