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TLS

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Good customer.

This is the ONLY irrigated property that I treat/mow.

Over the past few years I have been noticing 2 sprinkler heads not retracting into the ground after sprinkler system stops.

No big deal, I tap them with my foot and they then go down.

I notified the customer about this the past 2 seasons. Nothing done about it.

Decided to use the 21" push mower and mow a lap around the house/driveway (I do this from time to time on weeks I don't string trim). Wouldn't you know it.... the head was up, and somehow I was day dreaming and I merely tapped it with the front skirt of the push mower. Snapped it right off!

I then knocked on door and apologized to owner. Showed him what had happened, and why (because this head doesn't properly retract). Indicating that I think these heads are getting old/wearing out or something because they still aren't all going down. I close the conversation by apologizing again. He mentions that they will be out in a week or so to winterize and that he'll have the sprinkler company take care of it then. I casually mentioned for him to send me the bill and he said, "NO, don't worry about it. I should have had them fixed already". No big deal.

Well, today, I got a copy of the bill. $40.40 for a Rain Bird 4" Rotor Head including installation.


Is this something that happens often?

When winterizing, if a head doesn't retract, do you notify customer?

Is 1/4 hour labor and $23 a decent price for the repair?

And finally, are mower guys traditionally responsible for this?
 
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#2 ·
If they were already out there to do another job, winterizing, then that is absolutely a fair price. If I was called out to replace one 4" Rainbird 5004 rotor, it would be:
$70 for first half hour labor
$26 for the rotor head

Since it is something that you notified the customer about a couple times, really it shouldn't be your responsibility. But it's a question of will you lose the customer if you complain about it. Is it worth losing him/her, or worth paying for it?
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
I'm paying the bill. No questions asked.

After all, I originally offered to. I broke it, I bought it!

And obviously he must have told his wife to send me the bill. (since that's what She did)

System (7 zones) is about 10 years old.
 
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#4 ·
I would NEVER pay for sprinkler damage, unless it was caused by something stupid you did, like scalping a lawn to the dirt.
I told all my customers the same thing: " I mow at 3" or higher. If I hit a sprinkler head at that mowing height, something is wrong with your sprinkler system. Either it is not installed properly, or it is not working properly. I do not pay for damage to sprinkler systems, period".
No way you should pay for that. The head malfunctioned, it is not your fault.
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
These heads stick up a good 4-6". I was mowing at 3" (Late October)

This is not something that could be mowed over when extended.

I'm just surprised that the system has never come on while I'm mowing over top of a head! It has come on a half dozen times while I'm there mowing (that's another issue!!!), but never when I'm near a head!
 
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#6 ·
TLS you are the kind of maintenance guy every irrigator wishes their customers were using. You have that rare ingredient common sense. I'm pretty disgusted with your customer for sending you that bill. Most of the mower guys I've dealt with would have left without saying a thing. Assuming the laborer that did it even tells them.
When I had the rare maintenance guy that was that honest I would give him the repair as a freebie to take care of all his customers.
 
#7 ·
Is the price fair? Yes.

Will you ever call this company to do any work for you? NO.

That is why when a LCO calls me out to fix something they broke, I fix it at cost and give them a few of my cards. I ask them to report any problems with sprinkler systems to all thier other home owners and refer me to fix it.

Why I do this is because around here most LCO's fix it themselves license or no license. That is if they even mention that they broke somethng to begin with. So someone that reports a problem then declines to fix it is an honest person I want to do sub work for.

*Edit*- You also just earned the respect of your homeowner for 45 bucks. He most likely will keep you around for being honest and footing the bill.
 
#8 ·
txirrigation said:
*Edit*- You also just earned the respect of your homeowner for 45 bucks. He most likely will keep you around for being honest and footing the bill.
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Not necessarily. The customer said "don't worry about it I should have fixed it already". Then went and sent the lawn guy the bill anyway? That type of customer could be the type to switch to another lawn service just to save $5 a week.
 
#11 ·
I would raise the price for mowing $5 per cut after that. You offered to pay for it but you are expecting the client to say "NO, don't worry about it. I should have had them fixed already" and that should have been the last you hear of it. You told him it needs to be fixed and have given him ample time to get it sorted. To then send you the bill when he has admitted he should have had it fixed is pathetic. Pay the bill and notify him that the price is going up. If he gets someone else in, so be it. You don't need customers like that.
 
