So you’re thinking about showing your lawn some love, but aren’t sure whether to take it on yourself or hire professionals to do it for you. Put down the weed wacker—we’re here to help. There are many reasons to upgrade your lawn. Maybe you’re a new homeowner looking to give your house a personal touch. Maybe you’re thinking about selling your house and want to impress some buyers. Whatever the case may be, if your goal is to have a healthy, beautiful lawn, hiring professional lawn care services is the way to go. Let’s go over some of the benefits to hiring a team of professionals to take care of your lawn.
Time & Commitment
Not just weekend work.
Lawn care—done properly—takes time and effort. It is an ongoing process that requires careful and constant attention. Most lawn care and landscaping companies offer packages which include a certain amount of yearly visits (for example, some companies offer eight visits throughout the year) during which they do inspections and carry out certain services, depending on which plan you choose. This is also why most lawn care companies offer seasonal services in their packages.
Maintaining one’s lawn at this level could easily be a full-time job, especially for large or elaborately landscaped properties. These days, most of us don’t have this kind of time on our hands. Employing the services of a professional lawn care provider ensures your yard looks tip top year round and is well prepared for changes of seasons. Lawn care—it’s a year-long process.
Save Money
Realtors approve of professional lawn care.
Surprise! Even though, yes, professional lawn care services cost money, research has shown that investing in lawn care services could result in cost recovery if you decide to sell your property. According to The National Association of Realtors (NAR), an average landscape professional’s cost estimate came up to $375, while the value added to the home at closing is something more like $1,000. This puts the value recovered from the project after sale at 267%. Something else to consider in terms of saving money is that lawn care professionals have state-of-the-art equipment and the materials necessary for proper service, which you would have to both find and buy yourself, if opting out of professional services.
Maybe you already know you’re going to dive into a project with a professional lawn care company, but don’t know exactly what to do. In this case it is crucial to figure out what projects could result in cost recovery after property sale. When looking into what type of projects would add value for potential buyers, the NAR survey found that the top four were standard lawn care services, overall landscape upgrade, hardscape upgrade, and landscape management services. All of these were also found most likely to add value to a property at resale. Ninety-four percent of realtors suggested sellers improve their curb appeal before listing a home for sale.
Happiness
A happy lawn is a happy neighbor.
Even if you’re not looking to sell your property, the same research from NAR suggested a well-maintained lawn could increase enjoyment and overall quality of life. According to the study, “Sixty-eight percent [of homeowners] said they have a greater desire to be home since completing the project, 49 percent have an increased sense of enjoyment when they are at home, and 54 percent feel a major sense of accomplishment when they think of the project.” Another study, the 2017 U.S. Houzz Landscape Trends Study, found that an outdoor project could result in increased interaction with next-door neighbors. Houzz reported, “One in five homeowners reports more interaction with next-door neighbors post-project” (18% increase post-project).
Experienced
Experience and certification matters.
There’s a reason most of the top lawn care and landscaping companies get certified. It matters. Many lawn care service companies are composed of professionals who are certified by the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP). According to NALP, certification elevates professional landscape industry standards and enhances individual performance. Furthermore, “Landscape Industry Certified individuals have an advantage over non-certified peers, because their skills and knowledge have been tested and proven.” For a list of companies with certified professionals click here.
Multiple Services
Paying for a lawn care service doesn’t mean just getting your lawn mowed.
Although at first thought one might equate lawn care with pushing the old lawnmower around and pulling out some bad weeds, there is actually a lot more to it than that. Most professional lawn care companies offer different packages which include certain services designed to meet specific needs. These professionals can help you figure out which one is best for you and your lawn. Some of the services included are:
- Pre-Emergent & Targeted Weed Control
- Fertilization
- Healthy Lawn Analysis
- Lawn Aeration - Aerating is the process of removing core plugs from the lawn so that air, water, and nutrients can access the lawn’s root system.
- Tree and Shrub Care
- Lawn Seeding
- Insect and pest control
- Fungus control
- Soil Amendment
- Service Calls
- Service Summaries
In Summary
So remember: A professional lawn care company will save you time and money, could make you a happier neighbor, and when picking out a professional lawn care company look for certifications.