If you’re someone who loves to be outdoors and be their own boss, the landscape business might just be perfect for you! These businesses design, manage, build and maintain outdoor spaces for business and personal homes.
You can start small and expand your small venture into a multi-team business that provides a large range of landscaping services. Starting from scratch, you will, at the very least, need a truck or trailer, lawnmower, shovels, clippers, and other essential tools.
What Entails a Landscaping Business?
When starting a landscaping business, you can opt for offering basic gardening and mowing services or full-service solutions that help create landscapes with a range of features.
One must possess certain skill sets and knowledge for a successful landscape business. For example, expertise regarding which plants are best-suited in the lawn based on climate, etc.
There are many tools and equipment required to run a landscape business, depending on its size. However, all landscaping businesses need some essential tools. Here is a list of some of the most common ones you should be acquainted with:
- Truck & Trailer: For transportation, you can either rent or purchase one, depending on your budget. One great option is the 2022 Mitsubishi Triton.
- Riding and Push Mower: Riding mowers cover large areas with maximum efficiency, while push mowers reach areas the riding mower can't reach.
- Lawn Edger and Trimmer: Both tools are standards in the landscaping business and are must-haves.
- Safety Equipment: This equipment includes safety goggles, noise-cancelling headphones, gloves, etc.
- Landscaping Tools: Basics such as shovels, hoses, etc.
As a landscape business owner, you can expect to offer the following services based on how much you’ve expanded your business:
- Grooming and maintaining the garden
- Planting trees, flowers, and laying sod
- Designing corporate landscape plans
- Laying out walkways with construction
- Building patios and decks
How to Select Your Niche
As we've seen, there is a range of services that come under the umbrella of landscaping. When starting from scratch, we advise you to focus on one niche and specialise in it. After garnering success, you can expand to become a full-service landscape company.
Based on your initial budget, interest and expertise, you can choose from the multiple niches in the industry. Here is a list to help you get an idea:
- Basic Landscaping Services: In this niche, you will be responsible for managing and maintaining lawns by pruning hedges, mowing, watering, etc. This service is ideal for people on a very limited budget since this niche is low-investment.
- Yardscaping Services: here, you will lay sod and install irrigation systems, waterfalls, and lawns for customers. These are usually one-time contractual services compared to recurring services rendered by basic landscape maintenance businesses.
- Constructing Decks and Patios: If you have some experience with building and construction, this can be a great option. Along with this, you can also offer to beautify the surrounding area.
- Landscape Architecture and Design: This niche involves labour-intensive projects. Here, you will have the option of designing and installing landscape features. Sound knowledge of horticulture, plants, and other land management techniques are needed.
Advantages of Finding a Niche
There are several advantages of finding and operating your landscape business within a particular niche. Let’s take a look.
- Controlling Costs: Once you have decided on a niche you want to pursue, you can focus on saving money for the specific equipment related to the chosen niche.
- Repeat Business Opportunities: Depending on your chosen niche, there are high chances of earning recurring business once you have developed a rapport with the client.
- Beating Competition: Finding a niche with less competition and sufficient demand in the market is like hitting the jackpot. However, you will have to conduct thorough research for this, resulting in higher profitability.
Expenses to Consider
You need to make a plan detailing costs before starting your landscaping business. Based on the niche you have chosen, your experience level and what tools and equipment you might already possess, the costs will vary. Here is a basic list of expenses you should keep in mind when starting your new business:
- Insurance: Getting general liability coverage in the form of insurance is important.
- Registration and Incorporation: For a new business, you will have to register it with the state and pay the relevant fees. The registration process may also include acquiring a license from the relevant government branch.
- Digital Presence: Due to the industry's competitive nature, you will have to cover all your bases. To make sure you don't fall behind in reaching prospects, you'll have to start a website for your business. You'll have to pay for its design, content, development, hosting and any other costs associated with it.
- Marketing: Depending on the kind of marketing campaign you have in mind, this can eat up a significant chunk of your budget.
Make sure you are thorough about your landscaping business's potential costs. The more detailed the budget, the more prepared you will be in the face of any unforeseen circumstance.
Expanding Your Landscape Business
Once you’ve stepped into the market and have been running for some time, you might think of expanding. You can employ several creative methods to achieve this goal. However, most expanding efforts require a significant budget.
As your business expands, equipment needs will change as well. You might need to purchase chainsaws, wheelbarrows, and other machinery. For marketing, you can get creative and design referral programs. Customers satisfied with your work will most likely be willing to provide testimonials for your website.
Word-of-mouth referral is ideal since an honest recommendation goes a long way. You can also reward customers for referring others to you by offering discounts, extra services or other perks.
Parting Words
Starting your own landscaping business is not as daunting as it might sound. When starting your business, you need to ensure your business delivers quality work to gain customer trust. You could also considering buying a landscaping business or franchise too. Use the information we have provided in this post to plan your potentially lucrative landscaping business.
