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Old 04-05-2012, 02:20 PM   #1
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Default Suissevale yard cleanup

Wow. If you live in Suissevale and want to have a spring yard cleanup-log into the Suissevale website. There is a classified ad for a local fellow offering yard cleanups for $150. He did our yard on April 3 - and it looks fabulous!!! A great job, and now I don't have to rake up the darned brown oak leaves and pine needles!!!! Worth every penny.
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Old 04-13-2012, 06:11 AM   #2
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Default That's about right

That's about average up there we have our lawn cut all summer for 20.00 I believe or maybe 25.00 at most. Almost isn't worth driving up to do it yourself at that price. There are not many yards in Suissevale that are exactly huge (we're also in Suissevale) so I'd call 150.00 to clean about right.
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Old 04-13-2012, 03:49 PM   #3
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I dont know how anyone can do a yard cleanup for $150.00! With the high cost of fuel and insurance (liabilty and E&O). I would suspect that this person does not carry any insurance, sometimes the cheapest price is not the best way to go.
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Old 04-14-2012, 06:26 AM   #4
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I dont know how anyone can do a yard cleanup for $150.00! With the high cost of fuel and insurance (liabilty and E&O). I would suspect that this person does not carry any insurance, sometimes the cheapest price is not the best way to go.
No insurance and its only taking him a hour to do it.If you're having the beds edged and leaves rake from the beds and lawn they should be getting $250 easy.
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Old 04-14-2012, 09:44 AM   #5
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Default Insurance

With the economy as it is people are having to cut prices to stay busy.
Maybe he has insurance maybe not, for yard cleanups requiring insurance is a little anal, unless it is a high end yard with costly tree’s and shrubs there really isn’t much damage that can be done, and or you are using a large outfit with many employees, then it is the law. But for a sole proprietor insurance is not required by law, but is a very smart investment.
I know unless the insurance binder is sent directly from the insurance company it can either be faked or is useless as the person could have canceled their insurance and still have the original binder sent to them.
I know whenever I have to produce a certificate it is sent directly to the homeowner or business from the insurance company, I provide the company with all the mailing information and it goes out that day, that is what I pay them for and that is how they want it done and it doesn’t matter how many time a year I need it they are happy to comply.
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Old 04-14-2012, 09:05 PM   #6
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these are high school or college kids trying to get some money so no overhead that you get with a lawn company. Having kids get insurance is like forcing kids to get food permits for lemonade stand. I have almost an acre and got a guy to blow and remove all leaves for 225 which would have taken me 2-3 days. Well worth the price
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Old 04-15-2012, 06:20 AM   #7
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With the economy as it is people are having to cut prices to stay busy.
Maybe he has insurance maybe not, for yard cleanups requiring insurance is a little anal, unless it is a high end yard with costly tree’s and shrubs there really isn’t much damage that can be done, and or you are using a large outfit with many employees, then it is the law. But for a sole proprietor insurance is not required by law, but is a very smart investment.
I know unless the insurance binder is sent directly from the insurance company it can either be faked or is useless as the person could have canceled their insurance and still have the original binder sent to them.
I know whenever I have to produce a certificate it is sent directly to the homeowner or business from the insurance company, I provide the company with all the mailing information and it goes out that day, that is what I pay them for and that is how they want it done and it doesn’t matter how many time a year I need it they are happy to comply.
Until he accidently damages you or a neighbors property. Even a "simple" yard clean-up can cause damage. Run a blower and throw a rock into a window, sliding door, etc and the headaches aren't worth it using fly by night guy.

I don't know what the "clean-up" entail or how big the yards are in there but $150 if he's truly only there for 1 to 1.5 hours is about right. He has to get rid of the debris, pay for truck, fuel, trailer, tools, advertising, taxes, etc so that "125/hr" gets eaten up pretty quick. So many guys come and go in the landscape business because they lowball and then figure out they aren't making any money.

I would strongly urge people check out if any contractor has insurance before starting a job.

Usually the guys who are in business long-term in lawn care are not the cheapest. There's a reason for that.
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Old 04-15-2012, 07:30 AM   #8
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Default More power to them.

