What are you paying for your East Valley landscapers? (Mesa: lease, HOA)

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

The title says it all. What are you paying for your East Valley landscapers?

I've been noticing landscapers are attempting to price gouge. Some neighbors who have tried to hire a crew have asked anywhere from $250 to $750 for the 1st time and then, $125 (low) to $250 high for monthly maintenance. Mind you, most lots range in size from 8000 to 11000 square feet. And the HOA would be on any lawn that was out of spec. So it might take an extra hour to get a yard back in shape. And 100% are rock or artificial turf.

My landscaper quit our neighborhood without notice (at least 20 people are now searching for a new guy). I was wondering if other people are seeing the same thing or if this is neighborhood-specific. I wonder if we are paying based on the home values ($750K to $2.2M homes). Even more $$ when they see a nice car in the driveway. lol

If it is a labor shortage problem, I figured we must be getting some new landscaper crews coming across the border since last January. lol

[john3232]

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

The title says it all. What are you paying for your East Valley landscapers?

I've been noticing landscapers are attempting to price gouge. Some neighbors who have tried to hire a crew have asked anywhere from $250 to $750 for the 1st time and then, $125 (low) to $250 high for monthly maintenance. Mind you, most lots range in size from 8000 to 11000 square feet. And the HOA would be on any lawn that was out of spec. So it might take an extra hour to get a yard back in shape. And 100% are rock or artificial turf.

My landscaper quit our neighborhood without notice (at least 20 people are now searching for a new guy). I was wondering if other people are seeing the same thing or if this is neighborhood-specific. I wonder if we are paying based on the home values ($750K to $2.2M homes). Even more $$ when they see a nice car in the driveway. lol

If it is a labor shortage problem, I figured we must be getting some new landscaper crews coming across the border since last January. lol

Vendors across the board are charging more these days. Landscapers: I paid $50 to trim a palm tree two years ago now it's at least $80.


I wonder if we are paying based on the home values ($750K to $2.2M homes). Even more $$ when they see a nice car in the driveway. lol

A bid by the same landscaper for the same work will very likely cost more for you than it would me (East Mesa.) They know the going rate for the various areas. However, there are still a lot of landscapers. Bid too high and they don't get the job.

Of course there's the issue of dependability and quality. I can almost guarantee anyone (landscaper, plumber, ect ) who is good and dependable is BUSY all the time.

Try signing up for the Next-door web site and see if you can find a landscaper in your area which several people recommend.

Or when you see landscaping work being on your block or across the street speak with person doing the work or in charge of the crew.

[fluffythewondercat]

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

The title says it all. What are you paying for your East Valley landscapers?

Nothing. We did it ourselves. The landscaper for the former owners wanted $500/month. Our lot is about .8 acre. To be fair, we have a lot of vegetation but it doesn't require pruning with nail clippers.

My landscaper quit our neighborhood without notice (at least 20 people are now searching for a new guy). I was wondering if other people are seeing the same thing or if this is neighborhood-specific. I wonder if we are paying based on the home values ($750K to $2.2M homes). Even more $$ when they see a nice car in the driveway. lol

You kidding? EVERYBODY tries to gouge us.

[asufan]

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

The title says it all. What are you paying for your East Valley landscapers?

I've been noticing landscapers are attempting to price gouge. Some neighbors who have tried to hire a crew have asked anywhere from $250 to $750 for the 1st time and then, $125 (low) to $250 high for monthly maintenance. Mind you, most lots range in size from 8000 to 11000 square feet. And the HOA would be on any lawn that was out of spec. So it might take an extra hour to get a yard back in shape. And 100% are rock or artificial turf.

My landscaper quit our neighborhood without notice (at least 20 people are now searching for a new guy). I was wondering if other people are seeing the same thing or if this is neighborhood-specific. I wonder if we are paying based on the home values ($750K to $2.2M homes). Even more $$ when they see a nice car in the driveway. lol

If it is a labor shortage problem, I figured we must be getting some new landscaper crews coming across the border since last January. lol

It depends on a couple other variables such as how often they visit the property (weekly is cheaper than bi-weekly) and if they do the entire yard each time or break it into zones. Also, distant location of houses plays a factor. I have them maintain bi-weekly and do the entire yard each visit and it's $185. Lot size is over 18,000 sf however so it's a bit bigger than the range you gave. I just hired this crew in 2021 and their initial offer was $250 then I negotiated it down. Previous guy routinely stopped showing up so I let him go and he was at $150. The guy i found was already in the neighborhood too so that helps

[DAXhound]

Retirees can be a big PITA to deal with. They must pay extra for watching, helping, and working on it first. Snob appeal is also a two way street.
..

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by DAXhound

Retirees can be a big PITA to deal with. They must pay extra for watching, helping, and working on it first. Snob appeal is also a two way street.
..

