My Apple Tree Got Mowed Down

I thought of you today, and the lack of luck you have with handypeople/workers, @debodun . Guy came for an estimate for some work that is very easy but involves a high ladder for the top story. I knew it wasn't a long job and we used this guy a number of times in the past. He's $75/hour and does good work. Sooo... he comes for an estimate... "should take about 4 hours but I have shoulder surgery coming up so I'd be bringing my wife to be a second worker." I stopped myself from saying "Whoa, dude, are you for real?!"

But no biggie... second guy came for an estimate an hour later. "It would take me an hour and a half, two hours tops, and my rate is $80/hr." Both have 5-star neighborhood ratings. I may hate math, but I didn't even have to think about that one... second guy will be here Monday. (For the record, first guy said he may be free in three weeks.") :rolleyes:
 

debodun said:
I can't get a reply from 3 other lawn services I contacted (email, PMs and through sites like Angi). I don't know what to do now about my lawn. It's going to need mowing again - soon.
Click to expand...
Get an easy to use self propelled mower and mow it yourself. You’ll get some exercise, save some money , long term and then you don’t have to deal with contractors. You really don’t have much luck with them. Self propelled mowers are easy to use. With a good one, all you do is walk with it and guide it where you want it to go. You’ll save yourself mega bucks.
 

Deb has posted for various needs she is unable to do or can't due to physical limitations. Her posts show she has trouble getting any kind of work done. I think she had an offer by the lawn guy to replace the apple tree. She doesn't have to like him or what happened. She could accept & keep the same guy & for sure he would be really careful .

This would be different of course if she had competing multiple offers to do the things she needs done.

Maybe others remember Deb has posted threads about problems like the CV joints on her car. Resurfacing her drive way. A toilet that makes a noise like it's filling. To buy a lawn mower or hire <---- that is a work in progress. A kitchen sink that has a slow drain.

Not a problem yet to generate a thread but there is the door that is hung on the left hinge making it awkward to open the inner door. Toss in the potential for glass damage if a wind catches the door & slams it into the light fixture. Latest is the ongoing is sump pump. To get it replaced [ the quotes on that are expensive] or chance the basement getting flooded.

Like this problem at 104 posts the back & forth with good suggestions the threads are interesting to follow.

I doubt I'll be alive when her apple tree is mature dropping apples & leaves that need to be removed. Getting that taken care of should be interesting
 
Last edited:
I contacted another lawn service yesterday. He said he'd come around 4 pm to give me a quote. To my knowledge, he never showed up. If he just did a drive-by, he never phoned or emailed me an estimate.
 
I've still not heard back from any lawn mowing business I've contacted. It's like a nightmare. My lawn is now mid-calf high. I even contacted the library. They said the village mows their lawn, but gave me someone's name. He's a kid and I'd have to have the lawn mower. If I had one, I could probably do it a little at a time.
 
Buy a mower but buy a GOOD mower.
Buy a mower that you know is going to start and run perfectly each and every time.

Since you aren’t too active, I honestly think a self propelled, battery run, top quality mower, like the one below would be perfect for you.

Even if you mow 1/2 hour each day, you will get your lawn mowed just the way you like it.
It will get you out of the house doing something active which will help your health and spirit in ways you might not expect.

I know, you’ll probably flip when you see the price but I know you can afford one of these and you can go out everyday knowing you’ve got a top of the line mower and that you are creating some pride of ownership status.

I think you’ll like it. You don’t have to deal with gas AND you don’t actually have to even push it. It pushes itself.


Greenworks 80V 21-Inch Self-Propelled Cordless Lawn Mower, 4Ah Battery and Charger Included
https://a.co/d/f5WbIQc

Here’s a few more mowers in the same categories you wanted.

https://www.bestproductscanada.com/cordless-lawnmower

Keep in mind these are all priced in Canadian dollars. You would need to look them up in places closer to you.
 
I had difficulty finding a good lawn mowing service. I ended up getting the neighbor's lawn people to come, after I saw them mowing her lawn. I liked what I saw and contacted them and they are now mowing my lawn. I have two battery-operated mowers (I have 1 acre) and have done it myself, but in the summer it is too hot to mow. Keep asking around. Sooner or later, you will find someone. Keep in mind, the prices are much higher now than before Covid.
 
debodun said:
Thank you for the suggestions, PP. They don't have many of those models around here. I actuaqlly stopped at a nearby hardware store and they just had one on display - a Skil electric.
Click to expand...
I’m not sure which one you were looking at

https://www.lowes.com/pd/SKIL-40-Vo...20-in-Cordless-Electric-Lawn-Mower/1003016416

Ditch the Gas. Keep the Power.

