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.
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.
Right in-between is a mid-level program option, a popular program to grow a thick, green lawn and deal with most challenges.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
Your calendar won’t nag “fertilize the lawn” anymore, because that’s our job.
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.
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.
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.