Hello all

We need various things doing in our garden that we simply don't have
time to do. We need a new lawn laying, some fencing and decking done, a
pond building and a shed moving.

Gardening companies in Yellow pages seem to provide some of the services
but not others and we don't really know where to start, we just want to
find someone who can do it all.

Is there a specific category in Yellow Pages we should be looking for or
does anyone know of companies that can provide this sort of thing. We're
in Stockport.

Thanks
D

On Thu, 27 Jul 2006 13:46:43 +0100, Derek wrote
(in message ):

Hello all

We need various things doing in our garden that we simply don't have
time to do. We need a new lawn laying, some fencing and decking done, a
pond building and a shed moving.

Gardening companies in Yellow pages seem to provide some of the services
but not others and we don't really know where to start, we just want to
find someone who can do it all.

Is there a specific category in Yellow Pages we should be looking for or
does anyone know of companies that can provide this sort of thing. We're
in Stockport.

Thanks
D

This isn't an answer to your question, but in case you are not already aware
of this, there have been a number of TV programs over the years such as Rogue
Traders demonstrating how just picking a firm out of the Yellow Pages
according to their self-description and claimed skills may result in very
seriously botched jobs, being ripped off, and worse. Any cowboy can put an ad
in the YP, and many do. My suggestion: a personal recommendation is the only
way to be safe.

--
VX (remove alcohol for email)

"Derek" wrote in message
...
Hello all

We need various things doing in our garden that we simply don't have
time to do. We need a new lawn laying, some fencing and decking done, a
pond building and a shed moving.

Gardening companies in Yellow pages seem to provide some of the services
but not others and we don't really know where to start, we just want to
find someone who can do it all.

Is there a specific category in Yellow Pages we should be looking for or
does anyone know of companies that can provide this sort of thing. We're
in Stockport.

Thanks
D

Hi Derek

Ask your neighbours or at the nearest Garden Centre.

One of my daughters has just bought another house in Tilehurst Reading.
Neither she nor I knew anyone there and we had to have all sorts of things
done. Neighbours are wonderful things and have helped no end with personal
help and recommendations:-))

Also, ask Tradespeople you do know if they know anyone like that. I am doing
a lot of work on my own house here on the Isle of Wight and I want some
ceilings and walls plastering. I just asked a near neighbour who is a
painter and decorator and he has come up trumps with a recommendation:-))))

Ask!!

Mike


--
------------------------------------------------
Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rnshipmates.co.uk

On 27/7/06 14:04, in article
, "VX"
wrote:

On Thu, 27 Jul 2006 13:46:43 +0100, Derek wrote
(in message ):

Hello all

We need various things doing in our garden that we simply don't have
time to do. We need a new lawn laying, some fencing and decking done, a
pond building and a shed moving.

Gardening companies in Yellow pages seem to provide some of the services
but not others and we don't really know where to start, we just want to
find someone who can do it all.

Is there a specific category in Yellow Pages we should be looking for or
does anyone know of companies that can provide this sort of thing. We're
in Stockport.



This isn't an answer to your question, but in case you are not already aware
of this, there have been a number of TV programs over the years such as Rogue
Traders demonstrating how just picking a firm out of the Yellow Pages
according to their self-description and claimed skills may result in very
seriously botched jobs, being ripped off, and worse. Any cowboy can put an ad
in the YP, and many do. My suggestion: a personal recommendation is the only
way to be safe.

I certainly agree with not picking someone at random from Yellow Pages. I'd
advise going to a local nursery or garden centre and asking them for a
recommendation or even just a name as a start. We get quite a few
landscapers/garden designers/gardeners asking us to pass on their details to
enquiring customers and we've succeeded in giving work to quite a few of
them. If we know their work, we say so and ditto, if we don't! However you
pick your workers, ask them for references from others who have employed
them and go to have a look if the garden owners will agree to that. IME, if
one person doesn't do all the types of jobs you're hoping to get done, he or
she will know someone who does.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

Sacha has of course repeated what I said, but it just goes to show that
recommendations are the best

Pity Sacha has such a funny attitude, Oh well "Hell hath no fury ......."etc
etc.

Mike

--
------------------------------------------------
Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rnshipmates.co.uk


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 27/7/06 14:04, in article
, "VX"
wrote:

On Thu, 27 Jul 2006 13:46:43 +0100, Derek wrote
(in message ):

Hello all

We need various things doing in our garden that we simply don't have
time to do. We need a new lawn laying, some fencing and decking done, a
pond building and a shed moving.

Gardening companies in Yellow pages seem to provide some of the
services
but not others and we don't really know where to start, we just want to
find someone who can do it all.

Is there a specific category in Yellow Pages we should be looking for
or
does anyone know of companies that can provide this sort of thing.
We're
in Stockport.



This isn't an answer to your question, but in case you are not already
aware
of this, there have been a number of TV programs over the years such as
Rogue
Traders demonstrating how just picking a firm out of the Yellow Pages
according to their self-description and claimed skills may result in
very
seriously botched jobs, being ripped off, and worse. Any cowboy can put
an ad
in the YP, and many do. My suggestion: a personal recommendation is the
only
way to be safe.

