A couple HOA's try to flex their muscles

[Scott]

1st one puts an ad in the paper for mass meeting, must be present to bid on this year. They hand out the specs as you sign in. They ask for the sky as usual and want weed free common areas by spring and their entrance turf must remain perfect. If any damage occurs, you have 48hrs to repair. Well it's right down the street from a high school and at least once a month, somebody has to play duke's of hazard through their entrance on one end. Then on the other end is a power substation and the guys that come to work on that end can't seem not stay off the turf. City won't pay for repairs because the 1st 10ft is considered ROW. All bids must be inclusive. I didn't attend the meeting but after their hour long meeting, there was only about 3 companies left. My spray tech buddy was there for the whole thing to see what it was all about. He's a pretty intelligent guy and his company is really standing out since he was in uniform and basically the only spray tech that showed up, the HOA committee asked him what he thought about their property. This was basically his answer;
"You have a very nice neighborhood but you've allowed your common grounds to be wasted away."
"Wasted away? Can't you just fix this by spraying?"
"No, If you're looking to correct this you'll need a full kill and resod (approx, 5 acres)."
I paraphrased the version he gave me but after that the conversation went south and he wouldn't have his company step foot on that property unless he had payment upfront.
He also said the only guys left was a couple rednecks

2nd HOA, This place is gated and will only allow the contractor that does the common grounds to maintain their yards or the homeowners must do it themselves to keep the place from being cluttered up. So with that they're flexing and telling us that they are only accepting bids for both that include common grounds and the HO's houses but not guaranteeing any or all the houses. It is up to the HO to decide to hire you or not and you'll be paid by the HO. This also goes includes the spray tech, their bid is to included with the maintenance contract.

[MASTERMOWER]

He also said the only guys left was a couple rednecks

Oh.......so that's why Steve traveled to Florida this weekend?

[duratree]

2nd HOA, This place is gated and will only allow the contractor that does the common grounds to maintain their yards or the homeowners must do it themselves to keep the place from being cluttered up. So with that they're flexing and telling us that they are only accepting bids for both that include common grounds and the HO's houses but not guaranteeing any or all the houses. It is up to the HO to decide to hire you or not and you'll be paid by the HO. This also goes includes the spray tech, their bid is to included with the maintenance contract.

I do hedge work for in a HOA like this that they can only hire the common grounds company to do their mowing. Its stupid because I make more off trimming a few hedges than they do for the whole month for mowing.

I also use to spray for a lady who lived in a community where one company did all the homes. She ended up turning her whole lawn into hedges and mulch.

[Stephen M.]

There's quite a few HOA in the resort town 20 minutes down the road from my shop. I have one where we do the common areas, but I won't bid any of the others because of the ridiculous specs they have; they want the moon and the control they want would take away my status as "contractor" as defined under IRS rules. Those HOAs can stick their specs where the sun don't shine!

One of the HOAs has 80 homes with lawns and beds and commons areas that are 2-3 acres. The specs are so restrictive that I said the Heck with it.

Another one of the HOAs is several acres and about 10 years ago I put in a bid of $100,000. They got a bid for half that and their tone indicated that I was trying to rip them off. I said it was a good number. They hired the competion at $50,000 and he blew thru it in 6 months. Rather than kick him out and re-bid, the HOA voted to give him another $50,000 to complete the year!!! That proves that alot of idiots run these HOAs.

We did HOA work for about 12 years, but I baled out of most. I got an instant increase to the bottomline and less stress. Think of the most expensive car and that is what they want, but in reality they only want to pay you the price of a Volkswagon Bug with a Rolls Royce front end!

[Scott]

yeah I hear ya. Over the years I've been told by other establishments, "you need to work on your #s", or "you're just too high". Then mid contract I always stop by to see how things are going, not to be a jerk but to keep my name and face recognizable. They always complain about the current provider and how they're not fulfilling their end of the contract. I don't say anything but ask what time frame they're taking bids for the next year.

[Stephen M.]

Yea, the phenonemon is called "SHARPEN YOUR PENCIL". Whenever I hear that, I want to run! I've been in the game long enough to tell these people "YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR".

