How to choose a lawn care service in Volusia County
To choose a lawn care service, get two or three written quotes for the same list of work, confirm each company carries insurance and the state certification needed for any fertilizer or pest treatments, and ask how they adjust their schedule through Florida's seasons. The cheapest quote is only a good deal if it covers the same work, done the way your lawn needs it.
Below are the questions worth asking and what a good answer sounds like.
Decide what you need first
Write down the services you want before you call anyone. It makes quotes comparable and keeps you from paying for things you don't need. Common pieces of lawn care include:
- mowing, edging, and string trimming
- blowing clippings off driveways, walks, and lanais
- hedge and shrub trimming
- weed control in the lawn and beds
- fertilizing
- insect and disease treatment
- mulch, bed cleanup, and leaf removal
- irrigation checks
"Full service" means different things to different companies. One might include shrub trimming every visit, while another charges for it separately. Ask for a written list of what each visit includes.
Questions to ask a lawn care company
These questions cover most of what matters:
- What's included in a regular visit, and what costs extra?
- How often will you come in summer, and how often in winter?
- What mowing height do you use for my type of grass?
- Are you insured, and can you send proof?
- If you apply fertilizer or pest treatments, who on your crew holds the required state certification?
- What happens when it rains on my scheduled day?
- Do you offer storm cleanup, and how do you schedule it after a hurricane?
- How do I reach you if something is wrong, and how do you fix it?
- Is there a contract, and how do I cancel?
A company that answers clearly and puts the answers in writing is usually easier to work with later.
Check insurance and certifications
Ask for proof of liability insurance before anyone works on your property. If a mower throws a rock through a window or a crew member is hurt, you want the company's insurance handling it, not yours.
In Florida, people who apply fertilizer to lawns commercially must hold a certification from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and pest control applications have their own state licensing. If a company offers fertilizing or weed and insect treatments, ask who holds the certification or license. You can verify licenses through the state.
Make sure they know Florida grass
Most lawns in Volusia County are warm-season grasses, with St. Augustinegrass and bahiagrass among the most common. These grasses need different care from northern lawns, and mowing too short is one of the most common ways they get stressed.
The University of Florida's IFAS Extension recommends mowing most standard St. Augustinegrass varieties at about 3.5 to 4 inches, and bahiagrass at about 3 to 4 inches. A good crew will also follow the one-third rule: never cut off more than a third of the blade at once. If a company plans to scalp your St. Augustine down short to "save a visit," look elsewhere.
Ask about watering and fertilizer rules
Volusia County is in the St. Johns River Water Management District, which sets limits on which days you can water your lawn and bans midday watering. A provider who checks or adjusts your irrigation should know these rules.
Volusia County and several of its cities also restrict fertilizer containing nitrogen or phosphorus during the summer rainy season. Ask how the company plans its fertilizer schedule around that. If they don't know the rule exists, that tells you something. Our guide to Volusia County lawn care by season explains how both rules fit into the year.
How to compare quotes
Line the quotes up by what's included, not just the price. Check:
- number of visits per month in summer and in winter
- which tasks happen every visit
- whether fertilizer and treatments are included or extra
- who provides and hauls away debris
- contract length and cancellation terms
A flat monthly price can be convenient, but make sure you know how many visits it covers in the slower winter months.
Red flags
Be careful with anyone who asks for a large payment up front for routine mowing, won't put the price and scope in writing, can't show proof of insurance, or pressures you to sign a long contract on the spot. After a storm, be especially careful with door-to-door offers for cleanup work.
Start with a request
If you'd rather not track down companies yourself, tell us what your yard needs and we'll connect you with a local lawn care provider in Volusia County. Providers are independent businesses, so use the questions above when you talk with them, too.