# $12 grasscuts WTF



## zipper

Craigslist ad looking for 3 contractors to go broke offering $12 REO grasscuts,how low can we go? [email protected] [?] 

flag [?] : miscategorized prohibited spam best of 
Posted: 2013-03-13, 10:42AM MDT
*Lawn Maintenance Contractor needed (South Denver/North El Paso County)*

Lawn Maintenance Contractor needed for South Denver/North El Paso County

Looking for three positions to be filled. Maintaining grass on properties starts on 04/01/2013 through 11/30/2013. You will be paid weekly, this is a NET 30 pay, so you will not be paid for 30 days. Grass cut pays $12 per property. 

MUST HAVE OWN TRUCK, MOWER, WEED WACKER, BLOWER, DIGITAL CAMERA AND COMPUTER/LAPTOP. Need someone reliable and dependable to help me make sure these jobs are turned in daily ON TIME. If you are good and you want it, the same position will be available next year and a snow removal contract will be offered in each season. 

REQUIREMENTS: *****YOU MUST BE DEPENDABLE, HARDWORKING AND COMPLETELY SELF MOTIVATED - YOU ARE YOUR OWN BOSS. **WEEKLY QUALITY CONTROL CHECKS AT EACH PROPERTY WILL TAKE PLACE.**YOU MUST HAVE GREAT COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND BE AVAIALBE AT ALL TIMES DURING WORKING HOURS**
-You will be a self employed contractor and 1099 at the end of the year
-You will be required each night to email all required photos. Each property requires before, after and action photos 
-Having a navigation system would be a big help to you 
-Maintain lawns and snow removal at REO and bank owned properties. This is a contract position.- You will be required to submit a weekly invoice.

Requirements: - Reliable vehicle. Trailer preferred, but not required. 
- Lawn mower, blower, and string trimmer 
- Basic garden tools 
- GPS (preferred) or GPS enabled smart phone
- Computer with high speed Internet
- Cell phone with text and/or email 
-Snow removal requires shovel and salt
-Need to be comfortable using the Internet. Everything is done electronically: invoicing, issuing work orders, uploading photos.
-You need to follow instructions and pay attention to detail, take pride in your work, be self motivated and dependable. You will be your own boss working independently outdoors maintaining a route of REO/Bank owned properties. 99% are weekly routine grass cuts. Planning of your daily route through the season are required for success. 

This is a physically demanding position while sometimes working in extreme and demanding weather conditions. Contract work is for South Denver area including extreme North El Paso County and surrounding area. Amount of properties may vary throughout season. Please email if interested. Serious inquires only please. This is a Net 30 position. This is our 6th year in business.


Location: South Denver/North El Paso County
Compensation: Weekly Pay
Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
Please, no phone calls about this job!
Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.


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## brm1109

Well from what I have been seeing on here ad in my area I see one of two things happening.
1. There will continue to be the idiots who take these jobs and don't know any better or
2. There are going to be A LOT of overgrown lawns in the nation. lol.


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## ADP LLC

Hey that's not that bad. I've done em for $7.25. Came out pretty good too. :thumbsup:


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## zipper

I mowed a neighbors lawn, front only a few times last year, told her I would do it for free she insisted on giving me $5, I think she thinks I am broke. I would have been broke if I had to drive to her house, thank God I only had to push the mover 50ft. to get there.


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## GTX63

Oh, your interested in our basic grass service plan?


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## ADP LLC

Who's doing these? I wouldn't cut ANY yard anywhere for $12 CASH same day even. They must have been laughing when they were typing up the ad. I don't think I could take myself seriously while writing that.


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## 68W30

i wouldnt let my horse graze the lawn for 12


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## nurumkin

*re*

You could probably talk me into $12 cuts, but there would have to be a ton of them close enough that I don't have to load my mower each time (maybe one of those big ass town home communities) and you sure as hell wouldn't get pictures. At that point I could do 50-75 per day and I would be happy.


