Other contractors in the way?

[mdb landscaping]

i was wondering what you guys do when you pull up to house your about to mow and there is already a contractor in the way. i have one house that i show up to mow and they have a masonry contractor there putting in stone walls. they had a kubota loader and bobcat in the driveway and they were only working towards the back. there was no where to park with all their equipment, so i came back later in the afternoon. they were still working, but i had a schedule. i mowed the whole yard except one spot. what would've you done?

[lawnboy82]

when somebody else is there i just find a place to park, and get the job done, stay away from the other guys who are doin their thing. stay out of their way, because they are gettin a lot more money than you are. so let em work. they will be gone soon, and then you will be back to your regular schedule there, plus maybe some other work.

[SJR Lawncare]

I would have done the same thing that you did. You cannot be expected to work around the other contractors schedule, especially if the customer did not contact you in advance and told you that someone else would be working there on your regular mow day.

SJR

[dfor]

If there were no place to park, I guess you have to come back later or ask them to rearrange their vehicles. As far as mowing, I only cut where they are not and will not move anything nor ask them to. Painters are the worst. They have everything all over the yards and don't even think about spending 2 minutes to move anything. :angry:

[lawnman_scott]

No roofers are the worst, i think they take handfuls of nails and throw them out in the yard, or it seems that way. I am gaurenteed a flat after a roof is done.

[Fantasy Lawns]

just imagine doing the housing & common grounds areas in a housing development which may take 2 years to finish ....working with the roofers, painters, stucco & pool guys ...tons of trash, rebar, broken chunks of cement in the grass ... just got to work around em & do lots of weed wacking :->

[cos]

Iwould definitely cut what I can and then bill full price. It's not your fault that they were in your way.

[LAWNGODFATHER]

my favorite is when the driveway get sealed on the day you to mow and you can't cut the whole yard

we just mow around it and bill full when we come the next time cut what we didn't get before

[Pauls Mowing]

I'm in the same boat as Steve. I mow 6 subdivisions, about 120 lots total. Some have several vacant lots together, others have homes under construction. We mow what we can get, and do weed wacking where the tractor can't get. We get along well with the contractors, we are all there doing our job. It's not a problem, works out quite well. This is a niche that we decided to do, very few others do this type of mowing.

Paul

[kutnkru]

If the street is not heavily traveled, sometimes if we can be in and out in 10 minutes or less we will park alongside the trucks already there if the curbs are full all the way up on both sides.

If it will take us a while, we have been known to park up the block or around a corner. If you have to make a second trip back, you will be eating the extra travel time and therefore I would make every possible effort to cut when you get there the first time.

Kris

[TJLC]

What gripes me is when you go to a customers yard to mow and a contractor has been there and gone and dosen't bother to do a good job cleaning up after themselves. I hate sloppy people. If you make a mess, clean it up. Don't leave it for the next guy. Sorry, maybe a little off subject.

[kutnkru]

And I just figured that if we all work our debris down the block for the next LCO that by the end of the block it would be clean. :D

I have to agree with you that it is quite frustrating to manuever the blowers so that the debris is blown into the driveway and then the next Jabroney comes along and just jet blasts his curbs any-which-way so that the debris flies all about!:angry:

I guess some people just have no Turf Etiquette.:rolleyes:

Kris

[bobbygedd]

same thing happened to me last week. i pulled up and there were guys there paving the driveway and putting in new walkways, i could not cut, however they will get a bill for my trip over there.

[jnjnlc]

Just recently had the same problem. One homeowner was having an addition and other remodling for weeks. I mowed as much as I could and told the homeowner I could not get to the rest. One day they were there painting outside. I could not mow that day. The homeowner understood with no problem. You just have to grin and bear it.

[Island Lawn]

I have had painters at one of my client's for a couple of weeks!
The have stuff everywhere! There is a bunch of scaffolding that I am having to trim around and a lot of fast food wrappers blowing around!
GRRRRRRR:angry:

[kutnkru]

Originally posted by Island Lawn
... There is a bunch of scaffolding that I am having to trim around ...

Why are you mowing and/or trimming around scaffolding like they are statuary or fountains on the property?? I would just mow as close to them as I possibly could, and then if the contractor wants to tear it down we could then work where it used to be.

I would not risk the dangers of something falling off the scaffolding and cracking you or someone elses head because you are trying to politely be an effecicent and meticulous LCO.

Just my nickle.
Kris

[Island Lawn]

Thanks kru

I appreciate the "effeicient and meticulous" compliment.

The scaffolding is too close to the house to fit my mower in, so I took the time to zip through there with my trimmer.

The painters weren't there so they weren't going to tear it down for me.

My poem
As long as I only get cracked on the head,
I should be ok.
But if I stub my toe,
I'm calling it a day!

[Scag48]

One of my customers just recently had an aggregate concrete sidwalk/walkway that was put in righ next to the lawn. The concrete goes right up to the edge up the lawn and follows it around. Anyway, the guys took forever to get the forms in and when they dug the forms, there were rocks and dirt all over the lawn, along with wheelbarrows that they just left for their convinience (sp). So, when they finally got done, there was still rocks and chunks of concrete everywhere.:angry:

[shorelinelawn]

Yes , my favorite is the driveway sealed. I don't even bother trying to cut on same day as when sealed. I just comeback on next day, and upcharge for my time & travel. Every year, I send out newsletter stating my policies, and rules that I live by, and one of them is to be courteous, and notify me if they are having any other work done on house.
Someone stated about parking around the corner, down the block etc. BE CAREFUL , in this area last year, lawn contractors were having equipment stolen from there trailers, when they were in a customers back yard. Not a problem for those of us with enclosed trailers, but a REAL problem for anyone with the open trailer. Just think how long your equipment is out of sight, and how long it would take someone to drive by, and throw in their truck !!! THIS IS REAL LOW !!!!!!!
Just a thought , fella's & gals !!