Get industry-leading performance and the power of gas in a cordless mower powered by PWRCORE 40™ lithium technology. The digital, brushless motor combined with PWRCORE 40™ lithium technology provides unbelievable power and cutting performance. You’ll have control from start to finish with a push-button start and self-propel with a variable speed dial control to pick your pace. Your battery will be ready to go, charging 0-30% in 15 minutes with Auto PWRJUMP™ (based on a 2.5Ah battery). And, when the task is complete, the telescoping handle folds down completely allowing for vertical storage. This electric lawn mower kit includes a 5.0Ah PWRCORE 40™ lithium battery for max run time and Auto PWRJUMP™ charger.

What's Included: Self-propelled Lawn Mower, Mulching Plug, Grass Bag, 5.0Ah battery, 150W charger.

This one is a lithium battery run , self propelled. I’m not sure which one they have but you could ask which ones they can get in.

This looks like a good mower for a good price but I don’t know anything about them. From reading the specs, it’s seems decent.
 
I suppose I could ask them to order a mower. I did it before when I bought the Yard Machine mower. That was a great little self-propelled mulching gas mower. I'd still have it if I hadn't hit the corner of the step on the front sidewalk at the old house and it bent the blade at a 90 deg angle (photo) of sidewalk). After that my cousin lent me his Craftsman to us the rest of the summer, but I feel I can't keep asking him to bail me out of my tough spots.

sidewalk.jpg
 
debodun said:
I suppose I could ask them to order a mower. I did it before when I bought the Yard Machine mower. That was a great little self-propelled mulching gas mower. I'd still have it if I hadn't hit the corner of the step on the front sidewalk at the old house and it bent the blade at a 90 deg angle (photo) of sidewalk). After that my cousin lent me his Craftsman to us the rest of the summer, but I feel I can't keep asking him to bail me out of my tough spots.

View attachment 296602
Click to expand...
Ok so you HAVE mowed your law with a self propelled mower before but with a gas one. That’s a fine job you did. You can definitely do this . People generally don’t mind lending things as long as you aren’t taking advantage which you seem to understand. I would ask your local hardware store what they have and if they are willing to order something in for you. I read some of the reviews from the one I posted and users seem genuinely happy with their purchase but listen to what the store has to say. Personally I think mowing it yourself will be less of a hassle than putting up with the incompetence that you have been receiving from ‘so called’ contractors.
 
I don't know why these mowing guys can't follow orders, miss mowing significant areas of the lawn, mow where they shouldn't or don't where they should. I told them over and over to cut the grass to 2 inches, but one said that grass should never be cut to less that 4 inches and the other said he never takes off more than 1/4 of the grass height. Of course that means they have to come back sooner. When I mowed my own lawn, I had the mower height set at one notch above 'roto tiller' ;) and the grass never seemed the worse for it. This is a photo of the lawn just after one guy mowed earlier this year. I sent him the photo and he replied that he "didn't understand". It looked like he mowed along where the brick edging is, then forgot the rest.

lawn2.jpg
 
Deb, as I said above, if you're going to have someone else mow it, maybe you just have to stand out there while they're doing it to give them instructions and make sure they're doing it correctly.

Better than having them doing it and discovering after the fact that it's not what you wanted. Right?
 
debodun said:
I don't know why these mowing guys can't follow orders, miss mowing significant areas of the lawn, mow where they shouldn't or don't where they should. I told them over and over to cut the grass to 2 inches, but one said that grass should never be cut to less that 4 inches and the other said he never takes off more than 1/4 of the grass height. Of course that means they have to come back sooner. When I mowed my own lawn, I had the mower height set at one notch above 'roto tiller' ;) and the grass never seemed the worse for it. This is a photo of the lawn just after one guy mowed earlier this year. I sent him the photo and he replied that he "didn't understand". It looked like he mowed along where the brick edging is, then forgot the rest.

View attachment 296732
Click to expand...
You have the worst luck with contractors.
End results are what counts and your end results are horrible. They cut down your apple tree, started a job here and left it. Maybe they want you to drop them. People who want work don’t leave a lawn like this.

I hope you buy a mower
 
debodun said:
As I mentioned (#114), I hit the edge of a step in the sidewalk and bent the blade. After that it wouldn't start even though I bought a new blade.
Click to expand...
That’s what I was going to suggest. It doesn’t cost much for a new blade.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top