I certainly agree with not picking someone at random from Yellow Pages.
I'd
advise going to a local nursery or garden centre and asking them for a
recommendation or even just a name as a start. We get quite a few
landscapers/garden designers/gardeners asking us to pass on their details
to
enquiring customers and we've succeeded in giving work to quite a few of
them. If we know their work, we say so and ditto, if we don't! However
you
pick your workers, ask them for references from others who have employed
them and go to have a look if the garden owners will agree to that. IME,
if
one person doesn't do all the types of jobs you're hoping to get done, he
or
she will know someone who does.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

I used to think that, but no longer. After a couple of "recommended"
tradesmen thought recommended meant " grossly inflated quotation
opportunity ", were indifferent, or downright duffers ; I tried Yellow
Pages as a last resort and found there the very best service possible at
an excellent price, from complete strangers.

I would recommend picking two or three smallish straightforward YP
adverts, (size and taste matter; IME this leads to no-nonsense traders
who keep a keen grip on costs), and phone up with a couple of
subtly-prepared questions. By number three you'll be able to compare
the reception your questions received, and the quality of the answers.

Janet.



There is of course the local 'freebies'. When I was in business I had a
regular advertisement, just a small one, but always there :-)) People even
cut the advert out and put it in their telephone directory. A regular
advertiser says something....... "I am still here. If I was a rogue trader
or useless, the magazine would have been contacted and my adverts scrapped"

My last advert appeared well over 10 years ago. I am STILL getting telephone
calls with offers of work :-)) At 70 in a couple of weeks time, what does
that say? ........................ """"He was/is good"""""

Sorry Sacha, but you know the saying

THE TRUTH DOES PREVAIL

Mike :-)
Still here whilst others have fallen by the wayside :-))


--
------------------------------------------------
Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rnshipmates.co.uk

I hate to think how many fake references are never taken up and go
undetected :-(

Janet.

I am just about to appoint a Treasurer for an Association. I ALWAYS take up
references in case like this, so why not at other times??

Mike


--
------------------------------------------------
Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rnshipmates.co.uk

On 27/7/06 17:40, in article , "Janet
Baraclough" wrote:

The message
from Sacha contains these words:

However you
pick your workers, ask them for references from others who have employed
them and go to have a look if the garden owners will agree to that.

snip


I hate to think how many fake references are never taken up and go
undetected :-(


I agree. Always check references - always. Reading your litany, I think
I've been very lucky over the years. However, a house cleaner I'd sacked
when we lived in Surrey used my name as a reference to some friends of mine
in Jersey and they had the sense to ring me. I told them not to touch her
with a bargepole! When I was ill, she'd tried to blackmail me into paying
her more than the fair going rate and had simply announced "and from now on
my rate will be........", thinking she had me over a barrel. Big mistake,
especially as various bits and pieces of ours had 'gone missing'. She was
out of the door before she'd finished the sentence with the promise of the
police called if she returned!
Friends and family rallied round and that was the end of her. The friend of
mine she tried to get a housekeeper's job with had cancer, from which she
later died and the thought of this fiendish woman trying that with her was
too much to bear.
If any would-be employee has some excuse or other for not contacting
previous bosses or customers, strike them off the list.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

Hey all

Ok, thanks very much for all your replies. We're going to take the
safest option and go to our local garden centres and have a chat with
them to see who they recommend (or even if they have a service arm that
can do it).

I don't mind spending a bit more to get the right person / company to do
it so that's probably the best idea.

Thanks again

I wish I'd discovered this forum earlier as we've had lots of gardening
probs / issues / etc, our lawn totally destroyed by chafer bugs being
the most recent. We've had to rip up ALL the grass (well, what was left
of it), hence me looking into getting someone in to sort it all out.

Cheers
D

On 28/7/06 11:01, in article ,
"Derek" wrote:

Hey all

Ok, thanks very much for all your replies. We're going to take the
safest option and go to our local garden centres and have a chat with
them to see who they recommend (or even if they have a service arm that
can do it).

I don't mind spending a bit more to get the right person / company to do
it so that's probably the best idea.

As long as you get the right people, it will be money well spent. And do
ask to see some other places they've done.

Thanks again

I wish I'd discovered this forum earlier as we've had lots of gardening
probs / issues / etc, our lawn totally destroyed by chafer bugs being
the most recent. We've had to rip up ALL the grass (well, what was left
of it), hence me looking into getting someone in to sort it all out.

With regard to that, get as many birds into your garden as you can. You can
(and should) feed birds all year round so start now by hanging seed feeders
from trees, shrubs, forked sticks, you name it.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

With regard to that, get as many birds into your garden as you can. You
can
(and should) feed birds all year round so start now by hanging seed
feeders
from trees, shrubs, forked sticks, you name it.

--
Sacha
South Devon
(email address on website)



But do watch the 'chuck out' of seeds which will attract the rats :-(((

Mike
Isle of Wight

--
------------------------------------------------
Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rnshipmates.co.uk

In article , Derek
writes


Is there a specific category in Yellow Pages we should be looking for
or does anyone know of companies that can provide this sort of thing.
We're in Stockport.

Thanks
D


A local nursery might help with some recommendations.
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk