Who Is The Best Lawn Care Company In Frederick County, Maryland?

You spend time, energy, and money trying to make your yard beautiful, but it’s hard work, and you’d rather be enjoying the space instead of ticking off that lawn care maintenance checklist. But what can you do? Scaling back on the mowing schedule leaves the grass too long, and cutting down on watering leaves it open to burning. And those weeds?! They are definitely not going to ease up if you aren’t on top of spraying.

As a homeowner, you may feel that it’s your duty to get out there and handle things yourself. After all, that’s what your parents did. Well, things are different today, and you have options. A lawn care company is just what you need to ensure your beautiful yard stays healthy and manicured. 

If you’ve started looking around at companies to hire, you’re likely feeling very overwhelmed. With so many lawn care companies to choose from, how do you find the best fit for you and your lawn? We’ve put together this helpful guide to help you narrow it down.

What exactly does a lawn care company do?

Unlike having a person or company simply mow your grass, a full-service lawn care company does more than keeping your grass short. A lawn care and maintenance company will design and implement a program to improve the overall health of your lawn and soil in addition to mowing. Some offer pest control and soil testing to encourage the growth of lush lawn.  Other services can consist of debris and leaf removal, border edging, aeration, fertilization, weed control, and overseeding. Many companies also have spring and fall cleanup packages to ensure your yard is ready for the changing seasons. 

What are the benefits of hiring a lawn care company?

• You’ll get better results than you would on your own. A team of knowledgable experts that have mastered their craft through schooling and experience is hard to keep up with for any diy project.
• They’ll save you valuable time. Your downtime can be spent enjoying your outside space rather than maintaining it. 
• Targeted solutions for any problem areas. Trained technicians know how to diagnose and treat issues, which gets you a nice looking yard and saves you the headache of trying to solve the problem yourself. 
• Access to cutting edge materials, tools, and products. Most professional lawn care companies don’t waste time with supplies that don’t get the job done efficiently. They also send employees on courses to learn about new and improved products and techniques to ensure they are bringing their A-game. Sometimes, they can procure certain products that aren’t available to the average homeowner.

Why do prices vary?

Like many things in life, you get what you pay for, and lawn care companies are no different. While that doesn’t mean that you have to go with the most expensive company — some offer better deals than others — it does mean that you should understand what it is your paying for. A few things to consider when presented with a quote:

• The type of equipment they use. If the company has top-of-the-line, professional equipment, their work will be more precise, time-efficient, and accommodating to different types of landscaping. However, have to pay to keep their machines and tools in good shape, so you should expect a slightly higher quote than that of the neighbor kid next door.. But at less time billed out, it might not be that much more than others, and you can feel confident about their quality of work.
• Do they bag up and remove clippings and other lawn debris? This service means less work for you but needs to be accounted for on their invoice.
• Will they edge the lawn where needed, and if so, how often? Are they sweeping, blowing, or pressure washing areas to keep them neat and tidy? These details may seem small, but they will take your lawn care maintenance to the next level.
• Is package pricing offered? Do they have a price list for a set number of visits or only a standard per cut price? You can often find savings in committing to a company for the season.

What should I ask before hiring?

There are some simple cues that you can look for when going through the hiring process that will make some companies stand out more than others.

• Check credentials. Look for a licensed company in your area and check for any professional association they may be members of.
• Read reviews. You want a lawn maintenance company with good ratings and lots of unbiased reviews. You can also check if the company is listed with the Better Busines Bureau, which has Standards of Accreditation and their own BBB Standards for Trust. Looking for local references that you can follow up on, whether in your neighborhood or on social media, can solidify their reputation. It’s usually a good sign if the company has been in business in your area for a long time. After all, a bad rap is hard to shake.
• Ask about knowledge and experience. Ensure the people working on your property know how to care for the specific species of grass you have. You can also find out how much experience they have with fertilizers, xeriscaping, irrigation, watering systems, and other relevant expertise your yard requires. Do the owners and employees have official certification or diplomas from post-secondary institutions?
• What are their response times? How quickly will they send someone to evaluate a potential problem? Do they have room in their scheduling for unexpected remedial work? 
• Confirm they are insured. Any lawn maintenance company working on your property should have adequate and up-to-date business and liability coverage. Insurance protects you and them from any potential lawsuits or other legal issues.
• Get proper bids done. Aim for a minimum of three quotes and compare the services, prices, and projected timeline. Be wary of those companies who don’t do in-person estimates/bids. Having the contractor physically see the project eliminates any confusion and usually results in a more accurate quote, which means fewer additional charges after they’ve started to implement your lawn care program.
• Sign a contract. Ideally, both you and the company representative will sign a detailed contract that outlines all services, costs, occurrences, payments, and any guarantees and cancellation policies.

To learn what the best lawn care company in Frederick County, Maryland can do for your lawn, call South Mountain Lawn & Landscape, Inc. at 301-834-4628.