With a few specific exceptions, nearly everyone has a lawn or a yard to care for, and if you are weighing the pros and cons of doing it yourself versus hiring a service to take care of it, you are in the right place.
Even if you are a die-hard DIYer, there are always a few things to ponder prior to deciding.
While, likely, saving money is a significant part of your decision of which choice is better for you, there are equally significant things in most peoples’ minds to consider.
When you ask yourself, “is lawn care really worth it?” you come to realize there is not a black-and-white answer to the question that covers everyone.
Instead, you have to assess every attribute of doing your own lawn care or letting a service do it for you.
In the end, only you can truly answer this question, however, to help you, we described each of the options more in depth to hopefully give you a better understanding of which choice to make.
Doing Your Own Lawn Care: Pros and Cons
Of course, there are certain advantages and disadvantages of doing your own lawn maintenance.
Let’s take a look at some of them, now.
Pros
- It provides great exercise. Many individuals enjoy doing their own yard work, as it gives them the opportunity to get outside in the fresh air and exercise. This is something that is very important to many people.
- Provides a sense of pride. There is something so rewarding about taking your big mess of grass and turning it into something that you’re willing to show off to others. It’s a sense of pride cannot be taken away from the homeowner.
- It saves you money. While this should not be the only thing you consider, it is a great consideration, especially when you are on a tight budget.
- It can provide you a more personalized lawn. When you do the lawn care yourself, you will have the chance to make it look exactly as you want it to look in the end. That is not always the case when you are relying on a professional lawn-care service.
Cons
- It can take a lot of time. If you are trying to decide whether to do your lawn yourself or hire a pro, you have to think about what your time is worth, as it takes a lot of time to do the lawn.
- It doesn’t always achieve the results you desire. In the end, DIY enthusiasts often receive mediocre results or worse, and may find themselves feeling like they did all that work in vain.
- It often has hidden costs. Once you start doing to your lawn, you may find yourself needing some extra materials and tools, and the cost of doing this job yourself can start to climb quickly.
- It isn’t always cost-effective. While it can save you money at times to take care of your lawn yourself, that isn’t always the case, and at times it just isnt worth spending your money on yourself rather than a professional.
Hiring a Professional Lawn Care Company: Pros and Cons
Similar to if you were to do the job yourself, there are benefits and drawbacks to hiring someone to do the job.
Here are some items that you might want to keep in mind.
Pros
- It’s easier. Let’s face it, not stressing about the lawn getting done week after week is just plain easier, especially considering how busy everyone is these days.
- It’s safer. Professionals have the latest tools and materials that you may not have access to. This always means the lawn-care job is safe for the professional and everyone else nearby.
- It’s better. When professionals come to your lawn, the outcome shows it. Your lawn always looks neater and more professional!
- It can solve unique problem areas. If you run into a lawn-care philosophy problem and don’t know what to do, don’t worry, the lawn-care professionals know exactly what to do.
Cons
- This is a big expense. Nevertheless, it’s one consideration you want to keep in mind because lawn-care companies are not cheap.
- You might have a lawn that looks terrible because you hired the wrong company. Lawn-care companies are not all the same, which is why it is necessary to research each one.
The Bottom Line
As we discussed before, you alone have the ability to determine whether to maintain your lawn yourself or hire a professional lawn-care company to do the work for you.
Professional services might be more expensive than doing it yourself, but you’ll likely be surprised to learn that the price difference isn’t that much.
Once you factor in the cost of buying all the appropriate tools and supplies, often it ends up being less expensive to hire the professional services.
You may also want to think of it in terms of the amount of time you’ll save.
In Summary
Ultimately, how much do you believe your time has value?
If you take an honest look at it, it has quite a significant value.
But one thing is agreed upon: When we make this important decision, it is certainly comprehensive enough not just looking at the price.
That is when you can settle on the best option that fits all your needs.