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Message |
    
Shannon OReilly
Citizen
Username: Soreilly
Post Number: 10
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 8:24 am: | 
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Well, as mentioned earlier, I am on a corner lot...and in desperate need of a security fence to stop my little guy from running into the street. Township has just turned us down for a fence (we could apply for variance- would cost $500.00 in fees and be at least 3 months before we even get to hearing...with no guarantee that we'd be granted permission). So, we decided to go with a nice, secure hedge...and I thought that I'd got it lined up...both Dean Weiss and Carmine's came out for quote... except that now, I can't get either to follow-up and finalize. Carmine's promised to come out yesterday for last few questions (after I called 3 times over the course of a week with no return call) but he never showed...and Dean Weiss, well I had to wait 2 weeks for proposal and have left a couple of messages- so I am assuming that he is just way too swamped to take on another project. Now I am back to square 1- and in need of a good, reliable landscaping company that plants hedging. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
Shannon
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melicious
Citizen
Username: Melicious
Post Number: 427
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 8:57 am: |
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Hang in there for Dean. It's really worth the wait.
Tis the season for contractor delays! I booked my fence installation in
January and it was done in late March - before the season began. NOW, it's so hard because everyone books so dang early!
Good luck and remember fast isn't always best.
m
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Shannon OReilly
Citizen
Username: Soreilly
Post Number: 11
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 9:09 am: |
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I know- it's just that we are going to soon be in the season of "too hot for planting"...from what I've read I have maybe 5/6 weeks before planting would have to wait for the Fall. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 7559
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 10:41 am: |
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I know it's a drag, but I've found that they are all hard to reach right now. Especially for smaller jobs. If you know exactly what you want and where, try grabbing a lawn crew from one of your neighbors. Sometimes they'll do a smaller job if they already come to the neighborhood.
If you can wait for Dean, he is so worth it. I wish we had done that; it's not that the guy we ended up with did a bad job, but that his foreman was so impossible to work with that we would not recommend him. And, there are small problems popping up now that I am having Dean fix because I just can't deal with the other guy. The other guy put it a blue stone patio for our friends last August and the entire thing came up over the winter. It took two weeks for him to return her phone calls about it; she had to leave a message every day.
So, all in all, you may have to wait at this point.
Another option: look at the house at the corner of Elmwood and Oakland. They have a back yard fence that goes all the way around. The side next to the house and the parellel fence across the back are standard, 4 foot picket. The side along the sidewalk (where a variance would have been needed) looks kind of strange. The picket fencing is about 1.5 feet tall. They did it a few years ago (3-4?) and I couldn't figure it out until this year - they planted bushes which are starting to climb around the short fence. I wonder if that's how they got around the variance thing. |
Anna
Citizen
Username: Anna
Post Number: 39
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, May 6, 2006 - 9:14 am: |
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Wait for Dean Weiss. You'll be glad you did! |
Farida Agustiani
Citizen
Username: Chinzo
Post Number: 26
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, May 6, 2006 - 10:55 pm: |
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I am sure Carmine's will call you back. Matt has always been honest to his word. I just had them finish up some new plantings for me in front of my house, which turn out great (booked this with them back in Feburuary). Also asked for a small walkway to be installed at this time but Matt said he was to busy to do anything right now, could do this in July. If you are looking to have something done now it may be hard to get someone good, most good landscapers are booked until the summer.
This is a very busy time of the season for them and they get booked very early. Must say Carmine's is worth the wait, very honest and professional. |
Shannon OReilly
Citizen
Username: Soreilly
Post Number: 14
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, May 6, 2006 - 11:12 pm: |
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Carmine's is officially off my list. Matt came over more than a month ago and sent us a quote- I left 3 messages, over the course of a week, and several e-mails. He finally called me back and said "why don't I come over tomorrow at 2:00pm to discuss". Next day came and went...no Matt, no phone call. I left a message again saying- "please call me" and 3 days later, no response. So, Carmine's is gone and I am off to find another contractor! Unfortunately, Dean hasn't followed up- despite the proposal he sent me over 4 weeks ago. I left him a bunch of messages as well. I know that he is swamped, so it is very unlikely that he will get back to me. Friendly Tree came back and just gave me a quote...and can do the work within the next few weeks...thinking about using them and getting the security we so desperately need! If only the Township would "permit" us have a fence!!!
Green Tree- we can put a fence up that is under 2 feet w/o a permit...my fear however, is that my son and the other kids on the block would see this as a "fun" hurdle and would end up jumping right onto Maplewood Ave.
I know that in the long term, this isn't such a big deal...it's just frustrating to not be able to get something done. Thanks for letting me vent.
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Projects Dude
Citizen
Username: Quakes
Post Number: 131
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Monday, May 8, 2006 - 5:21 pm: |
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So out of serious curiousity since I've never had any major landscaping work done... how much should one budget for projects. I know it all depends on the actual scale and type of work... I have a backyard that's partly flat-ish and the rest somewhat of an incline. Right now we hardly use it but have been fantasizing about turning it into something nice.
The backyard is about 2,000 sq feet... would need to sod the whole thing, put in sprinklers, plant things along part of the edges, and would love to put down some kind of stones/pavers for a seating area we can put table/chairs, etc. Again, have zero clue as to whether this will run $5,000 or $50,000 or more. Any kind of directional guide would be very helpful!
