** Lawn Maintenance Service Details from Empire Landscaping ** The following is a guideline of our service details. Please read carefully and email me with confirmation, questions and/or information or changes to your account. As always, we value your business and are happy that you have chosen Empire Landscaping for all of your Lawn and Landscaping needs. - Patrick & Matt Email is the fastest and best way to contact us. Please allow (2) business days for a response, but usually it will be much sooner. Our email is empirelandscaping@gmail.com Our website is www.empirelandscaping.org for all your landscaping needs. Please provide the following, via email, if you are a NEW CUSTOMER: Name - Address - Phone Number (Best to reach you) - Type of Service ("Basic" or "Full Service") - Combo for Gate lock or Key - Pets we need to be aware of - Payment Information (Credit Card) - Payment address if different from service address - Need Estimate for Weed Control/Fertilizations? (Y/N) - ** If your grass is higher than normal or needs additional time to complete on our first visit to your property, you will be charged extra. ** 20 Years in Business - We are an established, professional landscape and lawn maintenance company serving Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen and Dallas since 1994. Reliable, Year-Round Service - We have reliable, experienced people available to meet your needs, even if you need work done during the winter months. Reasonable Rates - Our prices for services are based on years of experience. We offer top quality services at very competitive rates. We are very concerned about quality and customer service. You may be able to find lower priced services, but for a few dollars more we can provide a much higher level of service from people who genuinely care about doing a good job for you. No Contracts - We will not ask you to sign a contract for our services. We want you to use our services because we do a great job for you, not because you are bound to a contract. Type of Service - There are (2) types of service you can choose to use with us. "Basic" or "Full Service" 1. "Basic" o Will just perform mowing on a regular basis o You will need to email us for any additional services, such as hedge trimming or bed clean out - empirelandscaping@gmail.com o Charges for labor on any service beyond regular mowing are $35 per man hour pro rated 2. "Full Service" o Will perform mowing on a regular basis o Will trim hedges, clean out beds, clean up leaves, and trim back Crepe Myrtles (in late winter) as they are needed without you contacting us o Charges for labor on any service beyond mowing are $35 per man hour pro-rated
Mow Height - Here at Empire Landscaping, we are setting a new precedent with our lawn maintenance clients and it is all about mowing your yard higher. There are many great reasons to mow your grass higher and I have outlined these facts below. Clients who are on an every other week schedule should highly consider every week mowing to keep your grass looking good and properly maintained. 1. A longer lawn will have more surface area for photosynthesis to occur. Increased photosynthesis results in more plant growth, an extensive root system and a healthier plant. 2. Weeds can be drastically reduced when lawn is maintained at a higher cut. Once turf adapts to growing at increased heights, it fills in and becomes dense and lush, crowding out weeds that normally invade when turf is weak and stressed. 3. A dense, lush lawn maintained at a minimum height of 3" is more tolerant to infrequent watering and drought stress because there are increased moisture reserves in the leaf tissue and root system. Although your turf will still need water, the effects of drought or water restrictions will be less noticeable and take longer to occur with a higher mowed lawn. This could be the difference between your lawn turning brown or making it until the next rain. 4. The most noticeable benefit of the longer turf is aesthetics. The increased amount of leaf blade provides a dramatic improvement in turf color. You will notice your lawn become consistent, uniform and lush looking. Shade zones, patchy areas and weak spots will fill in and help achieve a dense "carpet" effect when given the right opportunity. 5. Your 3" lawn will need to be mowed once a week during the growing season but contrary to popular belief, it will not be more work. Once the grass reaches that uniform height, you will still be cutting off the same amount of grass as you would a lower cut lawn. Scalping Bermuda Grass - Scalping of grass should be performed as the first "mow" of the spring season. Scalping benefits your yard in which it will control winter broad leaf weeds, can control thatch and dispose of dead or dormant grass from the winter. Scalping is typically a 2-3 times charge of your normal mow rate because of the excess time taken to perform. Please let us know if you would not like your yard scalped. Weed Control and Fertilization - We offer Weed Control and Fertilizations programs serviced by a 3rd party. We partner with Lawn Tech for chemical applications, year long fire ant control, grub control, core aerating, perimeter pest control and moisture management. This is a professional chemical company that will be able to better diagnose and remedy weed problems. After each chemical installation, you will be charged through Empire Landscaping for payment. Day