Get Quotes from Top Lawn Care Companies in Charlotte, NC

How Long Have You Been in the Lawn Care Business in Charlotte?

When choosing a reputable lawn care company in Charlotte, it is important to find out how long they have been in business. According to the North Carolina Department of Justice, over 28,000 home improvement complaints were filed by consumers across the state in 2022, with unsatisfactory services ranking among the top ten consumer complaints. Having a relatively new and inexperienced lawn care company can increase your chances of getting subpar service or being a victim of a home improvement scam.

It is advisable to hire a company that has been in business for at least two years and has maintained a solid reputation to ensure you are provided with the best possible service. Most lawn care companies that have been in business for a long time employ the services of experienced landscapers conversant with all relevant landscaping regulations in the city.

Also, these professionals are knowledgeable about the various types of plants that can thrive in Charlotte's environment. A landscaper can provide you with the best possible advice on how to care for these plants. Some of the common native plants that homeowners commonly use on their lawns in Charlotte include:

• Scorpion weed
• Indian blanket flower
• Scarlet Sage
• Wild Columbine
• Cardinal Flower
• Butterfly Weed
• Carolina Lupine
• Dwarf Crested Iris
• Beautyberry
• Buttonbush
• Purple Passion Flower
• Redbud
• Wild Hydrangea
• American Witch-Hazel
• Paradiso
• PlantHouse

To this end, before you hire a lawn care company in Charlotte, make sure that you thoroughly research the company and its operations. Doing so will allow you to get a good idea of their service quality and experience. You can also check out their online reviews and testimonials by visiting the websites of various online third-party platforms such as Google Review, Better Business Bureau, and Yelp. Additionally, ask their previous clients to provide references so you can confirm their services.

Do You Hold Any Professional Qualifications Relevant to Lawn Care?

Aside from choosing a reputable lawn care company in Charlotte, it's important that you find out if they have the necessary credentials and experience to perform the job. These include having the necessary licenses and certifications in various lawn care fields. These credentials show that the lawn care company has the necessary expertise and knowledge to provide satisfactory work.

For instance, if a lawn care company or landscaper applies pesticide to your lawn, they must possess a license issued by the Structural Pest Control and Pesticides Division of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS). Failure to obtain such a license makes them guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor and can be fined up to $2,000. The Pesticides division consists of a Structural Pest Control Section and a Pesticide Section, and these sections offer several licensing and certification options to interested parties: Some of the licensing options include:

• Certified Applicator: certified applicators are authorized to use or supervise restricted-use pesticides in and around structures. However, they cannot perform commercial structural pest control work unless done on behalf of a licensed structural pest control operator.
• Licensed Structural Pest Control Operator: individuals with this license type are authorized to provide structural pest control services to members of the public. These licenses are only issued to certified applicators with two years of work experience.
• Commercial Ground Applicator: This license allows the carrier to apply any pesticide for compensation

Landscapers that wish to obtain any relevant pesticide licenses must meet certain eligibility requirements, which include:

• Being at least 18 years old
• Paying all applicable fees
• Providing proof of adequate insurance coverage
• Completing a training program or relevant certification courses
• Passing a core examination and any other applicable certification examinations
• Providing proof of adequate work-related or educational experience, where required
• Submitting any relevant documentation that may be required by the division when completing the license application
• Submit a pesticide license application form via the submission channels indicated in the form

You can direct your inquiries regarding the licensing process for landscapers in Charlotte to the NCDA&CS's Structural Pest Control and Pesticide Division at (919) 733-6100 and (919) 733-3556. In addition, it is advisable to confirm the licensing status of your lawn care contractor or landscaper applying pesticide during your lawn care program. You can use the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) 's License Search platform to confirm your preferred landscapers' license.

