Start A Landscaping Business

How To Start A Landscaping Business - Background Info:

The primary focus of a landscaping business is trimming and cutting lawns. You may also need to plant a variety of plants, trees, shrubs and grasses, or replace sod when necessary.

Some of the larger landscaping businesses even use organic herbicides and pesticides to eliminate pests.

For these reasons, experienced landscapers understand the science besides the art of planting trees, flowers, and shrubs for the region at the proper times as well as artistic placement of all elements including brick, borders, rock, and other aesthetically-pleasing elements on commercial or residential grounds.

At least a portion of a landscaping business owner's day is spent keeping up with the essentials of the business.
This is the time to pay all the bills, return or make any phone calls. In addition, some time must be spent taking care of paperwork, making schedules, managing client and employee relations as well as necessary marketing tasks.

How To Start A Landscaping Business Tasks And Skills Needed To Run This Business:

Business Specific Tasks:

If you are planning to do all the business tasks or hiring or subcontracting tasks, here's a list of tasks that need to be attended to when it comes to the business side of running a landscape and yard business:

Ability to calculate basic math problems such as computing area square footage and other increments

Ability to work on a computer and learn software fairly easily for creating estimates and maintaining good records

Ability to answer gardening questions and provide other customer service support

Ability to schedule jobs according to travel time and types of work involved

Ability to create and implement and advertising campaign

Industry Specific Tasks:

Same as above if you plan to do everything yourself or get help, here are some of the tasks necessary to operate a landscaping business:

Ability to handle the necessary machinery adequately
This task is Performed As Needed

Ability to maneuver a trailer pulled behind a truck
This task is Performed Daily at Varying Hours

Ability to work outdoors, exposed to dust, noise, pests, weather, etc.
This task is Performed Daily at Varying Hours

Experience in small engine repair
This task is Performed Monthly or As Needed

How To Start A Landscaping Business - Approximate Daily Hours Needed To Run This Business:

General Hours of Operation: - When your business is open - Expect to spend additional time if there is inclement weather. Typical hours usually start around 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., depending on the country and area you are doing landscaping in.

Hours Needed to Prepare - Before Opening and After Hours Activities - Give yourself an hour to load up equipment into a truck as well as one to two hours unloading grass clippings, etc., and storing equipment and supplies at the end of the work day.

Number of Employees Needed To Run This Business:

Minimum Number of Employees - During the Start Up Phase: While it's possible to do basic yard work such as cutting and trimming lawns as one individual, landscaping companies generally employ 2-3 people to manage and get jobs done quickly.

Employees and tasks Needed, Once Your Business is Up and Running Successfully:

Bookkeeper

Website maintenance

Marketing

Additional people to tend to more jobs each day and week

Customer service and scheduling

Dispatcher

Skill Requirements for This Business:

Background in forestry or botany

Understanding of how to create rich soil

Understanding of fertilizer for growth of various species

Understanding of chemicals to ward off pests

Understanding of proper amounts of moisture (water) needed for plants and lawn types

A crew member must have good workmanship, manage their time effectively and be responsible. A crew member must navigate to the jobs, do the manual labor, and be reliable to take on any task delegated to them by the supervisor and keep time records.

Licenses:

You will need a business license. If you offer services requiring the use of toxic chemicals, you may have to obtain a license for handling such substances.

You may also be required to participate in a class on chemical handling, use, toxicity and storage. Check with the local authorities in your area for any additional permits or licenses that may be required to run a landscaping business in your state.

In addition, many states require certification for landscaping contractors to use certain chemicals and pesticides. The course is relatively inexpensive and generally runs about 6 to 8 weeks at a local college.

Approximate Minimum Start up Cost:

Bare essential: - Tools and equipment, along with a truck, will run approximately $7500 - $15,000 to start.

Necessary Equipment to Run this Business:

Necessary Start-Up Equipment:

Mowers (electric, walk-behind, etc)

Blowers

Edgers

Trimmers

Truck

Clippers

Rakes

Shovel/Hand trowel

Wheelbarrow

Landscaping Business computer software

Heavy-duty gloves

First-Aid kits

Supplementary Equipment: - Equipment that you can acquire to once your business is off and running:

Tractor with attachments

Weed-Eaters

Large shed or rented/leased space to house equipment, supplies, chemicals, etc.

Gas-powered equipment (blowers, trimmers, etc.)

Cherry-Pickers or other types of extension ladders

Small bulldozer or earth-mover

Monthly Expenses To Consider:

Phones (cell) and/or remote dispatching service
Equipment maintenance and gasoline
Truck and equipment insurance
Wages
Fertilizers and chemicals
Gasoline for equipment
Space/warehouse rental for storage of equipment and supplies
Internet access

Special Requirements For This Business:

Garden

May hold a degree in forestry or botany
May hold heavy-equipment licensing and certification

Pros And Cons:

The Pros of Running a Landscaping Business:

A landscaping business is one of the easiest to start

Being your own boss and working your own hours

Outside work

Usually there is plenty of work available to keep you busy

Easily expandable business

The Cons of Running a Landscaping Business:

Work tends to slow down during the winter months

Requires a great deal of heavy lifting and hauling of all types of machinery

May be required to handle toxic substances

Requires work with potentially dangerous machinery

Type of Customers You Need to Attract:

New homeowners, who wish to replace a temporary lawn with manicured landscaping are major customers in the landscaping industry. Homes where both parties work do not have adequate time to maintain their lawn and require landscaping services on a daily basis.

Older individuals with higher incomes generally need landscaping renovations to refresh and maintain a beautiful lawn.

An abundance of non-residential customers also require the services of a landscaping business such as apartment buildings, restaurants, corporate buildings, etc.

Landscaping Business Statistics:

You will find a wide assortment of statistics but the most current and reliable statistics for landscaping is located at Valuation Resources. You can also check with your local government agriculture and other state agencies.

Revenue:

Landscapers make more money for commercial properties; upwards of approximately $60,000 to $80,000 per year while residential landscapers generally make about 1/2 that.

Resources:

Industry-Specific Websites:

Lawn Mania

Landscaping Business

Landscaping Ideas Online

Service Magic

Courses:

Lawn Care Directory

Equipment:

Echo USA

Toro

HeartHoe

Supplies:

Rittenhouse (CA)

Amazon

Prune/Cut with Ease

Forums:

Lawn Site

About - Landscaping

Associations:

American Nursery and Landscaping Association

Nursery & Landscaping Association Executives of North America

Association of Professional Landscape Designers

American Society of Landscape Architects

Other:

FabJob (book)

AdCad (software)

Garden Digest

Related Businesses:

Forestry
Planting and Maintaining Gardens for Others
Greenhouse Business
Natural Pesticides, Compost, Soil Enrichers, Earthworms