Do you think you are good at gardening and landscaping? Why not use this talent to earn some money? Starting a lawn care business might sound easy and pleasant, but it’s not that simple. You need to have certain experience and acceptance of laboring if you wish to start a landscaping business.
We will be discussing the lawn care business in detail in this article. As we address different points of the business aspect, you find out how to start a lawn care business?
Top 6 Quick Steps to Start a Lawn Mowing Business:
Are you starting a lawn service all by yourself? Refer to our top 6 easy steps to get a lawn business started.
1. Plan the business:
Just like any other business, lawn mowing requires a business plan. Standard baby-steps to prepare a plan for this business is to consider the below points at the preparatory phase-
- Who are your target clients and what are their demands?
- Strategic business planning
- How far is the target service location?
- What are the costs involved in setting up the business?
- What are the on-going expenses?
- Do you have the correct skill for this business, or you need manpower?
- What services do you plan to provide?
- Do you have the correct equipment for the job?
- What would your service charges be?
Once you get a proper answer for these, it’s time to plan for Phase II, i.e., naming the company. Give your business a relevant name and prepare for registration.
Apart from selecting a name for the business, you need to create your own website. To initiate that get a domain name first.
2. Business registration and tax registration:
Many of you might already be involved in small-sized lawn business and earning some money from reference work. To take your business to a bigger level, you need to give it a legal coverage.
How to start a lawn care business legally? Once you have the business planned, you need to get it registered first. You can choose between LLC, Corporation, or DBA and get the same registered in the Government column.
For tax registration, you need to get registered under both Federal and State offices.
3. Business account creation:
You must have a separate account for business in the bank. Do all your transaction from the current account and avoid personal liabilities.
To track all your expenditure and incomes, we recommend you have proper accounting set-up as well.
4. Acquire proper permits and licenses:
We already know that to make the business happen legally, you need to register your business. But mere registration doesn’t complete the work. Acquire proper licensure from the State. You can check with the clerk’s office to understand the documentation required for a business permit. Before procuring the permit arrange for your Employer Identification Number.
If you have a plan to set up a big-scale business, soon you will require pesticides to keep the plants healthy. You might need to procure a license for your business, but a permit is a must when it comes to using pesticides in gardens.
5. Insurance for the business:
You will be handling heavy types of equipment in a lawn mowing business. Moreover, landscaping is delicate work. It calls for care and love for the garden.
To ensure protection, a business is a must. Some basic insurances that are needed-
- Damage protection insurance
- insurance for the machinery
- personal coverage
6. Branding:
An essential part of successful business development is branding. Marketing and promotion are essential to grab client attention.
How to do branding successfully? Some tips here-
- Create a logo for your business.
- Ensure the logo you create is relevant to the business
- Use the logo and flyers for social media and digital marketing
- You can try promotional signboards on vehicles to spread the message
Once you get your first set of clients, it’s time to arrange for some references and repeat business. The best way to have it is by providing excellent customer service.
Surely, these steps look easy at a glance. But don’t get disheartened if the process takes time. Usually setting up a lawn maintenance business takes about 3-4 months.
Cost for starting up a lawn care business:
We have discussed the steps to open the lawn service business. As of now, the picture is pretty clear and attractive.
Let’s now move on to the biggest challenge in every business, capital investment. How much money is needed to start a lawn business?
the startup cost for lawn business is not that high. To keep the cost on the lower side we recommend you either buy second-hand equipment or take some on a lease, especially the truck or working van.
How great would it be if you get to start your business in less than $5,000? Here is the list of all items you need to start up along with their tentative costing-
- Lawn Mower: $500-$1,000
- Bush trimmer: $200
- Leaf Blowers: $200
- Hand Tools (scissors, cutters, shovel, etc.): $ 100
- Cans to hold gasoline: $25 per can
- Gasoline or vehicle oil: $ 20 each tank
- Promotional signboards for trucks: $100-$200 per magnetic signage
- Flyers: $50 for 100 pieces
- Business card: $ 35 for 100 pieces
- Creation of website: Free of cost
- Domain name registration and web development services: $500
- Internet connection for web marketing: $75 in a month
- Insurance: $50-$200 per (if you have employees, charges are higher for employee compensation insurance)
- Working van or truck on lease: $300 per month
- Insurance for car: $150 annually
If you are buying a truck for the job, $5,000 itself.
The cost increases as and when you expand your business, if you are hiring labor to assist you with the work, then consider an additional expense of $15 per hour per employee. Plus, your equipment will also require monthly maintenance for high performance. This maintenance will cost about $50 per month.
The labor and the fees:
In the initial days of your business, you are expected to work about 70 hours a week. As you get a good number of clients, the working hour will reduce to 50 eventually.
The minimum wage as per the Government for this job is $15 per hour. If you wish to succeed in the business, you need to charge a minimum of 150% of the minimum wage.
For the residential lawn mowing job, there is a minimum charge fixed $25 in a month.
Who are your business clients for landscaping?
Let’s a glance at the target market for the lawn care business. Who are your customers? Simple answers say successful individuals who own a house.
If you have landscaping work, then your clients are-
- Homeowners lacking the knowledge of gardening and tools.
- People who newly moved to a house and want renovation.
- Homeowners who want attractive show garden and advanced landscaping touch.
- Real Estate promoters and builders.
For lawn maintenance services, your clients are-
- Homeowners out on business
- Retired people
- Snowbirds, holding winter home in warmer areas
- Managers of golf course seeking assistance
Conclusion:
Grab the correct equipment, get your license, and get ready to start your lawn care business. While you choose a location to work on, ensure you get some options in the locality. This will save money and time in the long run.