If you are thinking about how to start a landscaping business, you might be wondering: What is the difference between lawn care and landscaping? It is common for people to use these two terms interchangeably, but there are distinct differences between them.
An essential part of learning how to start a landscaping business is understanding the differences between these two parts of the green industry so that you can know what you want to be doing. Being able to distinguish between lawn care and landscaping will help you decide what kind of business you want to invest in.
Lawn Care
To people outside the industry, the term “lawn care” sounds like it means cutting turf and nothing else, but lawn care encompasses so much more. Taking proper care of a lawn requires maintaining the turf’s health, which requires all of the following:
- Applying fertilizer
- Keeping turf healthy
- Implementing pest control
- Aerating turf
- Seeding to fill in holes
Someone who wants a basic service—mowing the grass—is looking for a lawn maintenance company.
Landscaping
Making an outdoor space beautiful is known as landscaping. This is all-encompassing, covering everything from the grass to the pathways to the flowerbeds. Landscaping is important to commercial properties because a well-designed landscape can help with flow and send a message about what the area is all about.
Landscaping includes:
- Installing sod
- Planting
- Putting in flowers
- Hardscaping work—concrete, pavers, retaining walls, water features
Landscape Maintenance
Separate from landscaping companies are landscape maintenance companies. These are the companies who take care of the upkeep of a beautiful landscape. This includes mowing, edging, and trimming turf as well as bed detail.
What Does U.S. Lawns Offer? All of It!
If you are looking for an investment in the green industry, consider U.S. Lawns, the #1 commercial lawn franchise in the United States. Our franchise opportunity lets you take advantage of multiple revenue streams by offering our commercial clients a one-source stop for all their grounds care needs.
As a full service grounds care business, we do it all—lawn care, landscaping, landscape maintenance, and even snow and ice management in the winter. There are a variety of benefits of offering complete grounds care to our clients; chief among these benefits is the recurring revenue that comes from landscape maintenance.
The majority of clients require landscape maintenance on a weekly basis. This allows the franchisee (you) to own the relationship with the customer by making a good impression week after week. Taking control of these client relationships helps you add business and grow your company over time.
Before you can start thinking about how to start a landscaping business, take the time to get to know the difference between lawn care and landscaping. Understanding these parts of the industry helps you know the kind of work you want to be doing so that you can choose the business that appeals to you.
For more information about what U.S. Lawns has to offer, read about our brand.