Do you have a lawn service?

[ducklite]

I've never had a lawn service, always took care of it myself. but we're building a home in Florida that we won't be living in full-time, so we'll need to get a service to come every week or two. (Hoping we can get two weeks out of each service!) I have no idea how much this type of service costs, and can't get a quote until the house is done (it's new construction.)

So, how much do you pay? Just trying to get a ballpark figure if anyone can give me some ideas.

Anne

 

[marlasmom]

We pay $25/week. They mow, edge and clean up the flower beds.

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

you should be able to get a general idea by asking some of your neighbors who they use and what they pay.


the pricing is pretty uniform. there are three or four different lawn service providers who come to my neighborhood, and there isn't much difference in price. it's calculated by the size of your lawn, what extra services you may need (our gardener charges an extra fee when he trims hedges or does plantings for us, for example), and how often your property is serviced.

 

[holycow]

Yes, I too would ask your neighbors...cause I sure had Lawn service shock when I moved here! We paid our lawn service maybe 40$ a month and they did EVERYTHING!

When we moved to FL I paid 160$ a month just to have the lawn mowed and edged! That didn't even include the scrubs trimmed!...That was for once a week cause the grass grows so fast here....especially during the summer/ raining season....

(I had 4 estimates given and this guy was the LOW end!)

Holycow

 

[Saffron]

Holycow, Holycow!

We were quoted $12.50 a week for mowing and trimming or edging. But our lawn is a rather large lawn compared to the rest of the neighborhood, so he upped to $15.00. Nothing like Holycow's!

 

[Miss Kelly]

I just asked my Mom and she said we pay $30 a week for lawn service(in the summer). Keep in mind that we have a large lawn and lots of edging, not to mention that our front bank has to be mowed with a weed eater only!

 

[ducklite]

Thanks everyone! I had absolutely no idea how much they charged, so this gives me at least a "ballpark".

Great idea about asking neighbors for referrals as well, There's at least two others in the community that use their places as second homes, so they must also use a service. I'll see if I can find out who they use. Maybe they'll give a discount if enough people in the same neighborhood use the same service? Worth checking into I suppose

Anne

 

[Loubon]

You can also get a service that only feeds and fertilizes the lawn. I don't know what they use that is different from what you can buy but it always looks much better. We pay about $50 for either 4 or 5 treatments a year (between March and November) for large property. We're in NJ too and use Lawn Doctor.

Oh, and you made the DIS Class Yearbook too!

 

[Wagamama]

yes...me. I'm my parents lawn and garden service

 

[ducklite]

Thanks Lou! Unfortunately what I need is mowing service. We'll be there often enough to turn the much and trim the shrubs ourselves, but the weekly mowing will need to be done.

What is the DIS Class Yearbook?

Anne

 

[Loubon]

What is the DIS Class Yearbook?
Anne [/B]

Just look at the recent posts....you'll see it.

 

[Talking Hands]

$25 for lawn mowing biweekly. Extra for trimming trees and the like.

 

[ducklite]

Thanks Lou!

I'll have to show my DH that one--he'll get a kick out of it

Anne

 

[GladysK]

I'd seriously look into Xeroscaping(speling wrong-sorry)-a type of no care,very low watering landscaping that is very popular in Florida.

 

[ducklite]

Thanks Gladys!

I wish we could do something like that, but the association where we'll be has some pretty stringent rules on landscaping. We're hoping to be able to use landscaping rock rather than mulch, especially around the house, but don't know if it's going to fly.

I know that the lawn definitely has to be sodded and then mowed. I'm definitely looking to go as low maitenance as I can though.

Any other suggestions from anyone are welcome please, especially if you live in Central Florida and know what works and what doesn't in the area.

Does anyone know how much care palm trees require, as I'd like a couple of them.

Anne

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font color=navy>I live in Los Angeles, and have a good sized yard. I pay $65 a month, and the gardeners come once a week, and mow and edge the back & front yards, and about every other month, they do some major trimming. They charge more to have trees cut down, etc., of course.

I think asking neighbors for comparative prices is a good idea.

 

[Mad4Mickey]

Well we are in Texas and so it is a little cheaper then Fla. We pay 50 a week and he does both the front and back yard. He cleans up after himself and he cleans any grass that gets into the pool ( we cant bag it here ) . He is great !

 

[KittenLittle]

Our lot is pretty big-about 1.75 acres-but a lot is dense woods,but still a fair amount of zoysia grass. Since we moved in 1998,we have had a lawn service that mows,edges,vacuums,hauls off debris,for $116 a month.That covers every other week service.Then another $48, 7 times a year to the ChemLawn folks.We also have pretty strict neighborhood assoc. covenants. It really does depend on your area and what the market will bear.

 

[GladysK]

Originally posted by ducklite

Does anyone know how much care palm trees require, as I'd like a couple of them.

Anne

I have a few.The 2 that are now 15' or so tall, need the old dying palms cut off every other month or so. As the palm leaves are cut off ,the stub remains and your palm slowly grows taller. Mine have very large thorns on the branches and require a small saw to cut the thick stems (I have a long tree trimming pole with a saw attached to do the job)