Get Quotes from Top Lawn Care Companies in Detroit, MI

How Long Have You Been in the Lawn Care Business in Detroit?

Business longevity, a sizable work history, and positive customer reviews are some of the crucial things to consider when searching for lawn care companies. In most cases, businesses that have offered lawn care services for two years or more and handled a series of successful lawn care projects have sufficient experience. Such companies are less likely to make rookie mistakes or be involved in fraudulent behavior, as they have a reputation to protect. The Michigan Attorney General's Office receives over 10,000 consumer complaints annually, and home improvement complaints are usually one of the top complaints. These complaints also include reports against landscaping and lawn care companies, indicating that poor and fraudulent lawn care services occur frequently.

Besides business longevity, you should also look out for positive customer reviews. This helps to determine not only a lawn company's expertise but also whether they offer satisfactory service delivery. You can check third-party consumer websites like Better Business Bureau and Google Review for reviews of a lawn company's services. You can also ask your preferred lawn care company for customer references or evidence of previous work. Note that such evidence of previous work should relate to the services you need.

An added advantage to hiring lawn care companies with business longevity and a reputation for satisfactory service delivery is their understanding of native grasses in Detroit, how to care for them, and which grass is best for your lawn. They can also advise you on the pros and cons of your preferred grass choices if any. Some of the popular grasses native to the Detroit area include:

• Perennial Ryegrass
• Fine Fescue
• Bentgrass
• Kentucky Bluegrass
• Tall Fescue

Do You Hold Any Professional Qualifications Relevant to Lawn Care?

Unlike most home improvement contractors, lawn care contractors or companies are not required to obtain professional licenses before offering their services across Detroit. However, they must adhere to city and state-wide regulations. Be that as it may, hiring a lawn care contractor with professional certification related to the lawn care service you need is a good idea. Certified lawn care contractors are typically exposed to more advanced knowledge and best lawn care practices than their uncertified colleagues.

Note that in some cases, professional certifications are required for certain lawn care services. For example, lawn care contractors who offer pesticide application services or intend to apply pesticides during lawn care must obtain a pest applicator certification from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD).

To apply for this certification, interested persons must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Submit a completed application form
• Pass the relevant certification examination with a score of 70% or higher
• Pay the requisite application fee.

Completed application forms can be submitted to the MDARD at:

Note that it typically takes around six weeks to process an application for this certification. Interested persons can direct inquiries regarding this certification to the MDARD's Pesticide and Plant Pest Management Division at (800) 292-3939. You can also contact the Division through the same number to verify a lawn care professional's certification status.

Besides obtaining a certification, whether voluntarily or compulsorily, some lawn care contractors also join recognized lawn care associations or organizations. Benefits of such membership typically include exposure to best lawn care practices, education on professionalism, and getting informed on relevant laws and regulations. Like those with certification, lawn care professionals who are members of recognized associations or organizations are also likely to be more professional and shun deceptive practices, as they can be held accountable. Examples of these recognized associations and organizations include:

• The National Association of Landscape Professionals
• The Michigan Green Industry Association
• The Association of Professional Landscape Design
• The International Aborist Society
• The Association of Professional Gardeners
• The American Society of Landscape Architects
• The Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association

Note that if your lawn care contractor represents themselves as certified or belonging to an association, ensure to verify this with the relevant organization or association, as the case may be.

How Much Do You Charge Compared to Other Lawn Care Companies in the City?

Several factors determine how much lawn care companies charge for their services, and these factors typically include:

• The amount of labor necessary
• The neighborhood where the property is located
• Weather conditions
• The condition of the lawn
• The necessary equipment for the service
• The lawn's size.

Bearing this in mind, it is best that you compare estimates from different lawn care companies before deciding on one. Comparing estimates also has several benefits, which include the following:

• It helps you determine the average rate for your project
• It helps expose possible extortion
• It helps you avoid scams and fraudulent lawn care businesses.

Lawn care companies also utilize various pricing structures when charging customers. Typical pricing structures in the Detroit area include:

• Per Square Foot: Under this arrangement, the lawn care company charges for their services based on each square foot area worked on. Such charges typically range between $3 and $12 per square foot.
• Per Hour: Companies that use this pricing structure usually fix an hourly charge for working on a lawn project. Accordingly, the final fee is based on the aggregate of hours spent on the lawn care services they render. Fees under this structure are anywhere between $30 and $80 per hour, depending on the labor intensity and required tools.
• Per Project: This pricing structure entails charging for each lawn care service or charging an aggregate fee for all the services offered during a lawn care project. This would depend on the kind of services involved and the lawn care company's arrangement with the relevant homeowner. Fees charged per project have a wide estimate range, ranging between $100 and $1,000 per service or project.

On average, lawn care contractors in Detroit earn $34,580 annually. The following list compares the average hourly wages of these contractors against that of lawn care contractors in other parts of Michigan and in other cities across the United States:

What Is Included in Your Lawn Care Program?

Lawn care programs are a combined group of services offered by lawn care companies. These services include:

• Lawn mowing
• Weeding
• Pest control
• Sod installation
• Landscape designing
• Lawn cleanup and debris removal
• Lawn fertilization
• Planting
• Irrigation system maintenance
• Hedge trimming and tree services
• Mulching.

