In recent years there has been a shift in the lawn care industry in providing “One Size Fits All” lawn care and lawn fertilization estimates, sight unseen. Sure, it’s convenient to be able to go to a website and fill out your information to get an instant quote, but is it really helpful or even honest to the homeowner? Let’s take a look at five reasons why these instant estimates can both hurt your lawn and end up costing you more in the end.
5. Different Grass Species Require Different Care
Did you know there are over 10,000 different species of grass in the world? Among the domesticated varieties you find in the typical American backyard, there are various watering recommendations, fertilization techniques, and weed control methods to ensure a thick, lush yard for summer enjoyment. When you’re given an instant lawn care estimate, the lawn care company is assuming every yard benefits from the same “cookie cutter” treatments. Since the offending company is most likely cutting costs in order to turn over more jobs, they’re more than likely going to apply treatments which will cause your grass to underperform, or even worse, cause long-term damage to your grass.
4. No Soil Makeup is the Same
Along with all the unique species of grasses found throughout the area, there are also many variations of soil makeups and properties that will impact fertilization efforts. For instance, soil may be very acidic and need a lime treatment to level off the PH balance in conjunction with a lawn fertilization service. Your soil may also be very compacted and require an aeration to allow nutrients to penetrate deep into the roots of your grass. Along with the makeup of your soil come creepy crawlies that may need to be handled during the fertilization process, such as grubs and other harmful insects that feed on your lawn. Assuring proper soil properties and matching a treatment or treatments to complement your soil makeup helps to ensure lasting results long after the lawn care application is complete.
3. Overpaying for Services You Don’t Need
You may not know it, but there may be added services built into your “instant” estimate that aren’t needed for your lawn. Just as a proper on-site pre-inspection of you lawn helps a lawn care company build a thorough and accurate treatment schedule, the lack of an on-site estimate may create unnecessary treatments that either do nothing for the overall health of your lawn or cause harm down the road. Just as you wouldn’t call your dentist and schedule a root canal without first knowing if you needed one, you should always be weary of lawn care companies that give one-size-fits-all estimates without first giving you an in-depth inspection of you property.
2. Harmful to the Environment
Along with #3 on our list, scheduling a lawn treatment where neither you nor the fertilization company knows what proper application is needed, overtreatment can lead to harmful effects on the environment. True lawn care professionals will offer homeowners different levels of treatments that are both environmentally friendly and easy on a homeowner’s wallet. If your neighbor stopped by and asked you what it was you had put on your lawn, would you rather tell them “I’m not sure, but it sure was cheap!” or would you rather tell him that you choose an environmentally responsible company that was both affordable and knowledgeable about the best method for a healthy, lush yard, making your neighborhood more attractive and more healthy for all.
1. The Bait and Switch
No one likes knowing they’re getting taken advantage of. Take for example the famous window installation company that offers their bottom of the barrel window in order to make for an attractive price to the homeowner, only to get their foot in the door and tell them the window is no good and they need to upgrade to one of their more expensive models that provide them with higher margins. We would be willing to bet that nearly all “Instant Estimate” lawn care companies know that they are trying to get onto you property at a cheap and attractive price, only to upsell you on higher end services once they get to your doorstep. Is this the type of business you want taking care of your lawn where pets, children and grandchildren play?
At A Great Choice Lawn Care and Landscaping, we take pride in the comprehensive lawn care services we offer and the lifelong customers we keep. That’s why we’re committed to giving our customers honest and very in-depth, on-site estimates where we educate you about your soil and grass, our products, and how our lawn care applications work. Visit our “Request an Estimate” form or call (607) 729-3451 to schedule your no-obligation lawn care estimate today.
