Landscapers...

[dpaull 80]

So I cleaned about 300 linear foot of 2&3 story house today. White, vinyl siding...It turned out beautifully.

Anyway...as soon as I was finished, and waiting for the siding to finish drying, and setting up to start the deck, a landscape truck pulled up and off jump 3 guys with their mowers and weedwackers...

--

Rewind to the beginning of the job...I couldn't imagine why the mildew/stain was so bad on the whole bottom of the house. It was just green with stain so bad. The back was worse than the side I am about to show you a picture of...

--

Came pretty clean...like new! lol

--

So I'm adding extra hose, making sure I can reach the deck, setting up my sprayer...

Wouldn't you know it...the whole entire bottom 3 feet of the house is just caked with grass after one pass of the mower and weedwacker.

Oh man I was kind of jacked...

I'm going to re-wash the bottom of the house when I go back to stain so the customer is happy and so I can have a good before/after set.

--

Oh yeah...wasp nests 3 stories up don't bother you if you're on the ground. There was two wasp nests up in the corners. I sprayed them and they got all jacked but never made it down to me. They were dive-bombing the siding though. That was intense.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

My kids watch this cartoon movie where the insects have to beat down the mean ol pesticide guy by dive bombing him....sounds like an interesting day ya had there David..

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

I would let the customer know about the landscapers so they can contact their office. I'm pretty sure a good company would address the issue. The owner needs to know they will soon have a dirty house again after spending good money if they do not call and report a problem.

Beth

[dpaull 80]

Yeah good idea beth...I did a walk-around with the customer, and explained what happened. Hey...maybe he'll want me back next year to clean it again :D ... job security.

The siding was 3 years old, never cleaned. Homeowner borrowed his neighbors pwasher once and blew some paint off around the door and a strip of siding off, so he won't be trying it again.

I did apply a wax to protect the siding and make it easier to clean in the future though.

[rholman 14]

doesn't the lawnmower guy know that you deflect your cut grass the other direction....away from the house?

[MMI Enterprises 289]

yea..Or use one that sucks it all rather than deflects.. helps to start at the house with bag empty with most mowers.

[dpaull 80]

lol...you'd think. These guys didn't do that thorough of a job to be honest. Took about 10 minutes and there's a good 3 acres.

I'd offer to cut it myself but it probably cost as much in gas to get there as he pays to have the grass cut.

[bigchaz 157]

No way a landscape company would bag the grass. But they should at least do two mower widths around the perimeter and house/drive to keep the clippings in the center of the yard

[MMI Enterprises 289]

No way a landscape company would bag the grass. But they should at least do two mower widths around the perimeter and house/drive to keep the clippings in the center of the yard

Seriously??..wow!! that a different world back East. Everything get's bagged here. They would get booted and laughed off property whether residential or commercial if clippings not bagged.

[dpaull 80]

Around here, some do...some don't. I would imagine it's a different price. Most of the guys on the huge riding mowers aren't bagging at all. But I saw a dump truck with a 6x12 trailer today...the trailer had all the equipment, and the dump truck was FULL of fresh grass clippings and two trash cans piled on top.

[bigchaz 157]

Wow never knew it was completely different out west. Never seen a company bag around here. Dump fees would probably make bagging cost customers 20 percent more at least. Not to mention the time factor required to bag grass. Good mower will mulch long wet grass with very little noticeable affect. On some of these large office parks, unloading the mower bags would be a huge PITA. Mulching the grass helps retain moisture and can also equal about a third of the nitrogen normally applied through fertilization programs

[MMI Enterprises 289]

They do them often enough to where it is not a huge burden. They'll go around and set out the burlap tarps. One guy edges while another mows and then they blow and cleanup. The tarps are tied at corners and thrown up on trucks.

[dpaull 80]

Mulching the grass helps retain moisture and can also equal about a third of the nitrogen normally applied through fertilization programs

haha...that's what I've been saying for years. You mean I was telling the truth, not just being lazy?

[Tmrrptr 164]

You guys are gonna learn, sooner or later,

there's a difference between landscapers, and yard maintenance people.

I'm no expert in either one, but know there is a difference.

no water here in CA.

tiered water rates.

pretty soon grass ain't gonna grow!

except on the golf course.

Nobody messes w golfers.

r