Retirement Facility Question

[Richard L.]

Got a call from a Retirement Facility, asking for a bid on their lawn maintenance.

Went by the place; 15 acre campus involved and they asked an annual price [March to March] for the following:

* Scalping [once in Marchl]
* Pre-Emergence spraying [In March]
* Mowing, with Riders [weekly]
* Weed-eating all flower beds etc.
* 2nd Pre-Emergence spraying [In late March or early April]
* Mowing 25% of property with walk-behinds catching clippings [weekly]
* Mowing all private cottage areas [private buildings]
* Edging all traffic areas
* Pre-Emergence spraying - 2nd aplication
* Fertilizing - Spraying [Once]

Just for y'all knowledge, this job is in Central Oklahoma. I met with the "man" and presented my price. And was told he expected to pay between $32,000 and $34,000 per year - March to March for the job.

I thanked him for his time and moved on to the next customer. Recon I did wrong?

[Appalachian landscape]

You should have told him you could do it if he pays cash. :D

Disclaimer:
The preceeding statement was a joke and in no way a reflection of the poster or how the poster engages in a legal business transaction.

just in case...before the tax nazis of the board come after me.

[dvmcmrhp52]

Maybe read the thread concerning no more apartment complexes...............

[rodfather]

Curious as to what you quoted for this 15 acre complex...

[Turf Dancer]

I am also wondering what you did quote for this also. I have a rough estimate in my head depending on a few things. I really think my bid would have been pretty close to $33,600 why did you not get this? Was your price through the roof?

[Richard L.]

Thanks for your responses, this job was costed out at $28,200 without spraying - which could have been easily taken care of for extra payment. However, the Facility wanted to pay over a 12 month period, March to March. When I questioned why the grounds looked so neglected, they told me they fired the last landscaper in September of last year! [Since he was being paid March to March - I wondered if he got paid for the last 3 months of 2004?]. They wouldn't agree to pay month to month for our services, but insisted it be averaged out over the 12 month period.

:D

[Appalachian landscape]

If you take the account and they don't pay, take them to court. at your 28k proposal 3 months of that would be $7,050, well worth a court battle to me. :gunsfirin

[Turf Dancer]

They are obligated to pay you the full amount, I have a friend that had a customer try to get out of the contract at the end of the season when the contract did not end until Feb 28th. He had his lawyer send them a copy of the contract with the payment agreement and terms of contract highlighted, he also had the lawyer send them a bill for collections and legal fees of which they ended up paying for those as well. Their excuse is that the previous administrator had signed the agreement and they did not feel they were liable for a contract someone else signed. Poor excuse for trying to get out of a contract.