The lawn care business is a lucrative industry whose services are increasingly gaining popularity across many cities today. In the US, it is estimated that over 22 million households spend more than $14.6 billion annually on professional lawn care and landscaping services. Similar to other businesses, there are several requirements for starting a professional lawn care business like getting lawn care insurance from a reputed firm. This article will discuss the critical aspects of becoming a lawn care professional.
Getting Started
Before venturing into the professional lawn care business, you need to first understand the workings of the industry. Generally, there are various kinds of lawn care services currently on demand. Thus, it is important that you first decide on the particular types of lawn care services that your business will be offering. The main lawn care and landscaping services for most residential, commercial and industrial establishments include.
- Lawn mowing and maintenance (Check out this guide from the unclutterer on how to choose the best cordless lawn mower to become a lawn care professional.)
- Hydroseeding
- Weeding and pest control
- Landscaping
- Snow removal in winter
Depending on your area of expertise and plans for the business, you can either specialize in specific lawn care services or offer general services that include all the above and more. However, it is advisable to start with the basic lawn clean up services and expand your portfolio as the business grows. One of the reasons for that is because some lawn care services require specialized equipment that you may not be able to afford at the moment.
The basic lawn care services that you can begin with include lawn mowing, trimming and edging. Since most of these tasks are time-consuming and require a lot of effort, you should also consider getting workers. In the initial stages, you can just hire a few people and increase the workers based on the demand.
Lawn Care Insurance
While most people do not usually think of lawn care insurance when getting into the business, it is a basic requirement for every lawn care professional. There are many reasons why it is always advisable to get insurance when planning to start a professional lawn care business. The insurance policy for lawn care professionals offers coverage for several risks involved in the trade, including the compensation of workers in case they sustain injuries or accidents on the job.
When operating a lawn care business, you will also need different kinds of equipment, tools, and facilities. For convenience, you will also need a truck or a fleet of trucks to transport workers and equipment to and from different workplaces. Getting the insurance policy for lawn care professionals will also ensure coverage for these assets so your operations are not halted whenever there is a breakdown or accident.
Even after giving your all to a project, some customers can still come up with claims that you breached the contract. In such situations, mounting a proper defense can come with significant financial implications. However, it is something that you cannot simply ignore since it will significantly affect your reputation. Liability insurance can be your best bet out of such tricky situations.
Sometimes, your workers may also accidentally run into a neighbor’s fence or damage something in the compound when mowing. In such cases, your business risk getting sued if you do not pay up. With a good insurance policy for lawn care, your insurance provider will immediately step up to fix the damages before any issue escalates.
Licensing
To operate an honest lawn care business, you will also need to have a valid license. Many states today require that you apply for a state business license. For example, the state of Washington stipulates that lawn care businesses that make more than $12,000 annually or operate under different names should get business licenses. Licensing is also mandatory if you plan on hiring workers to help with taking care of people’s lawns and landscapes.
For lawn care businesses that will also be selling fertilizers to their clients, an additional sales tax license certificate is also required. However, the licensing requirements may vary from one state to another. Therefore, you should check with your respective state’s licensing department about the requirements for licensing your lawn care business and how to apply for the license.
Generally, there could be other considerations for starting a lawn care business. But, the ones discussed above are critical to a smooth entry into the professional lawn care business. With the current technological advances, you can now easily buy lawn care insurance online at your convenience. That will give you ample time and peace of mind to focus on the core activities of your operations.