After getting their licenses, many Charlotte landscape professionals go even further by getting certified in various fields, such as lawn care and organic farming. These certifications are usually granted to indicate their expertise and professionalism in a particular specialization. Some of the organizations that provide certification opportunities for Charlotte area landscapers include:

• The North Carolina Landscape Contractors Association
• The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)
• The National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP)
• The Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS)
• The Irrigation Association (IA)

One of the essential factors you should consider when choosing a local landscape professional is their credentials. A well-rounded and certified lawn care professional can guarantee you will receive the best possible service. If your preferred landscaper claims to have certifications, ensure you request proof before you sign off on a work contract. Take further steps to authenticate the proof with the issuing association.

How Much Do You Charge Compared to Other Lawn Care Companies in the City?

When choosing a reputable lawn care company in Charlotte, you must understand how much you will be charged for the intended services. There are various pricing methods that landscapers use in the city to determine their rates:

• Per Hour Method: This method allows the lawn care company to charge a set amount for each hour they spend working on the client's property. The exact cost of the services the company provides is usually discussed before the start, depending on the scope and nature of the work. This method usually ranges from $15 to $75 per hour.
• Per Service Method: This method charges the client a flat fee of around $50 to $1,000 for either a variety of agreed-upon services or a single service. This method depends on the type of lawn services required by the client.
• Per Square Foot Method: This method is usually used by the lawn care company to base its rates on the square footage of the client's property they will be working on. The typical range that this method allows is around $2 to $10 per square foot.

Before you hire a local lawn care company in Charlotte, it is important that you understand the various factors that may affect rates. These include:

• Your lawn's size
• The nature and scope of lawn care services requested
• Your locality within the city
• Your preferred lawn care company's local reputation
• Your lawn's current conditions
• The presence of obstacles like fences, steep hills, rocks, and trees
• The type of materials and equipment required for the job
• The frequency of lawn care services
• The labor required for the requested services

To this end, it is best to ask for and compare cost estimates from multiple lawn care companies in Charlotte before the hiring process is completed. Doing so allows you to get a better idea of the services that the firm will provide and also ensures your benefits from the following:

• It will help you easily spot any lawn care company or landscaper trying to overcharge.
• It protects you from hiring dishonest lawn care companies
• It will give you a fair idea of the local rates the Charlotte lawn care company will charge.

Lawn care contractors in Charlotte earn an average wage of $34,310 every year. The list below compares the average wages earned by these contractors per hour against the average hourly wages of lawn care contractors in other parts of North Carolina and also in other locations across the United States:

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

What Is Included in Your Lawn Care Program?

Lawn care companies in Charlotte are known to provide a wide range of services to meet the needs of their customers in the city, such as:

• Lawn fertilization
• Lawn mowing
• Lawn seeding
• Weed control
• Pest control
• Lawn aeration
• Flower services
• Leaf blowing and yard cleanup
• Mulching and composting
• Landscape design
• Retaining wall installation
• Shrub and tree planting
• Tree trimming
• Tree pruning
• Shrub and hedge trimming
• Sprinkler system installation and maintenance
• Artificial turf installation

Lawn care services in Charlotte are typically grouped into two categories, namely:

• Basic Lawn Care Programs: Basic lawn care programs usually focus on providing a lawn with a better look and appearance. These include various services such as lawn mowing, tree trimming, shrub, hedge trimming, and yard cleanup. Although these services do not affect the overall health of the lawn, they can help improve its appearance.
• Full-Service Lawn Care Programs: A full-service lawn care program is usually focused on providing a lawn with a better look and appearance. It also involves paying attention to its overall health and maintaining it. Some of the services included in this type of program include all basic lawn services, lawn mowing, weed control, tree pruning, fertilization, and composting.

Unfortunately, some companies that provide lawn care services in Charlotte try to lure their customers by offering low-cost programs that will not provide them with the long-term results they need. This is why it's important that you thoroughly research the various services that they offer before signing a contract. Ensure that the contract is clear about the scope and nature of the landscaper's services. Also, include a list of all of its costs and guarantees.