#12 ·
Autoflow said:
If he gets someone else in, so be it. You don't need customers like that.
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Clients are notorious for switching maintenance crews. Lucky for us in our market is we knew all the companies and could only scratch our heads when the "boot" came. I certainly appreciated the lawn guys to call me if they noticed something wrong (whether they hit it or not), who cares what happened, get it fixed. I never had a client pimp the lawn guys (string trimers can do a number on rotors). If I ever heard he did, "cone markers in the back & etc., etc.)
 
#13 ·
I figure if a mower breaks a head it was either faulty (not retracting) or installed wrong. That said, when our mow crews break a head, we just replace it for free, it's not worth hassleing over. On any install work we've done, I tell the customer that if the mow crew damages anything that wasn't faulty, we'll take care of it no charge because it means we did something wrong.

As to your questions, the price is very reasonable and no, you shouldn't be paying for it but $45 isn't worth quiveling over with a customer that is probably worth over $1,000/yr and is consistent billing. Everybody should have at least a 10% screw up fee in their pricing, and this is only 5%.
 
Discussion starter · #18 ·
FIMCO-MEISTER said:
TLS you are the kind of maintenance guy every irrigator wishes their customers were using. You have that rare ingredient common sense.
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Thank You. I like to think I am/do.

txirrigation said:
Is the price fair? Yes.

Will you ever call this company to do any work for you? NO.

That is why when a LCO calls me out to fix something they broke, I fix it at cost and give them a few of my cards. I ask them to report any problems with sprinkler systems to all thier other home owners and refer me to fix it.

Why I do this is because around here most LCO's fix it themselves license or no license. That is if they even mention that they broke somethng to begin with. So someone that reports a problem then declines to fix it is an honest person I want to do sub work for.

*Edit*- You also just earned the respect of your homeowner for 45 bucks. He most likely will keep you around for being honest and footing the bill.
Click to expand...
I only have this ONE client that has irrigation. That's unfortunate, as this Summer was a killer on any non irrigated lawn. I likely wouldn't call this company in the future because they are not local. They are out of Delaware. I spend my money local, preferably with owner/operated companies.

I have taken care of this client for about 10 years. I don't usually have problems keeping clients that I want to keep. Honesty and a bunch of other things are what keeps a client.

WalkGood said:
Not necessarily. The customer said "don't worry about it I should have fixed it already". Then went and sent the lawn guy the bill anyway? That type of customer could be the type to switch to another lawn service just to save $5 a week.
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Long story, but not very likely. I treat them well, and in return they do the same.

FIMCO-MEISTER said:
I agree Walkgood. I've heard that there is a lot of Quaker frugality in PA which I can respect but this went a little too far.
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That there is a good one! :)

Autoflow said:
I would raise the price for mowing $5 per cut after that. You offered to pay for it but you are expecting the client to say "NO, don't worry about it. I should have had them fixed already" and that should have been the last you hear of it. You told him it needs to be fixed and have given him ample time to get it sorted. To then send you the bill when he has admitted he should have had it fixed is pathetic. Pay the bill and notify him that the price is going up. If he gets someone else in, so be it. You don't need customers like that.
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My prices go up every year.

I will pay the bill, and life will go on.

bcg said:
I figure if a mower breaks a head it was either faulty (not retracting) or installed wrong. That said, when our mow crews break a head, we just replace it for free, it's not worth hassleing over. On any install work we've done, I tell the customer that if the mow crew damages anything that wasn't faulty, we'll take care of it no charge because it means we did something wrong.

As to your questions, the price is very reasonable and no, you shouldn't be paying for it but $45 isn't worth quiveling over with a customer that is probably worth over $1,000/yr and is consistent billing.
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Add another zero to that figure! And then double it because I take care of the office complex they own as well! Very good client.

Cloud9Landscapes said:
If a head breaks while I am mowing, well tough sh*t maybe you should of not had some HD laborers install your system. A properly placed head will not break while mowing. I will gladly replace that head for you parts + labor.
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As stated previously, the head was not retracting.

Thanks for all your input guys. In a way I wish more clients had sprinkler systems, but they seem to be a high maintenance luxury (especially if you pay for your water) type thing. Most of my properties are 3/4 acre and up.

This particular job is 5+ acres of turf, but only about 1 acre of that is irrigated. Their extensive landscaping beds are irrigated as well.

Oh, and I failed to mention...about 5 years ago I hit another head along the driveway with my snowplow. It is only 4" from the blacktop. I offered to pay then and never saw a bill. We mark all heads along the driveway now in the Winter!
 
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Discussion starter · #20 ·
Waterit said:
System that old should have a good going-through and updating anyway.

Amazed you haven't hit every head on the property!
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Ummm..... I don't know the first thing about irrigation, but the heads are only 4" when the system is ON, or in this case, when they wear out.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
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