Landscaping is a big undertaking. It takes time, money, and skills to get started—and stay in business. If you’re considering starting your own landscaping company, there are many things worth considering. But if you get everything right, landscaping can be a lucrative business.
Suppose you have the necessary skills and availability to start a landscaping business on your own. In that case, you must know what kind of service prices will be before deciding how much money or effort this venture should take from your life. You also need to consider whether renting equipment might be more affordable than purchasing it outright, especially if you’re starting with little or no capital.
This article will cover five key areas: time commitment, financial considerations, the equipment you need, what services you can provide for a price, and how much you should charge.
Time Commitment
When starting a landscaping business, knowing how much time you have to commit to this venture is essential. Many projects take several days from start to finish. Larger projects might take longer, considering the size of the property you’re working on and the extent of the job. If you’re not available during the day—because of your current job or family obligations—this needs some consideration before launching into this type of business.
To be successful as a landscaper, you have to be available at the right times. Customers might not need your services on a regular schedule. You might have a few large projects that can occupy all of your time for a while before you get another job thrown your way. But if you don’t have a solid amount of free time—either in the mornings, afternoons, or evenings—it might be a better idea to hire some people and do the landscaping yourself only when necessary.
How Much Are You Willing to Invest?
Before you start a landscaping business of your own, it’s essential to know what kind of budget will help this venture succeed. For starters, you can spend $500 for a one-person operation, somewhere between $15,000 and $20,000 for a bigger one, and $100k+ if you’re looking to buy a franchise instead. Some of the pricier items that you need for landscaping might end up being a lengthy financial commitment.
For example, you’re going to need a landscaping truck and trailer—which you will, considering they’re part of the job. You can expect to pay upward $10,000 for a truck and trailer reliable and big enough to handle the equipment and materials needed to get the job done. It’s not a good idea to purchase in two separate transactions. Separate transactions mean you will have to pay twice the financing fees that come with buying such large equipment.
Another thing to consider when starting your own landscaping business is how much it will cost for all the labor and materials needed to complete the job. If you don’t have any guys who work for you yet, and if the job at hand is relatively small—such as a simple house exterior—you can expect to pay between $500 and $1,000. Suppose it’s not an easy project that requires extensive labor, such as excavation or clearing out a large land area from the underbrush. In that case, it can cost anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000. That said, you need to know what kind of prices you can charge for each type of service before you start taking on jobs.
What Equipment You’ll Need
To start a landscaping business, you need to have the right equipment you need for most jobs. Depending on your preferences and what kind of labor you’re going to be doing yourself, this might include backpack leaf blowers, lawnmowers, trimmers, edgers, gas or electric generators, power washers, and leaf vacuums. If you’re unsure what equipment is worth purchasing, it might be a good idea to rent some of the equipment that doesn’t seem like you need for every job.
Services You Can Provide
The services you can provide as a landscaper will vary depending on your skills and how much time you can spend on each job. Most of the services will require some equipment. Some other jobs might require different types of lawn maintenance equipment such as trimmers, edgers, chainsaws, or pole pruners—the latter is useful when doing tree pruning jobs.
You can also help with excavation and construction, depending on your experience and the amount of equipment you’re willing to invest in. Just remember, there is a lot that goes into getting this type of job done. So if you don’t have the experience required in using specific types of construction equipment, you should bring experienced people to help you out. Better yet, avoid taking on jobs that require this type of labor altogether.
What You Can Charge
Finally, it’s crucial to know how much you can charge for each of the services that you’re offering. Remember that there are different prices for different jobs, so take time to research what each one will cost before quoting a price to your clients. Be sure to have labor rates in addition to equipment costs, as well.
For instance, if you’re charging by the hour for standard labor costs, such as trimming and edging, you can safely assume that a regular yard will take about an hour to cover with just essential equipment—without any significant lawn renovation or construction services involved. But it might take more than an hour if it’s a large, complicated job like excavation or building a wall.
A landscaping business is a huge undertaking, and it’s vital to have the time and skills necessary for this venture. You’ll need enough money to get started, as well as the right equipment, and you should know what kind of services you can provide before opening. With these considerations, start researching how much each service will cost. That way, when someone requests one from you, you’re able to quote them an accurate price without any hesitation or confusion.
