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Personally, I price the job to take the whole year in to account. That might mean very little work in a dry summer, but more work when the leaves are down. You make on some weeks, lose on others.
I wouldn't include things the client is responsible for, like leaving loads of toys on the lawn: that's extra. Pricing a lawn under an apple tree? You'll be getting apples to deal with for a few weeks every year!
fruit makes such a mess, but it needs cleaning up
toys, fruit , steps, bad access / gates locked.no key, late payers, no brews, freebies, no extra work / recommendations, moaners - any 3 & they get dropped even if 3/ yrs time :)
it works both ways - we like a happy & helpful client , same as when tradesmen work for us..
makes a better atmosphere / and a better job gets done - win win :)
Personal preference; clear it up makes for a much nicer job. I bin the windfalls unless otherwise requested. (Often get told to pick off the trees what ever I like as a bobby bonus).
Only takes 20 minutes on average so I bill for extra half hour(I bill half hourly after first two hours), had no complaints yet.
I have 3 gardens with orchards proper and I expect it - If you pick the fruit before it goes over ripe and drops no problem - Sometimes remind the customer that they're about to miss their plum crop and they vanish in an instant.
Other times, its a few mins with the leaf blowwer to blow them off the lawn - You know which gardens these are so you can prepare for them.... and sometimes just ask the customer - if they dont want the plums.... can you get them? a) free victoria plums cant be beaten... b) the customer usually realises they're missing out and helps.
Most people understand the odd one or two will get mowed up but its not the end of the world.
one of my clients has about seven apples and 6 plumbs scatted about over the various grassed areas i do rake the apples up using a metal hay rake the plumbs i just go over with the mower but i am there for a full day. i do find it annoying that a lot of folk that have fruit trees don't use any of the fruit but go to the supermarket and buy it, last year my missus told me not to bring any more home i wish i could find someone local that made scrumpy for a free sample for all the apples i could supply
If you have long term customers that you price up at the start of the year, is it something you would consider including in quoting? An extra 20 minutes labour through mid august to late september? Or is it something that would be offset by low levels of Winter work?
Drunk wasps are funny, but the sting hurts just as much! Worst bit is when you kill one, they release a chemical that attracts other wasps, so moving the fruit does seem a good idea!
All part of the job, clear up before cutting. Takes time I know, so something else may have to be left or you add a bit of time on. It would be a very unreasonable customer that doesn't understand.
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