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## Zoly

$10 per lawn would be okay with 40 lawns 20x20ft on the same street.


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## GTX63

I can give you 25-30 per day. Missouri, Kentucky and Illinois. Usually one state per day. $12 up to an acre, 24 hour turn around including pics. I give Sundays off if I'm tired. 60 day pay cycle; 45 days with a 5% kickback.


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## GTX63

I'll need you to list me as additional insured.


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## Zoly

Do you travel throughout different states? It's cool seeing guys who are big enough to do that. It's always been my fiancee and I.


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## JFMURFY

I hope someone out there responded to the clowns... that their NUTS...


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## TeamNIM

Not everyone is too good for $12 per cut. In a good zone with 200 properties (grass only) close in proximity, like a Denver suburb, that's $9600 a month. Even after gas and expenses it's not a horrible living. For someone working full time at McDonald's for $312 a week on minimum wage or unemployed wanting to improve their life or start their own company, it doesn't seem so awful to them. But I guess only contractor's with that volume would understand or appreciate the math (and the work for that matter). The other group is on craigslist looking for work and complaining about the small picture. To each their own but shouldn't be so quick to judge a book by it's cover.


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## JDRM

Nice INTRO! That may be one of the dumbest things I have ever read! I dont even have time to express my disgust with you rite now, stay tuned! Take a mathematics refresher course while your waiting!


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## Wannabe

TeamNIM said:


> Not everyone is too good for $12 per cut. In a good zone with 200 properties (grass only) close in proximity, like a Denver suburb, that's $9600 a month. Even after gas and expenses it's not a horrible living. For someone working full time at McDonald's for $312 a week on minimum wage or unemployed wanting to improve their life or start their own company, it doesn't seem so awful to them. But I guess only contractor's with that volume would understand or appreciate the math (and the work for that matter). The other group is on craigslist looking for work and complaining about the small picture. To each their own but shouldn't be so quick to judge a book by it's cover.


Good point...You would have to be a total fool to do a g.c. at $12 when you would be lucky to net $4.00. Your exactly right with your ASSumption that you would need to complete 3/hr to equal the McDonalds wages and NOT have to provide insurance, equipment, computers, cameras and the rest of the BS.


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## JDRM

.......:whistling2:


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## Sicoupe06

no matter how low prices get, there will always be someone who thinks they can make it up with volume


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## SwiftRes

TeamNIM said:


> Not everyone is too good for $12 per cut. In a good zone with 200 properties (grass only) close in proximity, like a Denver suburb, that's $9600 a month. Even after gas and expenses it's not a horrible living. For someone working full time at McDonald's for $312 a week on minimum wage or unemployed wanting to improve their life or start their own company, it doesn't seem so awful to them. But I guess only contractor's with that volume would understand or appreciate the math (and the work for that matter). The other group is on craigslist looking for work and complaining about the small picture. To each their own but shouldn't be so quick to judge a book by it's cover.


Wtf. 200 yards is 4800 per month.


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## dryBgerG

SwiftRes said:


> Wtf. 200 yards is 4800 per month.


I was thinking the same but the ad stated:99% are weekly routine grass cuts.

Regardless I wouldn't and couldn't touch a grass cut for that amount.


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## GTX63

They probably figure you won't last but half the year so they'll have you mow twice as much and send in the extra photos thru October, lol.


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## SwiftRes

dryBgerG said:


> I was thinking the same but the ad stated:99% are weekly routine grass cuts.
> 
> Regardless I wouldn't and couldn't touch a grass cut for that amount.


Never seen a bank mow weekly. I do see that now I hadn't read the CL post.


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## PropPresPro

SwiftRes said:


> Never seen a bank mow weekly. I do see that now I hadn't read the CL post.


All my FMac properties get mowed once a week. @ $75 a pop!


