Not everyone has the time, energy, ability or desire to maintain their lawns, gardens and land surrounding their homes. This is why lawn care and maintenance can be a very lucrative small business idea. If you have a green thumb and a desire to get your hands dirty (or a team of potential employees at the ready), a lawn service may be the perfect small business idea for you.
Many landscaping businesses provide services beyond general lawn care, including landscape design/architecture, fencing and walkway installation, weeding and pest control. But you don't have to be a landscape designer to start a lawn care business, and there are a lot of reasons a lawn care business may be a good one to start:
- You can customize your service offerings to focus on what you enjoy doing.
- You can get a great workout.
- You can do as much or as little work as you want, basically whenever you want.
- You can take advantage of word-of-mouth referrals from happy customers.
- You can develop loyal customer relationships that result in ongoing scheduled work.
Some of the potential challenges of a lawn care business include:
- An initial investment in equipment that can be substantial.
- There may be periods of work slow-down if you live in a seasonal climate with a lot of rain and/or snow.
- The physical toll from hands-on work can be significant if you do everything yourself.
- You may have to pound the pavement to drum up business in the beginning.
- It can be difficult to find your perfect rate and avoid over- or under-charging.
If you enjoy yard work, then starting a lawn care business is a great example of turning a hobby into a small business that you can approach with passion. For more about starting a lawn care business:
- Starting a Landscape Business
- PLANET (Professional Landcare Network)
- American Nursery and Landscape Association
Photo (c) straymuse