Get Quotes from Top Lawn Care Companies in Oklahoma, OK

How Long Have You Been in the Lawn Care Business in Oklahoma City?

Before hiring a lawn care company in Oklahoma City, always find out how long they have been in the lawn care business. Preferably, look for companies with a track record of at least 10 years. These types of lawn care companies have seen everything and know how to deal with it.

Companies that have been in the lawn care business for a long time have not only gained experience in providing quality lawn care services but also had time to build a solid reputation. These companies not only guarantee better output but are also less likely to engage in any activity, particularly fraud, that could tarnish their image.

In addition, these companies are more likely to comply with local and state regulations than newly established businesses, and they hire experienced landscapers and lawn care providers who are usually conversant with the native grasses, trees, shrubs, and garden plants in your locality. Some native Oklahoma grasses and garden plants commonly found in lawns across the city include:

• Switchgrass
• Cordgrass
• Eastern Bottlebrush
• Sweet flag
• Red flame Miscanthus
• Beauty Bush
• Dogwood
• Forsythia
• Indian Hawthorne
• Rose
• Viburnum
• Vitex
• Althea

Regardless of how long a lawn care company has been operating in the city, you should always check the company's business history and testimonials online via platforms such as the Better Business Bureau, Yelp, and Google Review.

Do You Hold Any Professional Qualifications Relevant to Lawn Care?

One of the most important questions you should ask any prospective lawn care company is whether they hold any professional qualifications related to the lawn care service you need. This will help you learn more about the company's business history and eligibility to do the work before entering into any agreement with them. It is important to note that reputable lawn care companies in Oklahoma City will always provide potential clients with information about any professional qualifications they have obtained for their trade. As a result, you should avoid lawn care companies that refuse to provide proof of professional qualification or downplay the significance of having one.

Every lawn care company in Oklahoma City is aware that there are certain local and state regulations they must comply with before providing specific lawn care services. Hiring a lawn care company that does not comply with these regulations may expose you to legal and financial liabilities, and other out-of-pocket expenses that you did not budget.

Even though Oklahoma City does not require lawn care professionals that operate within its jurisdiction to possess an occupation-specific contractor license, it shall be unlawful for a lawn care professional to apply pesticide on a client's property without first obtaining a state-issued commercial pesticide applicator license from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture. Application for a state-issued commercial pesticide applicator license can be made by properly completing and submitting a Pesticide Applicator License Application Form to:

Applicants for commercial pesticide applicator licenses must pay a licensing fee, pass licensing examinations, and provide any other information deemed necessary by the department before obtaining the requested license. For more information concerning state-issued pesticide applicator licenses, call the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry at (405)522-5984.

Before hiring a lawn care company to apply pesticides on your lawn, you should always confirm whether the company is on the list of licensed pesticide applicator companies in the state. In addition, you should also look out for trade association membership and industry certifications when searching for lawn care professionals in the city. These additional qualifications prove that the professional has attained a level of experience and know-how to deliver quality services. Some reputable associations that lawn care professionals in Oklahoma City belong to include the National Association of Landscape Professionals, the Professional Grounds Management Society, the International Society of Arboriculture, and the Tree Care Industry Association. Always ensure that you verify membership or certification claims made by your preferred lawn care professional before signing any agreement with them.

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

The cost of a lawn care service in Oklahoma City is a result of certain considerations made by the lawn care contractor. When calculating the cost of a lawn service, lawn care contractors in the city typically consider the following factors:

• The nature of the service needed
• The size and location of the lawn to be worked on
• The current condition of the lawn
• The amount of labor required to complete the job
• The type of equipment and tools required for the job
• The time of the year

After considering these factors, lawn care contractors will adopt a billing structure that best suits the nature of the service they will provide. While it is the responsibility of the lawn care contractor to inform the homeowner of the billing structure they will adopt for the work before any agreement is signed, the homeowner has the right to reject any billing structure that is confusing or unfavorable to them. Most lawn care companies in Oklahoma utilize any of the following billing structures:

• Hourly Structure: this involves the lawn contractor billing for the amount of time spent in executing the project. This billing structure will require a homeowner to pay for each hour of work performed on the project. Hourly rates can range from $27 to $90 per hour. However, as the scope of the work expands, homeowners should expect hourly rates to rise.
• Per Square Foot: this involves the lawn contractor billing for each square foot of lawn area worked on, and the price can range between $4 - $12
• Per Visit/Per Project: In this case, the contractor charges a fixed amount for each service that will be received by the homeowner. Note that the price to be paid will vary depending on the nature of the service needed by the homeowner. Lawn care companies in Oklahoma charge anywhere between $35 to $1,000 per visit/project.

Having seen that the cost of a lawn care service may vary from one homeowner to another, each homeowner must take certain steps to ensure they get a fair price for the service they need. One of the ways to achieve this is by obtaining and comparing quotations from at least three different lawn care companies in the city before signing any agreement. This will also protect them from contractors that intend to charge more than is required for the service.

Lawn care contractors in Oklahoma City earn an average wage of $31,920 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 Oklahoma and also in other locations across the United States:

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

What Is Included in Your Lawn Care Program?

