[Madelaine Amee]

Originally Posted by Sprinkler Buddy

I wonder if they hadn't sold out to another company. Seems odd that they would build a successful business and let their business and reputation deteriorate like this.

More folks are happy with their LCO than not, please don't judge us all by a bad experience with a few. Most of us take great pride in our work and strive to give the best service possible.

Remember to thank your lawn care service if your satisfied with the job they are doing. We love to hear it! It makes many of us work that much harder knowing we are appreciated.

My lawn care service is excellent, they are always doing odd jobs for me in the yard and they are more than happy to do anything I ask them to do. BUT, I always ask for a finished job price up front, no surprises, that way we both know what we are doing.

[gomoho]

Originally Posted by redwitch

There are a lot of negative things I have said about the Morses but never have I even remotely thought there was something wrong with the work ethic of anyone in that family. I think this comment is way out of line.

If anyone hasn't noticed, Mike's is doing less and less around TV -- Shepherd's has taken over a lot of their work in the past two years. It could just be that family or no, someone was not happy with the work they have been doing or perhaps TV just got too big for Mike's to do both it and Villagers.

Red - my work ethic comment was directed at Mike's maintenance not the Morse family. I was trying to make the point the perhaps a family relationship was why Mike's was allowed to do a less than the best job. Just an observation I have made over the summer - there seems to be more areas not maintained as in the past.

[Bavarian]

Mike's Maintenance returned with a lower price, said they had misread the work card. Now $348.95
Got to watch the bill.

[redwitch]

Still too high. Maybe for the first time but no way should the second weeding take more than 6 hours (and that's assuming a lot of landscaping). Sorry, I'd be asking for a detailed breakdown of amount of hours worked, how many workers, how much spraying was required.

[PaPaLarry]

Originally Posted by Bavarian

Mike's Maintenance returned with a lower price, said they had misread the work card. Now $348.95
Got to watch the bill.

That still sounds a wee to high!!! When we first bought here, we also got hit with a weed problem compliance, while still up north. It cost us 60.00 to have weeds removed. They were in the vicinity of 3ft high, or so. We never gave it a thought. We have a ranch, with 1/4 acre lot. All they were worried about, was the front of the house. Of course, took care of the problem after that, with underlayment, and plenty of bark mulch. Wasn't going to get caught again. Also had friendly neighbors watch it for me, until we moved here permanent, in 2007. You would hope, that each of us, take care of each other, so we don't have these problems. You need to hire a reputable company, that will be fair and honest in their pricing. My guess for everything your having done, (includes mowing?) should be no more then 150 bucks. I could be wrong. Bet you can even get cheaper. Hurry up and move here, so you will know what they do for the money. Hope you have a better experience with your yard work, and enjoy the "Friendliest Hometown" in the country.

[Uptown Girl]

I can understand the high cost for the first weeding. If Deed compliance sent you a notice, it must have been pretty bad. (and someone complained)

Our neighbor bought and did not come back for 9 months. They hired a grass cutter (not a landscape company) but the guy did not weed or prune bushes.

Their house watch person evidently did not keep them informed that the shrubs were getting overgrown and weedy- and when their direct neighbor finally complained to Deed compliance, The Villages assigned a company to do a one time weed and prune.

It took 3 guys a full day to clean it up and they had to use a flat bed truck to haul everything away. The guys had to fight their way through the gate to cut what was growing over the top from the yard. They literally couldn't get to the front door for the overgrowth of shrubbery there.
There was an abundance of sunflower-type weeds amid the shrubbery that grew almost 6 ft. tall. Those had to be cut down with a small chain saw, then dug out with shovels.
It really was a mess.
They were billed $650 to have it done- but this was really an extreme situation.

Even if your property was as bad as this one was, 45 days later, it would not have been that bad again.... to warrant the high cost the second time- especially when done at your request, not as a result of a complaint.

If you know any of your neighbors, perhaps one of them has a landscape company that is reliable and less expensive. If the neighbors recommend someone they know, that will be more conducive to it being done better, in my opinion, as they are there to care for all property at the same time.
However, be clear about how often any company weeds and prunes. Most do not do it as needed, but rather periodically- say, four times a year, unless you contract for more.
You may still have some small stuff unattended in-between pruning.

[rdhdleo]

Wow those are very high prices. We along with some of our neighbors use Rupert Cross, he is Jamaican, very knowledgable about landscaping and what plants do well etc. We have a very large corner lot with lots of rock beds , his crew comes out about every 2 months and they weed and trim our palms and shrubs we have quite a lot of those also. Our landscape has never done as well and everything is thriving! Now sometimes you have to be patient about him getting out to you, he has gotten pretty popular but he his worth it. He charged us $85 and his crew is normally out here for 3 - 4 hours sometimes more depending on how bad it is. He does such good work we tip him and usually give him anywhere from $100 to $125 if we feel he has gone above and beyond the call of duty LOL but his price was $85 no contract and he pretty much relies on you just sending him a check LOL His number is 352-406-8814

[LndLocked]

Originally Posted by Bavarian

Mike's Maintenance returned with a lower price, said they had misread the work card. Now $348.95
Got to watch the bill.

I will do it 45 days from now for $299.95 ;-)

[PaPaLarry]

Originally Posted by Bavarian

Mike's Maintenance returned with a lower price, said they had misread the work card. Now $348.95
Got to watch the bill.

Misread????????? Hmmmmmmmmmm?????????? Glad your getting it straightened out.

[Bavarian]

Originally Posted by PaPaLarry

Misread????????? Hmmmmmmmmmm?????????? Glad your getting it straightened out.

Latest read was:
9/16/13 – 11:00 a.m. to 1:10 p.m. – 1 crew member: $75.95
9/17/13 – 7:42 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. – 1 crew member: $63.00
9/17/13 – 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. – 1 crew member: $70.00
9/18/13 – 2:50 p.m. to 4:20 p.m. – 1 crew member: $52.50
9/19/13 – 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. – 1 crew member: $87.50

Reading all posts, sounds like I should keep my Stihl chainsaw, was planning on selling it when moving, still using it to cut down fallen trees and broken branches.
Have a lopper which I thought would be enough along with hoes and rakes.
We expect to be down next Tuesday if all goes well, movers come Friday, packers on Thursday to finish up what my wife and I have not gotten done. Then spend weekend cleaning house and start driving down Monday.

But, I still need to disconnect all components and computers, empty desk drawers. Then, house is to be officially listed.