Maintaining a lush lawn is no easy task! As an avid homeowner, this is something you probably already know. But have you ever wondered what is the cost of lawn care services?
Well, the answer depends on several factors like the size of your lawn, type of service, and frequency of service. Additionally, the price of lawn care services will also vary depending on the number of services you opt for.
The golden rule: A simple mowing of your lawn will cost considerably less than if you have a lawn care professional also perform watering, fertilizing, aerating, and other services.
So, without further ado, here’s a lowdown on the different types of lawn care services available, average prices (chart below), and other copious variables that can affect the total cost per service.
Why is Lawn Care Important?
Lawn care goes much beyond watering and mowing, and although these two tasks are the foundation for a healthy lawn, maintaining a healthy lawn is a complex science that entails aeration, feeding, and controlling insects and weeds. On that note, here are 10 reasons to aerate your lawn.
Proper lawn care ensures that your turf, flowers, and shrubs can fight off diseases, withstand threats from lawn-damaging weeds, and most importantly survive unpredictable weather. Are you aware of the common lawn diseases?
Most homeowners agree that this is a time-consuming and difficult undertaking, as it requires a fair bit of expertise.
Even if you are a professional landscaper, there are certain knowledge and services only professionals can provide. You may be well aware of what height to cut your grass, but probably unsure of the best way to kill weeds and not the grass in your lawn.
Key Benefits of Professional Lawn Treatment
1. Cost-Effective
This may sound counterintuitive, but after adding up the costs of fertilizers, chemicals, and equipment like aerators and mowers, I find professional lawn care services to be very cost-effective.
Adding to this, since there will be some trial and error, you will also be paying to correct mistakes.
With professional lawn care services, you can bid adieu to buying equipment and chemicals, and the cost of correcting mistakes.
2. Consistency
Taking care of your lawn plus your other priorities like work can be overwhelming. Lawn care experts ensure that your lawn is taken care of consistently, resulting in a healthy lawn to enjoy without putting in the time and effort.
3. Property Value
The first impression your lawn and landscape make when a potential buyer pulls up to your home has a significant impact on the value of your home. Professional lawn maintenance can increase the value of your home by a whopping 15 percent!
Different Types of Lawn Care Services and Estimated Costs
The costs of lawn care services can vary, with mowing typically being the least expensive. Here’s what you can expect to pay on average for different lawn care services.
Lawn Care Service | Average Cost |
---|---|
Mowing | $30 to $75 |
Aeration | $60 to $200+ |
Dethatching | $200 per hour |
Weeding | $65 to $120 |
Fertilizing | $20 to $60 per hour |
Seeding | $300 to $1,000 |
Hydroseeding | $0.08 to $0.20 per square foot |
Sod Installation | $0.87 to $1.76 per square foot |
Artificial Turf Installation | $5.50 to $18.75 per square foot |
Leaf Removal | $80 to $500+ |
Winterization | $400 |
Sprinkler System Installation | $2,000 to $5000+ |
DIY Lawn Care, Simplified!
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1. Mowing
Most homeowners pay between $30 to $70 for professional mowing services. This cost of mowing can be much higher than $70 depending on the size of your lawn, the height of your grass, and the frequency of mowing your lawn.
You can mow the lawn yourself, but hiring an expert is much more convenient, saves you a considerable amount of time, and ensures the job is done right.
2. Aeration
Did the backyard barbeques, summer heat, and all those times your kids and pets running through the sprinklers take a toll on your lawn? Well, guess what—you now have to aerate your lawn to restore it after the stress of summer.
The process of aeration creates holes in compacted soil to allow essential nutrients like water and air to penetrate your grassroots.
Aerating your lawn requires a bit of elbow grease and the right tools. I’ve been using the Sun Joe AJ801E aerator for many years, and sometimes even rent it out to my neighbors.
- [POWERFUL]: 12-amp motor rakes a 12.6" wide path to get your job done faster
- [ADJUSTABLE DECK]: Tailor raking depth with 5-position depth control
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Professional lawn aeration costs between $15 to $18 per 1000 square feet, which works out to $75 and $85 for a 5000 square foot lawn.
3. Dethatching
Thatch is a compact layer that accumulates between the soil and growing turf. This layer consists of living and dead organic debris such as grass clippings and leaves and serves as a mulch layer when it’s under a half-inch thick. Here’s a guide on detatching a lawn if you choose to take on the job yourself.
But any more than one inch can have adverse effects on your lawn like turning into a breeding ground for pests and diseases. Most professional lawn care services charge between $150 per hour to $200 per hour or $200 to $400 per 1000 square feet to dethatch your lawn.
4. Weeding
A lawn that’s plagued with weeds will never look its best, and even though there are several ways to get rid of weeds in your lawn yourself such as with chemical and natural applications, applying too much or too little of these products can sometimes do more harm than good.
Hourly rates for getting rid of weeds depend on the size of your lawn but expect to pay anywhere between $30 to $60 per hour for professional weed control.
5. Fertilization
It’s important to fertilize your lawn every year, and it’s even more important to do it correctly and with the right fertilizer for your turf.
Overfertilizing can be detrimental to your overall landscaping efforts and can cause issues like fertilizer burn.
The cost of fertilizer treatment will largely depend on the size of your lawn, the type of fertilizer, and the frequency of application, but the average homeowner pays roughly $400 to fertilize their lawn.
6. Seeding and Hydroseeding
Seeding your lawn can mean spreading grass seed across your lawn for new grass or spray on grass seed (hydroseeding) applications.
Professional seeding can cost anywhere between $300 to $1000+, and hydroseeding is a bit more expensive between $0.8 to 0.20 per square foot.
