Glossary
The words we use, and what we mean by them.
Most of what goes wrong between a homeowner and a trade is two people using one word for two things. These are ours, defined once. If a page says something these do not cover, the page is wrong and we would like to hear about it.
- System Check
- One visit. Every zone runs while we watch it, you get the written report, and the first small fix is done on the spot. Fixed price by zone. Credited in full against a larger repair agreed on the visit.
- Diagnostic
- Work whose product is an answer rather than a repair: finding a buried leak, tracing a broken valve wire. Priced on its own and not credited, because the answer is the thing you bought. The repair, once the answer is known, is a separate decision in writing.
- Zone A, B, C
- The three price bands, by drive from base. A is close, B is a route day, C is the far ring. The zone changes the trip and nothing else; the work is the same in all three.
- Credited
- If a larger repair is agreed on the same visit, the price of the check comes off it in full. You do not pay for the check and then pay for the repair on top.
- In writing
- The price is on paper before work starts, and it does not change on arrival other than the site conditions named on that paper.
- The first small fix
- A stuck head, a nozzle, a solenoid — done on the check visit if the part is on the truck. Anything larger is priced in writing and is your call.
- Deferred
- Found, written down and priced, but not done today. It is on the report so you can decide later with the facts in hand.
- Route day
- A set day when the truck is already working a zone. Property care and return visits are grouped onto it so the drive is shared. Zone B areas are visited on route days.
- Workmanship
- Thirty days. If a repair we made fails within thirty days, we come back and make it right at no charge. Parts carry the maker’s warranty.
- Site conditions
- Things that belong to the property, not the work: old pipe that breaks when disturbed, weeds that spread by root, gophers, drainage. Named in the terms; not covered.
- The limit
- Every HLS project is under $1,000 all-in — labour, materials, everything — and needs no permit. That is the line the licensing exemption draws. Over it, we say so and refer you to a licensed contractor.
Henderson’s Landscape Services is not licensed by the Contractors State License Board. Work is performed under California’s minor work exemption (Business & Professions Code §7048): every project totals less than $1,000 including labor, materials and all other items, requires no building permit, and is performed by the owner without employees. Jobs that exceed that limit, require a permit, or need more than one person on site are referred to a licensed contractor. The System Check price is fixed by area. Repair and property-care work is priced after we have walked the property and confirmed in writing before any work begins; nothing on this site is a quote.