Massey vs Deans
 

Is there any real difference between the two for Pest Control? Massey comes with the new house but appears to be more expensive.

I assume you mean the termite contract that come with a new house. I renewed my termite contract last year when the 5 year term expired. I got quotes from both Massey and Deans. I went with Massey. They re-treated the entire house with injected underground chemicals around the perimeter for $400 and gave me a 10-year renewable contract, with the first 5 years guaranteed at less than $100 per year.

This was way better than Deans. Deans would provide no long term written contract, only one year. They only treat part of the house annually, and they can raise the price every year or even cancel you. Totally unacceptable to me.

I also had Massey for other pest treatment for about $35 per quarter. But, after a few years I cancelled them and did it myself. I have never had a pest problem. One thing I don't like about Deans is that you need to give them a credit card number for them to autopay every month. No exceptions. I only pay Massey when they perform a service.

Thank you.

Massey was the original for the preowned we bought. After closing we found out previous owner stopped any treatment for over 2 years.

We called Massey, they would do regular treatment for lawn and pest. Not termites, No idea why.

We had used Deans at our other homes since 2010. Deans came to the house with Daisy, the beagle, to smell for termites. Daisy’s approval that we were termites free. Deans took us on as a client for that house. Our pest person, Justine, is fabulous, I call the office with a possible issue (ghost ants, spiders) and I have a call within an hour to set appointment, usually within couple hours.

New house will be Massey, soon as I can change to Deans, I will. It’s about loyalty with the pest person. That’s the person we put faith in, with their knowledge, and the love of what they do.

Deans did our house when built so we went with them. Very happy with the service. We have added to the original termite protection. They spay for bugs on the house, grass and bushes. They fertilize the grass and the clean the eves. They come every other month and charge my account after the treat the house and lawn. It cost us $122 every other month.

We have never had dealings with Massey but I have read a lot of negative things about them.

The primary reason I went with Massey is because they provided a 10-year guaranteed renewable contract. Dean's would only guarantee for one year. I have never experienced a termite contractor who would not offer a multi-year contract.

Has anyone heard of a house that actually had termites?

Yes, two houses. Both were tented and fumagated. Both were in TV...one in my neighborhood near Spanish Springs...the other in Hemingway. It does happen.

I would not use Massey. Over the 10 years we've been here I've heard more folks complain about them than any other service. Dean's or Florida Pest are two I would consider. We've had Florida Pest for 9 years (after dumping Massey) and have been very happy with them.

Yes. Have seen whole homes tented here for termites. Does not happen often but who needs it!

We dumped Deans, for failure of billed service, at our 1st home here. Have had Massey for 6 years at our 2nd home. Happy with them.

Yes

In Fenney South of 44

WARNING - do not hire Deans as I have had them in the past and they stopped the service when I went north for a few months and I caught them in a lie about it - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!! Hire a local contractor !!

Call Mid Florida Pest and talk to Ronnie - have had him for 8 years and he is great!!!

What is the purpose of termite control if the house is on a concrete slab with metal studs?

Tenting is for dry wood termites which are totally different from subterranean! Dry wood come from wood. The spraying outside or the chemicals underground is for subterranean. Your contract most likely does not cover dry wood.
For new houses, the ground is treated and you really should
not need treatment for 3 to 5 years.

We use Deans as well as about 65 other neighbors in our neighborhood. A few have or had Masseys, as well as other independent and small providers.

Masseys was a problem for a few neighbors due to staffing problems. A labor shortage.

Dean's pays their workers for the entire year, while Massey was laying off employees during the slower winter months. Those employees would set up their own business, or join another employers so they would have year round employment.

Most of us use Dean's for lawn maintenance (cutting, fertilizing, and weed control), pest control, and outside vent cleaning.

Never worried about termites. All homes are stucco/block construction in our neighborhood. Almost all homes are full-time occupied.

One problem that appeared for part-time residents was failure to perform services. Not a Dean's or Massey problem, but rather will some of the small time operators.

I have had Massey for several years and am very pleased. I have another guy mow the lawn, trim the bushes, and pull the weeds in the mulch and around the sprinkler heads. He does a much better job than Massey in that area. We are seasonal so I don't do any of that myself.

We and our friends have had experience with both. It mostly comes down to the skill of the technician that shows up to do the work. Some are good, some less so. My advice is to find a good technician and insist that they are the only one(s) permitted to work on your home.

