Landscape maintenance is incredibly important when considering how to protect your property value and improve curb appeal. Unfortunately, landscape maintenance is time consuming and requires the skills and tools necessary to do a good job. Professional landscapers alleviate the stress and time needed to maintain your landscape. If you prefer to free up your time and let a professional care for you landscape, it’s important you understand your options and how a landscape maintenance contract works.
Your landscape maintenance costs are dependent on several factors, which are highlighted here.
The Type of Contract
There are three main types of contracts provided by landscape maintenance companies, which include:
- Flat rate that is spread out over several months: This is usually either a pro-rated 12-month contract, or a pro-rated contract for the total number of months your provider is actively on site (for Kansas City residents, this means either a 12- or 9-month contract).
- Hourly: This is an hourly rate that is agreed on before service and then paid after each visit.
- Per visit: A flat rate charged per visit.
The Services Included
In addition to the contract selected, another factor to consider is the type of services that are needed. You can choose from:
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All-inclusive services
These will include everything needed to maintain your landscape including mowing, fertilizing, pest and disease prevention, bed detailing and weeding, leaf removal, winter watering while irrigation is off, irrigation monitoring and start up/shut down.
With these services, you have a hassle-free option. You can feel confident that your landscape will remain at top health and appearance, without having to worry about managing the contractor you hire. This is designed to be a turn-key solution.
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Per Service
This is a more simplified option that only includes the most important items for each customer. For some, it may mean only mowing and weeding, while for others it may mean just landscape and bed weeding and service.
With the per service plan, you will find it is more affordable, but may sacrifice the quality and hassle-free aspect. It is up to you to determine what the priorities are for your yard. Also consider your preferred company. Not all companies offer per service maintenance because it’s unpredictable and difficult to staff and schedule.
Professionalism of the Landscape Team
You can choose to work with an educated landscaping professional, or a more affordable technician. With the professional, you have someone who is likely going to charge more, but provide better results. They will know how to monitor and protect your plants and landscape.
With a more affordable technician, you are going to have basic services provided. While their fees are likely going to be less, they may miss-manage the tasks, disappear or provide sub-par work.
Frequency of Care
How many times a year do you want the landscape services to come to your property? This is an extremely important factor that has a huge impact on the total cost. Be aware that fewer visits won’t always help you save money. Be sure to work with your landscape service to determine what is right for your lawn, and your budget.
In many cases, monthly care can cost almost the same as bi-weekly care because so much growing happens in a month, the crews will spend double time maintaining during that visit. Therefore, many people opt for bi-weekly maintenance because their property is monitored more often and looks better more consistently. It’s more ‘bang for their buck’.
Rates
Most landscape companies will charge you between $25 and $60 per hour. The rate they charge is dependent on their level of professionalism, service, and where they are located. In the Kansas City area, you will find most professional services charge between $40 and $60 for general maintenance and $65 to $90 for specialty work such as irrigation services and chemical application.
As you can see, there are several factors that will impact how much you are charged for the landscape services provided. Knowing what to expect is the best way to ensure you get the desired results.
