So I had a lawnservice come out and clear my half over-grown backyard and trim all the bushes and trees around the property. The lot is only .200 acres, so it's not a huge amount of work, though it did take them about 6 hours over two days to do a really nice job with everything, so I ain't complaining about that.So, I heard $95 an hour on the phone, which seems high to me, but whatever, I'm lazy and desperate. We agree on the job and schedule it two weeks out. They were sending me emails during this time to confirm the work order, but I never saw them because I rarely check my email and it never occurred to me that it was apparently their only form of communication. A week goes by, they show up early and start doing the work, half one day, and then come back and finish the other half a few days later. Job is finished, they tell me to expect a invoice in two weeks.When I get the invoice, I find that it wasn't $95 an hour, it was $95 per man hour, and they used a 3 man crew I think. Total comes back to $1700. Well... now I'm wondering if I actually signed something after they finished, because I don't remember if I did. They have my credit card number since we set it up, but they have also emailed me an invoice requesting that information and to sign it... so I'm thinking I haven't actually signed any document yet.I don't really want to be a dick about this. They were really cool local people, and I feel really bad about not paying attention, but damn that is fucking insane... Just curious what everyone else would do.
>>33769757the worst part about owning a business like this is coming after that $1700. it will cost them in time and effort and eventually turn into bad debt. you didn't agree to $1700 you agreed to $200 because you're stupid but don't ever forget that. on top of that it's quite possible that this is their common practice: mumble over the final amount let you believe and then hit you with a fuck you invoice. that literally could be their business model. in any case they probably don't have anything you signed and it's a PITA to actually come after you. also $95 is way above average as far as google can tell. like it should have been $25-60 each guy.In other words it sounds like you're getting fucked, but it's also really hard to make you pay. I'd call a lawyer and see what free advice you can get and or post on a law website. I kinda see three options: 1. fuck em let them take it out of your paycheck if they can 2. maybe you can convince the owner to take $800 instead of making him come after it 3. just admit you fucked up and pay the $1700 and consider it a life lesson
>>33769757Just don't pay. Block their phone number and don't answer the door when they come. $1700? Imagine how expensive lawyer fees will be in comparison.In seriousness did you sign a contract or was it word of mouth for the inital bud? If no contract was signed initially you could contest it in court if it comes to that and state their description of work and what happened where not clear and they took advantage of the situation. Regardless don't pay.
Pay up bucko
>>33769757>i didn't read my emails or confirm the pricethis is 100% on you and you're paying for it>if you don't have the moneypayment plan, loan, etc>if you do but you're cheap call the business, cry poor and stupid, and see if they'll take like 1500 instead of the payment plan
>>33769757You're fucked. Legally it is YOUR job as buyer to get all the terms clear - ESPECIALLY if any of those emails you never read spelled out the prices.You may not be entirely fucked. If the guys seemed reasonable and if you request rather than demand, you might be able to explain the misunderstanding and get a partial discount from them. But that will be purely charity on their part, not your right
>>33769757>$95 per person per hourThat's insane, they are demanding CEO wages for manual labour
>>33769952Op here, thing that really bothers is me is that they scheduled it it two weeks out and then came by nearly a week early to do that job. After they were finished I noticed they sent some quotes for new work that I ended up calling about and decided not to do, just never saw the initial emails about the job and the mention in those emails that it was $95 per man hour. They sent it several times over the few days. Additionally, they never thought to call or have anyone talk to me in person before starting the work.I sent them an email last night and waiting to hear back for them. Asked like I was dymb if they could sent me a copy of the receipt i signed when the job was done, I just dont remember if they ever asked me to do anything.
>>33769757That $1700 also includes use of tools, management and removal of refuse, I assume. If they just did the cutting and left it all lying around you'd have to pay some other company at least $300 to take it away.
>>33771667Yeah I ain't questioning the work. They did an amazing job, I just dont think it was worth 1700 for work on a tenth of an acre. Im mostly upset that the cost was not more transparent and once they couldnt reach me in email, they didnt even bother trying to call me or talk to me when they arrived to confirm the work order. They gave me 4 days to verify it and then showed up practically 8 days earlier than scheduled to do the work, which makes me think they wanted to get it over with before i saw the quote and signed it.
