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The Cost of DIY Lawn Care vs. Hiring a Professional in Minneapolis or Eau Claire, WI

7 MINUTE READ

If you were that kid in math class who always got As on tests without studying, good for you. The math portion of this story will be easy.

The rest of you, no worries.

You need more than math skills to compare the cost of DIY lawn care to hiring a professional.

More on that in a bit. But let’s get the math out of the way first.

First, How Much Does a Lawn Service Cost?

Lawn service programs in Minneapolis and Eau Claire vary in price, depending on the size of your lawn, the number of services included, and the results you want.

Plan on spending between $400 and $1,000 a year for a 5,000-square-foot lawn.

aerial shot of lawn care team fertilizing lawnAt RainMaster, you choose from three different levels of lawn care programs, from a basic plan that includes the elements you need for a better lawn, to a high-end, proactive program for the quickest and best results, particularly if your lawn needs a lot of help.

Right in-between is a mid-level program option, a popular program to grow a thick, green lawn and deal with most challenges.

Next Up, the Cost of DIY Lawn Care

Many homeowners tackling DIY lawn care head for a popular 4-part program they can toss in a cart at the hardware or big box home store.

It consists of four bags of product to apply from early spring through fall designed to prevent crabgrass and other weeds, fertilize, and control some insects.

The four bags will cost you about $100.

But the cost of DIY lawn care goes beyond those four bags.

You’ll need a spreader to apply the product on your lawn. They range in price from around $40 to $70 for a basic model.

grass seedAdd grass seed to the cost of DIY lawn care to fill in thin spots. That will cost about 20 bucks a bag.

Got grubs? Lots of lawns do. Grub control costs $20-$50 per bag.

The four-step DIY lawn programs don’t kill all lawn insects. Extra granular insect control runs about $20-40 a bag.

If you just do the math, the cost of DIY lawn care is cheaper. No big surprise here.

But there are other factors to consider that go beyond basic addition. Buying a 4-step program or a few extras may still not be all of what your lawn needs.

That Mess in Your Garage

Peek in a few garages in your neighborhood (it’s only slightly creepy) and you’ll probably find a pile of unused lawn care products — fertilizer, weed control, grass seed, lawn insect control.

Everybody plans to take good care of their lawn. The thing is, life gets in the way.

One weekend flies by, then another. How long before it’s too late in the season to put this stuff down, anyway?

Maybe next weekend…

Meanwhile, try not to drip over that pile of unused products. If you fall on your rake, that’s gonna hurt.

Confusion in Aisle 6

The lawn care aisles are stuffed with DIY products.

Grass seed! Fertilizer! Weed control! Grub killer!

Wait, which kind of grass seed? What type of fertilizer? Which is the best weed killer? Do you even have grubs?

These instructions are kind of confusing, too. One bag? Three bags?

Add this to the cost of DIY lawn care: stress. How will you know you’re getting the right kind of materials, designed for the conditions of your yard?

And if you apply these products incorrectly, you can actually damage your lawn.

Do You Know What Your Lawn Really Needs?

So, you’ve tossed your four heavy bags of lawn care products into the cart.

All set, right? But what if your lawn needs more than that?

A thick, green lawn is all about the roots and the soil. If they’re healthy, your lawn will be, too.

Maybe it needs a boost of iron, magnesium, or humic acid. Or some nice, rich organic matter.

lawn team fertilizer 294Choose RainMaster, and you get more than the fertilizer big three of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to really target your lawn’s unique needs. (We’re actually phosphorus free, to protect our precious waterways.)

Your lawn might be compacted and need aeration. Your soil pH might be off, which means your lawn can’t absorb the nutrients it needs until it’s back in balance.

lawn care expert aerates lawnYour lawn might need more than just products you can toss in the cart. The cost of DIY lawn care just got even more complicated.

The Bottom Line: Results

DIY products won’t get you that thick, healthy lawn that you’re expecting.

How much does a lawn service cost? Be sure to factor in the huge boost in quality.

family relaxes on front porch with beautiful lawnBargain seed from the big box store often has weed seed mixed in.

All fertilizer isn’t the same. RainMaster uses premium professional-grade formulations of granular fertilizer, which is more effective than products you can buy at the store. It breaks down slowly, giving you consistent benefits from fertilization.

Not every weed-killing product kills all weeds. And some weeds are so tough, they just laugh at those DIY products.

lawn with weedsYou can’t just grab a bottle or bag from the store shelf and expect it to work as well as the pro products we use.

Don’t You Have Better Things to Do?

All the bags piled up in your garage, all the dates to keep track of, equipment to maintain.

We already know you’re good at math. But can you spell h-a-s-s-l-e?

family plays together on healthy lawnDo yourself a favor and trust your lawn care to us. No equipment to maintain. No messy bags of fertilizer stacked in your garage, taking up space, spilling all over the place.

Your calendar won’t nag “fertilize the lawn” anymore, because that’s our job.

Expert Eyes on Your Lawn

How much does lawn service cost? Don’t forget it includes expert attention and advice.

When you’re out on your lawn lugging those bags around, you’re probably not looking for possible problems.

You just want to get the job done so you can actually enjoy part of your weekend.

homeowners meet with lawn care expertBut when our lawn care specialists are out there spreading seed, or applying fertilizer, or treating for weeds, we’re looking at your lawn’s total health.

We might notice signs of Japanese beetles, grubs, or lawn diseases.

Our specialists are trained professionals, so we catch things early — before they turn into worrisome and expensive problems.

Trust Your Lawn Service to RainMaster — Then Relax

If you do your best to tackle a DIY lawn care program, then get frustrated by the time, the hassle, and the lack of results, you won’t be alone.

Plenty of our customers tried it themselves first. Then they realized it’s just not worth it.

Make it easy on yourself.

Choose from three different levels of lawn care programs, based on the results you’d like, how fast you want to see results, and your budget.

Prices are based on a 5,000 sq. ft. lawn, but our team will be happy to give you an exact quote based on your lawn’s unique size.

When you’re ready to put your trust in us, we can’t wait to meet you — and help you make the best choices for your lawn.

Want to be confident about your choice for lawn care services? Request a quote today! We’ll review your lawn care options together so you can make a great choice. Then, you can finally enjoy watching your lawn transform and stop worrying about it.

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Topics: Lawn Care

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