Get Quotes from Top Lawn Care Companies in Columbus, OH

How Long Have You Been in the Lawn Care Business in Columbus?

When hiring a lawn care company in Columbus, it is important to find out how long they have been in business and confirm their success track. This usually indicates that the landscapers working for the lawn care company are experienced and competent workers and more likely to provide you with the best possible service. In 2021, the Ohio Attorney General's Office received over 20,000 complaints from consumers, with property and home improvement services ranking fourth on its top ten list for that year. Hiring a reputable lawn care company with a good track record of delivering satisfactory service cannot be overstated.

Another essential reason to hire a reputable lawn care company that has been in business for a long time is that its workers are more knowledgeable about native plants and grasses. This allows them to provide better information on properly caring for your plants. Some of the commonly used native grasses and plants popular among homeowners in Columbus include:

• Maidenhair Fern
• Delphinium
• Astilbe
• Bee Balm
• Black-eyed Susan
• Blue Flag
• Dense Blazing Star
• Fireweed
• Purple coneflower
• Rose milkweed
• Wild bergamot
• Cardinal flower
• Common milkweed
• Blue Wild Indigo
• New England aster
• Bur oak
• Spicebush
• Rough blazing star
• Marsh Marigold

As such, before hiring a lawn care company in Columbus, do your due diligence. You can ask for references from past clients who can vouch for the company's quality. Also, you can check the company's history and customer feedback by visiting the websites of various online platforms such as Google Review, the Better Business Bureau, and Yelp.

Do You Hold Any Professional Qualifications Relevant to Lawn Care?

In addition to confirming the reputation of your preferred lawn care company and their landscapers, you should also confirm if they have the necessary credentials to provide the services you need. This can be done by checking their professional credentials in related fields. In Columbus, landscape professionals and lawn care professionals are not subject to following local licensing requirements.

Depending on the type of services they provide, your lawn care company may be required to follow certain state regulations. For instance, if your lawn care program includes the application of pesticides, then you must ensure you hire a landscaper with a valid pesticide applicator license issued by the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Applying pesticides without a valid state-issued license is a violation, and first-time violators pay up to $5,000 in fines, with each subsequent violation of up to $10,000.

Typically to obtain this license, a landscaper will be required to meet the following requirements:

• Complete the commercial license application form
• Pay the required application fee
• Pass core and related category tests

Upon passing the required exam, the landscaper will be issued a commercial applicator license. Note that lawn care companies are also required to obtain a business license from the Ohio Department of Agriculture. The company must complete a business application form and pay the required fee. Lawn care companies must also provide proof of liability insurance and that at least one person in their company possesses a commercial applicator license.

To this end, if your lawn care program includes the application of pesticides, you should confirm your preferred landscapers possess the right state-issued license. You can use the Ohio Department of Agriculture's Pesticide Applicators Search platform to confirm the licensing status of your intended landscapers in Columbus. For more information on licensing procedures for professional pesticide applicators in the city, contact the Ohio Department of Agriculture at (614) 728-6987.

In addition to obtaining licenses for specialized lawn care services, landscapers also often obtain voluntary certifications from organizations like:

• The Ohio Landscape Association
• The International Society of Arboriculture
• The Tree Care Industry Association
• The Professional Grounds Management Society
• The National Association of Landscape Professionals
• The Irrigation Association

These voluntary certifications are usually granted to individuals with advanced knowledge and expertise in certain fields, such as irrigation, lawn care, and organic farming. They can indicate that the individual has attained a level of competence and experience that is exceptional. When hiring a landscaper, ensure you thoroughly check any claims made by them about their voluntary certification by asking for proof that they have such certification. You should also contact the issuing association for authentication.

How Much Do You Charge Compared to Other Lawn Care Companies in the City?

When lawn care companies charge you for their services in Columbus, several factors are considered to determine how much you will pay, including:

• The labor intensity
• The locality where the property is located
• Weather conditions
• The condition of the lawn
• The necessary equipment and materials for the service
• The lawn's size
• The scope and nature of the lawn care services.

With these factors, it is advisable to get and compare estimates of at least three lawn care companies near you. Doing so will allow you to make an informed decision regarding the type of lawn care company you will hire. It will also help you determine the average rate for your project. Most importantly, it helps you avoid being extorted by fraudulent lawn care companies.

When it comes to charging for lawn care services, different pricing structures are used by different companies in Columbus, including:

• Per Square Foot: A lawn care company charges you based on the square footage of the area that it worked on. This arrangement ranges from around $3 to $11 per square foot.
• Per Hour: This pricing structure is based on the number of hours the company spends working on the lawn project. Depending on the hours of work the company did and other factors like labor and equipment required, the fees under this arrangement can range from $30 to $75 per hour.
• Per Service Method: This pricing structure allows the lawn care company to charge its client flat fees for various services. These fees can range from $50 to $1,000 depending on the scope and type of service that the company provides.

