[sullys]

Dear Villagers,

I'm closing on my home next to sawgrass at the end of the month. I've been talking to different pest control companies, grass cutting companies, water treatment Companies. You get the idea. Its like - who do you believe? Where can I go to find ratings and customer comments about their services? Do you have a contractor you really like for the following services?

Grass cutting
Pest control
weed control/fertilizer
Glass Enclosures (I want to window/glass enclose my porch area)
Landscaping for installing plants
Whole house water treatment

I was told that no matter whom I hire for grass/weed and pest control, I will fire three different companies before finding the right one. The right one - sigh

Joe

[retiredguy123]

Move in first and take your time. Talk to your neighbors about who they use. Do not pay for any services a year in advance. Even the large companies, like Massey and Dean's, will charge monthly or when the service is performed. A whole house water treatment system is a personal choice that most people decide to not buy. If you really want to enclose your porch, know that it will require ARC approval, a permit, and it will be more expensive and take longer than normal because of the labor and material shortages. Good luck.

[vinricci]

Whatever you do don’t use Good Neighbor!!!

[sullys]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Move in first and take your time. Talk to your neighbors about who they use. Do not pay for any services a year in advance. Even the large companies, like Massey and Dean's, will charge monthly or when the service is performed. A whole house water treatment system is a personal choice that most people decide to not buy. If you really want to enclose your porch, know that it will require ARC approval, a permit, and it will be more expensive and take longer than normal because of the labor and material shortages. Good luck.

thank you - this is excellent advice and I heard several people say the same thing. I'm trying to do my homework.

[sullys]

I heard about this company from several people. Thank you for responding

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by Sullys

thank you - this is excellent advice and I heard several people say the same thing. I'm trying to do my homework.

Relax. I tend to write a to do list. Reality, I found my to do list from our last house. We were in that house for over 40 years. Several things on my to do list were never done.

Re: lawn care.
It depends not just on a company but the people doing the work as well as what you want.
Personality. This is Florida-you will have weeds. For me, it is easier to do it myself. Call a company wait days for them to send a crew. Waiting home for them to come and have a meeting of the executive staff-just easier, quicker, less painful and less costly to do it myself. The wife, yes, she does complain about weeds. To my surprise she helps me to deal with them. My goal is a good enough lawn with the minimum of effort and cost.
Beware of plants you chose. The wrong plant in the wrong place will always be trouble.
Typically attacked by fungus, insects, need to be covered in winter, need to baby with water. Sooner or later you will forget to do it.

[MrFlorida]

See what your neighbors use, and go from there.

[snbrafford]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Move in first and take your time. Talk to your neighbors about who they use. Do not pay for any services a year in advance. Even the large companies, like Massey and Dean's, will charge monthly or when the service is performed. A whole house water treatment system is a personal choice that most people decide to not buy. If you really want to enclose your porch, know that it will require ARC approval, a permit, and it will be more expensive and take longer than normal because of the labor and material shortages. Good luck.

I have used Massey for pest control and yard fertilization and have been happy as they do come out when called if there is a problem. HOWEVER, I tried them for irrigation "maintenance" and was not happy and I have yet to find someone I am happy with for that service.
I have twice used Village Palm for plant removal and installation. I have been well pleased but they are probably not the cheapest.
I did have to replace a whole house water treatment system (water softener plus water filter). I got sticker shock when I talked to companies so I bought my own unit from Home Depot (after doing research to find right one for our water here) and had it installed by Meeks plumbing. FYI - I've used Meeks Plumbing a few times and have been well satisfied.

[triflex]

I personally do it myself. I use liquid Permethrin (30% version) and spray the perimeter of the front and back areas outside. I then liberally apply the granular Amdro to my yard. No bugs.

They might come up the driveway so i permethrin the threshold of the garage opening sometimes.

I don't spray any poison inside my house though permethrin is used by Florida in mosquito trucks for control and sprayed in neighborhoods. Also used on clothes as a repellent. Derived from geraniums synthetically.

So far almost all bugs have disappeared everywhere in my yard.

[Koapaka]

Join nextdoordotcom for your area. There are tons of recommendations listed for any and everything you need want. Some business focus on certain areas, so that is the best way to find out what you need in your area specifically. Welcome to the hood. You will find this is more the cheese and whine group.....

[Garywt]

Originally Posted by Sullys

Dear Villagers,

I'm closing on my home next to sawgrass at the end of the month. I've been talking to different pest control companies, grass cutting companies, water treatment Companies. You get the idea. Its like - who do you believe? Where can I go to find ratings and customer comments about their services? Do you have a contractor you really like for the following services?

Grass cutting
Pest control
weed control/fertilizer
Glass Enclosures (I want to window/glass enclose my porch area)
Landscaping for installing plants
Whole house water treatment

I was told that no matter whom I hire for grass/weed and pest control, I will fire three different companies before finding the right one. The right one - sigh

Joe

It is true that some are neighborhood specific like lawn care and landscaping, best to look at what others did for landscaping until you see what you like. Nova is the best for whole house water filters. Deans did our original termite control during construction so we called them and added pest control and have since added fertilizer and weed care as we let our original lawn care person go. Many will mention another lanai enclosure company but we could not get them to respond to us so we went with Cook Aluminum who were great and cheaper.

Good luck, enjoy and don’t rush into to much.

[Woodbear]

We had a hard time finding people in Citrus Grove for grass cutting, pest control and fertilization. Two contractors we talked to had no intention of going below 44. One company mentioned the excessive charges they were seeing below 44. Finally the guy asked me "can you walk ok." When I said yes, he said do it yourself, you will be much happier. I now do my own grass cutting, pest control and fertilization.

My payback period for equipment will be less than 10 months. We have friends above 44 that say their lawn care people show up once a week. I have not cut my grass in 5 weeks and it is no higher than any of my neighbors. All jobs are very easy with todays battery powered equipment.