How to Start a Lawn Care Business: 2026 Complete Guide

The lawn care business is thriving once again in 2025. According to the latest report by Mordor Intelligence, the size of the US lawn care market is projected to reach approximately $60 billion by 2025, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of about 5.1%. Meanwhile, the entire landscaping service industry is forecast by Workyard to hit the $184 billion mark, clearly indicating that the demand for landscape maintenance, lawn upkeep, and enhancing outdoor spaces remains massive. If you are going to start a lawn care business that’s suitable, stable, and can be launched with minimal upfront investment, now is the perfect time. 

In this article, we will take a deep dive into how to build a lawn care enterprise from scratch, covering everything from planning and financial management to marketing and creating a professional online store with GemPages.

Is Running a Lawn Care Business Profitable?

The answer is yes, provided you understand how to optimize costs and build a stable customer base. According to Jobber, the average profit margin for lawn care businesses ranges from 5% to 20%, depending on scale and service pricing. For companies that manage their expenses effectively, the net profit can reach up to 28%, according to FieldRoutes. Some industry experts even suggest that the ideal profit margin should fall between 18 - 35%, especially when you have a strong client base subscribed to monthly maintenance plans.

The appeal of this model lies in its stability. Many customers opt for long-term contracts to keep their lawns beautiful all year, providing the business with a consistent cash flow. Furthermore, the main input costs are labor, equipment, and fuel - all of which can be controlled by efficiently managing work schedules, optimizing travel routes, and performing regular machine maintenance.

Sustainable growth, good profit margins, and low barriers to entry - that's why tens of thousands of new lawn care businesses are established every year.

How to Start a Lawn Care Business in 7 Steps

Step 1: Plan and Set up Your Lawn Care Business

A detailed business plan is the foundation of any enterprise. Before starting, you should thoroughly research your target area to understand customer needs, the level of competition, and market prices. Next, define the scope of services you intend to offer: will it only be routine mowing, or will you expand to landscape design, tree care, or automatic irrigation system installation?

Concurrently, you need to estimate the initial start-up costs including equipment, fuel, vehicles, and marketing to establish a reasonable pricing structure. Many businesses succeed by using a recurring service package model (weekly or monthly), which helps secure a stable year-round revenue stream.

Step 2: Handle Legal and Financial Requirements 

Once you have a clear plan, ensure your business fully complies with legal regulations. Depending on your country or local area, you may need to register as a sole proprietorship, LLC (Limited Liability Company), or a service cooperative. If you offer services such as pesticide spraying, fertilization, or chemical treatment, you will also need to obtain specialized licenses.

Insurance is a non-negotiable factor. A general liability insurance package will give you peace of mind in case of unintended damage or accidents. Additionally, open a business bank account and use accounting software to manage cash flow, invoices, and taxes transparently.

Step 3: Acquire Equipment and Define Services

Equipment represents the biggest investment when starting a lawn care business. You will need:

• A lawn mower (either walk-behind or zero-turn);

• A string trimmer;

• A leaf blower;

• A set of hand tools;

• A reliable transport vehicle. 

According to FieldRoutes, the starting cost for purchasing basic equipment ranges from $2,900 to $7,500, while the total cost (including vehicles, advertising, and operations) can be as high as $120,000 - $225,000, depending on the scale.

If your budget is tight, you can definitely start small by renting or buying used equipment, provided safety and good performance are guaranteed. Clearly define the services you will offer and price them as packages; for example, weekly mowing, seasonal lawn treatment, or full landscaping packages.

There are a lot of things to prepare before starting your lawn care business

Step 4: Market and Find Customers

When everything is ready, the most crucial step is finding your first customers. A website is the best starting point. With GemPages, you can design a professional lawn care website yourself without coding, just by using a drag-and-drop interface. A website helps you build credibility, introduce your services, take quote requests, and attract customers through SEO or Google Ads.

In addition, combine this with offline marketing such as placing decals on your vehicle, distributing flyers in residential areas, or partnering with property management companies. For satisfied customers, don't forget to encourage them to refer friends through referral programs - the simplest yet most effective way to expand your customer base.

Step 5: Grow Your Lawn Care Business

Once the business has stable revenue, you can start thinking about expansion. The first step is hiring additional staff or splitting work teams by geographical area. Investing in management software will help you optimize schedules, routing, and monitor each team's performance. Concurrently, diversify your services - for example, add plant care, or install irrigation or garden lighting systems.

Another element for sustainable growth is brand building. Update your website, post "before and after" photos, and gather authentic reviews from customers. Credibility will make it easier for you to sign large contracts and increase service prices without losing clients.

3 Online Lawn Care Stores That Are Nailing It

If you want to see how major brands build their online presence, take a look at these prominent examples:

The Lawn Pack

The Lawn Pack - a lawn care business in the UK

The Lawn Pack started out as an independent lawn care business in Leicestershire, UK. The initial drive came from a simple question: "How can we help people improve their lawns easily across the whole country without a professional team?"

