I'm i crazy or what?

[Chuck Sinclair]

I have this lawn in downtown Sacratamoto that has oh 1400 SQ FT of lawn and 200 SQ FT of Garden (Roses, shrubs and the like) the lady that owns it is about 90 years old i service it twice a month. Now here is the crazy part i do it for $30.00 i kinda felt sorry for the old lady cuz the guy she had didn’t do anything and the place looked like CRAP!! Any one else do this?

[eslawns]

I'll give some old folks a break (not free) if it seems as if they're not trying to scam me. If I give them a break and find out I've been had, they're gone. I always try to be fair with them, because I think they get taken a lot and I want God to remember me when I get old. :)

[Jusmowin]

Yes i have one older person i take full care of the lawn.I dont mind doing a few extras for them as long as its lawn related and not every time i go there.

[Keith]

$30 for 1400 square feet? Am I missing something?

[BUSHMASTER]

Well to each his own , but if you want to lemon aid out of lemons i an sure if you go and drop $150. for a really nice yard sign you could get some bizz of of it.esspecily if the yard looks right and has a lot of passers by, just a thought.

[jaclawn]

Not all seniors are dirt poor. I know of many that lived a life of poverty, then left $xxx,xxx.xx to their heirs.

[bob]

Its ok to give some extra service. But don't go overboard! 5 or 10 minutes would be my limit.

[landscaper3]

I also agree with Bob 5-10 minutes wont hurt and those sr citizens go to church, bingo and have sometimes nothing to do but talk, see where this leads word of the mouth is sometimes the best advertising. SPEND the 5-10.

[Chuck Sinclair]

Actuly i spend about 2.5 man hours there a month


Originally posted by landscaper3
I also agree with Bob 5-10 minutes wont hurt and those sr citizens go to church, bingo and have sometimes nothing to do but talk, see where this leads word of the mouth is sometimes the best advertising. SPEND the 5-10.

[Firebrand]

I've had a really good customer that is a widowed old lady. She has been real great up until two weeks ago. I did lot's of extras the biggest being not charging her about $10 more per mow which was what her lawn was worth. The other day she called me saying how I was ruining her lawn (after 2.5 seasons) because my WB was scuffing her lawn when I turned. When I told her that I could mow with the 21 (which I totally didn't want to), but it would $25 she got all angry and fired me. I had been nothing but polite and couerteous to her. Then she accused me of leaving her in the lurch and could I do it one more week. I was glad to be done with her after that. LOL.

[65hoss]

1400 sq ft and 2.5 hrs a month. Using a sling blade?

Seriously, how can you be there that long?

[Chuck Sinclair]

I mow, weed, trim bushes, prune roses. I give her FULL service.


Originally posted by 65hoss
1400 sq ft and 2.5 hrs a month. Using a sling blade?

Seriously, how can you be there that long?

[gusbuster]

Chuck, (sinclac)
Unless you’re using this place to show the quality of work that you do, you’re way off base on your price. I do think that you are being very nice to this lady. She reminds you of your grandmother??? I've been suckered like this also.

I live by the airport at San Francisco so I am aware of going rate for a properly licensed landscaper\maintenance contractor up in Sacramento. My friends that have moved to Granite Bay, Folsom, and Rancho Cordova are working in the $25 to $50 an hour for a 2-man crew. $30 for 5 hrs of work a month? Should be something like the $90 to $150 range for 2 visits a month.

I wouldn't feel sorry for any old person. They don't pay your bills for you when your truck, machines, breaks or your labor cost. Most of my clients (about 85% of route) are retired. The house they live in is paid for. They bought the houses back when they ran around $50,000 to $150,000. Those same houses run between $400,000 to $800,000 in my area. Sacramento area isn't that bad, but I know prices have gone up in the last 20 years. I know this old person wouldn't sell her house to you for the price that she paid for it. Everybody likes to make money.

If it makes you feel good, stay at that price. If you have any second thoughts, raise the price or get rid of the client. All you are doing is helping keep the going rate down. Our operation costs are always going up.
John

[Keith]

Try to clear this up for us sinclac. You are at this house for 2 1/2 hours per month, right? And you would get $60 for those 2 1/2 hours correct? I am just trying to get the #'s stragiht, seems to be a little confusion.

If this is correct you are probably spending a little too much time for the money you are making, but if you feel comfortable, thats cool.

My real question is why is it taking so long? It seems like a fairly small lawn even with the shrubs. It must just be one of those properties. :)

[Chuck Sinclair]

My route list shows 09:42 to 10:10 X 2 Last week. so about 2 man hours a month. The guy before me sh said she payed him $25.00 a month.


Originally posted by Keith
Try to clear this up for us sinclac. You are at this house for 2 1/2 hours per month, right? And you would get $60 for those 2 1/2 hours correct? I am just trying to get the #'s stragiht, seems to be a little confusion.

If this is correct you are probably spending a little too much time for the money you are making, but if you feel comfortable, thats cool.

