How to Start a Lawn Care Business In 7 Simple Steps
Are you considering what it takes to learn how to start a lawn care business? Discover our guide that helps you think through the entire process.
- Research regulations, create a business plan, obtain equipment and necessary insurance.
- Market services effectively, network, perform first job with high-quality service.
- Hire help if workload increases, manage customer relations, track income efficiently.
- Expand services: garden care, landscaping, pest control to increase profitability.
Brett Helling is a gig economy expert who has been running his own small business for over 10 years.
Many of the most successful people I know have operated a lawncare business at one point or another - including myself.
Discover how to start one and what makes them such an appealing opportunity that is always in demand.
How Profitable Is Owning a Lawn Care Business?
It is vital to consider certain factors to assess potential earnings.
When starting your lawn care business, the most important thing to consider is how much you want to make each year.
Depending on your location and the services offered, annual income can vary from $30,000 up to $100,000.
If you look at salary.com, you’ll notice that the average lawn mower earns about $21 per hour.
It is a popular business for teenagers to start.
However, if you’re a business owner, you can hire multiple employees, expand your customer base, and work toward a six-figure business.
Additionally, experienced contractors with a good reputation and established relationships may increase their earnings by taking on larger projects.
Note that having a good understanding of the local market and the art of marketing yourself can also affect your success.
What You’ll Need To Start a Lawn Care Business [& Associated Costs]
Starting a lawn care business requires strategic forethought and preparation.
Before jumping into the fray, here are several critical components as you learn how to properly start a business.
- Costs: Starting and running a lawn care business can involve start-up costs for equipment, supplies, and licensing fees.
- Competitors: Knowing your local competitors is essential to differentiate yourself in the market. Researching successful lawn care businesses can help you understand what you need to succeed.
- Services Offered: Deciding which services you want to offer can make all the difference when it comes to earning potential. Offering additional services such as fertilizing, forestry, or pest control can create more opportunities and higher earnings.
- Customer Base: Finding clients willing to hire your services is key to success. Building a customer base through referrals, online marketing, and word of mouth can work to get new customers and retain existing ones.
- Insurance: Consider insurance requirements in case of any accidents or damages that may occur.
- Equipment maintenance: Regular servicing schedules for any machinery used will keep them running efficiently. You will need to make repairs quickly at an affordable cost.
- Pricing Structure: Setting a pricing structure that works best for yourself and your customers is vital. Offering discounts and special promotions could entice more customers but still keep profits high.
- Employment laws: Take time to understand employment laws if you plan on hiring employees or subcontractors.
Work to respect their rights throughout the process. - Time Management: Effective time management skills help when running a lawn care business.
It helps when managing jobs efficiently while meeting deadlines.
Do I Need a License or Certificates To Start a Lawn Care Business?
Licensing depends on location.
Generally, lawn care businesses require some kind of license or certification to operate.
It can include general business licensing, certifications for specific services such as pest control, or even additional qualifications depending on the equipment used.
Why You Should Consider Starting a Lawn Care Business as a Side Hustle
Let’s review four reasons why you might want to learn how to start a lawn care business.
- Flexibility: Starting a lawn care business offers flexibility to work at your own pace and set your hours.
- Low start-up costs: Starting a lawn care service requires relatively low investment in terms of equipment and setup costs.
- High earning potential: With the correct marketing and customer base, lawn care services can become highly profitable with potential for growth over time.
- Specialized skill set: By offering different services, such as landscaping or fertilizing, lawn care professionals can develop skills that can set them apart from other businesses in the same sector.
How To Start a Lawn Care Business in Seven Simple Steps
Here’s an easy-to-follow guide on how to get up and running quickly in no time.
With this tutorial, you can create a profitable lawn care service enterprise that will provide value to individuals and organizations.
Step One: Research Local Regulations for Starting a Lawn Care Business
Before starting any business, it is crucial to research local laws and regulations.
It includes business licenses, certifications, permits, and any other requirements you must meet to operate a lawn care service.
Depending on the type of services offered and the size of the business, you may have several regulations or qualification standards to adhere to.
Step Two: Create a Business Plan
A well-thought-out business plan outlines points like the target market, services offered, pricing strategy, financial projections, and marketing plans.
An effective plan can help ensure success when getting your business off the ground.
Step Three: Obtain Necessary Equipment
Equipment needs will vary depending on what kind of lawn care services you decide to provide.
The basics include mowers, edgers, weed whackers, blowers, and trimmers.
Start by researching what equipment best meets your needs and then look into renting or purchasing depending on budget and desired quality.
Additionally, you might find it beneficial to look into insurance policies in case of theft or damage while on job sites.
