The Green Industry's Resource Center

nobagger · #31 10-06-2012, 06:10 PM

Been there, I know exactly what you mean. We plowed a 2+ acre lot at a church for years and salted on occasion. After a couple seasons I get a call from a friend who is a member and he tells me the new Pastor wants to plow this himself with his garden tractor...."with his what!!!!". At least the voice of reason took over and the board said no to him,lol But now a low baller has it. We plowed it for 105.00 per time and this new guy plowing is at 40 bucks! Yes 40 bucks.

mowerman90 · #32 10-06-2012, 06:59 PM

I recently lost a large church job to the churches janitor. I'd been doing it for the last 3 years without a single complaint. The janitor has a Toro timecutter. He's one of those drug rehab cases with rotted teeth and got the janitor job cause they felt sorry for him. I don't know if the mowing is part of his janitorial duties or not. He doesn't own an edger and the 1/8 mile of sidewalks looks it with grass and weeds growing 6 inches over the sidewalk. If they asked me to come back I'd say no thanks. I should of never taken it in the first place and stuck to my policy of never work for "Doctors, Lawyers or Clergy" cause sooner or later you'll get screwed.

pseudosun · #33 10-06-2012, 08:08 PM

One of my best customers is a judge and it's a great account. She (judges wife) raises my price more than anyone. It's up to $60, and it takes me 30 minutes.

LewisLawn · #34 10-06-2012, 08:14 PM

been there before brother, got a church now that i've been mowing for the past 11 last year they asked if because of budgetary concerns they needed me to mow for three months in the summer for free, if i didnt want to they had another member who would mow those months i would only need to mow months needed other that june july and august. well i didnt want to chance the other guy screwing things up or them going with him fulltime so i agreed to it...i want to get the nerve to ask them if they do the same for the guy that plows for them or for other repairs if they only have them done during certain months or tell the repairmen that they will pay when funds are available.

CITY PARK CUTTER · #35 10-06-2012, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mowerman90

I recently lost a large church job to the churches janitor. I'd been doing it for the last 3 years without a single complaint. The janitor has a Toro timecutter. He's one of those drug rehab cases with rotted teeth and got the janitor job cause they felt sorry for him. I don't know if the mowing is part of his janitorial duties or not. He doesn't own an edger and the 1/8 mile of sidewalks looks it with grass and weeds growing 6 inches over the sidewalk. If they asked me to come back I'd say no thanks. I should of never taken it in the first place and stuck to my policy of never work for "Doctors, Lawyers or Clergy" cause sooner or later you'll get screwed.

It'll happen...I like your policy. My slowest pays are doctors by the way. Not super late but right at due date, never early like everybody else.

clydebusa · #36 10-07-2012, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CITY PARK CUTTER

It'll happen...I like your policy. My slowest pays are doctors by the way. Not super late but right at due date, never early like everybody else.

Same here my biggest account is a doctor and he is always right on time.
30 days. Will not work for lawyers if I know ahead of time and when I find out looking to drop them as soon as possible.

pseudosun · #37 10-07-2012, 10:17 AM

I will try hard to stay away from lawyers. This one guy wanted to talk about the previous job before sending me a check. I had to go back a few times for details before he'd pay me. I also think he was always late paying in hopes that i didn't keep good books. That never worked for him. He tried it once, and i showed him my calendar with check numbers (and lack of check number

He couldn't produce check image, and he was a little shocked that had my bases covered like that.