Why does landscaping cost so much?

Every now and then landscape professionals get asked the question about why landscaping costs so much. Or we get comments like "It's just some mulch, rocks, trees, plants, etc". Well, that is only partially correct. What about the design of the landscape or the hours spent discussing the landscaping with the customer? What about the time, gas, and man hours the professional has spent locating, purchasing, transporting, and installing the items? What about the wear and tear on the equipment to transport and install the landscape? What about the insurance, training, and advertising costs the professional has expended to operate their business? These are just a few things that need to be considered when a quote is being presented to the customer.

Think of it this way if you will. Lets say that you take you vehicle to a mechanic and it needs all new brakes. The mechanic gives you a quote and you tell the mechanic, "I can get the brakes and do it myself for cheaper." Well, can you really do it cheaper yourself? Consider that you will also expend time getting the parts, doing the labor, and hopefully everything works correctly. What if you mess something up in the process? Did you machine the brake discs so the pads will wear evenly? What about checking to ensure that everything was assembled correctly and working properly? What if your brake job fails, then what? Do you even have time to mess with this? Do you really have the knowledge and expertise to attempt to perform this type of work?

I'm sure if you think about it, we all would agree that we spend our money on services or things that we value without considering what the raw materials cost. How many people do you know that like Starbucks coffee? Does it really cost that much to make? What about when you roll through the drive through at McDonalds, could you make it cheaper? What about that nice dress that you just bought at the mall, could you make it cheaper and it still fit that good? The answer is "possibly". But, look what you are getting and paying for; service when you want it and it tastes good, looks good, and fits if it is the dress. Well, landscaping is the same thing, a service that you pay for so your yard looks good and you didn't have to break your back or rub your hands raw with blisters to get it. Yes, you had to pay for it, but rest assured, just like everything else we want, we probably had to pay for those things too.

Mike Wathen

Wathen Lawn Care