topic Re: Landscapers' billing practices.... in Home

Landscapers' billing practices....

seaswirl — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 14:45:53 GMT

We just started using a landscaping service this fall. It seems that they bill in advance of when the work is completed. For the ‘leaf blowing” service they billed us for 4 visits at $75/per visit. The leaf blowing season was over, and I realized that they only came 3 times because 1 time was rained out. I emailed them and told them that they were only there 3 times. They got back to me and said they don’t really give credit for missed visits because at the final visit, there would be double the leaves and they’d get them all at that time.. What’s up with that? At that rate, they should only come once at the end of the season and get ALL of the leaves in one shot. Your thoughts?

Re: Landscapers' billing practices....

pattypeep — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 14:50:00 GMT

Not sure that would work for me. Our current landscapers are my dh and I, but at one time we did have one when we had more rentals. A wonderful husband and wife and they charged a monthly fee, but not in advance. If there was something that needed doing that was extra, they would contact us and ask if we would like them to do it. Worked out very well for us. Weather is too unpredictable to charge ahead for services, IMO.

Re: Landscapers' billing practices....

pattypeep — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 14:52:53 GMT

PS: We just contracted with an arborist to clean up and shape a 40 year old cedar tree. They want NO money until the work is completed. Same with a new roof and house painting that we had done last year.

Re: Landscapers' billing practices....

millieshops — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 14:53:31 GMT

@seaswirlWhen I owned my Long Island house, my landscaper came more than once to do the leaves. I agreed with that because I didn't want wet, heavy plies of leaves sitting on my lawn for weeks.

But, I was not billed in advance. There was a small fee added to maybe two biweekly mowings and then one larger fee for the final cleanup of the fall. There was another fee (smaller than that final fall fee) to start the spring. So, in a way I did pay 4 fees - just not in advance of the work.

I'm not mentioning dollars because I sold that house a few years back. Also, not sure it made a difference, but I had the same small company working in my yard for about 20 years and the owner was one of the workers.

Re: Landscapers' billing practices....

Deanie — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 15:06:57 GMT

I guess the best answer to your question is a question. What industry bills in advance? Dentists? Medical professional? Go through a list and answer the query. Even contractors building a house take intermittent draws. If it were me, I would look elsewhere for my needs.

Re: Landscapers' billing practices....

2blonde — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 15:30:50 GMT

@seaswirl I think you need a different landscaping company. My BIL has worked for several companies over the years in that business, and they never charged in advance.

Re: Landscapers' billing practices....

GCR18 — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 16:03:28 GMT

Depending on how big the yard is, $300 for removal seems like a good price. The billing practices though are the deal breaker, especially since you didn't get what you paid for. You paid for four visits, not three. If they won't negotiate the payment terms, I'd be looking for someone else.

Re: Landscapers' billing practices....

fashionqueen — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 16:48:39 GMT

I'm with most of the other responses ... look elsewhere services. Billing in advance is not a good business practice. What would happen if they went belly up and you've already paid them?

Re: Landscapers' billing practices....

Cookie2025 — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 17:06:58 GMT

I wonder if they PAID THEIR WORKERS on the days of they where rained out and where unable to rake the leaves.

I would look elsewhere.

Re: Landscapers' billing practices....

Nightowlz — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 17:19:31 GMT

DH takes care of our yard. No way would I pay up front for the season. What if they close the business? I guarantee you won't get a refund. I would find some one else to the job.

Re: Landscapers' billing practices....

Peaches McPhee — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 17:59:32 GMT

@Deanie wrote:
I guess the best answer to your question is a question. What industry bills in advance? Dentists? Medical professional? Go through a list and answer the query. Even contractors building a house take intermittent draws. If it were me, I would look elsewhere for my needs.

I pay in advance for my lawn service and my snow plowing (both seasonal -- pay for the season at the beginning of the season.) They are both on a contract.

Re: Landscapers' billing practices....

Doxielover — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 21:09:24 GMT

I would also find another landscaper. What if they had taken your money and completed NO work or went belly-up? You should NOT have to pay in advance.

Re: Landscapers' billing practices....

PINKdogWOOD — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 22:05:55 GMT

Even contract work is not billed in advance. I would not be paying in advance for this either.

My husband is a landscaper, actually does all phases of 'yard' work ie sales/estimates, installs, water features, irrigation, who knows what his current boss gets him into.

In any event he's been doing this work for 40 years and never has any one of his clients been billed in advance for anything.

As many others indicate, find yourself another company.

Re: Landscapers' billing practices....

151949 — Wed, 16 Dec 2015 02:55:56 GMT

If you have something in writing that says 4 visits and they did not come 4 times then you can go to the magistrate. However, if you don't have anything in writing - shame on you.

Re: Landscapers' billing practices....

Desertdi — Wed, 16 Dec 2015 14:28:58 GMT

Just about everything around here is "half down, remainder on completion".

Re: Landscapers' billing practices....

Susan Louise — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 01:40:48 GMT

We are a member of Angie's List...worth every penny of about $12 a year. We have used it numerous times and has been VERY helpful in weeding out the good, bad and ugly contractors and businesses.

We have used the site for our new roof/gutters, fencing, landscaping, new cement patio (just had done in November), kitchen flooring installation, plumber for hooking up our new dishwasher, heating/cooling installation of our new Lennox system 3 yrs ago...and other things.

It has saved us the hassle, headaches of having to deal with less reputable companies/services...and saved money as well...from making sure we got quality service and not having to pay another service to 'fix' a botched job!

In many cases, if one goes the cheapest route...as the saying goes...you get what you pay for...sad, but true...

I highly recommend checking out Angie's List

Re: Landscapers' billing practices....

mousiegirl — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 18:30:08 GMT

I just underwent a huge remodeling project last year. I paid a certain amount at the beginning, around $2,000.00 just to cement the contract, then along the way I was billed for completion of whatever they had been working on, i.e., foundation poured, one check,new electric wiring, one check, etc., etc., and I couldn't just write one check, I had to write a check for each part, drove me crazy.

No way does one pay half down for a construction project as the cost is immense, and contractors aren't allowed to charge for work they have not done.

Re: Landscapers' billing practices....

PINKdogWOOD — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 20:12:50 GMT

@Susan Louise Yes Ms Susan I totally agree. I too am a member of Angie's list and found my painting contractor who did an excellent job this summer with his crew of 5-6 who painted the exterior from top to bottom there, my home insulators who insulated top to bottom prior to the painters. I also just signed on with a prof gutter team to clean out the gutters one more time first week in January now that the cedar has dropped all of its needles.

I love Angie's list. All of my guys have tons of all 'A' ratings, write ups about everything I need to know before I invite anybody in and around my property to do work for me.

And on Angie's list after all of my workers finished, I jumped on the list to write my reviews too. I love to read them and I love to write them.

Re: Landscapers' billing practices....

novamc1 — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 20:32:23 GMT

Every time a contractor tries to get me to pay half down upfront (and they almost all do), he gets a LOT of pushback. I'm willing to do 20 percent and at most, one-third, depending on how much I think they need to spend just to purchase materials to start the job

It doesn't matter what their "company policy" happens to be. I've never had one turn down my proposition regarding the timing and amount of payments. They might not like it, but they do it.

Re: Landscapers' billing practices....

Snoopp — Sat, 19 Dec 2015 16:29:16 GMT

I have had two misses and one hit with Angie's list. I'm not sure everyone is comfortable with writing reviews.