ridiculous bid

[rlcarrr]

Can someone tell me whether I am crazy or not?

Today I gave an estimate for a realty company. The estimate was for a 1 1/2 acre lot with woods surrounding the property. The yard was terrible. The grass was knee deep in some areas and there was no telling what may be in the grass or woods. My bid for the lot was $500. After I told her what my estimate was, she said whaaaatttt!!!!!! She was acting like I was crazy for quoting her $500. She then told me that she had someone to bush hog 6 1/4 acres for $200. After she said that I was speechless. I told her that she needs to contact that same person to do this job because I could not do it for that price. I told her thanks for considering me for an estimate and please consider me for future estimates. How can someone charge $200 to brush cut 6 1/4 acres? Where is the profit, and who is the low baller? Who is crazy enough to do this? That would mean that she expected me to quote her $35 for that job. Are realty companies cheap or did I deal with an isolated case?

[hunter]

she's talking about a tractor that will run at about 8 miles an hour stright oout. And of course that was most likely an empty field. You just need to educate here that a yard is entirely different. that you use fine cut equipment anot a flial mower that will leave a very rough cut and tear up the yard everytime it makes a turn. that's she's paying you edge, trime and clean up after your done.

they don't on a brush hog and tractor it's just cut and go.

[jrbikes1]

6 acres for $200.00, bush hogging? man, I would do it for that, be in and out of there in 6 hours! as far as a finish cut, forget it, I did .75 acre tract the other day for $58.00 went over half of it twice with my gravely 1336, that thing is a tank, need new blades now! live and learn! took me 1.75 hours on a sulky.

[Scaper-S2k]

The original $500 does sound high for 1.5 acres, even knee high. A good commercial mower could mow it down twice in under 3 hours.

[jrbikes1]

yeah, but its hard to tell without seeing a property, and these managment companies, they got all the money! if you can get it, go for it!

[Scaper-S2k]

Yes, but he didn't get it. I agree that not seeing the property makes it hard to tell, but $500 will get alot of grass cut on 1.5 acres.

[Rustic Goat]

Details are lacking for this tale of lost bid to make any real sense.
Is this house empty or occupied?
Is it residential or commercial?
$500. seems like WAY much wampum for that size.
What price range is the neighborhood?
Majority of realtors (unless it's high dollar property) want the grass cut, period.

[rebel 60]

Alot of times when a Realty company calls the property is already a month past mowing. They want the work done asap and as cheap as they can get it done. Most of the time they just want the grass knocked down and the place cleaned up enough to show. You proberly gave her a bid that included a good mowing with clippings removed or mulched up (When hay baler windrows would do her just fine) Limbs pick-up and removed (Not mowed around) A good all around clean-up and professional job that you speaks well for your business. (When a half-ass job cheap job would suit her fine) 500 does seem alittle steep. The bushogging price may be fair in that area. If a guy was close by (she proberly hired a local farmer) he could knock that out in 3-4 hours. Bid the time it will take you, the wear and tear on your equipment, at a price where you can reach your bottom line. If they say your too high give them your card and say thanks. I'm freinds with alot of my local Realtors, when I bid I joking ask them if they want the Professional service bid or the Half-ass bid.

[mowergrl]

Hello, I am not to sure when this was posted but that Lady is CRAZZZZYYY!!! over 6 acres mowed for 200.00 bucks? Stay away.. ahahha Be confident in your bids because people always want something for nothing.. I always bid a little high because I know the guy before me was higher!!, I hope he was!

[rlcarrr]

ridiculous bid

This yard was terrible. It look like it hasn't been touched in a few years. My price of $500 was to make the property picture perfect. The property needed to be hit with a brush cutter and then mowed a couple of times. She also had a few debris scattered on the property. My price was for a perfect job and not just for me to mow and go. Thanks for all of the replies.

[mjlawncare]

Beware

Around here in South Louisiana, The economy is very bad, My worse customers are the wealthy ones, They know that people around here are broke and they try to get work done paying peanuts.
I seen an increase of scrubs with pushmowers on the trunk of their beat up cars mowing 2 acres for $25.00.
I had a lot of customers asking for an estimate and then they tell me that the kid down the road will do it for less than half of my bid, So I wonder why in the hell they waste my time and gas just to tell me that.
My first year I use to go down on the bid just to get started on their property and they can see that my work was better, this year I already proved myself to my customers and if they pass the word around and a new customer calls me and gives me the kid down road story, I tell them "`ok , go ahead and call him because maybe he needs the money real bad and everybody needs to make money too".