Allways charge extra for an over grown lawn

[32vld]

A thank you to all those that advocate to charge extra when you have to turn a jungle back into a lawn.

Back in May a women with over grown lawn, she had a 20" pusher and all kinds of excuses, no husband, worthless sons, etc asked for a quote. I was seeing the money coming in every week so I just did it for the regular price. Two days later she cancels me. Said family emergencey was taking her out of state. I happen to drive by her home because it was on my route there she is with her 20" doing her own lawn.

Last week similar lady long with just as a long list of excuses as to why her property has been neglected and another new box store 20" pusher. Gave her my weekly price $33 plus sales tax. She was all smiles. Then I told her the first cut was going to be $99 + tax.

Then the smile was gone. Told she would call me.

Never has.

Any way a big thank you because this time this customer did not get away with abusing me.

[White Gardens]

I think you just figured out how to weed out the customers that really don't want a dedicated service.

I've found that if they are willing to pay up for the first knockdown mow, then they'll be a good weekly client.


.....

[yardguy28]

guess it depends on how out of control the lawn is but going from $33 to $99 as a first cut is a bit extreme.

there hasn't been an out of control lawn I've been asked to do that I can't do with normal trimming, normal edging, a little extra blowing and 2 passes with the mower, once side discharging and the second with the grass catcher or vice versa.

I generally charge $10 maybe $20 more for this type of service but certainly NOT triple the amount.

but then again like I said it depends on how overgrown we are talking and personally in my business I don't weed out certain people. I will work for anyone who pays the prices I give. whether that's regular service or one time jobs, even people who go on vacation and want there grass cut while they are gone.

I had a client who would mow, just mow, no trimming or edging 3 times out of the month and call me for that forth cut to edge, trim and all that. fine by me. she's since turned into a bi weekly client.

[TriCountyLawn]

If its tall I double the price and get paid prior to starting the job.

[Kelly's Landscaping]

Had a big lawn buy a lake ask to be off all July this year when he went to the cape. Said he wasn't going to water and didn't want to spend the money if he wasn't going to be here to enjoy it.

It's 20000 plus sqft of rolling hills and was 1-2 feet tall this week. Took 90 mins to tame a lawn that normally takes 30 mins. In this case I doubled the price from 50 to 100. I felt ok with that sure I lost a little but kept a client and now that hes back it will become easier with each passing week.

[herler]

I don't charge "extra" for over grown lawns, I charge accordingly, and I don't lowball it.

[v6rs97]

It has to be atleast 2.5 times Imo if its say 15"

[yardguy28]

Originally Posted by herler

I don't charge "extra" for over grown lawns, I charge accordingly, and I don't lowball it.

this is the BEST post in this thread.

what a great way to look at it and really the way we all should be looking at it.

[Nate'sLawnCare]

Yeah, it's frustrating doing overgrown lawns. My son does a yard for some friends from church and my wife won't let him charge them more than $40. It's nearly 3 acres, they only want it cut every 2 weeks, so it takes him over 2 hours. They just bought the house this spring and are waiting for the fall clearance sales to get a mower. Maybe I should just get my wife to help him cut and then see what she thinks it's really worth

[yardguy28]

how old is your son that he's letting his mother dictate the prices he charges???

I'm 31 and if my mom wanted me to mow one of her friends property's and tried to tell me how much to charge I'd tell her to go fly a kite.

I don't do discounts for anyone, friend, family or otherwise.