Open Association of Landscape Industries
Poor workmanship
Do you have a site where someone has done a job that looks so bad you want to say to the customer you will redo free or at a reduced rate to correct it?
The reason I say this is because on of my customers has had a mowerman lay a patio for them. Now I know the mowerman and he does a very good job at mowing and thats it.
The patio looks so bad that when I go there I just want to rip it up and put it right!
(Sorry to any mowermen).
Replies to This Discussion
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PRO MemberPermalink Reply by andy@ Doughty Garden Maintenance on -
Yeah, a large commercial site I have been trying to aquire for the last couple of seasons, current monkeys do an absolute crap job of it.... but i suppose they're cheap!!
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Permalink Reply by Colin Hunt on -
We find this all the time - I never comment tho, unless the customer starts picking holes first!
On an estimate once I was asked what I thought of a small, very badly laid crazy paved patio. I gave her an honest opinion and said it was not good at all and needed re-laying. I will never forget the look of shock and tears that welled up as she told me her husband had laid it a few years before he died and they were very proud of it!
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Permalink Reply by Geoffrey King North Yorkshire on -
Yes over-stepping the mark is something I do, I talk too much.
Like, why have you got that massive apple tree in your small garden, it would be better if that wasn't there, 'my dad planted that the week before he died', umm err....
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PRO MemberPermalink Reply by MWJONES on -
Whoops!
Colin Hunt said:We find this all the time - I never comment tho, unless the customer starts picking holes first!
On an estimate once I was asked what I thought of a small, very badly laid crazy paved patio. I gave her an honest opinion and said it was not good at all and needed re-laying. I will never forget the look of shock and tears that welled up as she told me her husband had laid it a few years before he died and they were very proud of it!
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PRO MemberPermalink Reply by David Cox on -
Yep - "My husband loved acers" about 2 mins after I explained the dead / moss lawn was caused by the huge acer casting shade over the lawn...
Foot in mouth!
I generally follow the rule "don't put a level to another mans work" unless the customer asks for an opinion and I will then, if its in my skill remit, offer an opinion.
Geoffrey King North Yorkshire said:Yes over-stepping the mark is something I do, I talk too much.
Like, why have you got that massive apple tree in your small garden, it would be better if that wasn't there, 'my dad planted that the week before he died', umm err....
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Permalink Reply by Simon Smith on -
I was out this week to a job to help deal with a 3 inch drop between the new path and patio and the lawn, They just the flags over the top of the existing concrete slab and concrete path. Construction wise it seemed ok but the customer now has to pay 600 quid to raise the level of the lawn.
The zinger though was the new surface was about 50mm below the dpc and i told the customer that while this in reality may not cause problems it could do and the recommendation is 150mm below. Also the fact it would come up on a survey.
He challanged the builder who put it down who replied as long as its below its fine, i told him to ring Building control who backed up what i had said and thought he should have it lifted and re-layed.
He again challanged the builder who said in his 15 years of building he has never heard of this 150mm below dpc regulation.
I find it hard to take it when tradesmen will tell bare-faced lies to customers to try and cover their own ass.
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PRO MemberPermalink Reply by MWJONES on -
Know what you mean simon.
I have another customer who two weeks ago rang a pest controller about a swarm of bees flying arond her house.
Instead of him saying give it a while and they will probably move on. If not call me back. He went straight there put some powder to "stop them coming back" and charged £90.
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PRO MemberPermalink Reply by David Cox on -
Jesus - poisoning bees is illegal I believe? and given that we have a huge problem with them dying and fruit not being pollinated - Morally and socially irresponsible too!
MWJONES said:Know what you mean simon.
I have another customer who two weeks ago rang a pest controller about a swarm of bees flying arond her house.
Instead of him saying give it a while and they will probably move on. If not call me back. He went straight there put some powder to "stop them coming back" and charged £90.
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PRO MemberPermalink Reply by David Cox on -
Ahhhh the unqualified tree surgeon - love them. I've got 5 mature trees in my garden, all between 15-20m in height. Bloke tried to tell me the roots of the sycamore were going to wreck my house, it was rotten in the top, The oak was "top heavy and will split" and that the birches were "brittle and could snap at any moment".
I picked up my Stihl catalogue off the table and told him "time to go mate, time to go..... and cut the bull shit"
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Permalink Reply by Colin Hunt on
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My parents have a lovely birch tree in their front garden that I planted about 15 years ago when we refurbished the frontage. It's well away from the house, doing no harm to anyone, about 20' high and a perfect specimen. They regularly get guys knock and tell them its getting out of control they need 'to take the top out'.
David Cox said:Ahhhh the unqualified tree surgeon - love them. I've got 5 mature trees in my garden, all between 15-20m in height. Bloke tried to tell me the roots of the sycamore were going to wreck my house, it was rotten in the top, The oak was "top heavy and will split" and that the birches were "brittle and could snap at any moment".
I picked up my Stihl catalogue off the table and told him "time to go mate, time to go..... and cut the bull shit"
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PRO MemberPermalink Reply by David Cox on -
Really want to thump the idiots that say "topping" a tree improves it.... A crown lift maybe for a BIG specimen casting heavy shade... but a Birch tree? At best my 20m tall Fully mature birch casts 25% dapled shade!
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Permalink Reply by Geoffrey King North Yorkshire on
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Hi David,
Went to look at garden yesterday, have an ornamental upright / fastiagated cherry, bloke told them cut the top off by 2 m to make it fruit, arghh!
Same garden with 8/9' high hawthorn hedge, this on the edge of the Wolds, the bloke who does all the ''edges round 'ere will be coming on monday to cut it, we says that's not legal re. birds, they says bloke never mentioned that.
David, they are everywhere you turn, LOL with grimace.
David Cox said:Really want to thump the idiots that say "topping" a tree improves it.... A crown lift maybe for a BIG specimen casting heavy shade... but a Birch tree? At best my 20m tall Fully mature birch casts 25% dapled shade!
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