Southern Walk Lawn Maintenance

Can someone tell me exactly what services we presently receive from the lawn maintenance service? What portion of our HOA fees exactly are for the lawn service? Additionally, for those who are using different services, can you provide the company names? I am happy to do the research and comparison on what we get now compared to costs of other companies. However, as one who is not familiar with lawn service, I need to know what is provided...am I correct that it is mowing (to include raking and bagging); trimming, mulching, fertilizing, seeding/sodding as necessary? Am I missing anything?

 

The services from the lawn company include: weekly mowing and baging trimings, airating (sp), overseading, and mulching flower beds. The problem is that they are doing the backyard, more expenses for them (which in my opion their problem because they are not required to mow the backyards). Additionally, people have increased the sizes of the thier mulch beds, which is another "unforseen" exspense the lawn people did not take into consideration.

What it has come down to is that we probably need to cancel the serivce. If we cut away with the additional services such as mulching, overseeding etc.. and just stick with the mowing, the price is going to eventually creep back up to the price we are paying now less the additonal services. I for one would not mind canceling the service, I would probably hire someone else to do the work.

 

I saw something about a meeting on June 7th, has anyone received a notice about this meeting about time and location?

 

According to the Broadlands Newsletter it takes place on 7 June at 7pm at the Nature Center but I've not received a specific notice yet.

 

Steve-
The suggestion to do front yards only was proposed to me by several Courtyard owners.

beahmer-
You're right....you can do it for less by doing it yourself, but I doubt you could pay someone else to do all the services provided for the price you pay. Mowing alone would be about $30-35/mow times 26-30 mows a year = $780-$1000/yr.

Lisa-
The meeting was mentioned at the Annual Meeting, was in the June newsletter, and a seperate letter will be sent out to all courtyard owners. Tuesday, June 7, 7pm at the Nature Center.
Cliff

 

I do believe that these houses do not have lawn service by the HOA. If there are properties there that require lawn cutting, please pass on the locations to the HOA office, who will issue a notice.

Better yet, we are looking for volunteers for the covenants enforcement committee to help us keep up with these problems and issue notices.





Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

I think the full picture is being missed here. I'm a novice at this but I am learning that maintaining a yard is NOT simply mowing. In addition to mowing, raking, bagging one must also take into account trimming, weeding, pest control, mulching, fertilizing, aerating (sp?). There may be other factors which I am not aware of.

I guess noone reading knows exactly how much of our HOA dues go towards the lawn maintenance. I'll call the HOA and see if I can get the specific breakdown as well as contact some other companies for a comparison. Quite frankly I am not optimistic that as an individual homeowner we can get the same rate for all the services that we now pay within our homeowners dues.

 

Although I am still contacting companies to obtain quotes and get costs if this service is discontinued, I wanted to provide some information which I have received after speaking with Wes:

Southern Walk residents are presently paying $35/month for the lawn maintenance which includes weekly moving, weekly trimming, pest control, mulching, fertilizing, aerating, reseeding (taking into account that some services are perhaps twice per season as they are not needed weekly or monthly). Wes predicts that the proposed increase would raise this service to an estimated $54 per month.

While I have called several firms already today I have only been able to reach one where I spoke to an individual and did not have to leave a message. This particular company provides once yearly aerating, spot seeding in the fall and spring, fertilizing, insect control, weed/grub/crabgrass control for an estimated $330/year. They do not provide mowing, mulching, edging or trimming.

 

I spoke with Wes at the HOA. We pay $35.00/month out of the $104.50 for the following services. The services are done by Heritage Landscape Services (HLS).

- Mowing/week
- Edging
- Weed whacking
- Mulching of Flower Beds & edging of flowers beds - 2 times/year
- Fertilizer treatments - 4 times/year
- Aeration / over seeding - 1 time in the fall

That is $420.00/year that we pay for the above services. That is an excellent deal!

If I consider the cost of a lawn mower, weed whacker, edger, gas, oil, weed whacker thread, mulch, fertilizer, shovel, rental of aeration machine, grass seed, and my time to do all of the above. It is well worth the money that we pay. Yes, I know that some of the items are a one time cost, but what happens if the machine breaks?

I know that the meeting is on Tuesday, June 7, 2005, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. at the Nature Center. HLS will be there to discuss the current package and other packages that we may choose from.