Step Four: Market Your Service
Marketing is essential when launching a new business.
Come up with innovative ways to reach potential customers.
Consider using online platforms such as social media channels or listing services like Craigslist.
Investing in professional website design could also prove beneficial for maximizing visibility.
Don’t forget traditional methods like flyers or door-to-door sales that can still work well when used correctly.
Step Five: Establish Networking Opportunities
Networking is crucial for building relationships with clients.
Work hard to establish partnerships with other businesses in the same sector.
These can potentially lead to referrals or other opportunities down the line.
Think about joining trade associations or attending relevant industry events in your local area.
Use these to help expand your knowledge and develop positive connections within the industry.
Step Six: Perform Your First Job
Once you have the necessary equipment and customers lined up, it’s time to start working.
Stress quality customer service and remain mindful of how much time each job takes.
Doing an excellent job on your first few jobs can help quickly build a positive reputation in the industry.
Step Seven: Hire Help (If Needed)
If you find your workload increasing rapidly beyond what one person can handle alone, think about bringing on extra employees.
Otherwise, you might find yourself turning down offers due to time constraints or a lack of resources needed to fulfill requests efficiently and effectively can cause this problem.
When hiring staff, maintain clear expectations beforehand, so everyone knows their role within the company.
Help each employee understand how they impact overall operations.
Things To Consider When Building a Lawn Care Business
Before beginning your lawn care business, it is essential to consider a few more elements.
Can You Run a Lawn Care Business by Yourself?
The possibilities are endless for how you structure your lawn care business.
Owners of small businesses might find it feasible to manage the entire operation alone.
However, as the business grows, you might need additional help completing jobs or managing customer relationships.
Employees
When hiring staff, make sure they have the appropriate experience and qualifications.
Establish employee compensation and train them properly.
How to Finance the Business
Accessing financing through investments or loans can provide a much-needed jump start to get your business up and running.
Consider researching available options in your area, how much funding you need, and how getting a loan to purchase equipment can help get things started.
Managing Customer Relations
Respond quickly to customer emails and phone calls, focus on delivering quality service, and keep clients informed regarding any changes or delays during job completion.
How Will You Track and Record Income?
To ensure your business stays profitable, track and record all financial transactions.
Use a software program or spreadsheet to keep detailed records of how much income the business generates.
How To Implement Safety Protocols
Invest in personal safety equipment such as protective glasses, gloves, and clothing.
Train employees to use any tools or machines properly and how to avoid potential risks.
Inspiration: Lawn Care Business Ideas
Are you enthusiastic about launching your own lawn care business yet uncertain of how to stand out in the local market?
Here are four strategies that will help start you off on a successful path.
- Lawn Maintenance: Provide services such as mowing, edging, weed control, and fertilizing.
- Garden Care: Services can include pruning, weeding, planting, and maintaining flower beds.
- Landscaping: Design and create outdoor areas with hardscapes, such as decks, patios, and walkways.
- Pest Control: Apply various insecticides, herbicides, and other treatments to lawns and gardens to prevent damage from pests.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you still have questions about how to start a lawn care business?
Use these answers to two commonly asked questions.
How can I get lawn care customers fast?
Take advantage of online platforms such as Google Business Profile, Yelp, and Facebook.
Offer incentives or discounts. Network with local businesses.
Participate in local events and festivals.
Is it hard to start a lawn care company?
Starting a lawn care business can be challenging.
It is doable with the right preparation and hard work.
Knowing how to operate equipment, how to advertise your services, how to manage customer relationships, and how to track income are all essential for success.
Similar Businesses To Consider Starting
Before jumping into the world of lawn care, contemplate these other allied business concepts.
- How To Start a Landscaping Business: Inside this business, you design outdoor areas and maintain them.
- How To Start a Car Wash Business: A car wash business involves providing full-service car washes, waxing, shampooing, and more.
- How To Start a Cleaning Business: Here is a business that provides household cleaning services to residential and commercial customers.
Wrapping Up
Are you looking for a way to turn your skills into an income?
Starting a lawn care business ranks among the best side hustles.
With hard work and dedication, it’s not impossible to turn the side hustle into a six-figure venture that offers recurring weekly and monthly revenue.
Have thoughts or advice about starting up?
Please share them in the comments below.
Suggested Resources
Some resources that we suggest checking out to help you along your journey.
How to Get a Loan to Start a Business
Discover the best funding mechanisms to get money up front, as you'll likely need some for equipment
How To Run A Business [Tools, Processes & More]
Read through our tips on hw to actually run your business once you get it up and running
How to Sell a Business
Once you scale your business, you can always sell it. This guide shows you how to do so the easy way