3 Reasons To Not Hire A Lawn Maintenance Company

Back in the days before we spent all day in front of a computer, we also mostly mowed our own lawns. Some people paid their kids, or some of the neighborhood kids, a few bucks a week to keep the lawn tidy, but full-scale landscaping and lawn maintenance companies are a relatively recent development. Now it seems that almost all families pay someone else to take care of the chore.

There are so many resources available on how to choose a lawn maintenance company that most people will choose that option. It might cost a few dollars, but that is time and effort that can be spent elsewhere. But this ignores the benefits, and joys, of maintaining your own lawn. There are plenty of reasons to forget about the landscaping company and to do it yourself.

1. It saves money

The cost of a landscaping company will vary depending on your region. Areas with longer summer months will cost more, because you’ll need more visits from a landscaper. Areas with high costs of living will also cost more, because each visit will cost more.

Overall you’ll end up paying $35 to $65 per week for as many weeks as your lawn needs maintenance. That can add up very quickly. Even for a lawn that needs care from April through September, that’s 26 weeks, or nearly $1,000 even at the low end of the scale.

If you check out some of the John Deere mowers at Home Depot, you’ll see that they cost between $3,000 and $4,000. That might seem like a lot, but they last for a long time and will end up costing you less than landscaping service — especially if you live in a more expensive area.

2. It gives you control

Here’s the thing about landscaping companies: they’re rarely on time. They have schedules, and perhaps early morning appointments are kept. But you’ll always run into a few instances per year where they’re extremely late, or don’t show up at all. When my husband and I first hired landscapers we had just this problem, and it caused us much frustration.

Imagine having a party to host, and the landscapers just don’t show up. You call them, and they say sorry, they can’t make it that week. What can you do? You can fire them, but that doesn’t get your lawn cut any faster. You can call another company, but chances are they won’t be able to get out in time. Maintaining your own lawn means more control — and who doesn’t want that?

3. It inspires pride

Have you ever looked at someone’s lawn in awe? Chances are, that lawn is maintained by a landscaping company. So when you compliment the owner on how beautiful it looks, how is that owner supposed to react? Some react with pride, as though taking credit for the lawn. But all they did was pay someone. It is not of their own handiwork.

Maintaining your own lawn brings a sense of pride that you can never get from paying a landscaper. When people see and comment on your lawn, you can take pride in its appearance. You mowed it, you weed whacked it, you planted the flowers and trees. Everything about the lawn is yours, and you can beam a healthy smile when people tell you how good it looks.

It’s easy to spend the money on a landscaping company. It might save many headaches as well — who wants to mow the lawn in 100-degree heat? But there are plenty of reasons to save that money and do it yourself. You’ll save money in the long run, you’ll have control over when your lawn gets mowed and maintained, and you’ll gain a sense of pride from it.

Pam Wilcox is a freelance tech writer who recently purchased a home with her husband. They have chosen to maintain their own lawn, despite the ease of hiring a landscaping company.

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