*5 Things to consider when hiring a Lawn Maintenance Company
Posted on March 3, 2022 by Myles
1. Are they reliable?
The cold, hard truth is that I still hear lines like "My previous lawn care provider just disappeared like vapor." Smaller operation service providers can often fail primarily due to over-scheduling, commonly followed by a lack of means to grow operations.
One tip to filter out unreliable lawn care companies is to ask friends or family for references. If they can provide positive feedback, that's a good sign. Time management, punctuality and consistency are 3 keys to Lawn Care!
Example: If you notice the same service provider, mowing the same lawn, at the same time, on the same day of the week, regarding reliability- that's the service provider you'll want to work with. They get it.
Consider a company that is organized and always reachable.
2. Do they hold general liability insurance?
Having insurance as a service provider is important, whether you hire a 'solo' handyman or a team of experienced professionals. If a service provider cannot clarify they are a corporation or registered Quebec enterprise, they may not be covered, resulting in you not being covered- A company's policy should insure any property damage or personal injury (regarding both parties) they may be responsible for. This is standard practice for legitimate lawn maintenance, lawn care & landscaping in Quebec.
If a worker without insurance coverage gets injured on your property, you might be liable. Furthermore, a company without insurance could damage something on your property they can't afford to repair or replace.
A lawn care service provider should always have a copy of their updated insurance policy. Don't be shy to ask for it.
3. Is their equipment well maintained?
​It's a great idea to ask, "How often are mower blades sharpened?" "How often are sprayers and spreaders calibrated for lawn treatment applications?" Three companies may give you three different answers. So.. why does this matter to you? Dull mower blades tear your grass rather than cut it, leaving the tips of the grass appearing brown and dead. Furthermore, your lawn from afar will lack greenness and fullness over time. Dull blades always lead to slower cutting, double cutting, clean up of excess trimmings, and more. This circles back to the organization & time management mentioned above.
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A homeowner might sharpen or replace mower blades 1-2 times per season, equivalent to a reputable lawn care service provider who will install fresh blades every few days.
If you ask a lawn maintenance provider how long they mow for before replacing or sharpening their blades, the answer should never, ever be more than 16 hours or 2 days of commercial service.
Push spreaders for granular products, and lawn sprayers for liquid applications should be calibrated 1-2 times per day.
A liquid application rate will vary due to product viscosity, line pressure, hose diameter & length, pump motor size and maintenance, terrain difficulty level, and walking speed & pattern of the technician broadcasting the product.
It's okay to ask questions and get to know how your potential or current lawn care provider operates!
4. How is their customer service?
It's best to find a lawn maintenance business with decent customer service. Make sure the company you're considering can reply to you promptly, by phone, e-mail, etc. Some service providers aren't organized and you may spend a lot of time playing phone tag. Unfortunately It can be difficult just to get a quote. Before you make a decision, remember that problems now, usually means problems later.
It's a good idea to look at a company's reputation - maybe ask a neighbour about their current lawn service provider. When we hear about a client's bad experience with a lawn service company, it's generally due to poor customer service and lack of communication.
Companies offer promotions and special deals for new clients, and this is great! However, try to avoid companies that will promise you almost anything just to get your business. Some companies may use aggressive tactics like, "If you buy _________ , we'll 'thrown in' ________ for free". Remember that "free" hasn't any value, that's why it's free.
We highly recommend working with a company that answers the phone the first time you call.
5. Can they work around the rainy weather?
Before kicking off a relationship with a lawn maintenance service provider, don't be shy to ask how they deal with rain. There isn't any 'right or wrong' answer, however, stay away from companies who can't provide a clear response, as it's something they should be able to answer promptly and clearly.
A company that skips your lawn one week due to rain (and still charges you) is not fair practice.
lawn maintenance team with stellar time management skills will make sure you get what to you pay for.
A professional company will:
1. Service your lawn before the rain;
2. Service your lawn after the rain, promptly
An unorganized company will:
1. Service your lawn several days after the rain;
2. 'Skip' your lawn and service it the following week;
3. Not service your lawn at all.
Example: If rain is expected during your usual weekly mowing time, (i.e. Thursday afternoon) your lawn care provider should have your property serviced Thursday morning or Friday morning at the latest.
✓ We practice the example above in Green
With strict attention to time management, we've never missed a single service.