07/20/2025
Sharing what I posted on a separate platform for consistency:
So grateful to our neighbor for starting a conversation about landscaping and fees that are charged for services rendered. There was some controversy over the post. I was glad to see so many positive and thoughtful comments. However, I was surprised and disappointed at some of the comments.
There are many factors that can cause prices to vary. Every person/company has the exclusive right to charge for their services. What is reasonable to one person may not be reasonable to another. One person’s price may be completely different from someone else’s.
Pricing has many factors in no particular order:
1) Equipment: This includes any and all tools used to complete the job including but not limited to mowers, tractors, weedeaters, blowers, trimmers, chainsaws, shovels, rakes, etc. All of these items have a cost to purchase, to use and to maintain. Lawn equipment requires not only gasoline but also special oil along with lubricants. They have parts that need to be cleaned, sharpened, and replaced with use. Tall grass creates extra work for the equipment, which leads to higher fuel prices and frequent maintenance. Items/parts/components to replace can vary and some are very costly.
2) In order to travel from place to place, one needs a vehicle that can tow and a trailer to be able to load and unload the equipment with ease. The vehicle needs to be insured and registered as well as maintained. The trailer also must be registered and maintained. The electrical components and lights must all be in working order at all times. The tires need to be in good condition.
3) Labor: People who know what they are doing, are able to perform the job safely and properly are not a dime a dozen. There are many who are out there selling their services but are not skilled or they don’t take pride in what they do. People can perform a task but that doesn’t mean they are good at it. I have seen balls of grass left in commercial locations and large lots unevenly cut. I have seen over-zealous use of the weedeater to cut into the grass areas and not limited to what it is supposed to be. People who have experience in landscaping and are able to tolerate working in the heat while leaving a property with a beautiful finish are valuable. Experience and knowledge of equipment use, plants and trees and issues they can have come with a price. They are worthy of being compensated for their time, effort and expertise. Many people can perform these tasks but not everyone can do it beautifully. Men and women can and do work in landscaping. It is not a male exclusive job. Labor is added to cost of the materials used in order to complete a job. They are not intertwined.
4) Miscellaneous materials: Insecticide, herbicide, fertilizers, bags, fuel tanks, weedeater line, PPE, sprayers, etc. all have their cost. The cost for these materials can vary dramatically. Some items are not high end while others do carry a premium price tag.
5) The job requirement: Every client is able to select what service they need. It could be grass cutting, shrub hedging, weeding, cleanup of a variety of fallen leaves, tree trimming, planting, problems with growth, etc. Each service takes time to complete and the use of the aforementioned items to complete the job.
These are just some of the factors that can and do affect pricing for landscaping. It does cost a lot to work in this industry. The whole purpose of working is to be able to earn a living. Nobody wants to work for free. Asking people to work for little to nothing is abusive and unacceptable.
Lastly, I think it’s important to emphasize platform rules allow for thoughtful conversation. Comments to mock, ridicule and insult others are not ok. There is a way to politely disagree without being disrespectful. You don’t have to like or agree with others, but you do need to be kind/courteous.