You bring up really good points, however what ever happened to the young kid who could go from door to door asking if you needed your walk shoveled or yard raked.
Worthless lawyers are what happened. Everyone wants to sue one and other for in many instances their own stupidity. My coffee was to hot, damn right that’s what happens when you boil water for coffee, it gets hot. Dummy!
I think it is great to see young people taking the initiative rather then see illegal’s doing the job for next to nothing.
The problem is too many of our youth are afraid to actually work for a dollar; they want to make top dollar for what we used to work for $3.25 when it was minimum wage.

Now if they are using backpack blowers then chances are slim they will do damage, but if they are using a commercial wheeled blower with an 8HP engine then you can throw a pretty good size chunk of rock or wood with that baby. I know I own one and it’s a force to be reckoned with. Most backpack blowers have a hard time moving wet leaves never mind slinging a rock.
I say more power to them.
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Old 04-15-2012, 01:23 PM   #9
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It's very sad isn't it BR what our society has come to? Very sad!
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Old 04-15-2012, 07:31 PM   #10
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You bring up really good points, however what ever happened to the young kid who could go from door to door asking if you needed your walk shoveled or yard raked.
Worthless lawyers are what happened. Everyone wants to sue one and other for in many instances their own stupidity. My coffee was to hot, damn right that’s what happens when you boil water for coffee, it gets hot. Dummy!
I think it is great to see young people taking the initiative rather then see illegal’s doing the job for next to nothing.
The problem is too many of our youth are afraid to actually work for a dollar; they want to make top dollar for what we used to work for $3.25 when it was minimum wage.

Now if they are using backpack blowers then chances are slim they will do damage, but if they are using a commercial wheeled blower with an 8HP engine then you can throw a pretty good size chunk of rock or wood with that baby. I know I own one and it’s a force to be reckoned with. Most backpack blowers have a hard time moving wet leaves never mind slinging a rock.
I say more power to them.
Trust me, the good blowers and trimmers can throw rocks quite far

And when that rock goes into a slider or window without a screen and also happens to be a low-E gas filled window its quite the pain and expense to replace. Ask me how I know? So much for the cheap yard clean up.

It's one thing to do your neighbors yards, etc. It's entirely different to operate as a legit business to paying non-neighbor customers.

And lord help you if the guy has a helper and and gets hurt on your property and is not paying workmans comp.

It's not lawyers causing the issue. It's the guy cutting corners and not paying for required insurances and then under cutting the legit guys.
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Old 04-16-2012, 11:27 AM   #11
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I saw 'em today using good old fashioned rakes....
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Old 04-16-2012, 01:39 PM   #12
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Default Sheesh

Sometimes, it is foolhardy to post anything on this forum without expecting vitriolic comments to be posted by readers.

Steve Colby is the fellow who did our yard cleanup, and did a fantastic job. He owns a legitimate business (he's not a teenager or an undocumented "alien"). He lives in Moultonboro. Our property is on the newer end of Suissevale, with a large lot (after the town forced Suissevale to amend lot sizes due to overcrowding-years ago). I know that blowers and other tools can suck up and toss debris, and possibly cause damage - who wouldn't know this, if you've ever used a blower yourself.

I was simply trying to let folks in my neighborhood know that we feel we found a fellow providing a good service at a good price.
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Old 04-16-2012, 01:42 PM   #13
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Sometimes, it is foolhardy to post anything on this forum without expecting vitriolic comments to be posted by readers........
I know too well what you mean, just reading thru comments on almost every thread.

Last edited by wifi; 04-16-2012 at 05:37 PM.
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Old 04-17-2012, 08:11 AM   #14
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Sometimes, it is foolhardy to post anything on this forum without expecting vitriolic comments to be posted by readers.

Steve Colby is the fellow who did our yard cleanup, and did a fantastic job. He owns a legitimate business (he's not a teenager or an undocumented "alien"). He lives in Moultonboro. Our property is on the newer end of Suissevale, with a large lot (after the town forced Suissevale to amend lot sizes due to overcrowding-years ago). I know that blowers and other tools can suck up and toss debris, and possibly cause damage - who wouldn't know this, if you've ever used a blower yourself.

