The cost of a lawn treatment service depends on the size of the lawn and the type of treatments involved. For example, the average lawn care costs about £0.12 to £0.30 per square metre. It will probably include lawn mowing, weed control, pest control, fertilisation, etc. These are the basic lawn renovation and care practices.
However, some visits will include other treatment types or even exclude some of the basic ones. Since each type of lawn treatment has its price tag, the cost of the service will change because of this. Then, there is the question of whether you are getting a one-off or a recurrent service. Recurrent treatment costs more.
All of these factors combine to decide how much you will have to pay for professional lawn care. They also determine how much value you get for your expenses. So, let’s discuss everything you need to know about lawn treatment services, including how to get the best care for your lawn without breaking the bank.
Why Lawn Treatment Is Essential
Here are two reasons why lawn treatment is essential, whether you choose to do it yourself or hire lawn care professionals.
The Health and Aesthetic Appeal of Your Lawn
Even the perfect lawn won’t stay perfect forever if all you do is water and mow it. It needs other lawn treatment types too. For instance, these three things will happen over time. The grass will use up all the nutrients in the soil. Pests, weeds and diseases will find their way into the lawn. While hanging out and having fun on the lawn, you, your loved ones and your pets will cause bald spots and soil compaction.
All of these affect the health and aesthetic value of your lawn. Fortunately, there are different lawn care treatment types to reverse their specific effects. For example, you can use fertiliser to replenish soil nutrition, fungicide to disease control and aeration to loosen compact soil. Therefore, your lawn can remain lush and green no matter what happens.
Impact on Property Value
No one likes an unsightly and sickly lawn. It actually tells people that the entire property is probably sickly and ill-maintained. Therefore, it brings down the market value of the property. Just as a nice, good-looking lawn does the reverse. Studies actually show that a healthy and aesthetically pleasing lawn can increase property value by up to 20%. This is only possible with proper and regular lawn treatment.
Factors That Influence the Cost of Lawn Treatment Services
Lawn care professionals consider these factors when setting their prices. So, knowing them could be useful to you.
The Size of the Lawn
The cost of a lawn treatment service will be higher for a larger lawn. This is simply because a larger lawn takes up more resources and time. For example, let’s assume you need lawn mowing services for two lawns. The first is about 100 square metres, while the other is just 30 square metres. Obviously, you will have to pay more for the larger lawn.
The Type of Treatment(s)
The average lawn care visit involves multiple types of treatment. More importantly, some types of lawn care treatment cost more than others. For instance, scarification is more expensive than lawn mowing. The price difference is due to supply, labour and equipment reasons. However, whatever the reasons, the point is that the types of lawn treatment determine how much the lawn care company will charge you. The total number of treatments involved will affect costs too.
Ultimately, these two (the type and number of lawn care treatments) will depend on the type and condition of the grass and soil in your lawn. That’s why lawn care companies will run tests before recommending the appropriate lawn treatments.
The Frequency of the Service
A one-off lawn treatment service is cheaper than a recurrent one. However, here are some things to consider before making a choice. Your lawn needs multiple treatments over the year to stay healthy and green. So, if you hire a lawn care service for a one-off visit, you will still have to hire them again later.
On the other hand, if you hire them for recurrent services, you could be paying for a year’s worth of lawn care treatment. When you look at it from this point of view, recurrent lawn care services usually turn out to be cheaper.
Your Location and Accessibility
Your location also affects professional lawn care service cost(s). For instance, the person or company you hire may want higher rates if they incur extra transportation costs or accessibility issues. You will also probably have to pay more than someone in a location with a lower standard of living- vice versa. For example, lawn care services cost more in a big city like London.
Breakdown of Lawn Treatment Service Costs
Cost of Seasonal Treatments per Visit for A Small, Medium, and Large Lawn
| Detail | Lawn size (per square metre) | Average lawn care cost (£ per square metre) |
| Small lawn | 50 | 15 – 18 |
| Medium-sized lawn | 80 | 20 – 23 |
| Large lawn | 180 | 30 – 36 |
Cost for Different Types of Lawn Treatments
| Lawn treatment type | Average Cost (£) |
| Lawn mowing | 15 – 100 |
| Lawn weeding | 15 – 45 |
| Lawn aeration | 30 – 80 |
| Scarification | 45 – 120 |
| Topdressing | 80 – 180 |
| Overseeding | 60 – 160 |
| Lawn fertilization | 20 – 30 |
| Fungicide treatment | 45 – 120 |
Lawn Mowing
You probably already do this yourself. However, since you are about to hire professional lawn care, it doesn’t hurt to include lawn mowing in the package. Letting them do the job will save you some stress. Their professional touch could even bring something new to the table. Most lawn care companies charge around £15 to £100 for lawn mowing. The service includes waste removal.
Lawn Weeding
Weed control is also essential to lawn health and aesthetics. It may even be necessary before you can execute some lawn treatments. For example, it’s crucial to weed before lawn fertiliser. If you don’t, the existing weed will also get fertilised. Therefore, they will keep competing against your grass for water and nutrition.
