Decided the grass was growing a bit too fast for me this week with all the rain we’ve had lately, mixed in with the extra fast growth that usually happens at this time of year. So I called our local Jim’s Mowing bloke around to give a quote and he gave an hourly rate. Today he showed up with a helper and had the job done in 2 and a half hours. He then doubled this and multiplied it by the hourly rate to calculate our bill. In all the years I’ve been dealing with various lawn cutting services, I’ve never had one that multiplied the hours for having an extra hand before. Fair enough, he wants the hourly rate to be per person on the job, but he could’ve at least made this clear before I gave him the go ahead to do the work. Has anyone else had this happen with a lawn mowing service? And should he have actually quoted twice the hourly rate because he has an extra person involved?
Was the job completed in half the time it would have taken one person to achieve it?
You’re right @NubglummerySnr, the cost should have been made clear when you agreed to the quote. There is guidance on this in the state and territory consumer bodies, but also, it’s just not good business practice in my opinion.
It must be a common theme for Jim’s services. I had a friend who had a similar story but with Jim’s Cleaning. They quoted $x per hour, then 2 cleaners turned up and did the cleaning in 2 hours and charged for 4. She was only quoted an hourly rate as well, but it also wasn’t specified that the hourly rate was per person
I think he should have quoted you for the job rather than the hourly rate. I think you have been misled or put another way, ripped-off. I use Jim’s mowing, I have not had exactly the same problem as you but you have to be there to check that they have actually done the job they’re paid to do. I made the mistake of have the guy mow when I was wasn’t here & left the usual money for him, he took the money but did three quarters the job.
I agree with natural.thought. If it took two men 2 1/2 hours, it would have taken one man 5 hours to do the job and would have cost exactly the same. You have not paid any extra and got the job done in half the time. You can not possibly expect that the second worker’s rate is included in the contractor’s hourly rate. I think the contractor should have given you the option for him to come alone or with an offsider, but I don’t think that he ripped you off in any way, provided both men worked at a reasonable pace and not council worker style with one watching the other.
A couple of years ago I contacted a lawn mowing company, VIP Lawns and Edges, because I saw them working in our street. They came and looked at my lawn and gave me a set quote for cutting front and back lawn, cutting the edges, putting the grass in our green bin and blowing the paths. They do a great job, it is a set price regardless of number of people used, he only comes when the lawn needs doing, so fortnightly in summer every few weeks in winter, sends me a text message the day before to remind me he is coming.
Excellent job, set price, not expensive, only done when needed - what more could I ask for?
Yet if you hire a plumber who quotes an hourly rate and he brings an offsider, it doesn’t mean you’re charged double the rates or double the time taken. This is the first time I’ve ever had this happen for a job. I’m usually charged for the time from when the ute or trailer gets here to the time when they finish the job regardless of how many people are involved. If he had been more upfront about the pricing method I would have been OK with it because I would have known what to expect.
So you would have been happy to pay him the hourly rate and have him take twice as long on his own,but you’re not happy to pay the same total price because there were 2 people
A quote is a quote. No extras. What he did is probably illegal and also well outside the conditions of his franchise agreement.
Call the head office and discuss with them.
This guy has over stepped the mark by a long way.
I wld complain to their management!!
Absolutely.
I would have been happy if he’d been up front about his calculation methods. It’s just the first time this has been done this way for me. As previously mentioned, previous mowing services have always had the flat hourly rate no matter how many offsiders they used.
Generally it does not seem to take two people twice the time to do the job of one. My experience is that the second person is ‘learning’ or ‘a friend’ - and is nowhere near as productive as their employer.
Regardless of the efficiency argument, if I see a job finished in 2.5 hours and I have been quoted an hourly rate then I expect to pay the hourly rate x 2.5. I don’t care who turns up - bring the whole circus troupe if they’ll behave and not leave a mess - if you have quoted me a rate and failed to gain my agreement to a change in that rate, then you will get paid at that rate.
Would depend on the time taken altogether - you should have probably asked for an estimate of the time it would take - if it would take 4 hours in total but he used 2 people to achieve this then that would be fine - if one person spent most of the time standing around then you are entitled to complain. The company that mows my lawn generally use 2 people - one mows and the other does edges, vacuuming etc - however I am quoted an amount - not an hourly rate.
I got a quote for some bob-cat work. I was quoted $100 an hour and the contractor estimated it would take 4 hours so he indicated it would be $400. The job was done in an hour and a half but I was still charged $400. There was no mention of a minimum. The job was done on his way home with him literally passing my door. Granted he had two others with him, but they just happened to be there because they were on their way home. They maybe contributed maximum of 10 minutes of raking. There was only one bobcat operator which is what I was paying for so I felt ripped off.
You should have paid him the agreed $150
Accepting an hourly rate quote is like writing a blank cheque.
Always ask for price to do the job. In some cases it may not be possible to give a fixed price but an indication of the total cost should always be sought.
At an hourly rate the slower you work the more money you make. I know many businesses do not do this and try to be honest, but a good percentage will always try it on.
Summary -Always ask for total price and fixed if possible.
I have been a Jim’s Mowing Franchisee for over 10 years and am very dishearten to read of your experience.
When I did my orientation we were instructed to give a solid quote, which I have always done, for the fixed amount of work. I have always visited the premises to give an initial quote, preferring to meet with the client or at least, have a scope of the work that needs to be quoted upon if they cannot be present. The quote that the franchisee gives and the client agrees upon, is the price, unless the scope of work is changed. This is regardless of whether the franchisee does it by himself or has a helper. It also negates the time spent on breakdowns, phone calls etc.
Ongoing REGULAR gardening maintenance can be done at an hourly rate when agreed upon.
If you feel you have been treated unjustly, please call head office and make a complaint, I urge you, because they should be transparent.
I am proud to be a Jim’s Mowing Franchisee.
I aim to give my clients 100% satisfaction and want the rest of the Franchisees to do so as well. This is what I consider to be the Jim’s Mowing culture, and if one of our guys is not giving 100%, then that’s not good enough !!
I wish all the Jims were like that but sadly they are not. I’m not sure how the system works, internally. I first got Jims about 6 years ago, and was very happy with the husband and wife team who were doing the yard, but then, they got busy and passed me on to someone else. Same thing happened, and I was passed on a couple more times. Each successive “Jim” was less suitable and less concerned with maintaining my yard. I only have a small place, maybe they just werent making enough off me. The last one was the last one… the last straw was when he yelled at me because I had contacted him to stop sending invoices for work I had already paid for. I don’t have a “JIm” anymore, and never will again.
Many franchisers find most value in acquiring or the turn over of franchisees. Jim’s offers opportunities to many for a relatively small investment. How each franchisee promotes and delivers their business appears a very local and individual decision. Jim’s is offering a brand name with business establishment support.
In comparison for the big brands including the one with the clown, there is a core investment in the brand identity which is nurtured, valued and protected at every level. They also value total sales and market share.
P.S.
Jim’s is a rare sight locally. There are numerous mowing and other contractors to choose from. Word of mouth is more powerful than any brand name.
For balance.
Jim says
“The key to success in franchising is an overriding concern for the welfare of franchisees, and constant improvement in customer service.”
Well, I have a local man now, who does it as a side job to his plumbing… he’s busy with that so its not a very frequent thing but my yard doesn’t need it that often, he had a lot of mowing jobs and has given the rest up except me and one other. He does a great job, and is a lovely fellow, to boot.