I was simply trying to let folks in my neighborhood know that we feel we found a fellow providing a good service at a good price.
Passive-aggressive much?

Go look up the current case that went through the courts where an Epping volunteer firefighter is suing a homeowner after he slipped on their driveway during a response to call for a water heater that caught fire. Oh, and it was during a winter storm and guy has been out of work due to a back injury from slipping.

Your first post did not say who was doing the work so people surmised it was a fly by night place doing it for the low price (even for the small lots in there).

The forum is a place for discussion. I think it's important for anyone to understand that liabilities exist when contractors come on to your property and it is important to make sure they are insured. Everyone thinks it's silly until something happens. I mean, it's just a yard clean up, right?

Always ask ANY contractor doing work on your property if they are insured.
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Old 04-17-2012, 04:09 PM   #15
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Donna thank you for making us aware of this option. I am sure some will use this individual to clean up their yard
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Old 04-17-2012, 07:33 PM   #16
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Sometimes, it is foolhardy to post anything on this forum without expecting vitriolic comments to be posted by readers.

Steve Colby is the fellow who did our yard cleanup, and did a fantastic job. He owns a legitimate business (he's not a teenager or an undocumented "alien"). He lives in Moultonboro. Our property is on the newer end of Suissevale, with a large lot (after the town forced Suissevale to amend lot sizes due to overcrowding-years ago). I know that blowers and other tools can suck up and toss debris, and possibly cause damage - who wouldn't know this, if you've ever used a blower yourself.

I was simply trying to let folks in my neighborhood know that we feel we found a fellow providing a good service at a good price.
Sorry things got off track but in revisiting your original post you were not exactly detailed in your comments as to who did the work.
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Old 04-25-2012, 06:21 AM   #17
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He has to get rid of the debris, pay for truck, fuel, trailer, tools, advertising, taxes, etc so that "125/hr" gets eaten up pretty quick. So many guys come and go in the landscape business because they lowball and then figure out they aren't making any money.


$125.00 an hour is about right and gets eaten up pretty quickly???? Assuming someone (again assuming) can earn that and can keep busy 40 hours a week that's $5,000/week, sign me up!!! Guess I never should of bothered with college and my desk job. If I could keep busy even half the year at $5,000/week I'd pull down a cool $120,000 a year. I don't currently make that working ALL year. At that kind of return I'd manage a truck, equipment and gasoline somehow.
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Old 04-27-2012, 06:29 AM   #18
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He has to get rid of the debris, pay for truck, fuel, trailer, tools, advertising, taxes, etc so that "125/hr" gets eaten up pretty quick. So many guys come and go in the landscape business because they lowball and then figure out they aren't making any money.


$125.00 an hour is about right and gets eaten up pretty quickly???? Assuming someone (again assuming) can earn that and can keep busy 40 hours a week that's $5,000/week, sign me up!!! Guess I never should of bothered with college and my desk job. If I could keep busy even half the year at $5,000/week I'd pull down a cool $120,000 a year. I don't currently make that working ALL year. At that kind of return I'd manage a truck, equipment and gasoline somehow.
And this is classic example of not understanding the lawn care industry. The season if very short for starters to you already knock down the figure quickly.

Then, it's not all profit. You have to pay for the truck, tools, etc. Taxes, insurance, etc.

May sound like a good deal but many guys low ball price to win a bid and notice how you see so many "companies" come and go in the lawn care business?

There is money to be made but it's not the guy doing budget clean-ups
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Old 04-30-2012, 06:13 AM   #19
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And this is classic example of not understanding the lawn care industry. The season if very short for starters to you already knock down the figure quickly.

Then, it's not all profit. You have to pay for the truck, tools, etc. Taxes, insurance, etc.

May sound like a good deal but many guys low ball price to win a bid and notice how you see so many "companies" come and go in the lawn care business?

