Mowing and watering, though necessary lawn care tasks, only scratch the surface of what goes into keeping a lawn pristine and healthy. Depending on your yard's size, lifestyle, and schedule, hiring out a lawn care service may be a serious consideration for maintaining the exterior of your home. Hiring a professional lawn service can save you time and energy while still giving you a yard you can enjoy.
Before you choose a lawn care service, there are a few different things to consider.
Lawn Care Service Considerations
- Service offerings
- Reputation and legitimacy
- Equipment maintenance
- Lawn care products
- Cost and contracts
Lawn care companies tend to book up quickly, so it's best to start your search before the start of the season. Once you weigh these options, you will find yourself informed and equipped to choose a service that suits your lawn care needs.
Reputable and Legitimate Lawn Care
You might be wondering where to start with so many lawn care service companies out there. Ensuring you are only considering legitimate lawn care companies will give you a good starting point. Like any company you are hiring for your home, a lawn care service should be licensed and insured. Though there may not be large risks with lawn care maintenance, it is an important principle to follow.
One of the best ways to find reputable companies is to ask around and get first-hand recommendations. Consider asking friends, families, and neighbors for their personal experiences with lawn care businesses and what types of services those companies performed for their homes. Whether negative or positive, these first-hand accounts will help you to narrow your lawn care service search.
Service Offerings
When shopping for lawn care services, it's crucial to get a list of each company's service offerings. Most companies will mow, trim, and edge your lawn, but not all will provide additional lawn services, such as lawn fertilizer application. Before you reach out to a lawn care service company, make a list of your preferred services, so you know which companies can satisfy your lawn care needs.
Here are a few examples of standard lawn care service offerings:
- Mowing
- Lawn aeration
- Edging
- Lawn fertilizer application
- Weeding
- Lawn disease treatment
- Dethatching
Understanding the type of service offerings and their frequency will help narrow down your search for a lawn service. A lawn company may try to talk you into additional services; while it's good to keep an open mind, stick to your guns and budget. We'll discuss more about cost and contracts later on.
Equipment Maintenance
Although it's necessary to find a company that you trust, it's equally important to make sure their equipment meets your standards. These lawn care service companies can use the same equipment on a dozen yards in one day, so upkeep is of the utmost importance.
Don't be afraid to ask lawn care companies about their equipment maintenance, like how often they sharpen mowing blades. Lawn care services should be following general industry standards for equipment maintenance. Well-cared-for tools mean less risk of damage to your lawn.
Lawn Care Product
It’s also important to consider the types of products a lawn care service might use. When talking to companies, ask if they are open to using lawn care products that you provide. Simple Lawn Solutions has various liquid lawn fertilizer products that are beneficial to your grass and easy to apply. Check out some of our high-quality lawn fertilizer and other care products:
- Lawn Fertilizers - Custom blends of essential macronutrients to enhance the soil.
- Liquid Soil Loosener - Allows nutrients to flow more efficiently to the root system.
- Lawn Boosters - A green boosting product to supplement in between lawn fertilizer applications.
Knowing what types of lawn care products a company will use is essential, especially if you have pets and children. If you have a preference for the types of products used on your grass, like wanting fast-absorbing lawn fertilizer and liquid products, discuss these early on to see what is possible. Consider having your lawn service implement Simple Lawn Solutions products into your lawn’s maintenance and care.
Cost for Lawn Care Services
While there are so many things that can lead you to lean toward certain lawn care services, it all comes down to the bottom dollar. The cost can be the determining factor in choosing a lawn care service. When working with companies, quotes are determined based on services and the size of lots. If you're not ready for an in-person quote, request pricing guides or rough estimates over the phone to get an idea of what the final price would be.
Service Contracts
There are pros and cons to signing a service contract for lawn care, and service providers may offer discounts for locking into a contract. If budget is a concern, try negotiating with your lawn care service company. You can ask for concessions on signing a contract, lump-sum payment, or an early booking discount.
Lawn Care Tips
While finding the right fit can be a challenge, delegating your lawn care maintenance tasks to a company you trust will give you peace of mind and save you time and energy. Since lawn care services book for the season quickly, you may be able to find the right fit in time for spring.
If you’re keeping up with your lawn in the interim or looking to take care of all lawn care maintenance yourself, we can help simplify lawn care. Don’t miss out on opportune times to apply lawn fertilizer or weed your yard while waiting to book a professional service.
Follow these tips to achieve a thick, luscious lawn:
- Alternate mowing patterns to promote upward growth
- Apply lawn fertilizer before your grasses peak growing season
- Aerate your lawn before treatment for adequate soil nourishment