Pricing for next door neighbor's yard

[bfstrider]

I mowed my next door neighbors lawn this weekend. It was in pretty bad shape. High, thick weeds with most of the grass being warm weather grass. Their are about 14 trees to trim around as well as a ditch to weed. I also had to trim around the house and a wire fence in the back yard. there is also a spot where a w/b or push mower needs to be used. He is not real particular about his lawn, but I wanted to make it look the best I could. This is on .6 acres. I charged him 35.00 which after I got through felt was to low for the work I did. However, after this initial mowing I should not have a problem. I charged him 35.00 because I did have to load or unload anything, just had to go next door. I plan on charging 35.00 for each cut. What are some opinions on my pricing? Thanks

[barefootlawns]

I would have charged more for the first time due to longer grass and such but with out looking at it, it is hard to say but that is alot of trees on .6 acres

[bfstrider]

I stated wrong. There are 13 trees. Eight of these being Bradford pear trees which line the drive. This propery has a large front yard with a very small back yard with 1 tree. The front yard is pretty much wide open with two plum trees at the front of the house and two peach trees at one side. I forgot, there is a storage building to trim around. The lawn has not been well kept in several years.

[daveintoledo]

i feel working for friends, family, or neighbors is a bad idea, too close to home.... if a problem should come up, it could be very uncomfortable...:)

but charge more for the first cut if a place is in bad shape......other then that id say 35 for about 1/2 acre is pretty good......

[sheshovel]

Right you did it opposite of how you should have..you should have charged 60.00 first cut to get it in shape then 35.00 or 40 every cut after.
BUT..I also do not recommend doing work for a next door neighbor unless you really need the money,so many things can happen to screw up your neighborly relationship with them.But then again $$ is $$

[olderthandirt]

Never work for a neighbor! Thats trouble waiting to happen

[CAG]

I do my next door neighbors lawn for 30 and it worth 40-50.. hes not picky at all and i do it when i do my own ( Friday with a pretty good buzz:drinkup: ). he used to cut his grass once a month so i don't have a eye sore to look at anymore.. plus he knows he gets a good deal so he helps me plow with his own truck for free!!! i think its a pretty good deal.. well come to think of it he still owes me $90 from last year!!! but he will pay i just have to ask him.. so basically give him a good deal, good neighbors are important.. i don't know your zoning laws but if your storing equipment at your house and its not zoned for it stay on good terms with all your neighbors..

[bfstrider]

I quoted the size of the lot in my earlier post to be .6 acres. I checked the plot map for my neighborhood which I happen to have on hand and it shows the size of the lot to be .744 acres.

[Trinity Lawn Care, LLC]

As Dave, Sheshovel, and Mac have already stated it is not a wise decision to do a neighbors lawn. This is a person that you have to live next to. If something were to go wrong you would still have to live next to them. Unless, you move and that is a little impractical over a $35 lawn job. Just my 2 cents.

[chriscraft]

I quoted the size of the lot in my earlier post to be .6 acres. I checked the plot map for my neighborhood which I happen to have on hand and it shows the size of the lot to be .744 acres.
lol you have a plot map on hand of the neighborhood ? wish i was that organized eheh good job

[Randy Scott]

What are some opinions on my pricing? Thanks


How long did it take you? How much do you need to charge for your hourly rate?

Sounds like you may have priced it too low for the time spent there initially. That's your problem though.

Working for neighbors can be sensitive. We did almost 8K worth of work for my neighbor right next to me. So far so good. I'd be an idiot to pass that work/money up. I will pick and choose the work I do for neighbors. Things like lawn treatments I tend to stay away from. Nobody has irrigation and when it gets dry, like it does every summer, and your control practices for weeds becomes useless, seems like you still should be producing a good lawn for them. I'll do landscape projects all day long if that's what they want.

[Agape]

I generally charge $40 per hour with a minimum charge so if it takes you an hour, you should charge 40 per mowing if it takes less, you should still charge 30. and give exactly what you say for as much as you say, do not deviate from it and there should be no hard feelings. if he says; "can u do this?" you say; "I'll be happy to give you an estimate for that".

[Patriot Services]

You have too much time on your hands. This thread is 4 years old. I am surrounded by the handicapped, old and infirm. No way am I opening that Pandoras box. My wife is always having to politely decline the offers to "give me a little pocket money" if I could do a couple of "small chores" for them. Every time I open my garage is like an invitation to wander over and pick my brain.
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[whosedog]

What's wrong with working for neighbors as long as you get the price you want? I take care of 9 lawns within i block from my house,get the money I ask for and get additional work and recommendations from them.It's the ones that think they are entitled to freebies that you don't want,and once you've figured out who they are,you drop them,and they don't have to be neighbors to try to play you like that. It takes years of dealing with people to build up their trust in you,no amount of advertising can do that for you,just consistantly treating them fairly;eventually they know you so well that they would give you the keys to their house and let you alone in it because they have absolute trust in you.

[Patriot Services]

You need to have seperation from work. When I am home I don't want to be bothered. I have all the work I can handle.
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[STL Cuts]

I live in a circle and mow for the next 2 houses over from me. They actually have been some of my best accounts, mow them every Monday.

[dkinchicago]

You have too much time on your hands. This thread is 4 years old.

LOL 2006-2010 Same old issues for sure...

[darryl gesner]

This thread is 4 years old. IPosted via Mobile Device

no wonder the pricing seemed low :p

[C&K]

i feel working for friends, family, or neighbors is a bad idea, too close to home.... if a problem should come up, it could be very uncomfortable...:)

but charge more for the first cut if a place is in bad shape......other then that id say 35 for about 1/2 acre is pretty good......

I agree with daveintoledo 100%. I have friends, family, and neighbors asking me for lawn service and, honestly, it just makes me uncomfortable. I hate charging said people and I can't work for free, so, I skirt the subject if I can get away with it. Call it a character flaw.

[Agape]

You have too much time on your hands. This thread is 4 years old. I am surrounded by the handicapped, old and infirm. No way am I opening that Pandoras box. My wife is always having to politely decline the offers to "give me a little pocket money" if I could do a couple of "small chores" for them. Every time I open my garage is like an invitation to wander over and pick my brain.
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My post was for an answer to THE question for anyone else reading,
Not everything is about you bro.

People come out to talk to me all the time-Here's what you do:
Find something that their property needs and when they come over, give them a verbal estimate, then every time they come over, start the conversation with " When were you wanting to do that such and such??!"
They will start to leave you alone or you will get more work out of it. LOL

[Patriot Services]

Yea bro! It is all about me when I am at my home. That's why I don't park at my house. If you are so hard up for work that you can never be off the clock then you are doing something wrong.
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[Agape]

Yea bro! It is all about me when I am at my home. That's why I don't park at my house. If you are so hard up for work that you can never be off the clock then you are doing something wrong.
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move away and quit bitchin or:hammerhead: learn these words:
"I'd be happy to give you an estimate"

[Patriot Services]

You can run your business however you like. Don't get hostile when someone has a different opinion and actually explains why something does or does not work for them.
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