I'm not retired. Rather, I work part-time. You would be hard-pressed to find a traditional "retiree" in our neighborhood (70-year-old DIY cheapskate). Most have multiple homes and everyone is used to outsourcing (lawns, pest control, cleaning, handyman,.. You name it). It's a "pay to the order of who" group of people. Realistically, some people pay whatever because they just don't care and they raise the $ bar. Analogy: some people don't bat an eye and will pay $4 a gallon while I fill up at Costco for $3.15 whenever I shop. Why not? Anyways, people are too busy enjoying life to micromanage a landscaper. There are trucks working on neighbors' homes all the time tricking out their homes while they are out golfing. Your stereotype is as far off as can be.

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by fluffythewondercat

Nothing. We did it ourselves. The landscaper for the former owners wanted $500/month. Our lot is about .8 acre. To be fair, we have a lot of vegetation but it doesn't require pruning with nail clippers.


You kidding? EVERYBODY tries to gouge us.

I get the same thing in our lake home. Maybe a 25% premium. But this AZ level is a lot more gouging. An electrician wanted $3900 for 8 hours MAX of work ($480 an hour; by the job). A 27-year-old part-time (moonlighter) wanted $2600 but only after 4PM or $325 an hour. He claims his phone is ringing off the hook. But he could fit me in any day after a week. I hired an electrician guy for $100 an hour that was recommended by a neighbor. Another recommended electrician wanted $85/hr. I picked the $100 guy because he could do it 2 weeks earlier (month lead time). Those rates seemed reasonable. I would have paid $150 an hour for Mr. Moonlighter (who might be making $50 an hour "working for the man"). Why? Because he could do it inside of a week. In fact, I offered him $150/hr cash or $1200 and no more than 8 hours of work (he thought it would take him 6 hours). But he refused to work by the hour. Oh well. The electrician comes on Tuesday.

I just wasn't ready for that level of gouging!

[Voebe]

This is exactly why all consumers should pressure workers to have hourly rates. Sure, people work at different speeds, but at least it's a helpful starting point, deciding before he even comes over, if you want a guy for $30 an hour or $300 an hour. I also suspect that most people never express their shock at the prices, or flatly say, "Sorry, I can't afford that" - which would give them a better idea of what the market will bear. Since my place is small and low-maintenance, I'm looking at low-end guys, preferably one-man operations, which tend to be cheaper.

I will say, since you mention you're in the East Valley, a ton of "landscapers" (gardeners, really) seem to be in in Mesa and its environs, even in Craigslist ads.

[john3232]

If a vendor (landscaper, AC tech plumber, ect) is very good they call the shots. They tell me when they can get over and how much they will charge. This is rarely negotiable.

I either agree or I can find someone else.

I explained yesterday to one of my tenants if they want a repair made fast I will need permission to enter the premise with the vendor. If not I need to arrange a day/time which works for both the tenant and the tech. This might take a week. If an *AC goes down and it's 110 outside? Under the law I usually have 5 days to make the repair. If I'm allowed to let myself in I'll have the repair made within 48 hours.



*How long does my landlord have to fix the air conditioner before I can break my lease, seek alternative cooling, or alternative housing?

A landlord normally has ten (10) days to repair problems in the premises but that time is shortened to five (5) days if the situation involves a health or safety issue. The question, therefore, depends on the temperature outside. If it is 85 degrees outside, the landlord will have up to ten (10) days to repair the problem. However, if it is 100 degrees outside, the landlord will have five (5) days to repair the problem.

Please note that this timeframe may be shorter if the temperature in the unit is higher than what is allowed by that individual city code.
https://azcourthelp.org/faq/landlord...length-of-wait

[asufan]

Originally Posted by john3232

If a vendor (landscaper, AC tech plumber, ect) is good they call the shots. They tell me when they can get over and how much they will charge. This is rarely negotiable.

I either agree or I can find someone else.

I explained yesterday to one of my tenants if they want a repair made fast I will need permission to enter the premise with the vendor. If not I need to arrange a day/time which works for both the tenant and the tech. This might take a week. If an *AC goes down and it's 110 outside? Under the law I usually have 5 days to make the repair. Let me in and I'll have the repair made within 48 hours.



*How long does my landlord have to fix the air conditioner before I can break my lease, seek alternative cooling, or alternative housing?

A landlord normally has ten (10) days to repair problems in the premises but that time is shortened to five (5) days if the situation involves a health or safety issue. The question, therefore, depends on the temperature outside. If it is 85 degrees outside, the landlord will have up to ten (10) days to repair the problem. However, if it is 100 degrees outside, the landlord will have five (5) days to repair the problem.

Please note that this timeframe may be shorter if the temperature in the unit is higher than what is allowed by that individual city code.
https://azcourthelp.org/faq/landlord...length-of-wait

I worked in homebuilding and development and know all about hiring the trades. It's ALL negotiable except maybe an hourly rate for a plumbing company, etc. Landscapers are definitely negotiable, so are painters, cabinets, flooring, tops, surrounds, etc.