My real question is why is it taking so long? It seems like a fairly small lawn even with the shrubs. It must just be one of those properties. :)

[Charles]

I hate to break this to you sinclair. but you are going to be old one day soon, very soon. Its true, its true. Who is going to pay your bills then? When you haven't saved enough money to retire on? I haven't worked for a senior yet who hasn't told me that they are so poor that they cannot pay attention. Ok so that was an old one. Its up to all of us to get some of their money before they give it to their church or their greedy relatives. They will tell you they cannot afford you. What they are really saying is that they don't think you are worth the money they are paying you. But then they go out and buy a new car etc and spend the money on other prioritys. I deal with enough of them to know its best not to try and judge how much money they have. Just run a professional business and give to charity if you want. People respect a successful business person. Not someone they can take advantage of.

[bdemir]

Sinlac,

What would you charge a regular customer for this service.

I also think that everyone should realize that labor i cheap real cheap in cali and its not easy to charge too much without giving a lot.

[Edited by bdemir on 09-12-2000 at 12:59 AM]

[stick]

Don't let your heart bleed for these people that say that they are on a fixed income!

I here it every day from these people here in Florida.
I waste more time and money talking and explaining my prices to these people every day.
Exmaple:
Last week got a call from one of my accounts asking me to take care of this old lady thats 94 years old. The place looked like a dump, brushes out of shape, lawn half cut, back yard that has not been cut for I say 3 months, palm trees with seed pods hanging off them and some on the ground. I just did not want to get out of the truck to talk to this lady because I was going to hear another sobe story.
But I did, because I said I would, I talked to her and told 3 hours work at $50 bucks per hour. That nice old lady turned red in the face and said" How can you charge 50 an hour?". Well, again, 100 bucks an hour for lawyers, 70 for mechanic's, doctor's vists 100+(for 5 mins), Have you seen gas prices in the past 2 months?

She still thinks, that 25 bucks would take care of it all!
She said the kid down the street use to cut my grass, but you can't depend on kids any more these days. She was paying him 5 bucks to cut the lawn at 15,000 sq feet, with a murry 21" bagger push.

I gave her some advise, sell the home and buy a condo room, lawn is taken care of there.

I talk to the same kind of people every week, about 20 per week. Alot of them have 300k homes and a his and her caddy sitting in the 2 car garage. Now I know how they get their money to get these homes.

_____________
STICK\ 2 months till Buck season:-)

[loserlandscaping]

hi,
my name is justin. i used to cut a lof of old farts lawns until they hired my cousin with his 21" craftsman. they were scam artists stone. yo, they used to give me cookies with rotten milk, until i took dur cats hostage and they paid me. i almost be bussin a cap in dar ass yo. just kidding, the old people i word for are kind and appreciate the effort i put it. i dropped out of school at 16 and now am the largest and only lawn care company in brooklyn. i hire some friends from harlem, but they don't understand respect. old people respect good work and effort. werd.


yo, i'm outta this crack pipe

justin loser

[wompy]

YOU ARE 1 SICK TICKET

[Evan528]

you need to get of your crack pipe!

[BUSHMASTER]

depends how you look at it old people and scrubs uhmm it sound like they would keep them busy enoungh to keep them off of the good accounts.

[new lawn]

I can't wait to be old and take advantage of us hard working folks! I get it all. Can you put in my screen windows, can you bring in the kitty litter from my car. When will it stop? I charge by the minute. Whatever they ask me to do they get charged---I'm not in this for charity! Tell them up front If I spend any more time here then what the cost of the contracted lawn agreement is "You will be charged by the MINUTE" This helps! They know it up front and you are happy knowing you will get paid for the time you spend doing the "Extra stuff"... If I'm alone that day charge less if you have a paid employee with you charge double. It all cost $Money$. I make it a point to Never get scammed out of money. I come from a family of business owners and I see them making $$$$$ and just because I decide to do lawm maint. doesn't mean I don't charge what another business man would do. Ask them if they know what it take to be in business these days? Insurance, Gas, Workmans comp? wages, Taxes.... Every Minute counts if your not getting paid enough then get out! There will always be the next person. Set up a plan from the get go and stick to it old or young. That's just my opinion "Every one has one and everyone thinks the other persons smells like ****

[thelawnguy]

OK think what you want about old folks but here are the facts: how the heck is that lady going to do anything with that 400k house unless she sells it and gets the cash? Say she lives off of 13k Social Security and 11k pension, how much you think taxes utilities etc cost for that 400k house? And if she sold it whewes she going to go? Pay 4000/month for an 1 room assisted living apt?. Then how long will that proceeds from the 400k house last?

"I know of many that lived a life of poverty, then left $xxx,xxx.xx to their heirs. "

The older I get the more I realize I will need to keep as big a chunk of that 300k CD that pays 4 per cent intact since when Im 80 I wont be able to replenish the till by mowing lawns. The 12k yearly income will have to supplement whatever other income I will have.

I get tired of this bashing old folks crap. The ones with the new homes on the golf course are definitely in the minority from where Im sitting.

We (with luck) are all going to be in their situation someday. Think about how you are going to deal with your own financial situation and then have some appreciation for what the elderly are going through.