Cowboy landscapers

Just got back from a one off front garden tidy up, just weeding and neatening a load of shrubs but while i was there a landscape firm were replacing the rear lawn. When i arrived the client showed me the back garden where said company had made a start on the lawn, bombsite springs to mind! but that aside i was informed they turned up 2 hours late on the first day, then there turf cutter broke down so they had to hire one which did'nt work properly either. Late the next day etc, they turned up half hour late when i was there, made no excuse or apology for being late, stood around for 10 mins chatting with each other then proceeded to throw all the new turf from the back of the lorry all over the pavement so that anyone coming past had to step off the curb to get round. This was duly left with no attempt to tidy up and they disappeared into the back garden in a manner that would suggest they had much better things to be doing and had zero enthusiasm for the job.They also put a ramp up to the side of the lorry for loading the old turf with a wheel barrow and this also took up most of the pavement and was left insitu all the time with no regard for people walking past.The client had also told me the reason for replacing the lawn, and its a fair size at approx 90 sqmtrs, was that it had loads of dry patches and looked terrible and when this company came round to quote they had said it was infested with woodlice which were damaging the roots!Now i'm no lawn expert but i can't ever recall reading or hearing anything about woodlice damaging lawns, as far as i'm aware they prefer rotting wood and leaves etc.Looks to me like a 'rip off' job by a rather dubious crowd of wasters!I hate these sort of people, and why is it some jobsworth from the local council never seems to come past and have a moan about 'health and safety' issues when there on site, mind you they probably would of been told to pi**off judging by the language i heard when they first turned up!Moan over, and..... 'relax'

I was working in a small new-build proprties garden a few years back when I heard the noise of whacker plate in the neighbours garden. Now, I knew the garden was getting turfed so I stuck my head over the fence only to see a young lad walking on the turf behind the said 'whacker'.

A couple of days later the lady from the site's marketing sweet was watering turf that I can best describe as the same thickness and colour of a tortilla. She explained to me that this is the method they have used on the entire estate (approx. 50 houses + verges/open spaces etc).

What's amazing is that this company has been going for 25 years plus and is not regarded as a cowboy outfit locally, if fact they appear to have work coming out of their ears as I see their van everywhere.

What's not so amazing is that this company recently did a soil-moving/turfing job that I had priced up to do for my main customer. The site is sloping down to a retaing wall and my plan was to level the garden behind the wall, move soil to the edges/back and turf on some imported topsoil and my price reflected this.

None of this happened on the scheme implemented. If fact the client came home to find a 400mm sheer cliff of turf at the top of the retaining wall's steps and went furious with the contractor. No attempt was made to level the site and marry up finished levels with the gravel boards that I had previously put along the back and side fences. The job was already turfed when the customer first saw it and so accepted the work on the proviso that they came back and constructed an ad-hoc step to scale the turf cliff.

My main grumble with the above is that I had worked at this garden for 3 years prior to this and it was to be my main portfolio piece. I don't want to photograph it now with the shoddy (and dying!) turf as it implies that I did this work.

Replies

Graeme @ BGS September 17, 2009 at 4:29pm

Unfortunately we are seeing more of these cowboys everyday.

Wouldn't the trading standards or similar official body be interested in this outfit?

Personally I would advise the client not to part with any money (assume they have already paid a deposit) until they are 100% happy with the final product. As a very rough ballpark figure I would quote for a re-turfing job of this size between £600 - £1000, of course depends upon many factors.

I bet the company isn't a member of LJN.
James September 17, 2009 at 5:23pm

Sounds like they need a visit from Matt Allwright and the other chap on the motor bike. I remember watching the landscapers rogue traders program in utter disgust. I think the guy in the high vis jacket was called Seamus if i remember right !

Those killer root eating woodlice get every where..
Lawncare-4u.co.uk September 17, 2009 at 6:03pm

typical
and very annoying. sounds like something out of the 1980's
i would not recommend them anthony !!

they are probably out of work builders (dodgy builders at that )
Kieran Ray September 17, 2009 at 8:48pm

Yer It was Sheamas! I remember vividly he was ment to construct a 4 course high brick wall and just used wavey edging, as I call it. Its a disgrase. Admitidly you cannot always help machenery breakdowns but thats no excuse for the rest of the job. I beleve it is also a criminal offence to obsruct a public right of way. Im getting angry wrighting this!!!