7. Sod Installation
Sod isn’t the same as hydroseeding but is an instant way of planting a new yard. The cost of sod depends on your yard size and labor, which is anywhere between $0.30 to $1 per square foot for sod, and 0.50 to $1 for labor per square foot.
8. Yard Cleanups, Shrub Trimming, Mulching, Artificial Turf Services
A messy lawn filled with fallen leaves and debris can affect your curb appeal, and even though you can clean up leaves yourself, hiring professional landscaping services saves you a considerable amount of time and effort in doing this daunting task.
Mulch is a nutrient-rich addition to your entire yard, helps prevent erosion in the beds, retains moisture in the soil, and adds a great texture to the landscape.
Installing an artificial turf is perhaps the most expensive way of installing a new lawn. A fair price for artificial turf installation is approximately $12 per square foot, which equates to $6000 for a 500-square-foot area.
9. Winterization
Cold temperatures and a harsh winter can take a toll on your lawn. You’ve put in tremendous effort to care for your lawn all year long, and the last thing you want is for the first frost or snowstorm to ruin your hard work.
A good lawn care professional can guide you on how to care for your turf over the winter months and charges roughly $400 for lawn winterizing service.
10. Sprinkler System Installation
Most homeowners including me can’t find the time to water their lawn, for which an automated sprinkler system is a great solution.
The average price of a sprinkler system to keep your lawn healthy and hydrated runs between $2500 to $5000.
Other Factors that Affect Cost
Myriad different factors can affect the aforementioned costs of professional lawn care services and landscaping projects.
Size of Your Yard
To give you the best quote, one of the first things a professional lawn care company asks is the size of your yard. If the size of your yard is larger than the national average lawn size of 10,000 square feet, then you expect to pay higher lawn care prices for lawn mowing and most other lawn care services.
Obstacles in Your Yard
It’s always a good practice to maintain a beautiful lawn that’s free from any obstacles like old tree stumps and large tree roots.
These obstacles will first need to be removed by the lawn care provider before performing any lawn care service.
Current Condition of Your Lawn
The current condition of your turf can dictate the cost of lawn care services. For example, if you haven’t properly aerated or dethatched your lawn, then you might have to get rid of diseases and pests. Or, if you haven’t mowed your lawn in a while, lawn care pros will up the costs as these are regarded as additional services.
Experience of the Lawn Care Provider
When selecting the right lawn care service, remember the cheapest is never the best option. There’s going to be a significant difference in price between hiring a newbie and a professional lawn care company with decades of experience.
DIY Lawn Care Costs
If you enjoy taking care of your lawn and garden, have the cash to invest in several lawn care tools such as tow-behind spreaders, and push lawn mowers, have a shed or garage to store all this equipment, and have the expertise to perform these lawn care tasks, DIY lawn care is possibly a good option for you.
Costs of lawn care equipment can range between $120 to $1000+ for a lawnmower, $120 to $500 for the best leaf blower, and around $5000 for a shed if you don’t have one.
Apart from the cost of lawn care tools, you will also have to dedicate a fair bit of time to the upkeep of your turf. Just like many of us, your schedule is already filled with work commitments, and the last thing you want to do is break a sweat on a day off pushing a lawnmower.
What Should I Look for in a Professional Lawn Care Service Provider?
Many homeowners overlook this, but the first thing to ask lawn care professionals is for their business license.
1. Ask for a Lawn Inspection and Free Estimate
A professional lawn care company will only be able to provide you with an accurate estimate (hourly rates or flat rate) after looking at your lawn and its condition.
Pro Tip: Steer clear of companies that promise guaranteed prices without taking a look at your lawn.
2. Check their Reputation
The best way to check the reputation of a lawn care company is by connecting with people who have used their services, and this can include neighbors, friends, and relatives.
Adding to this, it’s also a good idea to check if the respective lawn care company is a member of any local industry or national industry associations such as the National Association for Landscape Professionals.
3. Check Out their Track Record
A proven track record speaks volumes about the customer experience of a lawn care provider. Check whether the company is licensed and insured and if they provide any service guarantees.
4. Shop Around
Just because you received the first price you’re willing to pay for lawn care services, doesn’t mean that you should commit just yet.
Instead, get in touch with at least 5 leading providers in your area, have them come look at your lawn, and then decide on the best price quote.
5. Request a Written Contract
A written contract with all the nitty-gritty details of the services you’ve signed up for, prices, and frequency of the services whether bi-weekly service, one-time service, or weekly services should be provided by the lawn care company.
How to Save Money on Professional Lawn Care Services?
1. Club Many Services Under One Contract
Most leading lawn care companies aren’t limited to providing services related to lawn care but also provide snow removal services often at an affordable price.
2. Get Your Neighbors to Sign Up
Getting four or more neighbors to sign up for the lawn care company’s services could fetch you a bulk discount, as they will only have to make one trip to serve a particular neighborhood.
3. Ask for Offers
Several lawn care companies offer affiliate programs, which give you a rebate on one or more services for each referral you make.
Final Thoughts
Your home is a once-in-a-lifetime investment, and perhaps the biggest one you will make, and you want to protect your investment by ensuring your lawn is in tip-top condition.
When shopping for the best lawn care provider, you will be spoilt for choice given the myriad options available.
But peruse references, and ensure the lawn care company uses high-quality products. Furthermore, get a free estimate by having the lawn care company come to visit and take a look at the condition of your yard.
Hi, Alex Kuritz here. Growing up I remember that my family had one of the best lawns in the neighborhood. Richly green and lush. I did a lot as I grew up in terms of caring and tending for not only my family’s lawn but also my neighbors. I can say I have years of experience, and I am here to share it with you.