Thursday, August 18, 2011

Rose Field Reality

We had a bit of a misunderstanding in our communication with the landscaper that was here on Monday clearing weeds from the Rose Field.

The sun rising this morning, on a whole new situation.


The price we thought we were paying per hour for the whole crew of three workers was actually the price he was quoting for ONE person ... which means that Monday actually cost us three times what we thought it did. This is highway robbery and we would never have agreed to this price if we had understood the full amount. 

The landscaper didn't make his terms clear, and we didn't ask him to be more specific.  We accepted his oral quote on good recommendation from someone we trust ... not knowing that it would bite us in the butt like this.  We will be calling him later today to see if we can get the price reduced.  Needless to say, this man will NOT be working here again ... my pockets are not that deep.  In fact, my pockets are pretty nearly empty at this point.

Lesson learned:  Get a written quote from now on.  I usually do this, but I made an exception in this case.  Never again!

Now I have to get busy and clear my own weeds.

Anyone interested in a work party?  I'll feed ya.

22 comments:

  1. I think there is something in Contract Law which states a contract is null & void if both parties where not aware of all major points....? or something?
    Good luck
    x

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  2. The entire thing sounds as though it was very misleading... I'd not pay the full amount. Sounds like perhaps you've been cheated a teeny bit.. okay, a whole lot! Try to work something out that will suit both of you.

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  3. ouch! that is why I usually ask for a bid by the job instead of an hourly rate, that way there are no surprises about price. Ellie

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  4. I would for sure negotiate this price. Wow that is way too much. People should be glad to get work and not gouge someone! Good Luck!

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  5. Ouch! If he has any integrity, he'll negotiate the price to a satisfactory one.

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  6. Around here, the charge is $55 per man hour -- yes, each man, each hour -- for stuff like pulling weeds. OUCH. We did have it done last fall but it was crazy expensive, and some of them didn't distinguish between WEEDS and PERENNIALS and I lost a lot of plants that way!

    Lesson learned.
    Yard work is awfully expensive, except for lawn mowing -- that's not bad, so we still have that done.

    I don't do things with sharp whirly blades, and Howard doesn't have enough time at home to do it!

    But, yeah, weeding? I'm on my own now... which is why this place is starting to look pretty seedy.

    Cass

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  7. UGH! I'm so sorry, and it's too bad because you would have used them again, and again had the price been more reasonable. We had this happen with a painter once and our jaws hit the floor when the bill arrived!

    Kat

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  8. I hate when that happens! I think clear communication with the customer is one of the finer points in business and is one of the better ways to increase business. Your landscaper failed, miserably and deserves to not have your repeat business.

    Bless your heart.

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  9. Last year I paid someone to pull weeds and cut down bushes. This year on a day that I was mad at the world I went out and successfully pulled 6 large bags of weeds - good therapy.

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  10. Teri, I went out before it got hot and worked pulling weeds. Frustration is a great motivator --I cleared almost half a row by myself. I would have gotten more done if I had started earlier. Had to stop when it started to get hot.

    (There's no email available for you, otherwise you would have received a nice, private email response. Please consider making your email address visible. It doesn't contribute to an increase in spam, I promise.)

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  11. Anger is quite the motivating force. What better use for it than weed pulling?

    Seriously, how aggravating a situation to be in! I wouldn't give up on finding a reasonably priced landscape person, but can see how you'd just want to do the weeding yourself after what happened.

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  12. I'd be careful about not paying him--if he is not a good fellow, he could do something mean. ??? I would be happy to help you weed in exchange for roses if I lived nearby. :) I know what you mean about your weeding with frustration. I call it "weed therapy". It's amazing how much you can get done! All that productivity helps mood too. :)

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  13. Wow - Is that the way they are usually paid? Perhaps he is used to people knowing that it's actually 3x the price, and just assumed you knew. I would not be happy. A painful lesson to learn.

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  14. Hi Connie. You commented on my blog (about Thankful Thursdays). I came to your blog to see what it was about, and we are located very close to each other. I'm in Orange. I'd love to visit you, and your roses and the greyhounds. I love both. I have 2 small dogs but I always spend a long time petting the greyhounds whenever I see them at events. :-)
    Martha

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  15. Dear Connie, I am so sorry you had this awful experience. I am afraid we are too trusting and don't get written contracts. Consequently, we have also been stung more than once. P. x
    PS Great sunrise picture!

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  16. I had to catch up. I was coming back to comment on the no flash post but you've posted so many since there....You prolific little blogger you ...haha

    Oh don't get me started on weeds.Getting hubby as I write this to mix some round up in my sprayer. It is a battle to keep those weeds down. I feel your pain.

    That was really not right of that landscaper to give you a quote on only 1 guy. Who does that?
    We just had our friend knock down our autumn olive along the road but he doesn't charge us that much. We're lucky.

    I'm with you I try not to use a flash as much as possible.

    x
    C
    ps I've had great luck using black plastic in the garden.
    C

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  17. That's sure not a good way for the landscaper to do business! He should know that he won't have a return customer now. I hope you get a reduced price for the misunderstanding.

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  18. Oh, the lessons we learn. Doesn't sound like he explained how he charges too clearly. I've learned the hard way myself. It only takes once ... now I know the questions to ask.

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  19. Never heard of a PER PERSON rate! That's really misleading.

    The landscaper that I've used always quoted the whole job, in writing. Didn't matter how many people he brought as long as he did it for the quoted price.

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  20. Frustration weeding...been there, done that! In fact, as I was going through my beds this spring, I would get flashbacks of the things I was stewing about while weeding the same spot the year before!
    Isn't it crazy just how quickly an area can get out of control? Just remember....Roundup is your friend. :)
    And mine.

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  21. Hi, we have had work done both - costs per person, and for the total job. I was astonished when I read the first post about the weeding and thought, wow, that would be incredibly expensive around here. Never had quote in writing as we trusted the contractors and were lucky.

    hope you can work out a negotiated lower price, good luck. I also agree on taking frustrations out on the weeds!

    Leslie

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