Frequently Asked Questions
We understand that you may have questions about Riverbend's tree services and landscape care, so we've answered some of the most common questions below. Of course, if you have any other questions, we'd love to talk with you! Just give us a call at 703-402-9366.
Invoices, payment & scheduling
When is payment due?
Seasonal services (such as mowing, bed maintenance, and fertilization) are billed at the end of each month.
One-time services (such as tree removal) are billed when they are performed.
Is a deposit required?
For larger tree jobs and drainage work, we require a 50% deposit to be sent at the time of the contract being signed. When we receive the signed contract and deposit payment, we will schedule the work to be performed.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept credit card, paper checks, and free ACH transfer. Credit card payments may be taken over the phone by calling our office at 703-402-9366. Checks may be sent through mail to our office at 9134 Weant Drive, Great Falls, Virginia 22066.
Please do not give payment to the crew when they are at your property.
How quickly can my work be scheduled?
Once the contract is signed and deposit payment received, we will schedule your work to be performed in approximately 2-3 weeks, depending on the weather. In certain cases, we may move your job ahead in the schedule. For seasonal and routine maintenance services (for example, mowing, turf improvement, aeration), we will schedule your work for the appropriate season immediately upon receipt of the signed contract.
What areas do you work in?
We provide services in Northern Virginia, including Great Falls, McLean, Langley, Herndon, Reston, Ashburn, Sterling, Leesburg, Oakton, and Vienna. We also cover Bethesda, Cabin John, Chevy Chase, Derwood, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Glen Echo, Kensington, Potomac, Rockville, Silver Spring in Maryland, and Washington, DC.
Tree Service
How do I schedule a visit with a Riverbend arborist to look at my trees?
You may email us at info@riverbendva.com, or call our office at 703-402-9366.
Is Riverbend Tree Service insured specifically for tree work?
Yes, we are fully insured with general liability insurance, as well as worker’s compensation. Our insurance specifically covers tree work - unlike landscaper insurance, which does not cover the business, employees, or customer for any accidents, injuries, or damage caused by tree work.
If I describe what's happening with my tree, can you diagnose the problem over the phone?
In general, no. Sometimes we can diagnose a tree issue with a few photographs, but we always recommend a site visit for tree work. This is to ensure we are correctly diagnosing problems and to give you a plan that best suits your property and your budgeting concerns.
Do you provide emergency tree removal service?
Yes, we do! We hope you never face an emergency situation, such as having a tree fall on your home. But, if the worst happens, you can count on the Riverbend Emergency Response Team to respond quickly.
In an emergency, call our Emergency Hotline at 703-844-3886. Day or night, we'll answer your call!
Lawn Service
When do you do lawn mowing?
Our crews begin mowing at 7 am and finish by dark. Mowing will take place every 7 to 10 days depending upon the weather.
What height will my lawn be cut at?
We cut all lawns at 3.5". During summer months, we may raise our heights 1/2" at our discretion. We will not adjust the cutting height of our mowers between each property.
How many times will my lawn be mowed in a year?
There are approximately 32 cuts in a full season, depending on weather conditions.
What about leaves on my lawn? Will you remove them?
Our mowing crews do not rake leaves. If your lawn is covered with leaves, we will mow, mulch and disperse it the best we can.
We do offer leaf removal services and will send out information regarding this service to all customers in September.
What should I do if I have a dog or other outdoor pet?
As much as we love pets, they will most likely not like the mowers or having strangers in their yard, so we ask that you keep your pet inside on mowing day.
We will not mow in an area where a pet is present.
We also ask you to clean up after your pets as we do not expect our employees to mow areas that are full of "doggy surprises".
If we arrive and a pet is present in the area to be mowed, we will cut what we can and you will still be charged your regular rate.
I have a gate that is normally locked. What should I do?
If you have a gated area, we ask you to use a combination lock and provide us with the combination. If we arrive and cannot access a gated area, we will cut what we can and you will still be charged your regular rate.
Will rain affect my scheduled mowing service?
If it is raining, we may reschedule your cut to the following day. If the rain is light, we will mow. If there is rain in the forecast, we may cut your lawn a day early to prevent falling behind schedule.
What if something gets damaged?
Sometimes minor damage is unavoidable. Simply call or send us an email and we will take care of it.
String trimmer contact is inevitable when grass grows adjacent to solid objects such as trees, posts, fences, and playgrounds. We recommend mulching or landscaping around these objects to minimize string trimmer contact/damage. Riverbend Landscapes is not responsible for string trimmer damage to objects where grass is growing adjacent.
Will you bag the grass clippings?
Bagging grass clippings is bad for your lawn. Clippings provide vital micronutrients such as nitrogen, free of charge. Bagging is ONLY recommended when the grass is extremely high and would leave clumps if not bagged.
I need to skip my next scheduled cut. What should I do?
If you don’t wish to have your lawn cut on its scheduled day, you must call or email the office a minimum of 24 hours ahead of time. Failure to do so will result in a charge of 50% your normal fee if the crew shows up and is turned away. Each time you elect to skip a week’s service, your next service will be $5.00 more.
