The landscaping industry has grown considerably in the last few years. Partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in people spending more time at home, homeowners are investing more in their houses and property, including their lawns. The landscaping and gardening market grew to $2 billion last year.
Now is a good time for you to get into the industry, and a lawn care business is a good way to claim a share of the considerable investments people are making into their property. But naturally, you have to spend money to make money, so you’ll want to consider how much your startup costs may be.
The Tools of The Trade
When looking at lawn care business costs, a lot of your startup expenses will be related to equipment and supplies. While some pieces of equipment may need to be replaced over time, many of them will last you a long time if they’re properly maintained. You’ll also have some supplies you’ll need to initially stock up on, then maintain your stocks over time. Market research shows that $12,420-$86,750 is the average equipment startup cost for a lawn care business. Among the common tools a lawn care business needs and their average prices are:
- Work truck: $10,000-$75,000
- Trailer: $1,000-$6,000
- Hand tools: $100-$500
- Sprayers: $50-$500
- Seed and fertilizer spreaders: $100-$600
- Lawn mower: $500-$1,000
- Personal protective equipment: $50-$500
There are ways to reduce the costs of equipment when starting out. Pre-owned tools and vehicles typically cost less than buying new. While you may plan to grow your business eventually, starting small will keep your equipment and supply needs to a minimum, allowing you to expand once you start making a profit. Working together with a business partner will allow you to divide the costs between you as well.
Organization Isn’t Free
While equipment is an obvious expense when calculating lawn care business costs, it’s also important to remember you need to organize the business side of a law care service too. Management and administration of any business comes with its own expenses. For starters, you’ll need to obtain a business license wherever you’re operating. In the U.S., business licenses range between $50-$500 depending on the state and the industry. If you’re providing additional services like pest control, you may need to get a license for handling hazardous chemicals as well.
Another important administrative cost is insurance. You’ll need to make sure anyone you work for has at least workers’ compensation provided to them. The average workers’ comp premium is $45 per month for small businesses, although this can vary depending on factors like business size, location, and industry.
Marketing and advertising also don’t come free. According to market research, could most small B2B businesses budget 2%-5% of their revenue, while small B2C businesses usually budget 5%-10% . Practically every business has an online presence in the modern market, and lawn care is no different. If you have some skill with computers, you can create your own website for as little as a few hundred dollars. Otherwise, you might need to hire a professional web designer, which could cost upwards of $5,000.
Minimize Your Costs by Franchising
Starting a business by yourself means you have to take on all the expenses and responsibilities personally. But one way to help reduce lawn care business costs is to buy a franchise like GrassRoots Turf. We help franchisees with a variety of business challenges and costs. We provide you with regular administrative services, such as marketing and advertising, so you can focus your efforts on serving your customers and growing your business.
We can help you with your equipment costs as well. GrassRoots Turf provides franchisees with purchasing power to help you get the most for your money when buying equipment and supplies. It also offers financing assistance through FranFund to help new franchisors like you get started.
Invest Your Startup Capital in GrassRoots Turf
Ambitious and savvy entrepreneurs like you are a welcome addition to our team. We’re a lawn care franchise with a unique business model that provides regular monthly income to our franchisees, ensuring that you don’t have to be dependent on seasonal income and can plan the growth of your business with regular revenue. We’ll help you learn how to start a lawn care business with the best chance for success. Request more info today to learn about your franchising opportunity with GrassRoots Turf.
