[rabranca@aol.com]

Who is your landscaper?

[Bgsu4me]

Who do you use?

[Red Rose]

Some people complain about everything here.Financially, most of us have nothing to complain about. The landscapers have to live too. Do it yourself if you want to, but life is too short to waste it on complaining. When you get too old to do it yourself, then hire someone. It's plain and simple.

[OhioBuckeye]

Originally Posted by mvbird

Our landscapers have always told us they must be paid every month no matter the season. However, we've been there in February and seen our mower arrive twice a month, riding around with barely anything to cut. From year-rounders--- October, November, December, January, February, March--- does the grass grow every month ? And how often would you say your lawn needs to be mowed in those months.

Yes, & I bet you’re still paying them. Some of the yards are so small I can’t believe the mowing service could charge more than $5. Yea, I know I’m dreaming with that figure. I mowed my own yard & it took me exactly 16 mins. to mow. I know some people can’t mow their yards. With yards dormant right now I’m surprised they mow any yard but I know the lawn service have got a good song & dance why you should. Your yard won’t die if you don’t no matter what they say!

[Lsepanske@aol.com]

what is your landscaper name?

[Kgcetm]

You are hiring a yearly service not a weekly cut.

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

Originally Posted by davephan

When we lived in Minnesota, and we took vacations or trips longer than two weeks, we put our garbage service on vacation. We then received credit, and our garbage service expiration date would then be extended. We also paid for a whole year of the garbage service in advance, and we were given an extra free month of the garbage service.

If you’re garbage service is tied to your HOA fee, or if putting the garbage service on vacation isn’t an option, then you’re stuck paying for the garbage service that you don’t use in Florida, when you’re “up north” during the summer months.

but in the real world in most cities your thrash pickup is in your taxes. ,when I go away for winter I can’t call the city of Boston and get a credit for not being there and those small town thrash bills are usually higher then regular city thrash bills

[Laraine]

We've lived in Florida most of our lives and most companies average out over the year their fees. They mow more often in summer and less in winter. If you try to bargain a monthly charge, you may lose a good service as they don't make a huge amount maintaining lawns to begin with. If you think they are a fair and trustworthy company, I'd keep them. If you feel they are pulling a "quick" one, price out other companies to see if you have a fair arrangement.

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by mvbird

Our landscapers have always told us they must be paid every month no matter the season. However, we've been there in February and seen our mower arrive twice a month, riding around with barely anything to cut. From year-rounders--- October, November, December, January, February, March--- does the grass grow every month ? And how often would you say your lawn needs to be mowed in those months.

There are ONLY 2 choices - 1) mow it yourself - or 2 ) accept getting RIPPED OFF . Some people also use astro-turf or bring in tons of stones - depending on Village location and rules.

[Curtisbwp]

In the summer (grass grows quickly) once a week. In the winter twice a month. I ALWAYS pay three months in advance in cash.

[Robin Hardwick]

Who do you use? We get. O schrub trimming at all...

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

We have a guy who comes to deal with the fire ants and other nasties on the outside of the house. We bought a lawnmower after moving down here. With the money we saved by not paying someone to mow for us, the lawnmower was basically paid for, before our first year living here was over.

We got a hedge trimmer and a weed-whacker that works also as an edger, and hubby makes a few bucks every 4-6 weeks tidying up for a friend (the friend still pays someone to mow the lawn, but the lawnmower person doesn't do the hedges or weedwhack in the garden area).

Our yard is small, and the lawnmower is a self-propelled one, so the "work" is less taxing than playing 9 holes at an Executive and only takes around 15 minutes.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by mvbird

Our landscapers have always told us they must be paid every month no matter the season. However, we've been there in February and seen our mower arrive twice a month, riding around with barely anything to cut. From year-rounders--- October, November, December, January, February, March--- does the grass grow every month ? And how often would you say your lawn needs to be mowed in those months.

Re: paying every month even in winter
That seems to be accepted normal. I don't recall the mane but one organization wanted to be paid in advance for a full year. When, neighbor objected he agreed to every six months.

We've had four different people in eight years. We are not at all difficult as customers.
We never make them wait to be paid. The first one, truth nice guy, wanted to stay north of us so he recommended a replacement. Nice young guy. Did a good job. I was impressed that he was injured in a motorcycle accident and he called. He got a friend to fill in. He was back mowing with his arm in a cast. We were impressed how trust worthy he was. Halfway through a month he disappeared not answering phone, e-mails etc.
Never did find out what happened. We did loose three weeks out of a paid in advance month.
Next guy. Great guy, honest. Not as good as the first but good enough. Same story.
After two plus years in the middle of the season where you really need a mowing service
he disappeared. I did find him. He did return the money he took.
We now have the fourth guy. Another nice guy. Truth in terms of quality of his work he is about the worst. Still acceptable to me. Hoping he will last.
Aside, as a kid I shoveled snow and mowed lawns to earn money. It was far cooler than mowing lawns in Florida. It is a tough way to make a living. I remember the lady who always gave me a cold soda. I also remember she was the one whose lawn was loaded with toads. Great fun scraping squashed toads off the bottom of a mower. Then there was the one who walked her dog in the back yard.

As to how often to mow. The suggestion is not to remove more than 1/3 of the length of the grass blade. In the summer once a week is not often enough but it is all the pros will do. In the winter, once every two or three weeks is often enough. The villages-confession this is the first time in my life that I did not mow my own lawn. We do not have room to store a mower. I am eight years older than I was when we moved here. No toads, no dog
I still give the guy a cold soda when I see him.

[Boston1945]

Here is something else to chew on. Let's say you have cable tv and you never watched tv for the entire month, do you call the cable company and tell them that you did not watch tv for that month and you should NOT BE BILLED.???

[davephan]

Originally Posted by Boston1945

Here is something else to chew on. Let's say you have cable tv and you never watched tv for the entire month, do you call the cable company and tell them that you did not watch tv for that month and you should NOT BE BILLED.???

I've had cable TV service, and they had a problem for many hours over a couple of days. I called to report that problem to the cable company. The cable company actually gave me a credit for the days where the cable and Internet service wasn't available, due to a known problem with the cable company's system. However, if I didn't call them, like most people don't call them, then I wouldn't have received any credit at all. But if the service was available, and you didn't use it, then you'd still have to pay the full bill.