Lawn Aeration
Aeration loosens up compact soil. It also helps with getting rid of surface thatch. Both soil compaction and thatch make it difficult for grass to access air, water and nutrients. Therefore, you should aerate your lawn yearly. The best time to do this is during the growing season between late spring and early autumn.
Scarification
Scarification is also used to get rid of thatch buildup. However, if your garden has a more serious thatch problem, detaching would be a better choice of treatment. The best time to scarify a lawn is between late spring and early autumn.
Topdressing
Topdressing is the process of adding organic matter and rich soil to a lawn. The point of this is to increase the fertility and nutrient content of the existing soil. This will then encourage grass growth. The best time for this treatment is during the growing season between spring and autumn.
Overseeding
Overseeding is another lawn renovation treatment designed to make a lawn richer, greener and fuller. As the name suggests, it is the process of spreading seeds (of grass) over a lawn. This allows more grass to spring up and fill out the lawn. The best time to overseed a lawn is during the growing season between spring and autumn.
Lawn fertilisation
Fertilisation adds nutrients to the soil. Therefore, it is crucial to fertilise your lawn once or twice a year. Before doing this, the lawn care service will run tests to determine the type of fertiliser your lawn needs. They will also decide between slow-release or fast-acting fertilisers or liquid and granular ones. The best time to fertilise is between spring and autumn.
Fungicides
Fungicide treatment is a pest control measure. Some are preventive, while others are corrective. Either way, they both protect your lawn from fungi.
One-off versus Recurrent Lawn Treatment Services
| Lawn treatment service type | Average Cost (£) |
| One-off treatment | 45 per visit |
| Monthly treatment | 11 – 14 per visit |
| Seasonal treatment | 15 – 35 per visit |
| Year-long lawn care services | 75 – 150 |
One-off Lawn Care Services
As you can see from the table above, one-off lawn care services cost less than recurrent ones. However, they cost more money in the long run. At the rate of £45, you will spend £180 to £225 for just four to five visits per year.
Recurrent lawn care service
Recurrent lawn care services are cheaper in the long run. For example, year-long lawn care services cost only £75 to £150. Yet, if you go with one-off plans, you will spend £180 to £225 per year for pretty much the same thing.
However, it is not just about money. Recurrent lawn care services are also better for the health of a lawn. Your lawn care company can create a long-term plan to take better care of your lawn. They can also use seasonal treatments to ensure your lawn gets the appropriate care at various seasons throughout the year. Seasonal treatments are designed to meet the unique needs of your grass in the growing conditions of each specific season.
Cost-Saving Tips for Lawn Treatment
Here are three ways to save money when it comes to lawn treatment.
Seasonal Lawn Care
Seasonal treatment is the most effective way to approach lawn care. Think of it like this. The kind of treatment plants need in summer is different from what they need in winter. For example, they do most of their growing during spring and summer. So, they need treatments that will encourage growth during that period.
You can still give them growth-stimulating care during winter (when the growing season is over), but the impact won’t be as effective. It could even kill your grass and damage your lawn. Either way, you won’t get the best value for your money. Therefore, seasonal treatments will help you save money long term.
DIY Lawn Care
Labour costs comprise about 70% to 90% of the average lawn care cost. Therefore, you will save a lot of money doing the job yourself. There are just two issues. The first one is the problem of figuring out the types of treatment your lawn needs. You can’t just diagnose by sight. You have to conduct the same tests that lawn care professionals do.
The second issue is about your ability to execute the job. Supplies and equipment are easy to come by. Skill is an entirely different beast because lawn care treatments are sometimes tricky. For example, it’s easy to make the mistake of over-fertilising or under-fertilising a lawn. Either of these will only cause more trouble for your lawn, although the latter is less destructive and easier to rectify.
Bulk Service Discounts
Whether it is in the form of recurrent service or getting multiple treatments at once, bulk service will help you save money when it comes to lawn care. You can actually save anywhere from 20% to 25% in the long run. This is because professional lawn care services almost always include discounts for bulk deals. The companies do this because they benefit from it too.
Conclusion
On average, lawn care costs about £0.12 to £0.30 per square metre. However, this will depend on the type of treatments involved, which in turn depends on the unique needs of the lawn. That is the end goal, isn’t it? The goal is to keep your lawn as healthy and impeccable as possible.
To do this, you need multiple lawn treatments and visits per year. You may even include some other garden maintenance jobs in the mix. You can definitely do all of these without breaking the bank. That’s our speciality. Our job is to help you get the most out of your outdoor space. Whether you want to do things yourself or hire professional help, we can help. So, let’s help you figure out what your lawn needs.
H2: FAQs
Is artificial grass a good enough replacement for real grass?
The true answer to this question depends on what you are looking for. If all you care about is realism, then you should know that the average high-quality modern artificial grass is pretty good at replicating the look and feel of real grass. Plus, you also get other benefits like low maintenance and kid-friendliness.
How many times should I treat my lawn every year?
You should treat your lawn four to five times per year. However, this will vary depending on the soil, grass and growing conditions. Apart from that regular treatment, you should also treat your lawn when you notice problems like damage, pests and disease. Take care of all issues as soon as you notice them. However, try not to overdo lawn care.
