DIY vs Professional Lawn Care - Which is Better?
Generally, there are three ways to do lawn care: doing it completely on your own, going with a subscription company, or hiring one of the full-service lawn care companies in Bon Air. If you elect to handle everything on your own, you could save some money up front. However, what you'll be missing is the expert advice and guidance that can help you prevent expensive mistakes.
Some companies, such as Sunday Lawn Care, provide assistance to supplement your DIY lawn care. This is generally in the form of subscription packages that provide all the necessary chemicals and equipment for your lawn, based on your location in Virginia and the time of year. These companies can provide you with a lot of guidance with lawn care, but you will still be the one outside pulling weeds.
Prefer to hire a company that can handle both the mental and physical tasks? Consider hiring a full-service company like TruGreen. Although this will likely be your most expensive option, you will get the most comprehensive services, and the pros will handle the hard work so you don't have to.
Types of Lawn Care Services in Bon Air, VA
Lawn care companies around Bon Air offer many different kinds of services, including:
- Weed Control: Your lawn care technician can provide services to eliminate and prevent unwanted plants like weeds. They may use chemicals to kill and keep away weeds or might manually pull up the unwanted plants. In the majority of cases, both full-service and subscription lawn care companies offer weed control services.
- Fertilization: The fertilization process involves using chemicals and other compounds to help promote the growth of grass and other plants. Like weed control, fertilization services are offered by most if not all full-service and subscription lawn care companies.
- Seeding/Overseeding: Seeding and overseeding help improve the color and appearance of your lawn and help fill in bare spots. Seeding involves planting grass in places where there is none. Overseeding involves putting down more seed in an area of existing grass, without digging up any of your lawn. These processes are offered by the majority of full-service lawn companies and many subscription companies.
- Aeration: Aeration services, which consist of making small holes all over your lawn, are provided by many full-service lawn care companies. Aeration services help loosen the soil, allowing air, water, and nutrients to flow more easily. This facilitates root growth and strengthens your lawn.
- Soil Care: Soil care involves balancing the pH and chemistry of your soil to facilitate lawn growth by increasing the availability of nutrients. Many full-service and subscription lawn companies offer soil care services.
- Mowing/Edging: Some full-service lawn care companies offer mowing and edging, and there are even some companies that specialize in these kinds of services. Edging and mowing help to prevent overgrowth and can quickly improve the overall look of your lawn.
- Leaf/Snow Removal: You may not need snow removal services very often in Bon Air, and you might sometimes be in the market for leaf removal. No matter what, it is a wise idea to know which local companies offer these services. This can help you get everything taken care of faster and prevent damage to your lawn.
- Pest Control: Are bugs or other pests wreaking havoc on your lawn? Pest control involves the application of pesticides and other techniques to get rid of insects and animals that could do damage to your lawn. Many full-service lawn care companies offer pest control services. Always ensure that you use a pest control technician who is properly licensed to apply pesticides through the Virginia Department of Agriculture.
- Tree and Shrub Care: Many full-service lawn companies can do tree and shrub care. These companies will help clean up and care for trees and shrubs on your property to help keep your lawn looking its best.
Regardless of what your needs are, there is a Bon Air lawn care company that will meet them. We strongly suggest contacting one or more of the companies on the list above to determine which one is right for you.
Bon Air Quick Facts
- In Virginia, the average lot size is around 13,000 square feet.
- The average high temperature in Bon Air is about 67° F.
- Bon Air receives approximately 10.9 inches of snow in a typical year.
- Bon Air sits in the Mixed-Humid climate zone.
- Bon Air gets a good mix of clouds and sun. It is in the 67.7% percentile in terms of average daily sunlight.
Choosing a Bon Air Lawn Care Company
When you need to choose a company, you should first verify that you're choosing a reputable one. If a technician will be applying chemicals like pesticides at any point, they'll have to be licensed through the Virginia Department of Agriculture. If they are going to be doing landscaping services, such as mowing or edging, you can check if they meet all of the landscaper licensing requirements for Virginia. Once you've confirmed a company's licensure, you can see if they belong to an organization such as the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP). NALP is an optional association that encourages members to collaborate and provides information about best practices in the industry. You can also look up reviews online and check the company's website to find out exactly what guarantees they offer. "As a professional, you're never done learning and growing your skills. Our educational partnerships can help you continue to refine your abilities."
Next, you'll have to decide if a company provides all of the services you need. When you hire a Bon Air lawn services company, you may choose to go with one of their fixed plans or one of their "a la carte'' options where you can pick and choose specific services.
The next step is to get an inspection and quote. Even before coming out to your property, some companies can give you an estimate with the help of GPS technology. This estimate will be influenced by the size of your lawn and the specific services you need.
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Homeowner Responsibilities
There are a handful of things for a Bon Air homeowner to keep in mind before, during, and after lawn care services. Some of these are:
- Before Treatments: Any full-service company will ask that you ensure your lawn is fully accessible the day they come out. For example, make sure all gates are open. They will also ask that you keep your pets indoors. If they need you to water or do anything else to your lawn in advance, they will ask you to do so. If you've opted for a subscription company, don't forget to provide all of your information and put in your order in advance.
- During Treatments: If you are using a subscription company, you will be the one doing the lawn treatment, following the instructions provided. If you are using a full-service company like TruGreen, they bring their equipment to your home to treat your lawn. Normally you won't need to be home for lawn care treatment. However, your company might ask that you be home the first time they come to your property. The company will let you know, either in writing or electronically, which services were done and when.
- After and Between Treatments: Your lawn care company will tell you when it is safe for people and pets to be on your lawn after treatment. Your company may also ask you to water your lawn 24 hours after some services. It is important to remember that it could be weeks before you see the effects of treatments such as overseeding and fertilization. In the rare case that something goes wrong or you do not see the expected results, many full-service and subscription companies back their treatments and products with a guarantee. Normally, both full-service and subscription lawn care services will continue on a regular basis until you cancel.
Selecting a good lawn care company in Bon Air can help you be confident and in-the-know when it comes to all of the work that needs to be done. We recommend reaching out to one of the companies from our list of Bon Air's best lawn care providers to discover which one is best for you.
