Anyone on TB Hire Landscapers?

[PortlandBass77]

I've worked landscaping for many years, so I am wondering if anyone on TB hires landscapers for weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly maintenance, or if you just do the yard work yourself, or if a home owners association / someone else hires them for the lot.

 

[Pilgrim]

We have - once in 17 years, to work on some drainage problems. The regular stuff we do ourselves. Many people in our neighborhood (faculty, engineers, business people) have yard maintenance done, but some, like us, do it ourselves.

I've always been reluctant to hire people to do things I can do myself. Since I do carpentry, mechanics, electrical, yard work (relucantly) and most other things around the house, that narrows it down a lot.

 

[bholder]

I've hired landscapers for projects with fair success. For general maintenance, haven't been so lucky - had one company where the guy was in such a hurry he'd always run over things I had just planted (even after pointing them out). They got fired.

 

[Jim Nazium]

I just hired a landscaper to renovate my back yard - removed the lawn weeds and crabgrass, installed a patio, planted shrubs and trees, and installed sod. It looks great and I never would have been able to do that myself. The regular maintenance, however, I'll continue to do myself. Saves me a few bucks and gets me outside for a little exercise.

 

[bolophonic]

I compost all my yard waste, so it wouldn't make any sense for me to hire someone to spray a bunch of pesticides around and then blow the debris into the roadway.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

Seems most in my area only do the mow and blow. I found one who will do that and the other stuff on request. Well, except for weeding; but, that's okay. I go out and weed. I think of the weeds as guitar players and club owners. It is very relaxing.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

Lord no.... I read Lawnmower Man one too many times.

 

[Gaolee]

We hire lawnmower man. He cuts the grass a couple times per month, which is all it needs. We started doing this a couple years ago, when our son graduated from college and we actually had more than $1.37 per month in disposable income.

We don't grow carrots in our vegetable garden yet, but if we build raised beds, we might. Actually, it's probably a necessity. We do all the other work in our yard. It is a meditation. Cutting the grass really isn't, so I don't miss it a bit.

 

[Chebass88]

I do all my own lawn work. I am a minority in my neighborhood, as most homes use services.

 

[hdracer]

Ever sense my boys grew up and moved out I have used a service.
I am to busy with my business and my free time is to valuable to waste keeping my yard looking good.

 

[DWBass]

I do my own lawn work. I hate doing it though but I can't afford to hire someone to do it. For the last 6-7 years I've been using an electric mower! Good lord, why did I buy that thing! Well, the 2 previous gas mowers would no longer start. I didn't know about the ethanol thing. Well, the electric died and now I'm back to gas but I treat the gas now. So far so good.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

I do my own lawn work. I hate doing it though but I can't afford to hire someone to do it. For the last 6-7 years I've been using an electric mower! Good lord, why did I buy that thing! Well, the 2 previous gas mowers would no longer start. I didn't know about the ethanol thing. Well, the electric died and now I'm back to gas but I treat the gas now. So far so good.

ethanol is evil stuff. It will destroy gaskets and hoses. It also seperates when it sits for a while. Treating it will help, but it is still bad stuff.
I think the gummet imposing it on us does two things. It gets old gas guzzling beaters off the road by destroying the engine. Never mind the poor slob that can only afford an old beater to get to his minimum wage job. But more importantly, it puts more money in the pockets of the people controling the corn trade.

 

[fhm555]

I take the natural approach. Most of my yard looks like the woods it's in. I keep enough of it cut back to not worry about stepping on snakes while getting to the outbuildings and vehicles, but other than that it pretty much does whatever mother nature tells it to. I do clear the worst of the undergrowth as required to keep fire potential to a minimum, but not much else.

Wifey wants to build a walking trail with exercise stations so we are looking in to that, but so far it's just in the talking stage.

 

[rtslinger]

I've worked landscaping for many years, so I am wondering if anyone on TB hires landscapers for weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly maintenance, or if you just do the yard work yourself, or if a home owners association / someone else hires them for the lot.

Hired for the winter months only, other than that I do my own yard

 

[two fingers]

I have a 4 acre yard with lots of borders around fences and trees and whatnot. The grass pretty much needs cutting every week. However, one a month I have a guy come out and do a thorough cut and kill to keep the borders clean. So, about every 4th time the yards gets done it's done right.

Oddly enough the owner of the landscape company has toured the world on drums with two national acts. Go figure.

 

[sissy kathy]

I have hired a 'gardner' (?) for the last several years. He maintains the lawn (weeds really) weekly and does pruning on request, with my supervision. Snow removal in the winter, but only when it snows.

 

[PortlandBass77]

I have hired a 'gardner' (?) for the last several years. He maintains the lawn (weeds really) weekly and does pruning on request, with my supervision. Snow removal in the winter, but only when it snows.

lol, next time Portland gets one of them 20 F + full sun weeks in December, I am going to go throw the interwebs and call up people asking if they need their driveway plowed.

 

[BASSKADET]

I didn't have a walkway to my front door so I built this. I hand laid about 17o paver tiles on packed sand. The steps are 4 4x6 treated lag screwed together. My neighbor cuts the lawn and blows the leaves in the fall.

 

[GKon]

We've had bi-monthly landscaping service at our house, just lawn trimming and edging, as my sister takes care of the plants,
but as of this month I've asked them to stop coming because I've moved back to town and will be cutting and edging the lawn myself,
to help save some money.

 

[Turock]

I hire someone during the summer months. I'm not going to push a lawnmower in 100 degree weather.