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apm
Citizen
Username: Apm
Post Number: 352
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 9, 2006 - 7:14 pm: |
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Try Thomasaerickson@yahoo.com. Very reasonable, by the hour and will plant whatever you buy. He will even remove the old plantings. He may be very busy now as I posted him on MOL before. Good luck. |
dano
Citizen
Username: Dano
Post Number: 199
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 11:52 am: |
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What about buying the plants from Orange Garden and picking up a few Day Laborers on the way home. You could have everything done in an afternoon?? |
Handygirl
Citizen
Username: Handygirl
Post Number: 697
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 3:04 pm: |
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What kind of hedge are you looking for? Boxwood? Holly? Forsythia? Evergreen? Many of these plants can be purchased at Costco for good prices. Schlepping and planting these plants can be a decent amount of work, but if it is between not having it done and doing it yourself... |
Former Cowgirl
Citizen
Username: Formercowgirl
Post Number: 70
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 7:23 pm: |
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I've called three landscapers (just trying to get a clean up for my new home) and no one will call me back even.  Is it THAT busy? Does anyone know a landscaper who will surely call me back? I need a grass trim up front and out back and to get rid of all that pollen that fell off the trees this week and last.
We're also going to want a hedge, but that's not as urgent to me as the clean up.
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Jersey_Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 790
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 8:08 pm: |
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Ditto what dano said, only you should probably speak some Spanish.
Orange delivers for a fee and will put it in your predug hole for another fee.
All you do is dig holes. You can rent a machine that does this at Home Depot.
When the landscapers come to give you a quote you can show them the flower bed you planted that says, "YOU SNOOZE YOU LOSE" in mums.
J.B. |
Shannon OReilly
Citizen
Username: Soreilly
Post Number: 16
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 9:21 pm: |
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We want a Privet hedge....we are going to need a pretty large chunk of our property-line "planted" (I'd say it's about 70 feet). It's not that I don't want to support day laborers...it's just that the investment is going to be pretty expensive (probably over a grand- not including labor) so I want to get someone who knows what they are doing...and who will offer a guarantee on work done! My husband and I aren't much help in the labor department at the moment (he had surgery several months ago and I am currently nursing a pinched nerve in my back...I'm not even 35 and I'm falling apart!) Anyway, I wanted to get someone who can get this project done- start to finish. I'm sure we'll get the right person for the job soon. Thanks everyone for your advice. |
Jersey_Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 799
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 9:28 pm: |
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There should be a term, like "troll" for people who post on the Home Fix-it threads and tell everyone to do-it-yourself.
I'm one. We should be called.....
Do-it-yourself-holes.
J.B. |
Handygirl
Citizen
Username: Handygirl
Post Number: 700
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Friday, May 12, 2006 - 10:14 am: |
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Totally Jersey Boy. I'm a do-it-yourself-hole as well. Sorry all. |
Former Cowgirl
Citizen
Username: Formercowgirl
Post Number: 73
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Friday, May 12, 2006 - 5:16 pm: |
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LOL, JB. I wish I had a do-it-yourselfer in my household. But I got a bun in the oven so there won't be any lawn mowing or hedge planting for me for a while and the other grown up is not really interested in DIY.
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Jersey girl
Citizen
Username: Critterlover
Post Number: 27
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 16, 2006 - 3:12 am: |
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You can try Orlando's Landscaping for planting a hedge. He's an awesome worker and he's a nice guy. (973) 676-2120. His company is located right next door in Orange.
He returns calls in a timely fashion. I have no idea if he is ''too booked'' to get to your hedge planting this season but it is worth a phone call to inquire.
And for whomever is wondering ''Is it THAT busy?''... the answer is ''Yes, it IS!'' It's true, these guys incredibly busy.
Of course the business owner should still return phone calls. However, many of these guys we call are the very contractors who come home after dark , having worked a long and physically hard day, and they are exhausted, and some just don't have time to return calls because it is too late in the evening or too early in the morning when they get a minute to call. All their customers and potential new ones, want them to be available by phone and in the evening to come discuss a job, give an estimate, etc... but we also want them to be here all day getting the job done, LOL! So they have an impossible job.
I think they need to hire secretaries during the busy season, someone to answer phones and make appointments for them.
But most guys who work for themselves don't seem to have a secretary. They probably think it is too expensive to pay one, but imho getting the phone calls done along with having happier customers would be worth the salary.
Good luck with the hedge! Remember, a fence or a hedge only slows the children down some; it doesn't stop the little escapees altogether! You have a busy summer ahead of you, right? ; )
Jersey Girl |
michelezembow
Citizen
Username: Michelezembow
Post Number: 204
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 10:57 am: |
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You might reconsider waiting 'til the fall. We lost 5 1/2 of our 6 new bushes last summer during a single vacation week. After tending so carefully to their planting and infancy during the spring and early summer, a friend who watered them while we were away was a little lax (did every other, rather than every, day watering during a deadly hot, dry week) and they all bit the dust. If they don't get into the ground soon, consider waiting. Also, you might buy from a place that refunds your money within a year if the plants die. Home Depot does this, and even though I don't love buying there, it's seems so reasonable and protective of your potential losses. |
Shannon OReilly
Citizen
Username: Soreilly
Post Number: 17
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 4:58 pm: |
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I know- Mancicni's is coming out tomorrow for a quote (wish us luck)...I think they will be the last company that I call until the end of summer. Then I'll start up again with other companies and get on the "early fall" list. |
Farida Agustiani
Citizen
Username: Chinzo
Post Number: 28
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 7:06 pm: |
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I take it most of the companies you called are very busy. You mentioned you wanted this done in the next 5-6 weeks. good luck and let us know who you went with and how did they all compare in price. |
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