There is money to be made but it's not the guy doing budget clean-ups
I some-what understand the industry as my family owned and operated green houses for 27 years in Mass. Now we're all older and they have been closed for years and I'm sitting behind a desk Just saying with the figures thrown around seems like 100,000 is easy pickens in the landscaping business (I'm sure it's not.) I don't need to be explained the concept of bills I make less than six-figures and also pay house taxes, home/car insurance, car paymants, home maintenance, monthly utilities, etc... If any landscaper out there is billing at 125.00 an hour I do not feel bad about them at all.
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Old 04-30-2012, 06:48 AM   #20
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I some-what understand the industry as my family owned and operated green houses for 27 years in Mass. Now we're all older and they have been closed for years and I'm sitting behind a desk Just saying with the figures thrown around seems like 100,000 is easy pickens in the landscaping business (I'm sure it's not.) I don't need to be explained the concept of bills I make less than six-figures and also pay house taxes, home/car insurance, car paymants, home maintenance, monthly utilities, etc... If any landscaper out there is billing at 125.00 an hour I do not feel bad about them at all.
If a contractor is billing out at $125hr and that price is for 3-4 laborers then that is about right. But if a landscaper is billing at $125hr for himself then I agree.
But if a homeowner is happy to pay someone that much for an hours worth of work I'd say sign me up as well. Hell I'd clean crap off a toilet with a toothbrush for $125hr. Without gloves!
Many contractors have had to reduce their pricing to get jobs. Many are competing against fly by night builders, painters, landscapers who are willing to work for $10hr.
I tell prospective customers you get what you pay for.
I have met homeowners who have elected to go with the cheapest estimate for a job they can get, then 2-3 years later when their house is again in need of work they complain they did not get what they paid for. Well actually they did get exactly what they paid for.
You cannot guarantee that a higher price means better quality workmanship, but you can almost guarantee that the extra low estimate means low quality workmanship.
I always sit down and go over cost and work expectations with my customers, so they know exactly what they are getting for their money and I’m always willing to support my materials usage with dated purchase receipts to back it up. My estimates also include a detailed breakdown of all work to be completed. If your not getting that from a contractor then you have no grounds to support a claim should something go wrong.
Example:I can write an estimate to paint your house that says materials cost and labor cost then go out and buy the cheapest paint I can find and slap it on and you will never know the differance.
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Old 04-30-2012, 07:04 AM   #21
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Example:I can write an estimate to paint your house that says materials cost and labor cost then go out and buy the cheapest paint I can find and slap it on and you will never know the differance.
If I make a deal like that I and most people I know would buy the materials themselves.I do quite often for my commercial property.
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Old 04-30-2012, 04:07 PM   #22
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If I make a deal like that I and most people I know would buy the materials themselves.I do quite often for my commercial property.
This is the kind of customer I avoid. If you don't trust someone to do the work and provide the agreed upon materials don't hire them to begin with.

Landscaping has so many low-balling fly by night guys that it's best just to leave the little deals alone. One you prove your quality and don't sacrifice your worth to homeowners wanting things for next to nothing it's easy to make money. Many guys don't have that confidence to turn down jobs.

Example: Homeowner #1 gets his lawn mowed and trimmed for $X weekly. Next door homeowner who has 20% larger yard, long driveway with 2X trimming comes along and wants same price. Nope! Don't give away your time and services!

As for customers getting what they paid for, customers who pay the premium prices also get a truck at their house the next morning first thing if they have an issue or concern (and often that same day depending on location).
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Old 05-07-2012, 06:35 AM   #23
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This is the kind of customer I avoid. If you don't trust someone to do the work and provide the agreed upon materials don't hire them to begin with.
Not sure where your coming from here. My post was in response to BR's where he states he can could quote a job and then use the cheapest paint and nobody would know. I have many painting jobs at my buildings and I have been using the same painter for 8 years. He picks up the paint I specify on my account and does the job. Not sure what you find wrong with that.
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Old 05-09-2012, 06:14 AM   #24
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This is the kind of customer I avoid. If you don't trust someone to do the work and provide the agreed upon materials don't hire them to begin with.

Landscaping has so many low-balling fly by night guys that it's best just to leave the little deals alone. One you prove your quality and don't sacrifice your worth to homeowners wanting things for next to nothing it's easy to make money. Many guys don't have that confidence to turn down jobs.

