Even more than the nameplate by the front door or the address number on the siding, your lawn is your house’s ID symbol. Making that symbol shine is at the top of the list of reasons to hire a lawn care professional.
The thing is, making that private oasis as visually compelling as possible doesn’t happen overnight. Sure, there is plenty of DIY work you can put in. But the question is, is that the best use of your time? It makes a great deal of sense to reach out to a lawn care pro to best balance your time and your lawn’s best look.
1. You get more free time
It would be one thing if tending a lawn was just about occasional watering. But we all know that just doesn’t fly. There’s mowing, of course. And edging. And weeding. And overseeding. Put all together, it can suck up a lot of time to get the lawn looking the way you’d like.
Bringing in a professional lawn care specialist will give you the look you want and your free time back.
The pro is skilled at determining the kind of nutrients the lawn requires, and with the right nutrients matched with the soil’s pH levels, you can have the lawn magazine-cover ready for years to come.
2. Long term money savings
It seems obvious that bringing a lawn care specialist aboard will cost money. But unless you are blessed with a green thumb, the fact is, however, that employing a pro can actually save money.
Here’s why: The cost of fertilizers, weed treatments, pesticides and other lawn needs can add up, as can the cost of repairing a lawn that has been overwatered or a lawn that needs reseeding. The pro knows the ins and outs of proper lawn care, the better to bring on the green without costing too much green.
The bottom line: By hiring a pro, you’re bringing aboard someone who can ensure your lawn gets the proper care while keeping budget concerns under control.
3. Improved curb appeal
Most of us aren’t ready to put our house up for sale today. But at some point, the odds are good that we will. And when that happens, your well-maintained lawn will add to the bottom-line sale price.
More than that, the improved curb appeal will create the first impression that brings potential buyers to your doorstep more quickly. If they like what they see on the outside, the odds improve that they will want to see what’s on the inside. And your use of a lawn care pro will have paid off handsomely.
4. Boost home value
Unlike some other home improvement projects, attractive landscaping can give you a 100% return on your investment (ROI), increasing your home’s value by as much as 20%.
So not only does improved curb appeal bring potential buyers to the front door more quickly, it will also add money to the final sale price.
5. Local knowledge and expertise
A lawn in Idaho is different from a lawn in Louisiana which is different from a lawn in Minnesota which is different from a lawn in New Hampshire.
The local lawn care pro will be able to help your lawn deal with winter snowfall up north, extreme heat down south, arid conditions in the southwest and the rainfall that is a fixture where you live.
More than that, your specialist will know how to deal with the common lawn and garden pests that would like nothing better than to call your lawn home. And they will know the bugs that are beneficial to your lawn and will know enough to help keep them around.
To be sure, you could do the work to research and understand, but the lawn pro has already got that on the portfolio. The pro will understand your lawn’s needs and will be able to craft a plan that suits your lawn.
6. Consistent care
To keep your lawn looking as green and as well-trimmed as you would like, regular time must be devoted to your special patch of green.
Between work and kids and downtime, it can be difficult to squeeze in the time each week or two needed to keep pace.
Consistency is a challenge, to be sure, and for many it only makes sense to engage with a lawn care professional who can offer weekly or bi-weekly plans that will keep your lawn looking pristine.
7. Less physical labor
It’s important to remember that looking after your lawn can be labor-intensive and time sapping. And for older homeowners, in particular, there is a risk of falling or injuring themselves while putting in all that work on the lawn.
And there are those among us who simply would rather their physical endeavors were applied elsewhere, and they are among those who would most benefit from employing a lawn maintenance pro.
8. State-of-the-art equipment
Over the course of time, most homeowners will have picked up a lawnmower, regardless of how much use it is currently getting.
If that was all there was to it, then DIY lawn care would be easier to deal with. However, in most cases the homeowner will also need to buy edgers, trimmers, leaf blowers and special tools for aeration and fertilization. It can all add up, and what worked five years ago may need replacement now.
In bringing aboard a lawn care professional, you are bringing on a service provider that already has the right equipment, the knowledge on how best to use it, and the ability to store it themselves and not clutter up your garage or workspace.
9. Safety and liability concerns
In doing your due diligence in bringing aboard a good lawn care professional, you will want to make sure that the company is licensed and insured.
Simply operating a lawn mower can be dangerous, particularly cordless, electric and gas-powered types. The high-velocity blades can kick up dirt, stones and rocks onto the operator or at adjacent structures, cars or passers-by.
Having a licensed and insured company behind you will take the issue of liability off your list of concerns. Without that coverage, you could be liable for problems that arise. In other words, you might want to avoid hiring uninsured amateurs looking for some summer cash.
When you hire a professional, you also won’t have to worry about proper storage and disposal of fertilizers and other pesticides. Professionals are also trained to handle some chemicals that are not generally allowed to be put in the hands of the DIY homeowner.
When to hire a lawn care professional
Interested in hiring a lawn care professional but don’t know when is the ideal time to do so? Here are some situations that may require a professional’s help:
- The lawn is beginning to show brown spots. The introduction of brown spots on your lawn is evidence that at least part of the lawn is dying and needs special care.
- The lawn or yard is showing evidence of pests. While there are some critters that are good for your lawn, your lawn pro will know when pests are capable of committing damage and need to be dealt with.
- The lawn has become too big to handle on a regular basis.
- Your time has been directed elsewhere. Maybe you have a new job, a longer commute or other things demanding your time. Adding a lawn care pro can free up some much-needed time.
- If your HOA (homeowners association) wants changes to your lawn care. When your HOA is making demands about lawn care you don’t feel up to fighting, a lawn care pro can take that issue off the table.
- You are getting ready to sell your house. When selling your house becomes a probability, a lawn care specialist can help make the sale go smoothly by improving curb appeal.
Main Image Credit: Unsplash
