[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by bkcunningham1

We've had our water oak trimmed twice in fours years of living here. Both times the crews were insured, had workers' comp on their employees and we saw the documentation before they touched our trees. They had to climb our tree and rope down the branches they cut. They removed the debris and didn't ask for a cent until the job was completed. We paid over $700 for the water oak that hangs over our driveway. The first time we also had them trim up a live oak in our backyard on the golf course. The total for both trees was about $1200.

We also own a house where my father-in-law is living. The property is home to a magnificent magnolia. Maybe the prettiest in all of TV. The woman we bought from told us the name of the tree man who trimmed the tree every year for her. He is also licensed and has the proper insurance on his men. He just did trimmed that tree a few months back for $100.

They didn't have to climb the tree nor worry about heavy branches damaging a driveway. Anyway, on the surface the prices sound very far out of range doing a comparison of tree trimming. With a closer look, it makes sense why the two companies charged very different prices.

We talked to people who have had similar work done much cheaper, but the contractors left with a promise to come back for the limbs and-you guessed it-they didn't come back.

I think it is the same with landscapers. If you are interested in having work done, get a few quotes. If Mansfield or another landscaper posted photos of my yard and the beautiful work they did for me AND posted how much I paid, I'd be upset. Plus, you know prices change and are seasonal on some things. I bet they would hate to be committed to a price someone saw online for a particular landscape job six months ago or a year ago and quizzed why their quote was different.

I think it would be reasonable to know how much a 25 foot queen palm is to be planted in the front of the house and in the back of the house if the back of the house is more difficult to access. I would like to know how much it would cost to have curbing of this type and height and material run in the front and in the back or the front and not the back or how much it costs per running foot and filled with pine straw or white rock or tire pieces. I would like to see a menu please. With the prices. Perhaps it is cheaper in the summer but you have to wait, or vice versa. I don't want to take advantage of anyone, but I don't want them to take advantage of me.

The trouble with me is this. If I had landscaping done, I would tell people who wanted to know how much it cost. That is because I am me, people from Ohio usually have more class than I do.

I like to access the price without the hard sell. I want to know how much things cost so I can think about what I want and how much I want to spend. I hate slick Eddie the car salesman type contractors who come to your house and tell you what they are gonna do for ya. I think Jimbo is right that you need to do your homework, find out what kinds of plants live through the winters here easily, see what kind of ground cover is best and how much it costs to keep it up.

For instance, We have beds all around our house and we use pine straw which we replace twice a year for the price of about $600 each time. Little less if we bring it home in the van, a little more if it is delivered. We put it down ourselves. It seems that a landscaper could tell you. I charge x amount to do that job.

Or perhaps a landscaper could show a picture on this forum of a home not belonging to one of us and say this picture has 7 queen palms, four Iberian huskies and two land turtles and it cost this much. The huskies and land turtles were added just to see if you were paying attention.

[bkcunningham1]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I think it would be reasonable to know how much a 25 foot queen palm is to be planted in the front of the house and in the back of the house if the back of the house is more difficult to access. I would like to know how much it would cost to have curbing of this type and height and material run in the front and in the back or the front and not the back or how much it costs per running foot and filled with pine straw or white rock or tire pieces. I would like to see a menu please. With the prices. Perhaps it is cheaper in the summer but you have to wait, or vice versa. I don't want to take advantage of anyone, but I don't want them to take advantage of me.

The trouble with me is this. If I had landscaping done, I would tell people who wanted to know how much it cost. That is because I am me, people from Ohio usually have more class than I do.

I like to access the price without the hard sell. I want to know how much things cost so I can think about what I want and how much I want to spend. I hate slick Eddie the car salesman type contractors who come to your house and tell you what they are gonna do for ya. I think Jimbo is right that you need to do your homework, find out what kinds of plants live through the winters here easily, see what kind of ground cover is best and how much it costs to keep it up.

For instance, We have beds all around our house and we use pine straw which we replace twice a year for the price of about $600 each time. Little less if we bring it home in the van, a little more if it is delivered. We put it down ourselves. It seems that a landscaper could tell you. I charge x amount to do that job.

$600 for pine straw?! And you are buying your own and replacing it twice a year! You are doing your own work and it costs that much? That seems like a lot to me. Seriously.

[bkcunningham1]

LOL Huskies and land turtles.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by bkcunningham1

$600 for pine straw?! And you are buying your own and replacing it twice a year! You are doing your own work and it costs that much? That seems like a lot to me. Seriously.

I may be wrong. It takes fifty, sixty bales each time. I think Lowes sells it for about four or five bucks a bale now that I think of it. Perhaps I was thinking of how much it costs a year.

[bkcunningham1]

Gracie, as if on cue, Mansfield just posted new photos in a new thread of another spectacular job they did. They do beautiful work.

[Mansfield Landscaping]

Gracie,

If you look at a picture and ask the price of the rock, that quote could be for a more expensive rock than another rock and since we like to put enough rock in so you don't have to have it replaced every couple of years that would factor into the cost as well. When you talk to the landscaper, they can tell you why it costs more. Do you want a job, or a job done right?

There are a lot of landscapers who work cheaper than we do. They hire help under the table, they don't insure their help, and don't have insurance on the company and they don't come back when a tree dies. These are all things you want to take into consideration when you hire a landscaper. It's all part of the cost.

We would be happy to come to your home and talk to you. Or, you can go on our site to request a quote. Check out our site and get in touch with us and we will be more than happy to talk to you about your landscaping needs.