Example: Homeowner #1 gets his lawn mowed and trimmed for $X weekly. Next door homeowner who has 20% larger yard, long driveway with 2X trimming comes along and wants same price. Nope! Don't give away your time and services!

As for customers getting what they paid for, customers who pay the premium prices also get a truck at their house the next morning first thing if they have an issue or concern (and often that same day depending on location).
My god lets keep things in perspective here...I mean absolutely no disrespect to anybody but we're talking about cutting lawn, trimming and picking up leaves here not surgery! Kids (high school) do it in my neighborhood in Mass and the lawns they cut look just as good as the people who have the shiny truck pull up with a big-ass trailer. I know for a fact most of these homes have a seperate service applying fertilizer but still...
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Old 05-13-2012, 10:35 PM   #25
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My god lets keep things in perspective here...I mean absolutely no disrespect to anybody but we're talking about cutting lawn, trimming and picking up leaves here not surgery! Kids (high school) do it in my neighborhood in Mass and the lawns they cut look just as good as the people who have the shiny truck pull up with a big-ass trailer. I know for a fact most of these homes have a seperate service applying fertilizer but still...
The reason it's a seperate service is to apply fert and herbicies requires licenscing and insurance. Plus, it's difficult for a lawn service to also keep up with the application timings as there are windows of time for it to go down.

And the "it's just cutting a lawn" is why many lawns look like chit versus the ones done professionally. Let me tell you, there's way more to lawn care (when done right) than meets the eye. That high school kid also can identify a single lawn or turf disease.

I can pick apart 99% of lawns out there with weed and disease issues. See all those lawns with light yellow grass patches? That's Poa Annua that most people don't even now what it is let alone how to get rid of it. It's also why so many lawns will never have the sought after uniform appearance. And that's just scratching the surface.....

If it's so easy, go out and do it
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Old 05-14-2012, 06:58 AM   #26
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The reason it's a seperate service is to apply fert and herbicies requires licenscing and insurance. Plus, it's difficult for a lawn service to also keep up with the application timings as there are windows of time for it to go down.

And the "it's just cutting a lawn" is why many lawns look like chit versus the ones done professionally. Let me tell you, there's way more to lawn care (when done right) than meets the eye. That high school kid also can identify a single lawn or turf disease.

I can pick apart 99% of lawns out there with weed and disease issues. See all those lawns with light yellow grass patches? That's Poa Annua that most people don't even now what it is let alone how to get rid of it. It's also why so many lawns will never have the sought after uniform appearance. And that's just scratching the surface.....

If it's so easy, go out and do it
I’ve had those yellow areas for ever, they green over but they yellow area still appears.
But I’m not out to impress anyone and although it isn’t perfect there are far more important things to worry about, for me anyways, then weather my lawn is as good as it can be. I can’t afford to pay someone so I just cut it and let Mother Nature do the rest.
If it rains it gets watered if it doesn’t rain it don’t get watered.
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Old 05-14-2012, 07:43 AM   #27
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It's very sad isn't it BR what our society has come to? Very sad!
i could not agree more very sad what ever happened to "trying to keep things simple" i guess those days are gone??
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Old 05-14-2012, 11:09 PM   #28
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I’ve had those yellow areas for ever, they green over but they yellow area still appears.
But I’m not out to impress anyone and although it isn’t perfect there are far more important things to worry about, for me anyways, then weather my lawn is as good as it can be. I can’t afford to pay someone so I just cut it and let Mother Nature do the rest.
If it rains it gets watered if it doesn’t rain it don’t get watered.
And that's why some people drive a Dogde and other's drive a Maserati. But don't knock the guy driving the more expensive car.

There are many people who want a nice lawn and do wish to pay for it. And that is what DPG is missing. Sure you can pay the HS kid to cut the lawn.

But truly compare a professionally maintained lawn versus a kid just doing a mow and blow is rather silly.

There is a big difference between the truly educated lawn care professionals compare to the guy with a clip board and mowers who just "cuts grass". That's what sucks about the industry since everyone just lumps people in as grass cutters.

