DIY vs Professional Lawn Care - Which is Better?
When you need to do lawn care, if you don't want to handle everything on your own you can employ the services of either a subscription company or one of the full-service lawn care companies operating in Lafayette. Taking care of your lawn on your own might be less expensive at first. However, without the expert guidance of a lawn care professional, you might make mistakes that wind up being costly in the future.
A company like Sunday Lawn Care can help simplify the process. Companies like this will mail you a regular subscription package of lawn care chemicals and equipment. They decide what your lawn needs and when, based on your location in Louisiana and the time of year. However, you will still need to make time to do the manual labor.
If you'd rather have a company handle all parts of the process, hiring a full-service company like TruGreen is the solution you need. Although companies like this may be more costly than other options, they take the lead every step of the way, from determining what your lawn needs to doing the actual work.
Types of Lawn Care Services in Lafayette, LA
Lawn care companies around Lafayette offer a variety of services, including:
- Weed Control: Your lawn care provider can provide services to kill and prevent unwanted plants like weeds. This involves using chemicals to kill and keep away weeds; they also may manually pull up the unwanted plants. The vast majority of full-service and subscription companies — if not all of them — offer weed control services.
- Fertilization: In most cases, both full-service and subscription lawn care companies provide fertilization services. They will use specific chemicals to help facilitate the growth of grass and other plants in your yard.
- Seeding/Overseeding: Seeding and overseeding services are both offered by most full-service lawn care companies and many subscription companies. Seeding services involve putting down seed in bare or patchy spots. Overseeding involves adding additional seed to thin spots. Both processes help improve the color and look of your lawn.
- Soil Care: Soil care improves the growth of your lawn by balancing the chemistry and pH of the soil to improve nutrient availability. Most full-service and subscription lawn care companies can provide this service.
- Aeration: The aeration process involves making small punctures in your soil. This allows air, nutrients, and water to more easily penetrate the soil. This, in turn, helps roots grow deeper, strengthening your lawn. Aeration services are offered by the majority of full-service lawn care companies.
- Pest Control: When you pay a company for pest control, always confirm they are properly licensed to apply pesticides through the Louisiana Department of Agriculture. The technician will apply pesticides or use traps or other methods to get rid of pests. Getting rid of pesky insects and animals helps your lawn look its best.
- Tree and Shrub Care: Many full-service lawn companies provide tree and shrub care. These companies will help clean up and care for shrubs and trees on your lawn to help keep your property beautiful.
- Mowing/Edging: Mowing and edging do a lot to improve the appearance of your lawn, and they help prevent overgrowth. There are some full-service lawn care companies that provide these services, and there are also companies that specialize in edging and mowing.
- Leaf/Snow Removal: Worried about leaves or snow sitting on and killing your lawn? Certain lawn care companies will come and clear everything away. You may rarely need snow removal services and occasionally require leaf removal services in Lafayette. If and when you do require these services, be sure to contact a company to verify that it is something they are able to do.
Regardless of your needs, there is a Lafayette lawn care company that will meet them. We strongly suggest contacting one or two of the companies from our above list to determine which one is right for you.
Lafayette Quick Facts
- Prefer warmer days? The average high in Lafayette is around 77° F.
- On average, lot sizes in Louisiana are around 12,000 square feet.
- Love the rain? Lafayette gets more rain than approximately 97.5% of places in the United States.
- In a typical year, Lafayette receives approximately 0.0 inches of snow.
- Prefer sunnier days? Lafayette gets more sunlight than 86.0% of the country.
Choosing a Lafayette Lawn Care Company
During Treatments: If you're using a subscription company, you will perform treatments yourself based on the provided instructions. If you're using a full-service company like TruGreen, a lawn care professional will come to your home to treat your lawn. Your company may ask that you be home the first time they come to your house. However, you generally do not need to be at home for lawn care treatment to take place. You'll be informed by the company (either electronically or in writing) what services they performed and when. "For more than two decades, the NALP Foundation...has supported education, research, and scholarships to strengthen the future of the landscape and lawn care industry."
Next, you'll want to discover which companies in Lafayette offer the specific services you need. Companies may let you pick between both plans and "a la carte" options that let you pick and choose from a list of services.
After narrowing down your list to just a few companies, you'll want to ask about an inspection and quote. With the help of GPS technology, some companies can even give you an estimate based on the size of your lawn before they even visit your property. Your estimate will rely mainly on the size of your lawn and the specific services you need.
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Homeowner Responsibilities
When you work with a lawn care company in Lafayette, there are things you can expect before, during, and after treatments. Some of these are:
- Before Treatments: If you are going with a full-service company, you'll want to be sure that, on the day they visit, they are able to fully access your property (by opening gates, for example). You should also make sure that all pets are inside. You do not need to water or otherwise otherwise prepare your lawn in advance unless asked to do so by the company. If you're going with a subscription company, you will want to provide all your information and place your order in advance.
- During Treatments: If you're using a subscription company, you will handle all treatments yourself based on the instructions provided by the company. If you've hired a full-service company like TruGreen, their technicians will come to your home to perform services. Your company might ask you to be home the first time they visit. However, you generally do not need to be at home for lawn care treatment to take place. The company will inform you (either electronically or in writing) what treatments were done and when.
- After and Between Treatments: Your lawn care company will let you know when people and pets can safely be on your lawn following treatment. Your company may also ask you to water your lawn 24 hours following certain services. Remember that there may be some time before you see the effects of treatments such as overseeding and weed control. In the rare case that there is a problem or your results are lackluster, many full-service and subscription companies have guarantees to back up their treatments and products. In most cases, both full-service and subscription lawn care services continue on a regular basis until you cancel.
Selecting the best lawn care company in Lafayette can go a long way towards feeling confident and in-the-know regarding all of the work to be done. We recommend reaching out to one of the companies on our list of Lafayette's best lawn care providers to learn about their services and decide if they are right for you.
