Starting a lawn care business isn’t as simple as dusting the cobwebs off your uncle’s old lawnmower and knocking on every door in the neighborhood. Starting this kind of business requires meticulous planning, legal arrangements, financial management, deciding on specific services, recruitment, and even marketing.
Everyone enjoys a pleasant-looking front lawn with finely-trimmed hedges and freshly mowed grass. So there is a massive opportunity if you want to start your own lawn care business.
As of 2022, there were 632,895 active businesses, and that number, we’re sure, is only going to continue to grow. From 2009 to 2017, the average spend on lawn care services was $503 per household.
Tips for Starting a Lawn Care Business
- Start Your Lawn Care Business Legally
- Register Your Company Name/Structure
- Once you have a structure for how you’ll run your lawn care operations, you can register your business (and its name) accordingly.
There are three main types of business structures to choose from:
Limited liability company (LLC): This structure protects medium or high-risk businesses from personal liability.
Sole proprietorship: For those who choose to run their business alone and want full control.
Partnership: Running a business with 2+ people still legally registered as self-employed. This structure requires an employer identification number (EIN) for tax reporting purposes.
Once you’ve chosen which structure to run your business under, submit your business name to your regional government. In the US, you can trademark and register your business name if no other business uses it in your state.
Get a Business License
You can’t start your lawn care business without a license. Business licenses usually cost between $75 and $400 annually. Contact your local Small Business Administration (SBA) or Chamber of Commerce to learn which business license you require.
In the US, business owners need a license to use any product that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regards as a pesticide. In some states, you may need to take a pest control safety education program to be qualified to use such products.
Get Your Business Insurance
To cover damages, incidents, and injuries, ensure your lawn care business is properly insured. Typical insurances that apply include:
- Health insurance
- Business owner insurance
- Vehicle insurance
- Liability insurance
- Employment liability
- Workers Compensation
- Get Business Banking and Accounting
Choose Lawn Care Services to Offer
Not all lawn care businesses provide the same services. Decide which services to provide based on your budget and required equipment.
Start with fundamental lawn care services to lock down your first clients. These include:
- Mowing and trimming
- Edging and weeding
- Fertilization and weed control
- Seasonal services (like snow removal)
As you generate stable revenue and a healthy customer base, you can provide more advanced services, such as:
- Grading
- Lawn aeration
- Lawn returfing
- Leaf blowing
- Tree trimming
- Pest control
- Shrub maintenance
- Sod installation
- Understanding what competitors provide and what your customers require can help determine which additional services to offer.
Use the Right Lawn Care Equipment and Tools
Require equipment such as:
- Shovels
- Power rakes
- Wheelbarrows
- Gardening gloves
- Lawn bags
- Leaf blowers
- Mowing goggles
- Safety earmuffs
- Pruning shears
- SpreadersYour Lawn Care Services
It’s also worth driving a truck or trailer to transport your equipment from one client’s home to the next.
Price
Find a balance between lawn care service prices that seem reasonable for customers but are competitive and profitable within the local and wider market. To determine your prices, you should:
Calculate labor costs
- Decide on profit margins
- Learn more about local lawn care rates
- Make sensible estimates for every job and project
- Work out equipment, material costs, and general overhead
Different lawn care services need to be based on different pricing models. These include:
Hourly rates: If you’re unsure how long a job could take, it’s best to pay your workers hourly. This rate includes overhead and labor costs per hour.
Flat rates: If you know exactly how long a job will take, you can afford to set a fixed price.
Square footage rates: Determined not by the time of a job but by how many square feet are being covered.
Develop a chart that clearly shows how much you charge for flat rates or per square foot or hour. This level of pricing detail creates transparency and trust between you and the client.
Market Your Business
To get customers quickly, implement some marketing techniques. It can be as simple as going from door to door and dropping flyers about your business.
Ensure the following marketing measures are in place:
Create a brand: This gives your lawn care business its unique personality and language. An attractive logo, name, motto, and color scheme on your uniform can separate you from the rest of the pack.
Market online: Promote your business online with an official website, social media accounts, and search results on Google.
Devise a marketing plan: Work out your target audience, your business message, the value you bring to customers, the problems you solve, and the marketing tools you’ll use.
Hire Lawn Care Employees
Building a team of employees is vital. The more hires you have for the hands-on aspect of lawn care, the more time you can dedicate to off-lawn activities like marketing, scheduling, and employee management.
Consider the following when hiring lawn care professionals:
- Devise a job description that clearly states the responsibilities required for the role.
- Decide which jobs should be for subcontractors, part-time, and full-time employees.
- Share job openings through online and offline media (job search websites, newspapers, magazines, social media, etc.).
- Carefully read every submitted resume and ask for references and background checks.
- Have relevant interview questions ready.
- Prepare a methodical training program for hired employees.
Use Lawn Care Business Software
Once you have the basics of your business up and running, find an effective way to manage employees, regardless of their location or work hours.
Employee management software solutions like Connecteam can help automate and scale your operations.
Connecteam’s features include:
Time tracking: Efficient for hourly pay; employees clock in and out using a mobile phone, tagging their GPS location for accurate timesheets and payroll.
Employee scheduling: Easier to manage job details, location, specific tasks, and recurring jobs for regular customers.
Digital forms and checklists: Allow reporting job details, including before and after photos, on the go.
Internal communication: Streamlined through updates, employee team chat, surveys, and more, which is crucial when not with your team at every moment.
After Starting this Business: Dos and Don’ts
DOs
Maintain amazing customer service: Go above and beyond in your service. Be kind, patient, and attentive. Be on time, responsive, and leave no mess behind.
Look to up-sell: Offer additional services and look for any opportunity to up-sell. Sometimes clients aren’t aware they need extra work.
DON’Ts
Forget to communicate with your clients: Ensure customer service stands out. Communicate before and after the job, keeping clients informed.
Forget appointment reminders: Remind clients about upcoming appointments through email, text, or phone calls to prevent last-minute cancellations.
Forget to follow up: Send a follow-up email, text, or call after a job and payment. This ensures repeat customers and referrals.
Ignore the weather: Track the weather and prepare for days when work isn’t possible due to conditions. Being proactive ensures your business isn’t hurt by bad weather.
Conclusion
Starting a lawn care business requires careful planning, legal arrangements, and financial management. Begin by registering your company, obtaining necessary licenses and insurance, and choosing appropriate equipment. Offer essential services first, then expand based on customer needs and market analysis. Effective pricing, recruiting employees, and using management software are crucial for smooth operations. Prioritize excellent customer service, clear communication, and adaptability to weather conditions to ensure your business thrives.
FAQs
Q: How much do lawn care businesses make?
Ans: Business owners’ salaries can vary depending on team size, services provided, efficiency, profit margins, number of customers, and other factors. Salaries can range from $10,000 to $100,000 per year.
Q: How much does it cost to start?
Ans: Starting a lawn care business can be relatively cheap. If you already have an appropriate vehicle, the starting cost can be as low as $755-1,360. Typical starter expenses include:
- Liability insurance – $500-$600 annually
- Push lawn mower – $170-$350
- Registration costs – $75-$400
- Basic flyer marketing – $10
More advanced businesses might require further expenses, such as trucks, additional equipment, and more sophisticated marketing.