And the difference between a nice lawn (there is NO perfect lawn) is the "Scott's Lawn" is often just the quality of the seed. Realize that the work to get a really, really, nice lawn is not that much incrementally more difficult than what you have for a lawn. 90% of the battle is getting your soil chemistry right. But you can ask the HS kid for what the tests mean and when and what to apply
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Old 05-15-2012, 06:18 AM   #29
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i could not agree more very sad what ever happened to "trying to keep things simple" i guess those days are gone??
My point exactly again no disrespect to the "professional." Just that there's more people who believe "it's just a lawn" and it looks "good enough" for the person who doesn't think that way there's the professional. My lawn looks good and is weed free just following the Scotts system. My god I have hundreds of other things to concern myself with, one is getting out and enjoying the short north east summer.
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Old 05-17-2012, 02:04 AM   #30
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My point exactly again no disrespect to the "professional." Just that there's more people who believe "it's just a lawn" and it looks "good enough" for the person who doesn't think that way there's the professional. My lawn looks good and is weed free just following the Scotts system. My god I have hundreds of other things to concern myself with, one is getting out and enjoying the short north east summer.
Well let me respond to you closing remark. I hate golf and find it equivalent to watching paint dry but yet how big is the industry? Same for lawn care. But don't knock those who want an attractive property or happen to have _______ as a hobby. Some would say sitting in a boat is boring too.

Perhaps you should look at how much money is tied up in the US in lawn and property maintenance each year. I've shared plenty of details about lawns and taking care of them on Winni.com, do some searching.

Your closed mindedness is typical of people who think running a lawn mower is the end-all to lawn care. I've probably forgotten more than you've ever known about grass (and flowers, and shrubs, and trees). But if you stood in front of my own house I can guarantee you'd see what a professional lawn and plantings look like compare to the hack jobs. There is real value to a property having nice landscaping so dismiss it all you want.

Let me give you a hint, the Scott's "4-step" doesn't work. Have you ever heard the famous quote by John Wooden, "never mistake activity for achievement?" But Scott's must know what their doing, right? Yeah, draining your wallet and not improving your lawn.

So you know, I'm a "professional" engineer running a plant overseas who has a stake in a lawn care business. I've also got the education to back it up, not just a clip board and business card. Lawn care and having a nice lawn is a passion of mine. My cousin owns a large outfit in Northern, VA and is a 1%er as a "professional" landscaper (you seemed to have used those quotes in a derogatory manner). Low margin $25 mow and blows aren't part of the business model..... Food for thought and be careful with your assumptions.

I could write down the formula to a great lawn and yet people like you still refuse to follow the advice and end up with the same run of the mill lawn year after year. Same practice = same results. You ingnored my comment about the incremental effort to get the better looking yard. Knowledge is power.

And regarding cutting a lawn, try and compete against a $14000 Walker mower in terms of speed and cut quality. Good luck.

Carry on.
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Old 05-19-2012, 05:24 AM   #31
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Default Oh ya..

Well I just bought a super duper jr5 lawn boy with a 454 corvette motor with twin turbo's, this thing has 27 high speed cutting blades. It weeds, mows trims the edges and fertilizes all in one pass. As a bonus..its wicked loud, so it bugs all my neighbors. I paid 1.2 million for it. So I guess my mower is better than lawn psychopaths. The best part is, it mows my quarter acre in less than a minute, that way I can get back to studying about grass and leaves and stuff, because we all know how important that is.....
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Old 05-19-2012, 08:02 AM   #32
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Well I just bought a super duper jr5 lawn boy with a 454 corvette motor with twin turbo's, this thing has 27 high speed cutting blades. It weeds, mows trims the edges and fertilizes all in one pass. As a bonus..its wicked loud, so it bugs all my neighbors. I paid 1.2 million for it. So I guess my mower is better than lawn psychopaths. The best part is, it mows my quarter acre in less than a minute, that way I can get back to studying about grass and leaves and stuff, because we all know how important that is.....
Great Norhern since the economy is getting better? and the market is up i just bought a lawn mower with a 6 disc cd player and a CUP HOLDER. lets see you "top that" relax everybody life is good up here and the good weather is here. enjoy life give up anything and everything that brings unwanted stress like people with big EGOS.
oh by the way "could you pass the Grey Poupon"
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Old 05-20-2012, 05:56 AM   #33
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Well let me respond to you closing remark. I hate golf and find it equivalent to watching paint dry but yet how big is the industry? Same for lawn care. But don't knock those who want an attractive property or happen to have _______ as a hobby. Some would say sitting in a boat is boring too.