Just to clarify you are correct about the wood lice! they as there name suggest prefer wood, I have never heard of lawn lice. Has anyone? Does the client have a dog? As this is the probibbal corse if so. Bitch urine kill grass better than most weed killers!
Jackson's Landscape Design September 17, 2009 at 9:06pm

I'll tell you no lies.

Whilst travelling along the quickest route to my current clients property each morning i cant help but notice the activities of other companies dotted along my path.

There's one project in particular that has my rear brake lights glowing every time i drive past, no sub-base, no aco, soak away or membrane. Give them there due they did lay 50mm sand.

This Tuesday morning the block paving arrived along with a two man squad, with brake bulbs smoking I'm keen to catch the jokers faces,

couldn't see the larger lad, he had his back to me and i couldn't see the taller lad as he had a white balaclava on!

Unbelievable!
Kieran Ray September 17, 2009 at 9:24pm

Wow that is rediculus! I have a program on sky+ recording atm, cowboy trap. its hosted by a friend Clive Holland, it is on at 11 am hence sky+ but this shows some of the shoddy work that gets done on peoples houses. Its unbelevable.

In the case of this blockpaving surely the client must know from seeing other peoples jobs that you put MOT and all the rest under block paving. I dont want to sound racist but I imagen they ar pikeys doing it. We hade a spate f it around here a few years ago, now they all do 'tree services' its derogatory to buthchers to say they buthcher trees from what I have seen about!
Jackson's Landscape Design September 17, 2009 at 9:55pm

mmmm unfortunately not all understands about what the eye doesn't see, some seem to think that the final image in there mind comes as a precast piece and are completely blind in the preparation departments.

It may be possible that the unfortunate property owner falls into this category.

Perhaps this is the reason he entrusted these lads to commence

Who knows. Maybe i'll start up a driveway restoration crew in about 10-12 months!
Kieran Ray September 17, 2009 at 10:17pm

That could be a money maker! haha! I supose that is true of alot of people unfortunatly.

Kerry Jackson said:
mmmm unfortunately not all understands about what the eye doesn't see, some seem to think that the final image in there mind comes as a precast piece and are completely blind in the preparation departments.

It may be possible that the unfortunate property owner falls into this category.

Perhaps this is the reason he entrusted these lads to commence

Who knows. Maybe i'll start up a driveway restoration crew in about 10-12 months!
David Beasley Garden Design September 18, 2009 at 8:17am

I was working in a small new-build proprties garden a few years back when I heard the noise of whacker plate in the neighbours garden. Now, I knew the garden was getting turfed so I stuck my head over the fence only to see a young lad walking on the turf behind the said 'whacker'.

A couple of days later the lady from the site's marketing sweet was watering turf that I can best describe as the same thickness and colour of a tortilla. She explained to me that this is the method they have used on the entire estate (approx. 50 houses + verges/open spaces etc).

What's amazing is that this company has been going for 25 years plus and is not regarded as a cowboy outfit locally, if fact they appear to have work coming out of their ears as I see their van everywhere.

What's not so amazing is that this company recently did a soil-moving/turfing job that I had priced up to do for my main customer. The site is sloping down to a retaing wall and my plan was to level the garden behind the wall, move soil to the edges/back and turf on some imported topsoil and my price reflected this.

None of this happened on the scheme implemented. If fact the client came home to find a 400mm sheer cliff of turf at the top of the retaining wall's steps and went furious with the contractor. No attempt was made to level the site and marry up finished levels with the gravel boards that I had previously put along the back and side fences. The job was already turfed when the customer first saw it and so accepted the work on the proviso that they came back and constructed an ad-hoc step to scale the turf cliff.

My main grumble with the above is that I had worked at this garden for 3 years prior to this and it was to be my main portfolio piece. I don't want to photograph it now with the shoddy (and dying!) turf as it implies that I did this work.
Nick Hill September 18, 2009 at 9:32am

David,

It always surprises me at the lack of customer loyalty. It seems a bit old fashioned now.
There are a lot of my regular customers that wouldn't ask anyone else to carry out work in their gardens.
Some have no problems contacting other landscapers to carry out work, It usally comes down to price. I have seen so many jobs that I have quoted for, completed by other companies.

It is gutting sometimes seeing the work every time you are in the garden and that the customer doesn't seem to mind that the work is inferior. I don't ever say that as I don't like to pick holes in other peoples workmanship, besides they have probably been given what they paid for.