Yard cleanup recommendations? How much do you pay?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just paid a crew $1,600 to weed, clean up, mulch and take away all the yard debris. It sounds on the high side but the few estimates we received were all for about the same amount (yard is .20 of an acre).

You was had. Same size lot, $500. North arlington.

Did they use bagged hardwood mulch (no diseases) or loose pine mulch? Did they weed and edge all beds? Do you have lots of trees that can create lots of debris?

[Anonymous]

My 40th bday is in April and I asked my DH to do this as part of my bday present. Blush. No kidding, but I seriously do not want to do this job myself and I know we'd never hire anyone professional to do it - we just don't have the $$ so I have never even begun to look into it. But hearing these quote prices makes me think I asked for a really valuable gift!

[Anonymous]

$1500 for .2 of an acre sounds high. We spent about $1100 last year but we had about 12 "small" 6 ft trees removed from the roots along one side of our property, along with all the rest of the mulching and spring. took them all day to do it.

I would think a spring clean up, mulching, weeding and one mow, would be less than $500 for a small (1/3 acre or less) lot with no major issues.

[Anonymous]

I am just amazed at the prices that some people pay.

We live in NOVA, two acre lot, mostly wooded but a fair amount of area with shrubs, flowering trees, which are edged, mulched (12 cubic yards), weeded, etc and I paid $600 for it.

I also had two guys do some extensive clearing of the yard, removing fallen branches, some cutting of branches on trees, replacing two fence panels that were damaged when a tree fell on them, disposing off the debris that was collected. I paid them $700 and they were very happy - for about 7 hours work. I paid for the fence panels.

The mulching was done by the people who do our usual lawn mtce and the company is owned by a Hispanic guy who I know is legal ..... not sure about his workers. The other work was done by two guys who happened to solicit for the work .... they were Americans born and bred just in case anyone assumes that they were illegals. They were actually guys who specialize in cutting trees. After doing my yard, I recommended them to my daughter who lives close by ..... she has 5 acres of land, had almost 30 trees that had to be cut and hauled. Some were large trees and had fallen and others needed to be cut down. They charged $3000 to cut the trees and remove them. It took three people the best part of two full days to do it.

I live in a relatively affluent area and I know that most of my neighbors pay ridiculous amounts for just about every type of maintenance. You can get most work done for a lot less but you do have to negotiate and walk away if needs be. I got estimates for one of the larger branches that needed to be cut down because it was close to the house and looked vulnerable. I got quotes ranging from $400 to $900 for this one branch. The guys above who did the work offered to do it for $75 ...... and based on that estimate I got an estimate for doing much more extensive yard work that I mentioned above as costing me $700. They did an excellent job for both myself and my daughter.

[Anonymous]

How come all the people saying they paid these super low prices don't put the name of the companies?

[lisajb]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know how to use the "quote" feature - sorry. I don't use this listserve very often.

To the person who used Wheat's - they don't mow, correct? According to Angie's List, that's not a service they offer.

Did you use them as a one-time clean-up?

Our lot is about the same size, North Arlington, as well. We just moved to this house and want to have the initial clean-up done by people who are trained to catch all that stuff, because we certainly won't.

Then we'll have to look for a mower. Suggestions, anyone?

Wheat's definitely does mowing. We don't need any, but a list of their offered services on my (current) estimate from them lists "Lawn Mowing."

[Anonymous]

you folks are lazy, get your kids out there and do some work with you

[Anonymous]

280 for mulching, 320 for planting and furnishing 60 annual flowers