Perhaps you should look at how much money is tied up in the US in lawn and property maintenance each year. I've shared plenty of details about lawns and taking care of them on Winni.com, do some searching.

Your closed mindedness is typical of people who think running a lawn mower is the end-all to lawn care. I've probably forgotten more than you've ever known about grass (and flowers, and shrubs, and trees). But if you stood in front of my own house I can guarantee you'd see what a professional lawn and plantings look like compare to the hack jobs. There is real value to a property having nice landscaping so dismiss it all you want.

Let me give you a hint, the Scott's "4-step" doesn't work. Have you ever heard the famous quote by John Wooden, "never mistake activity for achievement?" But Scott's must know what their doing, right? Yeah, draining your wallet and not improving your lawn.

So you know, I'm a "professional" engineer running a plant overseas who has a stake in a lawn care business. I've also got the education to back it up, not just a clip board and business card. Lawn care and having a nice lawn is a passion of mine. My cousin owns a large outfit in Northern, VA and is a 1%er as a "professional" landscaper (you seemed to have used those quotes in a derogatory manner). Low margin $25 mow and blows aren't part of the business model..... Food for thought and be careful with your assumptions.

I could write down the formula to a great lawn and yet people like you still refuse to follow the advice and end up with the same run of the mill lawn year after year. Same practice = same results. You ingnored my comment about the incremental effort to get the better looking yard. Knowledge is power.

And regarding cutting a lawn, try and compete against a $14000 Walker mower in terms of speed and cut quality. Good luck.

Carry on.
What would you recommend for the homeowner who wishes to maintain his/her own lawn? What products would you recommend be applied by a non professional to have and keep a great looking lawn?
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Old 05-20-2012, 05:24 PM   #34
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What would you recommend for the homeowner who wishes to maintain his/her own lawn? What products would you recommend be applied by a non professional to have and keep a great looking lawn?

1. Get a soil test.
2. Get a soil test.
3. Get a soil test.
4. Get your calcium and pH dialed in (can take from 0 to 2 years depending on where soil is now). Don't just buy the cheap dolomitic lime in big box and think it's the right one. You may need calcitic lime (which most people need but don't buy because it's more money)
4. Don't put down synthetic fertilizer after June 1st or before late August. Based on soil test (determines if you need Phosphorus) put down fert in late April and Sept. If you want you can put it down the last week of October as well. The hardheads never listen to this and will fertilizer right in the middle of summer.
5. You can get preemergent with no fert and put it down as soon as the buds are set on the Forsythia. This is the crabgrass defense as the seed heads from last year are what germinate THIS year.
6. Other weeds are case by case as they all have difference lifecycles.

And note that NONE of this aligns with the "4-step". So my plan is the same four "efforts" but you end up with a better lawn and grass and you use LESS fertilizer.

And I will say this again, any homeowner who hires a contractor without insurance (yes, that includes the HS kid fro next door) is taking a risk. That kids father may be your friend but when junior gets hurt and he need to money to get his kid back to health or has a permanent injury, you are scah-rewed.
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Old 05-20-2012, 09:18 PM   #35
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Lawn Psycho - your thoughts are well taken but again sorry but I just don't agree. I'm sure if I drive down your street I would be able to pick out your yard and for that I applaud. But again for "most people" the Scotts program gives superb results. Hell there were tons of people at the Home Depot this weekend just like myself buying step 2. Hopefully you have many clients who are as into their yards as yourself. I'm just not that's all. Oh and yesterday I got a small chuckle (and thought of this thread) as I was planting some pots in my yard a couple walking by asked who maintains my yard and said their doing a wonderful job! haha get that MY yard!! what a joke. Discussion over for me, anyway, enjoy your summer and may business be booming.
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