Watering customers lawn

[Toocool100]

When I go in and rototil, then seed and fertilize the lawn, the lawn needs to be properly watered. I can't depend on rain every day for the next few weeks. What should be done about this? Should i be using the customers house hose to supply the ground with water?

[JB1]

Is it really up to you to water there lawn ?

[Toocool100]

Well, if the lawn is watered properly more grass will germinate and the lawn will overall be healthyer. So wouldn't it be better if the lawn was watered?

Or based by what your saying, should i just tell them to water their own lawn and keep myself out of it alltogether?

[JB1]

I agree, but are they paying you to water, thats the question.

[Toocool100]

I agree, but are they paying you to water, thats the question.

let me expand, i havn't started my business up yet, so im putting all my options together. Lets just say they are paying me to water, that would be money towards me for standing there with a hose etc. Now, the water bill. Do i push the water bill charges onto them? should i?

[DBL]

I believe that it is the owners job to water the lawn unless you are charging to do it. Unless you do you are only charging for the work done.

[PMLAWN]

Tell THEM to water the lawn every day for 2 weeks and every other day after that.
Never water the lawn for them!

[HOOLIE]

Been doing this over 15 years, can only recall one customer ever asking for us to water. I see it as a non-issue.

[LHlandscaping]

Funny you should ask. I am currently suing a customer for non payment over this issue. I hydroseeded 3 acres on July 13th, and to date he has not ONCE watered his lawn and therefore feels that the poor results due to his stupidity is contingent on payment.

On my contracts I state that I am not responsible to water unless the customer elects me to at a rate of $200.00 per visit. I even purchase a sprinkler for them after I spray the area. Make sure your contract states that you are NOT responsible for watering, washouts, or other acts of God. On a small job a few hundred dollars will not matter but once you start 10,000 square feet and over you can loose your butt in a hurry due to many circumstances beyond your control.

[Runner]

1. If you're rototilling the lawn to seed, you're making a BIG mistake.
2. There isn't enough time in the WORLD to go over and "water the lawn".
3. How big is the area? You can go to home cheapo and get a few of those timers. Hook them up to hoses that come out from a splitter.

[mcwlandscaping]

NO, if they care about the work you did, they will water it. Just make sure you tell them when they should be watering and how much. If they don't then its there loss and possibly your gain if they call you back to do it again and promise to water it this time. More money for you. And you take responsibility for watering. Just my 2 cents!!

[Natural Impressions]

I agree with LHLandascaping & Runner. You are giving the service of preparing the lawn for growth. Unless they are paying you to water the lawn ( and that is only to water it, not supply the water) you shouldn't have a concern of how much water is being supplied to the growth. That is now up to the home-owner. Make sure this is all in the contract (with thier signature )for future problems. The homeowner needs to have some responsibilty for there home unless they are paying you for it.
I ran into a problem just like this in the dead heat of the summer( when it wasn't raining at all). I did sod patch work for a homeowner( replaced 3 times) and each time he never watered the sod( takes alot of vacations). Because I didn't have in the job contracted I replaced it and bit a big one on the job.

[darryl gesner]

I've yet to have a customer water a lawn properly if I leave it to them. I have a bunch of timers, hoses and sprinklers that I set up. It can get kind of complicated, especially if they have low water pressure and can only run one sprinkler head at a time. I charge them a rental fee for the equipment.

[stimpy]

I do what darrlegessner does. Go to home depot and get the melnor 3100 timer.It will have two hose and timer units.Get the cheap plastic impulse sprinklers. Two for 7$ with the pass through ends so you can run two sprinklers off of one hose. Thats four sprinklers per timer you will need 80psi to do this you may have to turn up the presure. I charge an extra 50 bucks.You might have a hard time finding timers and sprinklers this time of year.My area is clean out and people are calling me every day asking if I can redo there yards.They see my clients yards and want the same. Keep a eye on ebay cheaper than home dopot.