Hedgerow Landscapes
“Maintenance contracts carry the winter. Build jobs pay for the vans.”
GPGareth Pryce · Hedgerow Landscapes · Since 2012
12-mo revenue$271,770+3% vs last yearGoCardless + Xero
How to start a landscaping business in the US
0 of 14 doneStart with: Pick your services
Spraying weedkiller or fertilizer with pesticide for pay usually needs a state applicator licence, and some states license landscape or irrigation contractors for bigger jobs. Check with your state before you offer those services.
Mowing, maintenance, planting or hardscaping. Each needs different kit and different paperwork.
The usual paperwork, plus insurance that covers mowers flinging stones.
Buy commercial mowers you can fix, and a trailer that loads fast.
Fill a few streets, not a whole county.
Plan for winter, hire carefully and keep the routes full.
Open for business14 steps to go
Stage 1Decide what you’ll offer
0/3- Start with mowing, edging and seasonal clean-ups
- Decide if you will spray: that usually needs a licence
- Leave patios and walls until you have the skills
- Search “[your state] landscape contractor licence”
- Ask your Department of Agriculture about applicator licences
- Check if irrigation work needs its own licence
- Run the odds calculator with your budget
- Compare starting with buying a route
Stage 2Set up the company
0/2- Register the LLC with your Secretary of State
- Apply for the EIN on irs.gov
- Get your city or county business licence
- Get general liability cover
- Put your truck and trailer on a commercial auto policy
- Add tool and equipment cover for theft
Stage 3Kit and truck
0/3- Buy one good commercial mower, used if it has a service history
- Buy trimmer, edger and blower from the same brand to share parts
- Get a trailer with a ramp and locks
- Buy ear defenders, safety glasses and boots
- Check each machine before every shift
- Keep a first-aid kit on the truck
- Pick job software with routes and recurring billing
- Take card on file for weekly customers
- Send a short note after each visit
Stage 4Price and win customers
0/3- Time a typical visit and add travel
- Set a minimum price per visit
- Price clean-ups and mulching as separate jobs
- Knock on neighbours’ doors after each new customer
- Leave door hangers on the street you just mowed
- Say no to one-off lawns far from your routes
- Offer a season plan with monthly billing
- Write a one-page proposal for HOAs and offices
- Add spring and fall clean-ups to every plan
Stage 5Run and grow
0/3- Keep three months of bills in the bank by fall
- Decide on a winter service
- Use winter to sell next year’s contracts
- Write a checklist for a standard visit
- Get workers’ comp before they start
- Pay on time, every time
- Ask for 12 months of billing before you buy
- Agree a handover where the seller introduces you
- Check the customers sit near your routes
No steps match.
Open for business, with numbers to prove it.
Owners who started one
De Groene Hovenier
“We sell the winter pruning contract in October, before anyone thinks about their garden.”
JvJoost van Dijk · De Groene Hovenier · Since 2019
12-mo revenue$330,220+11% vs last yearMollie + Xero
Why Mow Better Lawns closed: 90 customers in June, 11 in December
Mow Better Lawns earned well from April to September and almost nothing from November to February. With no winter work and no savings plan, Jake Lowe ran out of cash every January and borrowed to restart in spring. After the third winter he stopped.
JLJake Lowe · Mow Better Lawns · Dec 2024
Money lost$12,500Closed Oct 2024GoCardless
Fernway Lawn Care Raleigh
“The brand brings the phone calls. Keeping the crews busy in February is still my job.”
TBTanya Brooks · Fernway Lawn Care Raleigh · Since 2020
12-mo revenue$381,740+10% vs last yearSquare
Questions people ask
Do you need a licence to start a landscaping business?
Basic mowing usually needs only a business licence. Spraying pesticides or herbicides for pay needs a state applicator licence in most states, and some states license landscape or irrigation contractors for bigger jobs.
How much does it cost to start a landscaping business?
Most owners start with a truck they own, a commercial mower, trimmer, blower and a trailer. Buying used commercial kit keeps the start-up cost down.
What do landscapers do in winter?
In colder states, owners save in the busy months and add snow removal, holiday lights or winter clean-ups. They also sell next season’s contracts.