We of course won't quote prices on TOTV any more than most other companies in The Villages, without knowing exactly what you are looking for. We do customized work making it impossible to quote a price.

Go to our site linked below and look over some of our work. Or check out our picture on Talk Of The Villages.

We strive to make all our customers happy.

And YES.... we will get ARC approval for you!

Mansfield Landscaping

[livsea2]

This thread is great and don't listen to the detractors. Yes everyone should get several quotes but having a ball park figure to work from is great. Everyone comes from different areas and may not know specifics to the Villages area.
Case in point I recently sold my house up north. When preparing for sale I decided a powerwash was in order. Three quotes came in at $450, $450, $475. I decided I was better off buying a power washer (my old one had broken so I was going to get it done until I heard the price!) for $200 and did it myself. Now I am moving to the Villages and I would fully expect to pay around $400 to powerwash a 2000 sq ft designer and based on my past experience instead of calling a contractor I would shuffle off to Lowes and buy another power washer, but based on your information provided that would be foolish if I could have it done for me at under 50 bucks!
So again thanks for the thread and lets keep it going to help others. To the others who say it is without merit I say Bah humbug keep posting folks!

[Duvalboomer]

I have found and a contractor actually told me they raise their prices during the snowbird season and lower them during the summer. Once snowbirds get back to TV demand for goods and services go up and so does the cost. I think the number one consideration for me is the quality of the work and then the price. I therefore go with recommendations from neighbors and friends try to get 3 or 4 bids and go with the cheapest bid from a recommended contractor. After all if you just go on price and end up with a terrible job you wasted that money

[jimbo2012]

Rule #1 NO MONEY in advance

[bkcunningham1]

Originally Posted by jimbo2012

Rule #1 NO MONEY in advance

Amen. I am always saddened by the number of people who don't follow that rule and get ripped off. My neighbor is a college educated man who knew better. We saw him stacking tree limps and cleaning up his front yard after having a company trim his tree. He said, "Don't ask."

They had finished the job and just needed to clean up the remainder of the limbs and asked if they could come back in the morning. He said he knew better, but thought it would be okay since they had already picked up a great deal of the mess and "seemed honest." Since it was a Friday afternoon he went ahead and paid them. They never came back.

[deltaguy]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

You know that I think you are one of the smartest guys I know, so I have failed to communicate well.

I think what I meant to say is...will posters share what they paid or have been quoted for certain services...and maybe the range of the quotes?

For instance. For a designer home of about 2000 sq feet and vinyl siding...what is a good price for powerwashing? I say $35.

Or..what is a good price/ or range for a small lot, medium lot, large/end lot for grass mowing per month or grass mowing and trimming per month or grass mowing, trimming, edging and no weeding and no fertilizing per month?

I am not asking selfishly, I just think some people are paying too much for some services because they are new to the area. Grass cutting is MUCH cheaper here than in Ohio, but our lots are much smaller too.

Please share...and if you don't want to say...say a neighbor pays a certain amount for this service.

The issue you have raised cannot be generalized. Many variable factors must be considered regarding virtually all services. Size of lot, size of home, # of trees, number of shrubs, quality of workmanship that will satisfy you, how much you are willing to pay, etc., etc., etc. It is just plain silly to try to compare Apples to Oranges without a rational basis for comparison. Around here with so many rogue contractors, the best price will often result in the most grief. Comparing one vendor vs. another cannot be effectively done without a clear knowledge of all the variables that that might affect the ultimate choice. A far better approach would include at a minimum the following: Never pay for work up front! Never have work done by an unsolicited person/company that shows up at your door without an invitation. Check with the BBB or check with Srs. vs. Crime before dealing with unknown contractors who may turn out to be the next scammer in the neighborhood.

[Irishmen]

Originally Posted by Duvalboomer

I have found and a contractor actually told me they raise their prices during the snowbird season and lower them during the summer. Once snowbirds get back to TV demand for goods and services go up and so does the cost. I think the number one consideration for me is the quality of the work and then the price. I therefore go with recommendations from neighbors and friends try to get 3 or 4 bids and go with the cheapest bid from a recommended contractor. After all if you just go on price and end up with a terrible job you wasted that money

How about high prices and still end up with a terrible job. If you don't know better your OK with results except when you see other work by different contractor.

[asianthree]

what is the big secret on landscaping someone posts a pic of the wonderful job but won't say how much...so what is you paid $$$$$ if that's what you wanted and are happy why can't you say...it would help some know if they could have a great escape in their yard...and GG i have pine straw delivered for 4.75/bale or 6.75/bale installed...he brings more than you need just incase..but if you need less you get less..most honest guy ever.. 855-475-A-Bale...we thought we needed 10 bales...his are larger than what you get at big box...we only needed 6 so that what he charged us

[graciegirl]

I ask this question to any Landscaping company. How much to plant one fifteen foot tall Sylvester Palm in a front yard?

I think that I will be told that landscaping is more than the planting of one palm. Landscaping is an art of replacing certain useless plants put there by the developer and that grow too fast and replacing them with other plants that they will sell me and that color and balance is key and also rate of growth and overall maintenance of the plant and it's suitability to this zone etc.etc.etc. and that putting down a weed barrier is important and also curbing to keep out the long invasive trailers from the Zoysia grass. I think that I will get a sell job.

I hate sell jobs. I just want to see pictures or graphs with placement of plants and trees and the cost, like we got back in Ohio.

[Tweety Bird]

Originally Posted by Ecuadog

I'm betting that a lot of people don't want to post what they paid for goods and services because they don't want to hear, "You paid what? I only paid such-and-such."

Very true