Landscape maintenance contracts can be notoriously complex. With different companies charging different prices for different services, many contractors profit by keeping customers in the dark about the services they provide. Here at Schill Grounds Management, we pride ourselves on transparency and educating our potential clients about what we do so they can make informed decisions. That’s why our Landscape Maintenance hiring guide is one of our most circulated resources.
So, in that same spirit of education, we set out to write this article on the cost of landscape maintenance because we know it can be difficult to make accurate comparisons across different providers. But before we get into prices, here are some caveats:
As with everything in the landscaping business, the cost of everything will vary based on the size of your property, but we’ve attempted to control for that factor by listing most prices per 1000 ft2. It’s also important to keep in mind that so much of what we do in the landscaping industry is commodities based, and a large percentage of the prices we charge for things like mulch, mowing (our mowers are propane powered), travel to and from your location, fertilizer, and chemical services are based on factors we can’t control. With that being said, we’ve listed ranges for many of our services below based on dozens of contracts from the past few years to give you price ranges that are as accurate as possible.
For a detailed explanation of what each of these services entails and why they’re important for your landscape, check out this post: What does a commercial landscaping contract include?
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The cost of mulch depends on your preferred type (natural, vs dyed; cut type), as well as how we disperse it—either laying it by shoveling it by hand, blowing it down, or dispensing it in large amounts by using a vehicle called a mulch mule. Typically, mulch runs about $48-$70 per yard.
Pruning is a vital step in maintaining your plants’ health and size, and it’s something we typically do at least twice per season. We charge for pruning by the amount of time it takes to trim a tree or shrub, and we estimate this based on the size of the plant. Perennials and ornamental grasses often have parts that die off at least once per year, and removing them is often vital to making sure that they grow back healthy and look well-maintained. The cost of pruning and trimming these plants can run anywhere from $0.70 for simple dead heading to around $13 for the average tree.
Soil nourishment is perhaps the biggest factor in determining the health of your landscape. Here at Schill, we us organic fertilizers to make sure your soil is getting the nutrients it needs to feed your plants well. We typically apply 1-5 rounds of fertilizer per growing season based on the needs of your turf, flowers, trees, and shrubs, and the price typically runs from $3-$4.50 per round per 1000 ft2.
If your plants are in particularly bad shape or you just want to spot treat a few of them at a time, we also offer deep root feeding programs for trees and shrubs that range from $2-$8 per plant.
Of course, disease and pest problems often spring up on us mid-season, so we typically like to include treatments in the initial agreement. Prices for disease and pest treatment can run anywhere from $2-$11 per plant per application, depending on its size.
Lawn aeration is important for making sure your soil is getting enough oxygen. Turf that isn’t getting enough air can be more susceptible to disease and pests like grubs. If necessary, it’s a great investment in your property and generally costs about $15-$25 per 1000 ft2.
Nevertheless, we like to let our clients know that it’s usually much more cost effective to invest irrigation when your landscape is first being installed so work doesn’t have to be redone.
Having said that, here are some very broad price ranges for irrigation. Significant repairs and upgrades to existing systems can begin anywhere from $50 per hour for a simple service call and go all they way up to several thousand dollars, depending of course on the scope of the damage. Having a new system installed can start at $550 per zone and increase depending on your preferred level of technology.
There are many other factors and services that can influence the cost of commercial landscape maintenance for your property, but the ones listed above are by far the most common. Do you have more questions? The Schill team loves meeting with property managers, business owners, and HOA board members in our communities to provide the perfect landscaping solutions. Contact us today for a no-obligation consultation, or take a look at our landscape hiring guide below.