Anonymous wrote:Landscape companies do not like to serve one time mowing customers. You probably don't want to let people know the house is empty for a month

You don't have to tell them the house is empty for a month. You just hire them for a specific day. You don't have to tell them why. Maybe most of the family is home, but the person who mows is traveling.

We usually mowed our own lawn, but would ask the people who do the neighbor's lawn to do ours as well when we needed it done (for whatever reason). It didn't take them long, and they didn't need to make a special trip, so it wasn't expensive.

Landscape companies do not like to serve one time mowing customers. You probably don't want to let people know the house is empty for a month

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
OP here.

I've never paid anyone to do this before - how much should I pay per mow, if the person or service is just coming once or twice? Our front and back yards are small and we're located quite centrally.

Thanks.

When will you be out? When it's really hot months of the summer (august/Sept), you can probably get away with mowing it really short before you go. It won't grow much over the summer. But not in July.

OP here.

We’re out from late July to late August. Neighbors have the key and will get mail, and even offered to mow, but I don’t want them to go to that trouble
Our soil is quite poor and some summers doesn’t grow at all, but this early summer has been quite wet, so this time I’m not sure... and it’s just to avoid the “I’m not home” look- I couldn’t care less about the actual lawn!

I think you should be okay. Unless you neighbor has a teenage kid who wants to make some easy money, just cut it short before you go. late july to late august is probably the best month for not mowing.

If your neighbors already offered then tell them you are happy to pay them to do it half way through. I would offer $50 which they will most likely refuse. Then when you get back you can get them a gift card to go out to dinner. If you don't think they are serious about mowing ask them if they know of a teen or college student in the neighborhood that you could hire.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
OP here.

I've never paid anyone to do this before - how much should I pay per mow, if the person or service is just coming once or twice? Our front and back yards are small and we're located quite centrally.

Thanks.

We pay $30/mow for a 10,000 sq ft lot in Silver Spring. They cut the grass, edge and clean up. You may be able to pay less, our yard has lots of flower beds and is more work.

When did you start with that company? I think the going rate now at least in NOVA is closer to $35.

About 3 years ago.

Oh, and the 'company' is just a guy with a truck and two assistants.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
OP here.

I've never paid anyone to do this before - how much should I pay per mow, if the person or service is just coming once or twice? Our front and back yards are small and we're located quite centrally.

Thanks.

We pay $30/mow for a 10,000 sq ft lot in Silver Spring. They cut the grass, edge and clean up. You may be able to pay less, our yard has lots of flower beds and is more work.

When did you start with that company? I think the going rate now at least in NOVA is closer to $35.

About 3 years ago.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
OP here.

I've never paid anyone to do this before - how much should I pay per mow, if the person or service is just coming once or twice? Our front and back yards are small and we're located quite centrally.

Thanks.

When will you be out? When it's really hot months of the summer (august/Sept), you can probably get away with mowing it really short before you go. It won't grow much over the summer. But not in July.

OP here.

We’re out from late July to late August. Neighbors have the key and will get mail, and even offered to mow, but I don’t want them to go to that trouble
Our soil is quite poor and some summers doesn’t grow at all, but this early summer has been quite wet, so this time I’m not sure... and it’s just to avoid the “I’m not home” look- I couldn’t care less about the actual lawn!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
OP here.

I've never paid anyone to do this before - how much should I pay per mow, if the person or service is just coming once or twice? Our front and back yards are small and we're located quite centrally.

Thanks.

We pay $30/mow for a 10,000 sq ft lot in Silver Spring. They cut the grass, edge and clean up. You may be able to pay less, our yard has lots of flower beds and is more work.

When did you start with that company? I think the going rate now at least in NOVA is closer to $35.

Anonymous wrote:
OP here.

I've never paid anyone to do this before - how much should I pay per mow, if the person or service is just coming once or twice? Our front and back yards are small and we're located quite centrally.

Thanks.

We pay $30/mow for a 10,000 sq ft lot in Silver Spring. They cut the grass, edge and clean up. You may be able to pay less, our yard has lots of flower beds and is more work.