Got your calendar handy? And your debit card? And some snacks? You’re going to want some snacks.
It’s time for some lawn care planning and budgeting.
A healthy, thriving lawn doesn’t just happen. You’ve probably realized this already, gazing unhappily out the window at your lawn full of weeds.
So, how much will it cost to start improving things out there with lawn care and irrigation in Minneapolis, MN & Eau Claire, WI?
Let’s take a look.
Lawn Care Planning: Timing is Everything
There’s a lot to do out there, and timing is really important.
- Pre-emergent weed control for crabgrass has to be applied during a small window of time in early spring.
- Winterizing your irrigation system has to happen before the first frost.
- You have to kill grubs in early spring before they hatch and begin to cause damage to your lawn.
- The first round of fertilizer and weed control should be done by Memorial Day. Three more applications should happen throughout the summer.
Can you feel your calendar filling up? How are you supposed to keep track of all this lawn care planning?
Hiring pros in lawn care and irrigation takes away your stress. They show up at exactly the right times throughout the year to deliver the crucial services and maintenance you need.
You just relax and enjoy your much-improved lawn. You did your part by hiring experts to handle the tricky parts.
Lawn Care Budgeting: What Will It Cost?
Your best bet is to start with a comprehensive lawn care program that includes the basic services a healthy lawn needs: fertilizing, weed control, grub control and attention to soil health.
Lawn care programs in Minneapolis, MN & Eau Claire, WI 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.
At 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.
You can sign up for Healthy Habitat, RainMaster’s least expensive lawn care program, and get good results.
But choose Terrific Turf or Luscious Lawn, and you can expect a thicker and greener lawn, better water retention, and better soil health.
Why?
The higher-tier programs include more emphasis on proactive lawn health, offering services like aeration and soil pH balancing, preventing problems before they’re problems, from the roots up.
How to Budget for Lawn Irrigation
Again, it’s a great idea to invest in a comprehensive irrigation maintenance plan that covers the services your system will need throughout the year: spring startup, winter shutdown and a summer tune-up to make sure everything is working great during your irrigation system’s busiest season.
What does lawn irrigation maintenance cost? Expect to pay $225 to $450 a year for a good irrigation maintenance program in Eau Claire and Minneapolis, depending on the level of service you choose.
What does it include?
Here in Eau Claire and Minneapolis, irrigation system start-up happens between mid-April and the end of May, depending on the weather. Most irrigation systems need some tweaks to get ready for the busy watering season. Irrigation specialists will inspect all your irrigation system components, adjust your controller, test everything to make sure it’s all running smoothly, and make any necessary adjustments.
A winterization visit is crucial, too, to shut down your sprinkler system before the first deep freeze of the season to protect it from winter damage.
Spring and fall tune-ups aren’t enough. Think about all the hard work your sprinkler system does all summer, during the driest, hottest days.
You’ll want irrigation pros on the scene to check those hard-working sprinkler heads, test your zones and update your controller for the hot summer weather.
Included in the cost to maintain a sprinkler system: peace of mind. You know irrigation specialists are keeping an eye on things, noticing small signs of potential problems before they turn into more costly headaches.
Lawn Irrigation Cost Includes Occasional Repairs
Sometimes everything is running great. Maybe the controller just needs adjusting for the season. Other times, you’ll have sprinkler heads that need to be adjusted or replaced. Or broken valves. Maybe a zone that won’t turn off.
It’s normal for irrigation system parts to wear out over time or need to be adjusted.
How to budget for lawn irrigation maintenance? Plan on a few hundred dollars a year for these kinds of repairs to make sure your irrigation system runs smoothly and keeps the water flowing.
Sprinkler heads cost $80-$90 each to replace. Replacing valves runs around $500. Your system might need some tweaks if you add a garden bed.
Ignore irrigation maintenance and it can cost you a lot more for expensive emergency repairs.
Keep in mind, too, there’s potential savings involved here. When your irrigation specialist visits your property for routine maintenance, they may find water-wasting issues you didn’t know were happening, from sprinkler heads spraying out too much water to a controller set for the wrong season.
How Much Should I Budget for Landscaping? Include Pest Control
Once your lawn starts looking great again, you’ll want to spend even more time outside in your yard.
Unless aggravating mosquitoes drive you back inside.
Include mosquito control services in your lawn care planning so you can enjoy your yard, no swatting or swearing needed.
RainMaster mosquito control service starts at $539 for a season, based on the size of your yard, with six treatments each year, spaced approximately every three weeks from spring to fall. The barrier spray helps control dangerous ticks, too.
Specialists spray your yard, targeting the dark, damp places where these pests hang out and breed. The treatment drastically reduces the number of mosquitoes in your yard.
Trust Your Lawn Care and Irrigation to RainMaster
How much should you budget for lawn care and irrigation in Minneapolis, MN & Eau Claire, WI?
What kind of results do you want? How high are your expectations? How important is it to you to have a healthy, thriving lawn?
And how easy do you want it to be?
No matter what level of lawn care and irrigation maintenance you choose, you deserve skilled, efficient attention and friendly customer service that takes away the stress and makes things easy.
Are you ready for a vibrant, green lawn that not only looks great, but is healthy, right down to the roots? Request a quote today. We’ll review your options together so you can make a great choice. Then, you can finally enjoy your lawn and stop worrying about it.