Their mission is to offer a simple, stress-free way for every homeowner to get professional results for their lawn by using pre-calculated product packages tailored to specific lawn sizes, featuring formulas for nutrients, soil conditioning, and boosting grass health and resilience.

Best sellers:

• The Lawn Pack (The main, comprehensive pack): Designed to restore dull lawns, fill in bare patches, and improve color and thickness within 4 - 6 weeks, with guaranteed results.

• Biostimulant Booster: A product that supports soil microbes, increasing drought resistance and soil health.

• Stronger Roots Grass Seed: Seed formulated to boost root growth, helping the lawn develop more vigorously; available in various sizes based on the lawn area.

Unique Selling Points (USPs):

• "Packed by Lawn Size": Customers select their lawn area, and The Lawn Pack sends the exact, appropriate amount of seed/fertilizer/booster, reducing waste and making it easy to use.

• Subscription ("Seasonal Subscription"): Customers sign up for a recurring package so their lawn is treated at the perfect time, eliminating the need to remember schedules.

• Results Guarantee & "Money Back Guarantee" if the lawn doesn't improve within the committed timeframe (6 weeks).

• Fast delivery across the UK, products are safe for pets and children, and they use environmentally friendly formulas.

• High customer reviews (rating ~ 4.9/5) with a large number of successfully improved lawns.

The Briggs & Stratton

Briggs & Stratton provides accessories and maintenance components for garden equipment.

Briggs & Stratton is a long-standing brand specializing in small engines, accessories, and maintenance components for lawn mowers and garden equipment. Their goal is to supply OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) products that help machinery run reliably and last longer, while also supporting users with "DIY maintenance" through accessories, oils, air filters, fuel filters, spark plugs, and more.

Best Sellers:

• Engine parts & maintenance kits: Air filters, spark plugs, oil filters, oil change kits, and small parts.

• Repower kits or new engines for lawn mowers and outdoor equipment.

• Maintenance tools, wear-and-tear components, and products to support routine maintenance for extended machine lifespan.

Unique Selling Points (USPs):

• Focus on OEM components and genuine parts, giving customers peace of mind regarding durability and compatibility - reducing the risk of using generic or unverified components.

• Parts Lookup Tool helps customers find the exact component they need—this is crucial in the lawn care business, where every machine has different models and parts.

• Resources to support DIY maintenance: Maintenance how-to guides, instructions for changing filters, air filters, and simple maintenance tasks. This adds value and builds customer trust.

• A major brand with a long history, making it easy for consumers to trust: Briggs & Stratton has been in the small engine and lawn & garden equipment field for over 110 years.

Sam Turner & Sons

Sam Turner & Sons sells lawn and garden productsxz

Sam Turner & Sons is a long-established business, founded back in 1945. They don't just sell lawn & garden products; they've expanded into farm supplies, country clothing, garden machinery, and a wide range of services and complementary products for farmers, gardeners, and smallholders.

Their vision can be summarized as "serving the gardening/farming community with great quality, product variety, dedicated service, and available stock." Part of their value proposition is their long-standing reputation, serving both local and online customers, with coverage extending to garden centers and local rural communities.

Best Sellers:

Based on their homepage and featured sections, the heavily promoted products at Sam Turner include:

• STIHL BGA 45 Cordless Blower - a cordless leaf blower advertised prominently as a "Top Seasonal Product."

• Chainsaws, trimmers, and hedgecutters from well-known brands like STIHL. Customers frequently order these handheld machines along with small maintenance equipment.

• "Country clothing" such as rain boots and wellies (e.g., Hunter wellies) - catering to rural customers, gardeners, and country dwellers.

• Small accessories and products for garden work such as gloves, rain gear, protective wear, machine accessories, and spare parts.

Unique Selling Points (USPs):

Sam Turner & Sons has several standout features that you can learn from:

• Broad & Diverse Product Catalog: They don't just focus on lawn care/garden machinery; they expand into farm apparel, pet supplies, protective gear, etc. This helps them attract more customer segments - gardeners, farmers, homeowners looking to improve their yard, and even people needing cold-weather/rain gear.

• Long-Standing Reputation & Customer Service: With over 75 - 80 years in business, multiple physical stores, and offline/online garden centers, they receive good reviews on Trustpilot. Customers highly praise their fast delivery and helpful support staff.

• Strong Local & Offline Presence: They have physical stores, garden centers, and clear addresses where customers can come and view machinery and gardening tools in person - something many online-only stores can't offer. This helps build trust, as customers can inspect items before buying.

• Free/Fast Delivery & Clear Return Policy: The homepage states "Free Standard Delivery on orders over £50." Their return policy is "30 Days No Fuss Returns." These factors lower the barrier to purchase and increase the conversion rate.

• Mix of Premium & Popular Products: They sell both major-brand machinery (STIHL, Husqvarna, etc.) and accessible small products (gloves, small tools, protective gear) - serving both premium and mainstream customers.

