Choosing a Lawn Care Service:
Taking care of your lawn can be a chore. Maintaining a good stand of turf requires mowing, trimming, fertilizing, and heading off or curing problems. If you'd rather leave the job up to someone else, consider hiring a lawn care service.
The tips below can ensure that the company you hire will do the job right.
- * Decide what you want from a service. Most offerfertilizing, weed and lawn-damaging pest control, aerating, mowing, andsmall treeand shrubmaintenance.
- Inquire about the company's philosophy and methods. Dothey use long-acting fertilizers?(That's good). Do they routinely spray for pests or problems that youhaven't experienced? (That may be bad.) Do they check you soil beforerecommending a fertilization program? (Another good sign.)
- Talk to neighbors who use lawn services. This is a goodway to determine which services operate in your area and to get ahomeowner's recommendations.
- Request a lawn inspection and a free estimate ofservice costs from the company. Beware of companies that quote guaranteedannual prices without having seen your lawn.
- Ask about prices and what services are included. Somecompanies require a yearly contact; others work on verbal agreements thatcan be discontinued by the customer at any time. Find out what happens ifyou have a problem between applications. Will there be a charge for theseservice calls?
- Check to see if you can save money by paying an annualfee up front. This method is more convenient than paying after eachtreatment.
- Understand what services the company is proposing toprovide before work starts. Find out what treatments are included,approximately when they will be applied, and what results can be expected.
- Find out what is guaranteed. Some will assureperformance, and others will refund your money if the work isunsatisfactory.
- Make sure the service is licensed to apply lawn-careproducts as required by your state.
- Check with your local Better Business Bureau to findmore information on a specific lawn-care company's service record.
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