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## BRADSConst

PropPresPro said:


> All my FMac properties get mowed once a week. @ $75 a pop!


Sounds to me like you should sell all the equipment and sub them out at $12/piece....:lol::lol::lol:


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## kcbnc

The problem is as follows:

Suppliers go fishing for cheap work, some sucker takes the bait with the promise of high volume in a small area, caught. Contractor doing the work cheap spends his savings trying to keep up with his cuts. He goes broke 2 months in, then, the contractor who should have got the work to begin with (insured, WC, and who's on the up and up can't take the cuts. Supplier will not pay what they are worth because someone took the $12.00 bait. Even if I did not carry all insurances that should be required, I could not cut them and would not out of principle.


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## JFMURFY

Sicoupe06 said:


> no matter how low prices get, there will always be someone who thinks they can make it up with volume


Problem is... you don't make-up lost revenue due to low pay with more volume at the same low pay. Your overhead and profit are a set so it costs you more in time and fuel to run around cutting grass at 1-$12 per cut than it would cutting 1 for $50 or $60.


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## JDRM

BRADSConst said:


> Sounds to me like you should sell all the equipment and sub them out at $12/piece....:lol::lol::lol:


Exactly, looks like we found someone who can live lavishly of $12 lawns.:whistling2:


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## 68W30

TeamNIM said:


> Not everyone is too good for $12 per cut. In a good zone with 200 properties (grass only) close in proximity, like a Denver suburb, that's $9600 a month. Even after gas and expenses it's not a horrible living. For someone working full time at McDonald's for $312 a week on minimum wage or unemployed wanting to improve their life or start their own company, it doesn't seem so awful to them. But I guess only contractor's with that volume would understand or appreciate the math (and the work for that matter). The other group is on craigslist looking for work and complaining about the small picture. To each their own but shouldn't be so quick to judge a book by it's cover.


Looks like we fished out a troller lol, first post was this post hmmm, okay in a "good zone " well the ad doesnt say this is a good zone! okay 9600 per month pre expenses , might fly in denver but im in NY dont fly here lawd no BTW there are no FT jobs at McDs any more except the odd salaried positions you can thank obamacare for that and in closing we the boots on the ground or at least this one mowed and built the winter nest egg ,, not mowed and survived while he mowed


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## Valley

That CL post almost makes me think this price matrix might be bogus 



http://tinyurl.com/aa68x23


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## zipper

Don't know who can do 200 lawns a week by themselves. This zone as described covers parts of 3 counties Arapahoe.Douglas and El Paso. At least 50 x 30 miles. I could probably do 50 a week in 60 hours including commute to area and uploading. That's 600 a week minus expenses for 60 hours.


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## nurumkin

*re*



SwiftRes said:


> Never seen a bank mow weekly. I do see that now I hadn't read the CL post.


I had a property last year for the US Marshalls (seized it due to some type of mortgage fraud). They had to go through one of the nationals. Now this was a $1.6MM property and had a very nice 3 acre lawn. Well with the sprinklers running it was always about 8-10" high after 2 weeks. When I initially bid it I bid it for weekly (per the request of the marshall who preferred to speak to me rather then the national). Well this national told the Marshall that they didn't do weekly so every 2 weeks it looked like garbage no matter what I did. But the national wouldn't budge, I ended up just swinging by and cutting it weekly as a favor to the marshall (she was pretty cool so I diidn't mind) and because it was very close to my parents house (free dinner).

Funny thing is the national did pay me to check the pool chemicals every week even though I told them it didn't need it.


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## kcbnc

Valley said:


> That CL post almost makes me think this price matrix might be bogus
> 
> 
> 
> http://tinyurl.com/aa68x23




No, that matrix is correct. If you deal directly with FNMA, it is correct. What your supplier does with it after that is up to them. Too many hands in the cookie jar do eat up the money in a hurry.