Below is a list of the most common cost estimates that are typically included in the various lawn care programs that lawn care companies in Charlotte provide:

Do You Provide Organic Lawn Care Services?

If you have young children or pets who often play in your lawn or are worried about using harmful chemicals, then hiring an organic lawn care company may be the best option. This type of lawn care doesn't use chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides. Instead, the landscaper uses natural resources, plant-based materials, and organic substances to maintain the lawn and keep it looking healthy and its best. These include seaweed, potash, bone char, and worm castings.

Hiring an organic lawn care company can protect your kids and pets from harmful chemicals. This service can also help you reduce the number of chemicals released into the atmosphere. Although organic lawn care is more labor-intensive than regular lawn care, it is also usually more expensive. However, it has many advantages over it being expensive, such as:

• Better root growth
• Improved soil ecology
• Improved grass quality
• Safer environment for children and pets
• Zero risk of over-application
• Minimized soil and water pollution
• Healthier lawns and a revitalized lawn ecosystem

Do You Offer a Warranty for Plants Installed?

When choosing a reputable lawn care company in Charlotte, you must consider if you will be offered a written warranty. This should cover the various services that the company provides, such as the planting of seeds, the installation of flowers, and the sod. These guarantees are legally binding and ensure that the plants, seeds, and flowers the company plants on your lawn will grow and flourish. If the company you are considering hiring doesn't provide a written warranty for its services, such as the installation of new plants, then you should be wary. Typically, the company sets the terms and conditions and areas of coverage of the plant warranty.

Many professional lawn care companies in Charlotte provide plant warranties that are usually valid for up to a year. They also have additional requirements that homeowners must follow to maintain the quality of their services. Such as:

• Watering schedules for the installed seedlings, plants, or flowers
• The types of fertilizers to be applied
• Acceptable mowing heights and methods

Although these plant warranties cover the various services that the company provides, they usually do not cover certain situations, such as:

• Situations where the lawn owner did not provide the proper care and maintenance for their plants, which resulted in the plants not growing and thriving
• Situations where natural disasters or acts of vandalism damage the installed plants and flowers
• Situations where your children, pets, or other animals damage the installed plants and flowers

To this end, it is best that you thoroughly understand the terms and conditions of the plant warranty. Doing so will allow you to prevent activities that could void the warranty.

Do You Carry the Necessary Insurance Policy for Lawn Care Companies in the City?

Landscapers are exposed to dangerous chemicals and other hazards, such as lacerations, cuts, and hand injuries while working on your lawn. Ensuring the landscaper you want to hire for the work on your lawn is insured. In 2020, more than 12,000 injuries were recorded among lawn care workers across the country. As such, when it comes to choosing a landscape contractor for your lawn in Charlotte, make sure that they are insured. Doing so will protect you from legal and financial obligations should the workers get hurt while they are doing the job. Also, having the proper insurance coverage can help minimize the out-of-pocket expenses that the contractor might face if they damage your property.

In Charlotte, lawn care companies that apply pesticides are required to maintain general liability insurance policies with a minimum single limit coverage of $100,000 per occurrence for property damage and $300,000 per occurrence for bodily injury or a combined single limit of $300,000 per occurrence. In addition, lawn care companies that employ multiple workers are required to carry workers' compensation insurance for them.

As such, before hiring a professional lawn care company in Charlotte, ensure they have the necessary insurance documents. This can be done by asking the company to provide copies of these documents. You can also contact the issuing insurance provider to confirm the proof provided by the lawn care company.

You can get additional information on general liability insurance requirements for lawn care companies in Charlotte by contacting the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at (919) 733-6100 and (919) 733-3556. Likewise, you can contact the North Carolina Industrial Commission at (919) 807-2501, toll-free number (800) 688-8349, or via email to get more information on the mandatory workers' compensation insurance requirement for exterminators that have more than three employees