Note that services contained in a lawn care program vary by company. Therefore, before selecting a lawn care program, it is advisable to know the exact range of services offered. Dishonest lawn care contractors sometimes offer cheap care programs, despite the fact that the services offered are largely irrelevant to a homeowner's needs and more expensive maintenance would later be required. To this end, go over any proposed lawn care program and determine if the nature and scope of each outlined service can result in satisfactory lawn maintenance. This way, you can avoid feeling cheated in the long run.

The average costs of services included in most lawn care programs include:

Also, most lawn care companies in Detroit offer their services or care programs based on two broad categories:

• Full-Service Lawn Maintenance: This typically includes performing every lawn maintenance-related service, ranging from lawn mowing and debris removal to aeration, fertilization, and pest control. The aim of full-service maintenance is not only to keep your lawn tidy but also to improve its aesthetic appeal, health, and general condition. Under this service package, everything related to your lawn care is taken care of with you doing little yard work, if any.
• Basic Lawn Care Services: This mostly refers to routine lawn maintenance to keep your lawn tidy. Basic lawn care services ensure your lawn keeps to local standards and typically entail specific bare minimum services like lawn mowing, clean-ups, and edging. Although they are relatively cheaper and require less time, homeowners who sign up for this kind of service still need to do some yard work to keep their lawns healthy and appealing.

Do You Provide Organic Lawn Care Services?

Organic lawn care involves maintaining your lawn without using man-made or chemical-based products, such as artificial fertilizers, synthetic mulch, or pesticides. Rather, products from natural sources or with less processing are utilized, including grass clippings, animal manure, compost, fallen leaves, seaweed, soybeans, bone meal, and leaf mulch. Homeowners are starting to embrace organic lawn care for many reasons, especially because it reduces the exposure of children and pets to harmful substances that may be contained in synthetic products like pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Other benefits also include:

• It boosts your lawn's ecosystem.
• There are no negative effects of overapplication.
• There is no risk of water pollution.
• It enhances your lawn's root growth.
• It provides the necessary nutrients to strengthen your lawn against disease and pest infestation.
• It improves your lawn's grass quality.
• It is eco-friendly.
• It helps to boost the photosynthesis process.
• It is much safer to apply.

However, not all lawn care companies offer organic lawn care services, indicating the need to confirm with your preferred company before hiring them. If they do, also remember to confirm the nature of their organic service and the extent to which it will benefit your lawn. This lets you understand what you are paying for and what to expect.

It should be noted that applying organic lawn care products typically takes longer and may require some knowledge, skill, or expertise. These can influence the cost of the service and make them more expensive than conventional options. Despite this, going organic is more sustainable and is a better option in the long run. You especially get to have a chemical-free outdoor environment where your family and pets can play and relax without health risks.

Do You Offer a Warranty for Plants Installed?

Plant warranty refers to an undertaking by a lawn care company that seeds or trees they sell or plant will grow and blossom. If such plants turn out subpar, the homeowner is entitled to remedies. Such remedies include a free-of-charge reseeding by the company or a refund, depending on the terms of the warranty. Plant warranties are an important perk to consider when deciding on a lawn care company. Therefore, confirm with your preferred company if they offer any such warranty, especially if you are requesting lawn seeding, sod installation, or planting services. This way, you have some assurance of the quality of the service you are getting.

However, a plant warranty does not exclude a homeowner from basic lawn care. As such, homeowners must still water their plants, keep their lawns clean, deal with weeds, and adhere to other lawn care responsibilities typically listed in the warranty policy. Other examples of such responsibilities include the following:

• Homeowners must fertilize their lawns. Some warranties require organic fertilizers.
• There must be a proper irrigation system in place.
• Homeowners must rid their lawns of pests and destructive insects.

Failure to adhere to these requirements may result in the cancellation of the warranty.

Similarly, most plant warranties do not cover certain situations. Examples include:

• Damage caused by natural disasters or severe weather conditions
• Damage caused by a homeowner's negligence or failure to adhere to instructions in the warranty document
• Damage caused by animals or pests.

In such exclusion cases, the lawn care company is not liable to fix the situation or remedy the homeowner. Besides confirming if your homeowner offers a plant warranty, you should also review any presented warranty document to check for homeowner requirements or exclusions. This will help determine if the warranty is workable for you and if getting one is worth your money. Most importantly, familiarizing yourself with the warranty document helps you spot any deceptive behavior or underhand tactics your lawn care company may want to use to avoid responsibility.

Do You Carry the Necessary Insurance Policy for Lawn Care Companies in the City?

Another crucial consideration to have in mind before hiring a lawn care company is whether they are insured. Obtaining any form of insurance is not mandatory for Detroit lawn care companies and contractors. Therefore, this is a matter of preference, albeit an important one. Lawn care can be dangerous, and injuries occur. Annually, nearly 80,000 Americans across the country require hospital treatment for injuries caused by lawnmowers alone. Synthetic lawn care products like chemical-based pesticides and fertilizers have reportedly caused cancers, neurological diseases, and other life-threatening illnesses, especially when applied improperly. Without adequate insurance, you may incur personal expenses on treatments or damage control if you or someone else sustains any injury or health problems due to your lawn care project.

Therefore, it is crucial to confirm if your preferred lawn care company is insured, verify their claims of being insured, and also confirm if their insurance policy can sufficiently cover the cost of addressing possible injuries that may result from your project.

When considering the insurance status of your preferred lawn care company, look out for those with valid general liability and workers' compensation policies. General liability policies indemnify you and the company from financial liability when an injury occurs to a third party due to your lawn care project. Workers' compensation policies indemnify you in situations where your contractor's employees sustain injuries during the project.