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## BPWY

TeamNIM said:


> Not everyone is too good for $12 per cut. In a good zone with 200 properties (grass only) close in proximity, like a Denver suburb, that's $9600 a month. Even after gas and expenses it's not a horrible living. For someone working full time at McDonald's for $312 a week on minimum wage or unemployed wanting to improve their life or start their own company, it doesn't seem so awful to them. But I guess only contractor's with that volume would understand or appreciate the math (and the work for that matter). The other group is on craigslist looking for work and complaining about the small picture. To each their own but shouldn't be so quick to judge a book by it's cover.






To pass off these prices that are taking advantage of workers that don't know better (I didn't call them contractors because they really aren't) as


> Not everyone is too good for $12 per cut.


speaks volumes of the ethics of the company offering these prices. 

I asked around today of legit contractors in the area, this is only half of local market pricing, and certainly does not support legitimate business with commercial grade equipment, workers comp, paying taxes and being a properly insured business.

I sure wouldn't be able to sleep well at night doing this to those that don't know any better.
Karma tends to look unkindly on things like taking advantage of people.


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## kcbnc

I'm with ya, but boy there are a lot out there that will work cheap, cheap, cheap. They give many of us that try to do the right thing/way a bad name.


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## BPWY

kcbnc said:


> I'm with ya, but boy there are a lot out there that will work cheap, cheap, cheap. They give many of us that try to do the right thing/way a bad name.






There is that, but at the same time there are customers out there that will pay a premium for reliable quality work. 

I have a customer's yard that I know he'd have no problem getting it done for $25 if he'd shop around, maybe even $20, but I get $40 and going into my 3rd season with them. 
I am reliable, I do what I say I'm gonna do, the tenants are happy that the place always looks up to snuff and the finished product looks good.
I'd like 20 more customers like this.


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## kcbnc

Same here, I don't care for the bottom feeders or the misinformed/uninformed, because they drive prices down to the point that no one but the supplier regional or national are the only ones profiting. We do a considerable amount of rehab year round, as well as 2 p&p crews. You have to deliver when and where promised.....do this and you can charge a premium price. All our rehab is with brokers, no nationals or regionals. We can do as described above with them, but with p&p, it sometimes feels like we are fighting a losing battle. Jim Bob with his Murray will do the cuts for 12 and the wints for 25. Really?


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## Valley

kcbnc said:


> No, that matrix is correct. If you deal directly with FNMA, it is correct. What your supplier does with it after that is up to them. Too many hands in the cookie jar do eat up the money in a hurry.



Yeah, i know it is correct. And i am quite familiar with to many hands in the cookie jar . That was just a bit of sarcasm toward the CL post :thumbup:


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## kcbnc

It's amazing how little is often handed down to the contractor/worker/whatever after all is said and done.


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## danny1217

BPWY said:


> There is that, but at the same time there are customers out there that will pay a premium for reliable quality work.
> 
> I have a customer's yard that I know he'd have no problem getting it done for $25 if he'd shop around, maybe even $20, but I get $40 and going into my 3rd season with them.
> I am reliable, I do what I say I'm gonna do, the tenants are happy that the place always looks up to snuff and the finished product looks good.
> I'd like 20 more customers like this.


Been down that road....A couple of years ago had 6 customers on one street jump ship for a "better deal". All the houses in a row, park the truck, get em' done. Some newbie offered a bulk deal to them. I was at $45 each, he was at $30. Half way thru the season guess who gets a call to please come back and take care of us like we were accustomed to. Started back with them all the following week, same price as before and still taking care of them. Sometimes you have to let the consumer figure out it's worth the extra $ for quality and reliability.


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## PropPresPro

danny1217 said:


> . . .Sometimes you have to let the consumer figure out it's worth the extra $ for quality and reliability.


If only the service companies were to learn that same lesson. . .


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## danny1217

PropPresPro said:


> If only the service companies were to learn that same lesson. . .


somebody would have to knock some sense into them

:bangin:


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