of Mowing - Once we get into our regular mowing cycle (Usually mid April to mid September) your mowing day will be as consistent as possible. Sometimes weather, mechanical breakdowns, extra requests or unforeseen circumstances will push your mowing day up or behind a day (typically behind). We will no longer be contacting clients on "when" our crew will be at your lawn. If our team is more than 2-3 days behind your mowing day, please contact us via email right away. Service Problems - One of our goals is to ensure that you are completely satisfied with the services we provide. While we typically do not give credits or refunds, we will send the mowing crew back to correct any reasonable problems you may have with their work at no extra charge, provided you notify us within 24 hours of the service by either phone or e-mail. If you do not contact us within 24 hours, we will be sure that the mowing crew is made aware of your complaint so that it will be corrected for the next service. ATTN Bi-Weekly Service Clients - We will charge for Bi-Weekly service $6 to $12 more per mow based on lot size
Mowing frequency is the single most important aspect of turf maintenance. During the growing season, a typical lawn will require mowing about every five days to thrive. Mowing every seven days should be frequent enough to maintain a reasonable level of quality. A good rule of thumb would be to mow often enough so that no more than 30% of the leaf is removed at each mowing. (Removing more than 30% will impede the grass s ability to photosynthesize and stunt its growth for several days.) Frequent mowing also maintains root development and the proper storage of carbohydrates. - Neil Sperry We highly recommend weekly service if you want your yard to look its best. Two weeks of growth is too much to cleanly cut in most cases, and wears out our equipment causing more expense. Bi-weekly mowing may result in problems such a clumps of grass left in the yard or an uneven cut. Therefore, in most cases, we will not send the crews back to correct these types of problems on bi-weekly accounts. Damage to Property - In the unlikely event that our crews damage your property in any way, please contact us immediately so we can make timely, professional repairs. In most cases in the past, any damage has been minor. Broken sprinkler heads are the most common damage because they are often difficult or impossible to see in the grass. We will fix them if we break them, but if you are continually having problems with them getting hit, they are probably wearing out and sticking in the up position after watering or they aren t set at the right height. If this is the case, please call a sprinkler company out to check your system if the sprinkler heads are working properly and are set at the proper height, they won t be damaged by our equipment. **Please note - we will not be held responsible for charges for repairs to damaged property that we were not made aware of in advance of the repair being made, so please be sure to contact us first if you believe we were responsible for any damage. If we cannot make the repair ourselves, we will hire someone who is qualified to do so. Trees and Fences In order to make your yard look its best, we use line trimmers (weedeaters). If you are concerned about minor string damage, please put protection around your trees or fences. String damage is likely to occur when beds don t have edging around them and plants are planted in the yard without protection around the base. A/C Units and Exposed Wires- Empire Landscaping will not be responsible for damage to A/C units, exposed wires or exposed cables of any kind. It is your responsibility to protect any outside equipment with any means necessary. We pride ourselves in "taking care" of our clients property and are always mindful of these issues. Please notify us if other service companies will be working on outside equipment so we can notify our crews of the situation. Monthly Billing - We will email your bill each month for the prior month's services around the first of each month. Please see the Payment Method at the bottom. For your convenience, we have an automatic payment plan to have your credit card automatically charged each month. Payment is due upon receipt. If payment is not received by the 15th, a $15 late payment fee will be added to your account. We will suspend any service more than (30) days late of payment. Collecting past due accounts is very time consuming and expensive process that adds significantly to the cost of doing business. The late payment fee is intended to help us keep our prices for services down for the majority of our customers who do pay their accounts in a timely manner by charging only the customers who are creating the extra expense of past due account collections. Schedule Changes - If you need to change or cancel a scheduled service please email empirelandscaping@gmail.com or call Patrick at 214.228.0904 by 4:00 P.M. the day before the service is scheduled so Matt can make the change before they leave for the day. Any changes or cancellations received after 4:00 P.M. each day will not be executed in time to make the change effective for the next day. The mowing crews do make decisions regarding whether or not your yard needs to be cut to the best of their ability, but you will still need to call or email if you want to cancel a scheduled mowing for any reason.