>>33769757>Just curious what everyone else would do.I would have rented one of those mowers that you drive around on.
>>33772563Not really the problem unfortunately. The backyard has a 3ft row of rocks separating like 1/3 of the lawn, leaving a strip of yard behind it next to a fence. There are trees on both sides, so cant really fit a riding mower back there. That was the part that was mostly overgrown and i fucking hate. Had these people scour it with grass killer so i dont have to worry about it. Gonna plant some other shit there to block it off. The rest of the backyard is annoying to mow since its inclined a bit, but still doable, i just stopped doing that to cause fuck it.
>>33772575*Big rocks, not gravel. Dragging a mower over it could damage it i think.
>>33772563>>33772575>>33772581Also I tried to get some heavy duty blades for a trimmer so I could just power through the brush, but i just hate going outside.
>>33769757Yeah, you're fucked, I'm afraid. The important lesson to learn here is to read your damn emails.
>>33773122I suppose, but they're probably going to like it even less, cause they're not going to like a well articulated negative review ruining their very limited review count.
>>33773446If your negative review is anything like your comments here, it will result in making them look good and you look like a nut. "I didn't get clear on the price, they kept trying to get in touch with me but I ignored them, they came earlier than I expected, they did a good job, and I think it was all a big plot against me."
>>33776094Nah, what they did was tell me it was scheduled two weeks out, gave me 3 days to approve the quote, and then showed up on the 4th to complete the job. They only used email, and now when I ask about it in email, they don't want to respond to emails. They are at fault for not confirming it by phone.
>>33776727>They are at fault for not confirming it by phone.Simply, factually, morally and legally wrong.
>>33776753Lol if you say so, random.
>>33776753>>33776826and fyi, I don't care about the "legal" aspects of who is right or wrong here, because I'm not going to take them to court. It's not worth the money and effort. But I am going to explain as detailed as possible this entire ordeal, which is partly my fault yes and I will admit to that. Whether or not everyone agrees with me is irrelevant. A negative score with a long review and both parties receiving some blame, it will reflect poorly on them that they don't use contracts and they will race to complete a job far ahead of schedule to force your hand in it, whether you agreed to it or not. They aren't at fault for not calling me, they're at fault for not calling me and having me approve the email.
>>33776865>they're at fault for not calling me and having me approve the email.and just to comment on this part, because it does seem a little hostile and that is not my intention, like fault is maybe the wrong word. What would have been "nice" is if they had the common courtesy to call and verify the quote before they started working, not just assume I was ok with it because I didn't respond. That just seems shady to me. It seems like they should have postponed the job until they got confirmation, and considering they were 8 days earlier than expected, its not like they should have been in a rush to do this... unless they had ulterior motives.In short; it takes nothing to make a phone call and have the customer confirm the quote. Whether or not you think that is required or its a good or bad thing doesn't matter to me. Maybe it's just an unspoken rule of being nice and honest about your dealings, and I suppose not everyone has the same inclination, especially on fucking 4chan of all places.
>im going to tell more people online about my mistakedamn bro, you're a total dumbfuckfree advice: you can be stupid OR mean, not both
>>33777103this is the advice channel on 4chan, anon. if i was expecting everyone to agree with me, i wouldn't have bothered posting here... though i do find your hostility amusing. we have fallen so far that common business practice and having the common decency to talk to your customers is considered a joke.
>>33777121>i think a phonecall is a professional form of communication in 2025>i asked them to do something, instead of doing it quickly i want them to stop and ask me if i'm really sure i want it done>i feel like i need to get back at them for my mistakeif you're not a woman or intellectually disabled, you need a serious smack to the head
>>33777214You are hopeless if that is how you see this situation. Thanks for offerring your useless and insulting advice, though.
>>33777244good luck on your crusade against those guys who did a good job and quickly, you fucking dunce
>>33777272Not sure what you're talking about. You seem confused. Probably read half of this out of context and then assumed I'm trying to be vindictive, which I'm not. If it is their legal right to do business in this way, then it is my legal right to give them a negative review voicing my concerns about how they do their business. Detailing my experience is all I'm really doing. You're just mad because my experience was negative and you don't agree with it. That's fine.