One of the HOA we work in for various homeowners called me to put in a bid for their common areas. I bid it 4 years ago and got zip. They've been complaining about the quality of work or lack of it. I was asked to bid again this year with the same results--zip. I took the guided tour and since I still had the original bid, refined it since some items had been taken out from the original parameters. I told the new landscape chairs that I had bid the project 4 years before and they asked why I had not gotten in?

I said "Price. We tend to be higher in price than most of the competition, but after 21 years in the game, we don't feel we need to be the cheapest gig in the area. Our distinguishing marks are customer service and quality of work and these don't come cheap. You get what you pay for".

We still don't have the common areas and the common areas still look like CHIT.

[MASTERMOWER]

Gotta question then....

I was doing work at a church Saturday....meanwhile, one of the church members was there as well performing a little work.

Anyhow, this other guy is part owner of what everyone here would consider the premier lawn/landscape company. He lives in a HOA and says they're ready to can the current lawn care providor after the many years they've had them. He asked if I'd be interested in submitting a bid for next year.

First off, I kinda wonder why he ain't wiggling his company in the HOA...but I guess either a conflict b/t him as a resident and his business??? Or he just knows what the gig pays and knows his company costs too much???

I'm a little confused, but I suspect they want great service for cheap....and I'm probably not their man for that......but I guess I'll put in a bid when the time comes?

Is this typical of a HOA??

[Scaper-S2k]

I wouldn't work for those HOA's.

[Scott]

the 1st one is a waste of anybody's time. It just a matter of time before the homeowners toss out the current HOA board members.

the 2nd one can be very lucrative. The commons ground has been maintained pretty nice. The homeowners homes would be a cake walk. Most of the turf areas are less than 1,000sf in front and maybe 500sf in the back. The rest is natural or native plantings.

[Scaper-S2k]

Scott, could you get the 1st one easily?

Could you deal with a PITA client for a year to get in the door?

The 48 hr time frame for repairing any lawn damage isn't too big of a deal, especially if they are paying for it. Maybe you could ask them for 60/72 hours?


How many units are in the first one? Do you see ANY chance of making a profit with it? Put aside any thoughts of a PITA client.

[Scott]

Scott, could you get the 1st one easily?

Could you deal with a PITA client for a year to get in the door?

The 48 hr time frame for repairing any lawn damage isn't too big of a deal, especially if they are paying for it. Maybe you could ask them for 60/72 hours?


How many units are in the first one? Do you see ANY chance of making a profit with it? Put aside any thoughts of a PITA client.

the 1st one doesn't want to pay for repairs, or better yet, they don't want to be billed any more than what the monthly fee is. They said something to the effect of "you need to absorb this problem" is how my buddy put it. I've seen these deep tire marks for 100ft or more. Probably a drunk high school kid with a 4x4. I guess if I was to bid it, the vandalism would have to be separate, each time. There's just no way to judge that kind of thing.
This one is also not gated and has around 250-300 houses. Anything from spec houses 1st 1/2, and then the nicer ones in the back. This is your average upper-middle class neighborhood. Tons of maintainers flock in/out of this place weekly. I'm not bidding on this one but I'm watching it, maybe next year.



I'll be bidding on the 2nd one. Currently 22 houses are maintained by the same company that does the common grounds and they're not happy with their service. So,,, I'll bid and see if they bite.

[Scott]

the 1st one doesn't want to pay for repairs, or better yet, they don't want to be billed any more than what the monthly fee is. They said something to the effect of "you need to absorb this problem" is how my buddy put it. I've seen these deep tire marks for 100ft or more. Probably a drunk high school kid with a 4x4. I guess if I was to bid it, the vandalism would have to be separate, each time. There's just no way to judge that kind of thing.

went by today and here's what I saw.

[mmlawncare]

Ohhh boy! Someone couldn't find a mud hole to play in!

[Scaper-S2k]

They need something blocking that area. Randomly spaced beds of shrubs with a nice 700 lb boulder hiding in each one wouldn't hurt.

[MASTERMOWER]

Those ruts have got to be a party to mow over. :alien: