[Art cov]

Check other places, but your rate seems acceptable, a new year, rates could go up. When in doubt, listen to your wife!

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by ryoungs

When I bought my villa last spring, I contracted with Choice Maintenance to mow my lawn while I was gone back north during the summer. They charge $50 each month ($600 per year). I have been back in The Villages since Christmas, and I they have been here once (although I admit I may have missed a previous visit.) I happened to be outside the last time, and I watched the young man go rapidly door to door around the neighborhood. He spent no more than 3 minutes at my property where he did some (unneeded) edging along the street side and one side of my driveway. The $50 charge seems excessive to me. I called the company, and was told they do not do a winter "vacation". I do understand the company needs $600 a year so that they can keep a steady cash flow. It is not that I need the money, but I can't help but feel used. If I were here all year, I would do my own lawn. My wife says I should not drop the service. Comments?

You would pay much, MUCH more than that in OHIO.

I think fifty bucks a month is very reasonable and that is given that there is a dormant season where not much is growing or cut. BE HAPPY....fella.

[tophcfa]

It all balances out, the charges seem cheap in the summer.

[B-flat]

That price is a bargain. Last summer I was here in Florida it cost me $40 PER WEEK for lawn cutting services at my home up north in New England

[JimJohnson]

Originally Posted by ryoungs

When I bought my villa last spring, I contracted with Choice Maintenance to mow my lawn while I was gone back north during the summer. They charge $50 each month ($600 per year). I have been back in The Villages since Christmas, and I they have been here once (although I admit I may have missed a previous visit.) I happened to be outside the last time, and I watched the young man go rapidly door to door around the neighborhood. He spent no more than 3 minutes at my property where he did some (unneeded) edging along the street side and one side of my driveway. The $50 charge seems excessive to me. I called the company, and was told they do not do a winter "vacation". I do understand the company needs $600 a year so that they can keep a steady cash flow. It is not that I need the money, but I can't help but feel used. If I were here all year, I would do my own lawn. My wife says I should not drop the service. Comments?

$600.00 per month is on the low side. Try this for an alternative:
$20.00 to mow your lawn.
March thru September = 1 time per week = $560.00
October & November at 2 times a month = $80.00
December January & February 1 time per month =
$60.00
1. That is $720.00 per year.
2. PLUS!!! Tell me where to find someone that will drive a truck & Trailer to my home every week, unload equipment, mow, weed eat, edge, clean up, load up equipment and drive away for $20.00!

[MandoMan]

Originally Posted by John41

Remove sod in front yard. Treat soil. Install washed gravel with heavy duty weed mat.

Of course, that may cost you what four or five years of lawn mowing would cost you. (Grinning)

The summer after eighth grade, back in 1968, I worked full time with a lawn-cutting company in Denver and cut about forty lawns per week for a dollar an hour. I worked about fifty hours per week. Back then the cheapest rate was about $6 PER WEEK for a tiny lawn we mowed in under ten minutes, and the average suburban lawn was more like $20 a week. One lawn was over an acre, and we charged $40 a week. $6 a week would be about $24 a month, and 1968 was a long time ago. I’d say we get a good deal here. Part of the reason is that companies often do many lawns in one neighborhood on the same day. Back in Denver, we often had to drive a half hour between lawns, which wasted a lot of time and gas money.

[J1ceasar]

The funny thing his lawn services is the most efficient ly priced product in the central Florida. I paid $50 a month going back literally 20 years. Yes it was a slightly larger lawn but the price has not changed at all and this is with gasoline going up insurance going up the price of the lawn mower going up.

[J1ceasar]

And if you're here half a year why don't you do your lawn yourself and then contract out for the other half?

[Villages Kahuna]

Wow! I live on a cul de sac with a large lot. My grass cutter, a private individual with her own trailer and equipment, charges only $65 a month.

Don’t ask for her name. Her schedule is full and the only cuts lawns within about a square mile from her house.

[sallyg]

Most lawn services charge a monthly fee for all 12 months. The grass is dormant in the winter and rarely needs cutting. They more than earn their keep in the summer in the heat and humidity. $50 a month seems like a lot for the tiny yards so many of us have, but it's the going rate.

[Catalina36]

$50.00 a month for lawn cutting seems reasonable to me. I am paying Massey $75.00 a month. Massey says they cut the grass 46 weeks a year??? Up North on Long Island I pay $35.00 a week from mid April to mid November, that's about 32 weeks. Then up North we have fall clean up (getting rid of all those leaves) for $250.00 and then we have spring clean up for $250.00. So really living in the Villages the landscaping fees I found to be reasonable. When I moved here in October I called three recommended landscapers who worked in the neighborhood for service and estimates. Two of them never returned my call? One called 4 days later stating he was too busy. Massey was the only company who answered the phone and scheduled a appointment. When the Massey representative arrived he wore a facemask was in a uniform and wrote out a work out with the estimate and started the cutting services within 2 days. I found Massey services to be a extremely reliable company for customer service, accounting, etc. Why look for another landscaper to save maybe $10.00 a month who doesn't return your calls???

[DaleDivine]

I have a CYV on an oversized corner lot. I was paying Choice Maintenance $45 a month to cut my yard. He contracts out his lawn service and we had different mowers a lot. They came when they felt like it in the summer and missed lots of times.
I finally fired him and now have a great young guy that only lives about 3 blocks from me. He comes every Monday in the summer and every other Monday during the winter.
He charges $60 a month but its worth it to have a regular mower.

[chrissy2231]

I pay $260 but guy is selling his biz.

[camaguey48]

Originally Posted by ryoungs

When I bought my villa last spring, I contracted with Choice Maintenance to mow my lawn while I was gone back north during the summer. They charge $50 each month ($600 per year). I have been back in The Villages since Christmas, and I they have been here once (although I admit I may have missed a previous visit.) I happened to be outside the last time, and I watched the young man go rapidly door to door around the neighborhood. He spent no more than 3 minutes at my property where he did some (unneeded) edging along the street side and one side of my driveway. The $50 charge seems excessive to me. I called the company, and was told they do not do a winter "vacation". I do understand the company needs $600 a year so that they can keep a steady cash flow. It is not that I need the money, but I can't help but feel used. If I were here all year, I would do my own lawn. My wife says I should not drop the service. Comments?

Listen to your wife.

[bilcon]

I have used Choice Maintenance for the past 5 years and am very happy with their services. I pay $65 a month for weekly mowing and weeding once a month. I have a large piece of property. What a bargain. There is no reason to mow in the winter since most grasses are dormant. In NY I paid $35 a week just for mowing. They have to live in the winter too.