Sometime this spring, probably in late March or early April, you'll begin to think about your lawn. In part because you'll be receiving several mailers from lawn care companies trying to earn your business. But each company approaches lawn care differently offering varying levels of service at several price points. So how do you decide? Follow these tips.
1. Decide how important a nice lawn is to you and your family. Do you care how nice your lawn looks? Do you use your lawn as an extension of your living space? Do your children play in the yard? If your lawn is a priority then it is worth investing in. How much is the next question you must answer.
2. Invest what you can afford. You shouldn't go broke caring for your lawn. So if you want an immaculate lawn and have a limited budget then you'll have to take on some or all of the work. If you don't have the interest, time or ability to care for your lawn, but still want that showcase yard, then a professional service is in order.
3. What condition is your yard in? Is your lawn in good shape? If so, then you only need to maintain its condition and a basic lawn care program should work for you. But if your yard is full of weeds or has bare spots or...even worse, no grass at all; then your yard will need more attention. Lawn care companies offering varying levels of service. Some treat grass only. Some treat grass and mow. And others, yet, offer additional services such as landscaping. Companies like Scotts or even us, Lawn Pride, will treat existing lawns, even if they are in rough shape. But if you need help establishing grass or have more bare spots than grass, then a landscaping company may better suit your needs.
4. Compare total costs. Once you start to evaluate lawn care services, ask for your total price including all taxes and fees. Some lawn care companies will offer a introductory cost for the first application, like $29.95. But this is for small lawns and requires a larger commitment. Other companies will spread the costs out for 12 months, so it sounds less expensive. Lawn Pride offers a straight forward per application price and will gladly tell you what the total price is for the number of applications your choose.
5. Ask questions about the service. Does the company provide call-ahead notifications. Do they provide a review of the lawn after every service? Do they provide free follow up service or site visits for problem areas. Do they have local offices? Do they alter the products or timing of services based on local weather conditions? These are all good questions to ask to ensure you get the best possible service. For the record, Lawn Pride does all these things...and more.