Is a Hand Shake Good Enough?

[Freddy_Kruger]

How many ppl use a hand shake rather than a contract? and why? (I prefer it because I almost never get ripped off and I'm not going to sue anyone anyhow):canadaflag:

[ALarsh]

I also use a hand shake and thats it. Haven't got ripped off yet.

[godzilla]

I use a handshake as a greeting, not a formal agreement. If I feel that I am going to need something other than a verbal agreement then it's contract time.

[Green-Pro]

I have used both, specifically the agreement/contract for commercial proporties, verbal agreement for residential.
A verbal contract is legally as binding as a written one. Now some on here will say ya but it more difficult to prove and easier for the deadbeat to fight against. I had to take only one guy to court last year based on a verbal contract, and won the judment very easily.

[HOOLIE]

I think a service agreement or contract as you may call it, adds another layer of professionalism to your business. This industry is not highly regarded by many people, and a SA at least makes the customer realize that they are hiring a business vs. something else. Not saying that if you go the handshake route you are unprofessional...

A service agreement at least spells out and clarifies some of the basics...price, frequency, billing method, etc. People aren't usually paying full and complete attention to everything that is said to them, I prefer to have the important stuff laid out on paper.

[Gene $immons]

I have done it with a handshake for 9 seasons. I think I have been burned once or twice for a few hundred bucks each time. But thats still darn good.

This year, I have a service agreement that I will use on certain types of customers only.

I tend to avoid asking someone, who probably is a lawyer,and lives in a $750,000 home, to sign something.

They like me, I like them.

I would suggest some sort of service agreement for the client who gives you any signs of a red flag.

But, in all honesty, anyone is capable of screwing you over. It's not a bad idea to have something in writing.


See how I played both sides of the fence in my response? I'm good at doing that:)

[eruuska]

Last year I was pretty adamant about service agreements, this year not so much. I picked up a couple new LOLs (little old ladies) and I didn't have the heart to ask them to sign anything. The only area that I'm a stickler about is the chemical apps. Everyone signs, and I blame it on my insurance company.

That being said, this is all just for residential accounts. Commercial will always be contracted.

[ArkansasLawns]

Residential - no
Commercial - yes

[westwind]

If your accounts are contracted then it is a equitable asset. Meaning you can use your accounts as leverage for loans or to sell. Not contracting accounts in my opinion is un-professional. Established companies use contracts as a way to forcast revenue as well as adding equity to your business. Why would'nt you contract all of your accounts??

[Gene $immons]

People are sometimes afraid of signing anything.

Some other guy will get the job.


I like the idea of having chemical app. customers always signing.

[Doug Z.]

I cannot believe that you guys will touch someones yard with out a written agreement being signed. Of course, I used to be the same way. With lawn work, sometimes it's hard to get one signed.. springclean up, the next door nieghbor wants it done, your not going to go home and write up a contract first. But with and weekly jobs, or installs, I wont touch them with out a contract. I got burned in the nieghborhood of $ 25,000.00 on a job. Durning the winter, i work parttime at a hospital. One of the er docs wanted work done. I had one of those generic, Office Max contracts. Job started at $35,000.00. He kept changing things, and adding things on. When it came time to pay up, he denied those changes. $ 4,000.00 in lawyer fees, 2 hard years, and one hell of an expensive lesson later, I have an incredible contract. That happened from a guy that i saw atleast every other day at the hospital!

[Freddy_Kruger]

I should have clarified I was referring to general lawn maintanence not whatever 25,000 thing you are doing, if that was landscaping or building a large deck (for that kind of money) a contract would be in order for sure.

Also commercial jobs there more apt to want a contract so it would look more proffessional there too.

With spraying I have no clue about that but around here, especially the franchises (WeedMan) they lock ppl into cotracts big time even offerring a phoney discount if they sign for next year before the Winter hits... I'm not doing that this year.

I'm just starting to expand this year into lawncare, I don't even care how many jobs I get, I will get probably as many as I want so I want to learn as much as I can not only before the season starts but this whole year.

I do like this mode of thinking though, even if it's just for the customers sake, something to let them know exactly what will happen and what is expected (pick up the dopg poop; oops thats for another thread:rolleyes: ) I'm not sure I would have the customer sign such a thing but I certainly would. I got a thing in my head about contracts and I only do residential window cleaning and snow clearing though I have tried them out.... well I'm still deciding what to do and how to present myself. I bought a walking measuring stick:walking:

I think a service agreement or contract as you may call it, adds another layer of professionalism to your business. This industry is not highly regarded by many people, and a SA at least makes the customer realize that they are hiring a business vs. something else. Not saying that if you go the handshake route you are unprofessional...

A service agreement at least spells out and clarifies some of the basics...price, frequency, billing method, etc. People aren't usually paying full and complete attention to everything that is said to them, I prefer to have the important stuff laid out on paper.

[Paradise Landscapes]

I have used both, specifically the agreement/contract for commercial proporties, verbal agreement for residential.
A verbal contract is legally as binding as a written one. Now some on here will say ya but it more difficult to prove and easier for the deadbeat to fight against. I had to take only one guy to court last year based on a verbal contract, and won the judment very easily.


I do both. I greet with a firm handshake and settle with a contract.
If you loose your bid sheet or papers you figure how much you charged, a written contract/agreement would be the next paper I look for.