Well that is not completely true. It was ACTUALLY $190.00 but they got a 10% discount because I was taking care of the HOA common areas at this point in time. See what I did there? That is misdirection. You thought the 'not completely true' was going to be about destroying their yard, but it was actually about charging them even MORE. Though I guess the destroying their yard bit isn't entirely true, either. I did rut up the back corner into quite a mess, but it healed over time, and now you can't even tell what a terrible job I did! :D
The customer was very understanding and has been a solid customer ever since. In a strange twist of timing, today (5/27/21) is my last service on their property before their son takes over to help them out. I am never sad when I lose a customer because they are getting help from someone else, I think it is a great thing, especially in this case when you are helping your parents maintain the yard.
Looking back at a job from April 2020. This is the first time the long version of this has ever been released. Timestamps provide video details.
0:00 Explaining the job at hand
0:37 ECHO PAS2620 with hedge trimmer attachment
1:37 My outfit is still the same nowadays
2:37 Although I don't use the earbuds as much anymore
3:37 Always make sure to leave access to these boxes or the electric company may trash your shrub
4:37 I like hedge trimming but it takes a long time to do right
5:42 It is weird seeing this little scrubby thing; it has grown into a nice big round hedge!
6:35 Same here, this short part is about waist high now
7:35 This shrub is viburnum
8:35 It grows well, but the big floppy leaves make it hard to look ''crisp" when you are finished
9:35 You can also see much of the growth is on the outside, so you have to be careful about trimming too much
10:35 Trimming something flat and holding the trimmer this way toasts my shoulders!
11:35 Shrub trimming can be annoying as you still have to clean everything up once you are done.
12:00 Going back and raking stuff out is mandatory to me
12:35 It pops up stuff you missed and cleans out debris
13:35 This shrub is a bit bigger nowadays, but not too much
14:35 Always challenging to decide what the shape of something like this will be
15:35 Another big viburnum under the window that got a little leggy
16:35 I think the wind just killed the gopro audio :)
17:35 Raking also gives your arms a short break from the trimmer
18:35 This shrub is a loropetalum
19:35 I like trimming them a lot better
20:35 Their smaller leaves make a much more 'tight' appearance when completed
21:35 Mowing on to one last viburnum
22:45 I might have been checking a text or switching music
23:45 nearly done!
24:45 I hope I get that piece on the brick!
25:45 It looks like I spared you me raking everything up into bags.
26:45 Cleaning out cracks is a small thing that people love
27:45 Edging takes a lot of time to film. Edge 5 feet, walk to camera, move camera, walk back, edge 5 feet, etc
28:45 Eagle eyes will see water draining on the low spot of the driveway. Lawn is wet and will haunt me later
29:27 You can tell this is old, still using the Bobcat 36" as the main mower with the enclosed trailer!
30:45 Going for broke in messing their yard up
31:22 Close up of the carnage
32:22 This tiny little fruit tree is still tiny and still a pain to mow around
33:22 This little back strip is right up against nature
34:22 This is a little dog pen. I mean that in both ways. The dogs are little and the pen is little.
35:22 Finishing up the back corner
36:22 This side yard was much drier than the other. Still wet, but just more dry.
37:22 Long straight mows like this are not things I get to do often when filming
38:22 I put the mulch plate back on near the car
39:22 Testing out this lower spot of the yard...eh what the heck
40:22 Let's take the mulch plate back off for this stuff
41:22 On to the front yard!
42:22 Going SO SLOW on turns to avoid more damage to the lawn
43:22 This oak tree is still a pain, but on to the string trimming!
44:22 Nowadays I use an electric trimmer. It isn't great for overgrown stuff but works fine for maintenance accounts
45:22 Still not a ton of grass growth in this back corner. Low sun and hard ground.
46:22 I string trim from right to left. This throws the debris away from where I just cut rather than into where I haven't cut
47:22 String trimming what I couldn't get with the mower
48:22 The grass clippings help hide the ruts! :D
49:22 Hate trimming around AC units. Doesn't take much to make an expensive mistake
50:22 Those hoses are always in the way
51:22 Almost done string trimming!
52:22 That backflow preventer took a long time to trim around
52:47 Before and after's and more voiceover
53:27 I should have blown the leaves back under the shrubs, ah well.