Estimates for Additional Services - We are always happy to provide you with estimates for any additional maintenance and landscaping services you may need, such as shrub and bed maintenance, leaf clean-ups, planting seasonal color and mulch installation. All you need to do is email us to let us know what you need and we will get an estimate emailed back to you within (5) business days, usually sooner. Estimates are done Monday through Saturday. If you get my voice mail, please leave a detailed message and let me know what type of estimate you need. This will allow us to get the estimate to you as quickly as possible. If you need an estimate for services we don t provide, such as weed control, sprinkler installation or tree trimming, please email me and we can recommend reputable contractors we have worked with in the past. General Labor Costs - General Labor constitutes any type of work without involving material such as, hedge trimming or the clean out of flower beds. Our current rate is $35 per man hour. For example: 2 workmen trimming hedges for 1/2 hour = $35 charge. Rain Delays - If it rains on your scheduled mowing day, you can expect us later in the day if the rain lets up or the next day if it rains throughout the day. Our crews may mow while the lawn is still wet, so please notify me before 6 A.M. the day of your scheduled service if you want to re-schedule or skip your service due to the rain. We will not be able to execute any changes received after this time. (**Please note - if you lock your gates and you do not have a combination lock, please leave the gates unlocked even if it is raining in the morning since we might be able to mow later in the day). Locked Gates - You may have locked, fenced areas of your yard that our workers will need to access. If so, we recommend you use a combination lock to avoid lock-outs. Just email us with the combination and you won t need to worry about leaving the gate unlocked for the mowing crew. (**Please note - we cannot send our crews back or issue a credit for not mowing inside a fenced area that is locked). Yard Debris - Please pick up all yard debris such as toys, dog bones, large rocks, etc., the day before we mow as these type objects can be very hazardous to our workers and others if hit by a lawn mower and can cause serious damage to your property and our equipment. Pets - Please let us know if you have any pets that are kept outside so that the crews can be aware of them. While our mowing crews are very careful to keep gates closed, we cannot guarantee that a pet will not escape from the yard. Therefore, we recommend that you keep your pets indoors on mowing days. Pet Waste - Please pick up any pet waste from your yard a few days before your mowing day. There are pet waste removal services you can use if you do not have time to do this. We will email you if this is an issue, and if it persists, we will no longer be able to service your yard. Watering For best results, please do not water your lawn the night before or the morning of the day we are scheduled to service your lawn if at all possible. Calendar of Mowing Frequency: Middle of March (initial scalp or mow) April - September (every week / or every other week mowing based on your yards growth) October - December (every other week or as needed via email contact) Please contact us via email - empirelandscaping@gmail.com if you would like any additional services such as: Leaf cleanup Flowerbed cleanup (weeds and grasses) Trimming of Hedges Mulch installed
Annuals (flowers) in late April / early May Any other type of landscaping project Please visit our website at empirelandscaping.org for Landscape Design and Build, Set Stone Borders, Concrete Curbing, Sod / Drainage and Free Estimates!! ** Payment Method ** We will be using all Credit Card payments with all Lawn Maintenance invoices. This will free you of time of mailing a check and no response is necessary if there are no discrepancies. You will receive your invoice just as usual via email at the end of each month for the prior months service (usually around the 1st-3rd of each month) You will have 7-10 days to review any charges via email BEFORE we charge your card. If the charges are correct, do nothing and your card will be charged around the 7th-10th of each month. If there is a discrepancy, please email us right away. ** We accept all major credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express** ** We will need to collect Credit card information prior to service being started ** Current customers already with Credit cards on file will follow under the Payment Method Guideline. I will give you some options for you to provide your credit card information. Please include the following: Your last name Your street name Your Credit card # Your Credit card expiration month and year Method of delivery for credit card information: Option #1 - Via email (you may break up the info in to (2) separate emails for security purposes, if you would like, just specify email #1 & #2 if possible) Option #2 - Text message (214.228.0904) Please include your name, so I know where the text is from Option #3 - Phone ( Call me or leave a message if I am unable to answer ) Please contact me via email if you have any questions or concerns regarding this Payment Method. Thank you again and we look forward to taking care of your lawn maintenance and landscaping projects in 2015. -- Patrick Wilson - Landscape Designer / Matt Grissom - Landscape Consultant Empire Landscaping 214.228.0904 Web: empirelandscaping.org Email: empirelandscaping@gmail.com