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Ask questions to see which is right for you.
Some communities in New York are served by dozens of lawn care companies. How can you tell which one is right for you?
Here are some questions to ask. (They were suggested by reputable lawn care professionals who are concerned about maintaining the integrity of their profession.)
Do they guarantee their service? Many companies guarantee your satisfaction, but ask about the specifics. If they damage your lawn, will they fix it or simply refund your money? Is the guarantee in effect only if you subscribe to their entire service?
How good is their work? If it's good, they will have satisfied customers. Ask for referrals. Find out how long the company has been in business and how many repeat customers they have. (A 20- to 30-percent annual turnover is normal.) How quickly do they respond to complaints? Will you have to pay for follow-up visits? Most companies do not charge for callbacks.
What is their minimum charge? Do they provide a written contract specifying what services they include? New York law requires lawn care companies to provide customers with written advance notice of automatic renewal for services past the first year. Written contracts will also specify the services to be included in the program.
Are they flexible? Will they work with you to make adjustments you want that are different from their routine application schedule? For example, will they skip the early spring-feeding and provide a late fall-feeding instead? If you are willing to tolerate a few weeds, will the skip the pre-emergent crabgrass herbicide and come back later to make a post-emergent treatment if needed?
How do they train their employees? It varies from none to several days. All applicators should have a very basic ability to identify grasses, weeds, insects, and diseases. They should also know what they are applying, why they are applying it, and the proper way to apply it.
Are the applicators experienced? In the lawn care business, much is learned through experience. Experienced employees are more likely to be able to diagnose problems and take care of them. A company's ability to retain experienced employees provides clues to its professionalism.
Are the applicators certified? State law does not mandate that all lawn care applicators be certified, but many companies are making that their goal. Certification guarantees that the applicators have received some training in safe pesticide handling, and have passed a required test.
Does the company have liability insurance? Protect your personal property by requiring proof of liability coverage from the company.
© Copyright, Department of Horticulture, Cornell University.
Website design: Craig Cramer cdc25@cornell.edu
Mention of trade names and commercial products is for educational purposes; no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Cornell Cooperative Extension or Cornell University is implied. Pesticide recommendations are for informational purposes only and manufacturers' recommendations change. Read the manufacturers' instructions carefully before use. Cornell Cooperative Extension and Cornell University assumes no responsibility for the use of any pesticide or chemicals. Some of the links provided are not maintained by Cornell Cooperative Extension and Cornell University. Cornell Cooperative Extension and Cornell University are not responsible for information on these websites. They are included for information purposes only and no endorsement by Cornell Cooperative Extension or Cornell University is implied. Cornell Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.
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