What should we expect from our gardener? We recently moved into a house in northern California and are paying...
We recently moved into a house in northern California and are paying a gardener $80/month to come every other and week and accomplish "maintenance" of our landscape. We expect him to mow the front and back pasture (~1000 sq/ft of total lawn), edge, weed, trim bushes/flowers, and any other basic upkeep. However it seem like he only mows the pasture, edges, and pulls "some" weeds. When we hired him 2 months ago we had a few unresponsive patches of grass -- those patches are still in attendance. After he leaves (he always seems to come when I'm not there) I identify there are still weeds within the grass and around the edges by the concrete. He also doesn't seem to touch our bushes/flowers. Are we expecting too much for what we're paying him? Thanks!
$80 a month? For 2 visits? In California?
You're getting a barter, my friend. Try and get a 16 year old kid for that price.
how often does he come a month? that's to be considered and i'd expect all weed to be pulled and for him to know the difference between weeds and flowering young plants i've have gardeners pull up my plants before thinking ,i guess, that they be weeds! duhhhhh haha That sound indistinguishable as my sisters experience in Concord. She would leave summary in his pay envelope and sometimes he would cart care of it. She tried withholding pay but be afraid of losing him. I think she was paying 60 for a drastically small yard.
Answers: I've been within the business for 20 years. I'm not sure about California, but here in NJ the price you are paying will typically only be a "lawn maintenance" price.
You really inevitability to get in touch next to this person & figure out exactly what you want him to do, and clear sure he understands the same. Even if he is merely providing "lawn service", if the job is not up to your standard, he wants to be told.
To give you a starting point, here's how I approach a new customer near what services I provide -
"Weekly or Bi-weekly Lawn Maintenance"
Mow lawn, trim (string-trimmer) lawn around flower bed & house, edge all sidewalks, blow stale debris.
Price $XX per cut, billed monthly
All other services billed separately
"Full Lawn Maintenance"
Weekly or Bi-weekly - Mow lawn, trim (string-trimmer) meadow around flower beds & house, edge adjectives sidewalks, blow off debris.
Apply proper seasonal fertilizer 4x per year
Reseed uncovered spots as needed
De-thatch and plug aerate lawn 1x per year
Price $XX per month, billed monthly
All other services billed separately
"Landscape Maintenance"
Weekly or Bi-weekly - Mow lawn, trim (string-trimmer) sward around flower beds & house, edge adjectives sidewalks, blow off debris.
Apply proper seasonal fertilizer 4x per year
Reseed uncovered spots as needed
De-thatch and plug aerate lawn 1x per year
Refill mulch beds 1x per year (spring)
Trim existing shrubs 1x per year (spring or fall)
Weed/spray mulch bed as needed
Weed/spray sidewalks/patios as needed
Dead-head perennials/annuals as needed
Price $XX per month, billed monthly
All other services billed separately
No tree trimming
Hope that helps - the key to this is communicating & getting everybody on one and the same page.
$80 for adjectives that?? I'm on the east coast and was paying mine $50 a week just to mow and border. All other services were extra.