Checklist: What to Look for in a Lawn Care Provider

We want to say that, even though it’s the middle of winter, you’re probably thinking of warm weather already.

Although in reality, it’s been an exceptionally warm winter already.

That said, it’s still a little too early to start your annual lawn care program. But it’s not too early to start thinking about what to look for in lawn maintenance – or even a landscape design service provider.

If you’re in the market for a new lawn care service provider, here’s a checklist of things you should consider.

Are they trained lawn care providers or just “people with equipment?”

Having a truck with a lawnmower doesn’t make someone a professional landscaper. Instead, they’re just someone who cuts grass.

And there’s a world of difference between the two.

At Wright Landscape Services, we’re proud to say our team is trained in a variety of landscape skills:

• Landscape architecture
• Horticulture
• Integrated pest management

That education – combined with years of experience – is something you should look for when choosing your landscape company for 2016.

IS THE TEAM YOU’RE INTERESTED IN MADE UP OF TRAINED PROFESSIONALS? ___YES ___NO

 

 

 

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Reviews and awards

Before choosing any landscaping company, you should take some time to look up what other customers have to say about them.

Checking out customer reviews is a great way to get a glimpse of what type of service and experience you’ll expect from the company you choose.

Something else to consider is whether or not the company has won any awards for their work.

Grass cutting, lawn care and landscape design are a very competitive industry. It can be hard to stand out.

So if you choose a company that’s been noted for their work, you can rest assured that you’re getting exceptional quality and professionalism.

DOES THE COMPANY YOU’RE INTERESTED IN HAVE A GOOD REPUTATION? ___YES ___NO

Do they belong to any professional trade organizations?

Being a member of a professional trade organization means that the company you choose is bound to uphold certain standards of quality, safety and professionalism.

In Ontario, some of the prominent landscaping trade organizations include:

• Landscape Ontario
• Ontario Association of Landscape Architects
• Canadian Society of Landscape Architects

Look for these accreditations or memberships when researching who you want to handle your property maintenance.

IS THE COMPANY YOU’RE RESEARCHING A MEMBER OF ANY ORGANIZATIONS? ___YES ___NO

Inspect their blades 

There’s one question you can ask that can help you instantly spot low quality lawn care providers:

• “How often do you sharpen your blades?”

A grass cutting pro can tell the difference between grass cut with a dull or sharp blade. Grass which is cut with dull or old blades looks tattered and brown at the tips.

Something else to consider: the average homeowner or DIYer changes their blades maybe once or twice per year.

An excellent lawn care company will change their blades every 1-2 days (which equals approximately 10 mowing hours).

DO THEY CHANGE THEIR BLADES FREQUENTLY? ___YES ___NO

Reliability

One story we often hear at Wright Landscape Services is people coming to us and saying their last lawn care provider just disappeared.

One week, they show up. The next week, they’re gone.

Sometimes it’s a matter of them being unable to meet their demands. As a result, they go to jobs which they consider to be more important than others.

Of course, the reality is that all jobs and customers should be equally important, whether they’re residential or commercial clients.

Ask the company straight out about reliability and how they’ll make sure they can handle new contracts (which is good, it shows the company is growing) without abandoning or forgetting existing ones.

IS THE COMPANY YOU’RE INTERESTED IN RELIABLE? ___YES ___NO

We’ll meet ALL your criteria

To make sure all your landscaping and lawn care needs are met, you need a company which:

• Is award-winning
• Are trained professionals
• Are members of accredited organizations
• Takes good care of their equipment
• Is 100% reliable

Fortunately, Wright Landscape Services has all of those great benefits – and more.

Experience professional, award-winning landscape and grass care services for yourself. Contact us today to speak with one of our landscape experts today.