A lawn care program is a treatment and maintenance plan or schedule that a lawn company intends to use to improve a client's lawn's overall health and beauty. A lawn care program can include different lawn services, ranging from fertilization to aeration, soil amendments, and grub control. Other services you can find in a lawn care program include soil testing and amendments, seeding, mowing, and dethatching.

It is always a good idea to find out what will be included in your lawn care program before signing any agreement with a lawn company. This is important because many dishonest lawn care contractors in the city make promises they never keep. Also, some unscrupulous individuals bill for services they know the client will not need throughout the program. By finding out what is included in your lawn care program, you can also better understand what is expected of the lawn care contractor you hired.

Most lawn care companies in Oklahoma City offer two main types of lawn care programs, namely:

• Standard Lawn Care Services: this typically includes routine maintenance performed to keep a lawn in good condition. Standard lawn care services will include lawn mowing, edging, trimming, and grass and leaf blowing. Note that these services can not improve the health of the soil, grasses, trees, shrubs, and other plants.
• Full-Service Lawn Maintenance: in this case, the lawn contractor offers both maintenance and treatment. Here, the goal is not only to keep the lawn in good condition but also to improve soil health, reduce turf disease, and impact the growth of plants. Full-service lawn maintenance also includes services such as:
  • Aeration and Lawn Overseeding
  • Mulch Installation
  • Tree Trimming and Pruning
  • Lawn Fertilization
  • Leaf Removal
  • Seasonal Pruning
  • Pre- and Post-Emergent Weed Control
  • Mowing, Edging, and Trimming
  • Lawn Disease Remediation

Cost estimates of lawn care services commonly included in Oklahoma City lawn care programs are provided below:

Do You Provide Organic Lawn Care Services?

Some lawn care companies in Oklahoma City provide organic lawn care services to members of the public. Organic lawn care typically involves the use of materials derived from plants, animals, minerals, or other natural substances to improve soil health and foster plant growth. This approach to lawn care is environmentally friendly, safe, and less likely to expose your children and pets to hazards associated with chemical lawn care services. Listed below are some of the benefits of organic lawn care:

• It improves soil health
• It aids in water retention
• It reduces soil and water pollution
• There is no risk of over-application
• It allows plants to retain water
• It makes the soil lighter so that air can easily flow to plant roots
• It aids root growth

Before hiring a lawn care company in Oklahoma City, it is always in your best interest to find out if they specialize in providing organic lawn care services. After that, you should ask for a list of clients who have received organic lawn care services from the company in the past and their contact information. Always ensure that you contact the people on the list to get a first-hand review of the lawn care company's experience and expertise in providing organic lawn care services.

Do You Offer a Warranty for Plants Installed?

Reputable lawn care companies in Oklahoma offer some form of warranty for plants installed on a client's lawn. A plant warranty is made up of two statements of assurance. On the one hand, it is a guarantee that plants installed on a client's lawn will thrive and flourish, and on the other hand, it is a binding promise to replace such a plant if it does not flourish under normal circumstances.

Although most lawn care companies in Oklahoma offer one form of plant warranty or another, homeowners must understand that the terms and scope of a plant warranty will vary from one lawn care company to another. As a result, it is always a good idea to discuss the terms and scope of the plant warranty being offered to you by a lawn care company before signing any agreement with them. Many lawn care companies in Oklahoma offer a six-month to one-year plant warranty from the date the work was completed. This type of warranty typically covers the one-time installation of a new plant if the one that was installed previously does not thrive and flourish.

Also, most lawn care companies in the city set certain conditions that must be met by a homeowner for the plant warranty to remain valid. These conditions typically include strict compliance with watering schedules, fertilization requirements, mowing schedules, and acceptable mowing height needed to support plant growth.

Note that most lawn care companies in the city will only fulfill the requirements of a warranty when it confirms that the homeowner complied with the aforementioned conditions.

Finally, homeowners should keep in mind that a plant warranty will not cover:

• Plant damage caused by lack of proper plant care and maintenance on the part of the client,
• Damage caused by animals, including client's pets
• Damage caused by natural disasters and acts of vandalism

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

Oklahoma City does not have any mandatory insurance requirements that apply specifically to lawn care contractors operating in the city. Nonetheless, most reputable lawn care contractors will maintain an insurance policy to protect their clients from on-the-job injuries and property damage that may occur during a lawn care project. Reputable lawn care companies know that lawn care providers are often exposed to serious on-the-job hazards that may result in fatal and non-fatal work injuries.

It is estimated that landscaping and lawn care-related activities account for 143,000 emergency room visits each year, with lawnmowers alone causing approximately 87,600 of these visits. As a result, homeowners should always ensure that the lawn care professional they intend to hire is properly insured. Homeowners should request a copy of the contractor's insurance certificate and contact the issuing provider to confirm.

If the lawn care contractor is applying pesticide on your lawn, ensure they have an insurance certificate on file with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture. The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture requires anyone applying for a commercial pesticide applicator license to maintain liability insurance of $100,000 per occurrence of bodily injury and $50,000 for property damage. Interested persons can confirm if their preferred lawn care company has complied with insurance requirements for pesticide applicators by requesting a copy of the insurance certificate and contacting the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture at (405) 521-3864 to confirm.