7 Tips To Build a High-Converting Lawn Care Store

1. Build Trust With Transparency and Expertise

In the lawn care field, customers aren't just buying products, they're buying knowledge and peace of mind. Successful Shopify stores establish trust by blending product listings with professional advice.

• Show your expertise: Add blog posts, how-to guides, or even “Lawn Care Calendars” to educate customers on seasonal lawn needs.
  

• Be transparent about formulations and usage: Share clear product details, ingredient safety, and recommended use cases. This builds long-term credibility and reduces returns or complaints.
  

• Add expert-backed trust signals: Consider an “approved by professionals” badge or customer results gallery.

💡 Pro Tip: With GemPages, you can easily create product pages with intuitive layouts, a clean Q&A section, and certification badges - all designed using drag-and-drop, no coding required.

2. Focus on Clean, Functional Store Design

A cluttered store can ruin even the best lawn care offer. The best-performing Shopify stores keep things simple, with a clean color palette (greens, whites, and neutrals) and intuitive navigation.

• Hero sections highlight the brand’s value proposition immediately — e.g., “Professional Lawn Care, Delivered to Your Door.”
  

• Smart categorization helps users find what they need fast (Fertilizers, Weed Control, Lawn Feed, etc.).
  

• Visual storytelling: Use before/after images, educational graphics, and lifestyle photography that show real lawns, not stock photos.
  

With GemPages, you can easily drag and drop these sections to build stunning homepages, product grids, and visual banners that match your brand’s tone — no developer needed.

Learn more: 15+ Best Shopify Website Builder in 2025.

GemPages - your top 1 Shopify page builder for your Lawn care business

3. Create a Clear Product Education Flow

Unlike impulse-buy niches, lawn care customers often need guidance before purchasing. Your product pages should work as mini landing pages - built to educate, not just sell.

• Include visual dosage charts, video tutorials, or comparison tables (e.g., liquid vs. granular fertilizer).
  

• Offer bundle recommendations: “Starter Kit for New Lawns” or “Seasonal Lawn Care Package.”
  

• Add quick links to FAQs or blog content for each category to reduce hesitation.
  

GemPages’ Dynamic Elements and Product Bundle widgets let you create educational, interactive product layouts that guide customers through every step - from discovery to checkout.

4. Leverage Repeat Purchase through Smart Subscription

Lawn care is a cyclical business - lawns need ongoing maintenance. Top Lawn care Shopify stores take advantage of this by offering subscriptions or auto-reorder options.

• Introduce “Subscribe & Save” models for recurring essentials like fertilizer or lawn feed.
  

• Send reminders for seasonal maintenance products via email or SMS.
  

• Build loyalty programs that reward consistent care and encourage long-term relationships.
  

Integrate subscription apps and loyalty tools seamlessly with GemPages’ App Integrations, helping you convert one-time buyers into repeat customers.

5. Personalize with Data and Local Relevance

A well-optimized Shopify store uses data to deliver more relevant product recommendations.

• Use quizzes (e.g., “Find the Right Fertilizer for Your Lawn Type”) to personalize the experience.
  

• Geo-based personalization: Suggest products suited for the customer’s local climate or soil conditions.
  

• Dynamic upsells: Recommend complementary products like watering systems or soil improvers during checkout.
  

GemPages allows you to create personalized quizzes, pop-ups, and recommendation sections with flexible integrations, giving each visitor a tailored shopping experience that increases AOV.

6. Optimize Post-Purchase Experience

Conversion doesn’t end at checkout. Brands like Sam Turner & Sons retain loyalty through excellent post-purchase experiences.

• Offer detailed guides on how to use the purchased product effectively.
  

• Send automated follow-ups to check progress, upsell seasonal products, or request reviews with photo submissions.
  

• Provide customer support channels (chatbot + human team) to answer specific lawn problems.
  

Use GemPages’ templates to personalize your post-purchase flow, recommend new products, or encourage customers to join your newsletter - keeping your brand top-of-mind all year round.

7. Communicate Your Brand Purpose

The strongest lawn care brands have a clear story. Whether it’s Sam Turner & Sons’ century-old heritage or Lawn Addicts’ mission to make professional lawn care accessible to everyone, a brand with a purpose earns loyalty faster.

• Craft an “About Us” section that highlights your values - sustainability, expert knowledge, or local roots.
  

• Show the people behind the brand (photos, short bios, or stories).
  

• Use social proof: feature real user transformations and testimonials.
  

GemPages makes it easy to design storytelling pages that reflect your brand’s authenticity - from “Our Story” sections to visual testimonial slides that build emotional connection.

Start Your Lawn Care Business Today with GemPages

Building a high-converting lawn care business store requires more than just great products. It’s about trust, education, and a seamless experience from first click to final delivery.

With GemPages, you have everything you need to bring your lawn care brand to life fast, flexible, and fully optimized for conversions.  From drag-and-drop store design to data-driven personalization, GemPages helps you grow your Shopify business without touching a single line of code.

Ready to turn your lawn care vision into a thriving online business? Start building your store with GemPages today.

FAQ About Lawn Care Business