We have had Deans for 17 years. Justine is our tech and she is wonderful. Always a smile on her face and she returns phone calls quickly. Justine has always resolved any problems we have had.

We have had Deans for about 9 years. I have found them to be responsive in every regard. The small guys take a powder and can leave you in the lurch but the Deans operation is large and I like being about to count on them.

What about all the other insect companies? I see so many other companies around....

Arrow pest control
LandSculplture
and others

It would be great to see some sort of user rating of all the pest control companies.

We have only been in TV for 6 months. I have not called a pest company yet. I have been depending on the local pest control gekos! However I did have some ants they missed....Ghost ants. Terro bait seems for have worked for those tiny PITA insects.

Cheers
Bob

Having a concrete slab and metal studs has nothing to do with it. It won't prevent or deter termites from moving in. You probably don't have all metal studs, some are most likely wood. Termites will eat door frames, window sills, drywall, furring strips and other parts of your house. But, the main problem is that, once you get termites, they will never go away. They live in the soil under your house and travel up and down into your house, eating all the time. They may take years to cause significant damage. When you sell your house, if you don't have a termite contract, you will need to address the problem, which can be expensive, and may kill the sale. So, you can either take your chances or buy a termite contract.

We have used Deans since we moved in based on our neighbor's experience with them for over 5 years. I didn't care for Massey's annual contract and I don't mind giving Deans a CC because I can dispute the any charges with my CC company if I have any issues with Deans. I can also cancel with Deans at any time and not have to worry about getting any money back unlike paying a year ahead all the time.
Granted we've only been here a little more than a year but we've been taken care of and what issues we had they addressed immeadiately.

I have never had an annual or monthly contract with Massey. I only pay them when they actually perform a service. For example, if they apply fertilizer, I get a separate bill for that service and pay it. I would not pay any contractor a year in advance. And, I don't like the monthly autopay system that Dean's requires.

Have had Massey since buying pre-owned home in Hadley in 2018. Excellent service. Highly recommend.

Depends upon invidivual supplying the service. Massey guy for pest control has been great. The irrigation dept has been a revolving door each tech setting system differently and got rid of them within a year.

Massey
 

I used Massey for 15 years here in The Villages. They did a great job, always a quick response if you needed something special.

We now use Superior

Dean’s Customer 7 Years
 

We have been using Dean’s for the past 7 years. Our lawn is healthy and well taken care by them. They have been very professional and responsive to our needs.

Last time I called Deans i was told they weren’t taking any new customers. AND the mow both neighbors, on each side of me.

We had Massey for pest control inside our home in Baton Rouge LA so we went with them for everything on our Villages home. We were always very happy with Massey in Louisiana. They were always responsive and we had very few bugs we ever had to deal with. We had a different contractor (Arrow) doing termites in Louisiana and kept them for termites on that house. They were ok but I did not feel like they were looking out for us; seemed like they were looking out for themselves more than our home.

I prefer Massey for the following reasons:

1. Dean's doesn't do irrigation maintenance, so you need a separate contractor.
2. Dean's will only provide a 1-year termite contract. Massey is 10 years.
3. Dean's requires you to provide a credit card number on file and authorize them to use it.

Must be different with Massey for new customers, we were offered a annual contract. Pay for each services for the year. I don’t mind paying by CC on file after the service is performed. But up front for a year, doesn’t work for Me.

I don't know. I have been paying them for 6 years with a credit card on their website only after they have performed a service. They often offer me a 5 percent discount to pay a year in advance, but that does not interest me.

Virtual credit card. Set expiration date prior to renewal date

i hate then

Deans services not trustworthy
 

Mike the mowing manager came to house and confirmed that the mowing crew broke an irrigation plastic T connection and Dean would fix it. I said I had a landscaper that might fix it. He said get it fixed and send Dean the bill. I did not hire the landscaper. Now Mike is lying and saying I broke the connection and Dean will not fix the connection!!! What did I do, buy a lawn mower and run over the connection. Dean management cannot be trusted. It's a shame, I like there services; but, their management is not trustworthy.

Frank, Sorry to hear that.

I've not had any problems. I also didn't address the issue by phone. Instead, I did it via email and phone, and got written confirmation about the resolution.

I did use the online contact form.

With written info, it's a nice way to confirm the details.

I do this with all the contractors I've dealt with. If someone is not willing to put things in writing, I don't use that vendor or contractor.

Another Mike