On average, lawn care contractors in Columbus earn $34,550 annually. The following list compares the average hourly wages of these contractors against that of lawn care contractors in other parts of Ohio and other cities across the United States:

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

What Is Included in Your Lawn Care Program?

A lawn care program is a combination of services offered by different companies. These programs include services such as:

• Lawn aeration
• Shrub, flower, and tree planting
• Sodding
• Shrub and hedge trimming
• Artificial turf installation
• Pest control
• Yard cleanup and debris removal
• Turf disease remediation
• Sprinkler system installation and maintenance
• Root care
• Soil treatment and topsoil care
• Lawn fertilization
• Hydroseeding
• Weed control
• Tree trimming and pruning
• Lawn mowing
• Mulching and composting
• Lawn seeding
• Landscape design

Most lawn care companies in Columbus provide their services under two broad categories. These include:

• Basic Lawn Care Package: This type of service usually includes a wide range of lawn care services aimed at improving the appearance and not the overall health of the lawn. Some of these include lawn mowing, bush trimming, and yard cleanup.
• Full-Service Lawn Care Package: This package includes services aimed at improving the appearance and overall health of the lawn. It typically includes basic lawn care services such as lawn mowing and hedge trimming, tree pruning and lawn aeration, turf disease remediation, and pest control.

Note that some lawn care companies try to convince people to sign up for their lawn care services by offering low-cost programs that only cover basic services even though you require intensive lawn care. This approach usually leads to misunderstandings; to avoid that, you should sign a written contract. The contract must contain the nature and scope of the intended lawn care services and all other necessary details like the price, the payment schedule, and the company's guarantees and expectations.

Here are the cost estimates for various lawn care services that professional companies and landscapers in Columbus typically provide:

Do You Provide Organic Lawn Care Services?

Organic lawn care services use sustainable and non-toxic substances instead of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. This type of lawn care involves using carbon-based substances, such as seaweed, leaf mulch, mycorrhizae, bone char, worm castings, and manure. Some examples of these substances include organic compost, bone char, seaweed, worm castings, manure, and leaf mulch.

Organic lawn care is a great alternative for environmentally conscious people with kids or pets who often play on their lawns. It can help reduce the exposure of kids and pets to potentially harmful chemicals while, at the same time, it can help create a chemical-free environment. Implementing an organic lawn care program can take a lot of work and tends to be more expensive than regular lawn care. However, it can provide several benefits that can help you save money in the long run, including:

• It makes your lawn healthier.
• It improves root growth.
• It revitalizes your lawn's ecosystem.
• It reduces soil and water pollution.
• It involves zero danger of over-application.
• It improves soil resistance to pests and diseases.
• It provides a safe environment for children and pets.

Do You Offer a Warranty for Plants Installed?

When choosing a lawn care company in Columbus, you should know that the company may offer a warranty to you for their services, especially if the installation of flowers or sod is included in your lawn care program. This assurance guarantees that your plants will grow and flourish as expected. You should consider it a red flag if the lawn care company hesitates or refuses to offer you a service warranty.

Typically, plant warranties come with specific coverage areas and validity periods. In most cases, the plant warranties provided by Columbus lawn care companies are usually valid for a year. These warranties include terms and conditions that are typically determined by the lawn care company and must be followed during the specified period, such as:

• Plant watering schedules
• Fertilization requirements
• Acceptable mowing heights and techniques for installed grasses and turf

However, plant warranties offered by these companies in the city do not usually cover certain situations, such as:

• Damages to installed plants caused by pets, children, and other animals
• Damages to installed plants caused by natural disasters, such as flooding or acts of vandalism
• Damages to installed plants caused by the lawn owner's lack of maintenance or care as directed by the lawn care company

As such, before you sign a plant warranty, it is essential that you thoroughly understand the terms and conditions of the agreement. Doing so will prevent you from voiding any of its terms and conditions.

Do You Carry the Necessary Insurance Policy for Lawn Care Companies in the City?

Over 100 deaths and 143,000 serious injuries are reported annually in the United States due to lawn care and maintenance activities. Lawn care maintenance is hazardous, which makes it important to hire only an insured landscaper for your intended lawn care program. Doing so will allow you to protect yourself from various financial and liability risks, such as property damage and bodily injuries that can be incurred while implementing your lawn care program.

To obtain a pesticide business license in Columbus, a lawn care business must have general commercial liability and a separate professional liability policy. These policies must cover the company's various activities and the bodily injury and property damage caused by applying pesticides. The policy must have the minimum insurance limits of $300,000 in total policy coverage, $300,000 per occurrence limit, and $300,000 in total products and completed operations.

As such, you should make sure that you request the necessary proof of insurance from your preferred landscaper. Also, ensure that the company's liability insurance will cover the damage they might cause to your property or other third parties. For more information about these requirements for lawn care companies in Columbus, you can contact the Ohio Department of Agriculture at (614) 728-6987.