 

It may not be a bad deal now, but what about next year, when it be at least $650/year (and maybe even more)?

I agree with those who say that if you want to pay for the services yourself in a non-monopoly environment, go for it! But let each homeowner decide for themselves whether they want to take care of their own lawns or spend their money on a service.

And let the HOA monitor whether a homeowner is satisfying the HOA guidelines for care & upkeep of their lawns. It seems to work OK for the other 90% of Broadlands who don't have lawn care shoved down their throats at monopoly pricing...

 

Carol, why couldn't you just hire a service to take care of your lawn while you are renting your home, since you clearly don't have a problem paying someone else to do it? Then you will have the peace of mind that you seek. It is no different than hiring a property manager to oversee your home when you leave it in the hands of a renter.

And if you are worried about having too many different things to worry about, have your property manager hire the lawn care provider. I would think it is a service that they could handle, if you were willing to pay for it.

 

I don't know about anyone else, but the MOST I've gotten is a poor mowing job -- every time, in fact. You mean to say we're paying for more than that?? Hmmm.....

 

I don't deny that at the "current" rate it appears to be a good deal, but a few things to keep in mind:
1) Mowing/trimming - I had grass around my house that was a good six inches tall this weekend. Not the best presentation to the family that came over for the holiday so I had to mow it myself. If it rains - they don't come. I did it Saturday morning since I'm sure they won't be there until today /tomorrow. I could have done it before it rained on Thursday night too.
2) Mulching - Did anybody get a spring mulching? - we didn't.
3) Aeration - I have never done this to any of my lawns and my lawns have typically looked very good.
4) Machines break - yes they do, but then again I have had the same mower for 5 years and it's still going strong. Only costs besides gas have been 2 spark plugs and one filter. Trimmer same - no costs except gas.

And the bigger concern in my opinion is not the current cost, but the anticipated increase of $30/month for a total of $780/year. Not to mention that other costs will be increasing also.

 

WEEKLY MOWING?!?!

If I may be so blunt, that's hogwash. I think it has been at least two weeks since my yard was mowed (Courtyards).

 

Belinda - yes, it is an excellent deal for the cost. However, IMHO...

mowing - is inconsistent as they miss spots
edging - should be done on a more frequent basis
weed whacking - miss spots and often cut too low
mulching - HA! I swear they hand place each peice as to use the least amount possible
fertilizing - you can tell which homes additionally fertilize themselves, they are the ones with GREEN grass
aeration - no complaints

For the price we pay now, I still consider it a bargain. If it was a modest price increase, I would probably choose to keep the service. But as the price is significantly going up (and up) I would much rather take care of my own property they way I choose to.

 

I think it is WEAKLY mowing. []

 

I have had several illuminating calls today with lawn & maintenance services. To begin with after calling 6 different companies, none of them provide the full service we presently receive here. Services are divided between moving and lawn enhancement services.

The cheapest quote for mowing a single family home that I have received is $35 per week ($140/mo). Mulching is an additional fee. Lawn enhancement which includes the fertilization, pest control, aeration, reseeding as needed will be circa 600/year (again, only an estimate).

I spoke to the owner of Diamond Cutters (703-803-6190) who seemed very knowledgable and helpful and advised we are receiving a real bargain for our present services. If this service at the present or increased price is forfeited it will be very unlikely to find another all-inclusive service at this rate.

It should also be noted that he acknowledged that due to the strange Spring and rainy weather that the majority of lawn care and moving services are behind on scheduling and that lawns are not yet in their prime shape because of recent weather conditions.

I am also learning that the companies do not want to provide group discounts to a cluster of interested homeowners as people move in and out and change their minds and it becomes an accounting headache. Companies will however provide a discount if it is a contract to a homeowners assocation.

Lastly, the companies do charge differently for townhome lawns and single family home lawns.

 

Okay...I have received another quote from Property Services (Bryan) 703.771.8176. They will do all inclusive services such as we have but just the cost of mowing is $38 - 45 PER WEEK depending on the size of the lawn. Mulching, fertilizing, pest control and what they term Spring Clean Up are separate charges. Again, yet another company is saying we should hold on to our existing deal even with the proposed increased to $54 per month.

We are among the Southern Walk Courtyard residents who bought for the whole package being offered which it is becoming more evident cannot be replaced for a cost near or equal to what we now have or even after an increase would go into effect.