The Green Industry's Resource Center

rjh4758 · #1 05-31-2010, 09:53 PM

I mowed the wrong yard today. Had new customer contact me this week to start mowing 4 rentals they have. They gave me directions to 3 of them and an address to the forth. There happened to be 2 red homes with cream shutters on the same street.

I just unloaded and made the first pass when a car pulled in. I could tell he wanted to talk so I stopped. That's when he told me I was at the wrong place. Then he asked me how much to mow his yard so I told him the price and said to just finish mowing because he didn't have the time to do it. So I picked up an extra yard.

Thankfully the right home had the same size yard so my estimate was OK.

Ever happen to anyone else?

CowboysLawnCare · #2 05-31-2010, 09:55 PM

Haha, no, it hasn't happened yet but I always worry about it.

unkownfl · #3 05-31-2010, 09:56 PM

Maybe I should just drive around and mow yards that need it lol. I had a friend help me on busy day he edged the wrong yard guess he didn't see me go through the gate lol. This is why OSHA requires pre-job briefings.

bobhardt · #4 05-31-2010, 09:57 PM

No but it has crossed my mind before when Im on a new property for the first time. " Am I at the right address?"

FiveOJoe · #5 05-31-2010, 10:00 PM

No, but I know a lady who came home one day and a roofer was just finishing her new roof, which she didn't order.

He was on a "Lane" when he should have been around the corner on a "Court".

rjh4758 · #6 05-31-2010, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FiveOJoe

No, but I know a lady who came home one day and a roofer was just finishing her new roof, which she didn't order.

He was on a "Lane" when he should have been around the corner on a "Court".

ouch!!!! That one cost$$$

Turf Dawg · #7 05-31-2010, 10:10 PM

Not personally, but yes some of my employees [when I had them] have mowed the wrong place before. One time they mowed a small apartment when they were supposed to mow the duplexes beside them and to make matters worse one had a trash bag in his back pocket which got sucked into a backpack blower.

coxslawncare · #8 05-31-2010, 10:16 PM

pulled up to a rental property at the begining of this year, there were 2 houses on the street. One yard was calf high the other had a guy just finishing the yard. I didnt pay any attention, talked to the tenant and cut the tall yard. The next week I get a call asking if I had cut the property I had been asked about. Turns out the one I was supposed to cut was the one getting cut, the girls dad had come over to cut it and we just happened to be there at the same time. Still got paid for it though so it was ok

DJJS · #9 05-31-2010, 10:24 PM

it's crossed my mind a few times but haven't done it yet, I've had my guys plow the wrong driveways though

nepatsfan · #10 05-31-2010, 10:29 PM

Years ago a friend of mine asked me to mow some of his lawns for him. He was a part time landscaper and didnt have time that week. He gave me the wrong address. I went up and knocked on the door and no one answered so I unloaded, started mowing and a guy came out yelling at me that he just seeded his lawn. The lawn was high but I saw the seed which is why I knocked and called my buddy. He said the guy called him the other day saying it really needed to be mowed, I described the house and he said go ahead. What a pita...the guy freaked a little. Thats what I get for trying to do favors for people. It was in a cookie cutter neighborhood and it just so happened that the houses looked very similar, same color and everything.

Last year one of my customers had guys start to demo her deck. Set up tools and sawzalled her railings off before she noticed. I ended up building her a new deck.