Landscaping tools and equipment: 12 essentials for your business

Lawn care and landscaping can be a lucrative business. However, it takes more than a lawn mower to get your business off the ground. You’ll need to make a sizable investment in lawn care equipment and tools to grow and effectively market your landscaping company.

Fortunately, investing in high-quality equipment when you start a landscaping business will help you deliver first-rate service for years to come. Review this lawn care equipment list to discover what you’ll need and how much you can expect to pay for it.

1. Lawn mower

The lawn mower is an essential piece of landscaping equipment for any lawn care business. It’s also likely to be the most expensive tool you’ll buy. The number of commercial lawn mowers on the market may surprise you, and many have numerous attachments from aerators and spreaders to mulchers and dump carts.

A commercial walk-behind push mower can cost $3,000 to $6,000 or more, while a zero-turn riding mower runs between $3,000 and $16,000.

Odds are you’ll spend countless hours in the blazing sun mowing lawns, so you won’t want to skimp on this purchase.

2. Trimmers

A string trimmer can reach grass in places a mower can’t, like along a fence line, under decks, or around flower beds and mailbox posts. Also called a weed whacker, it gives lawns the finishing touch to look manicured.

Husqvarna offers an excellent selection of gas or electric string trimmers, ranging from $300 to over $500.

3. Hedge trimmer

Hedge trimmers can trim and shape hedges and shrubs quickly and easily. Like string trimmers, hedge trimmers come in cordless electric or gas-powered varieties. At a cost of around $500, it’s an investment that can save you considerable time.

When shopping for a hedge trimmer, remember you’ll be holding it in your hands for long periods. Therefore, it’s best to focus on comfort and portability.

4. Edger

You might think a string trimmer can do the job of an edger, and you’d be partially correct. A string trimmer can help maintain an edge. But to create a distinct border or break through thick grass and roots, an edger is more efficient and will do a better job.

Handheld edgers range from $300 to $600. For more robust projects, a walk-behind model could cost up to $1,000.

5. Blowers

So-called “leaf blowers” are for more than cleaning up leaves. They’re also a quick way to clean up sidewalks and entrances for high-end homeowners and commercial businesses.

You can pick up a commercial handheld blower for about $300 or $400, while a backpack-style blower is around $700.

Which is right for your landscaping business? Handhelds can be more efficient for smaller, residential jobs or if you’ll be starting and stopping frequently. Otherwise, invest in a more powerful backpack blower.

6. Spreader

Fertilizer and weed and insect controls are crucial to providing excellent lawn care services. A spreader can help business owners save money by not wasting product during application.

This lawn care tool comes in a walk-behind or tow behind option that can attach to your lawn tractor. Both types cost about the same price, depending on the features you’re looking for. You can expect to pay between $100 and $400.

7. Sprayer

A sprayer can help you apply fertilizer, insecticides, and pesticides. Sprayers are best for large areas around a home or in a yard. However, it can also offer a more precise application compared to a spreader.

You can choose between handheld, backpack, wheeled, or tow-behind sprayers. How much you pay depends on the type. For instance, a handheld sprayer might only cost $15. But a tow-behind trailer sprayer could cost between $200 and $1,200.

8. Vehicles

You don’t need a fleet of trucks to launch your lawn care business. If you’re just starting, you may get by with a single truck. You could spend a lot ($60,000) or a little ($10,000) on a vehicle for your company.

Remember that getting equipment in and out of the truck will cause dings and dents, often in the first week. So, it might not make sense to invest tens of thousands of dollars initially.

9. Equipment trailer

You could probably run your lawn care business without a trailer. However, an equipment trailer can give you more space and is ideal if you do tree work or run a 2-person crew.

How much you spend depends on the services you offer. For example, you could buy a smaller trailer for around $1,000. But to haul more equipment and supplies, a larger trailer could cost $4,000 or more.

10. Buckets and lawn bags

Buckets and lawn bags might be some of the least expensive items on this landscaping equipment list, but they’re essential. You might only pay $4 for a bucket or $25 for a pack of 50 lawn and leaf bags.

Choose heavy-duty plastic buckets over metal buckets since plastic won’t rust or corrode from long-term exposure to water or moisture. And lawn bags are vital for hauling off grass clippings after lawn mowing.

11. Hand tools

The lawn care equipment list wouldn’t be complete without hand tools. Shovels, rakes, pruners, and other low-tech garden tools are a simple but necessary part of a lawn care business. You might choose those with wooden handles, although steel and fiberglass handles are also an option.

A shovel is around $25, garden and leaf rakes range from $10 to $40, and a pair of hedge shears or pruners can cost about $30. And don’t forget a wheelbarrow—the convenience of having one is worth the $60 to $150 you’ll spend.

12. Safety equipment

Business owners must think beyond power tools for landscaping equipment. Eye and ear protection, gloves, long-sleeved shirts, steel-toed work boots, and other safety equipment are also essential.

You could spend as little or as much as you wanted—from $10 to a few hundred or more—on gear to protect you and your landscapers.

How much will my landscaping tools and equipment cost me in total?

You might pay less up front if you buy residential or lower-quality commercial versions of the items on this lawn care equipment list. But it could cost more in the long run. Investing in high-quality lawn mowing and landscaping tools helps you deliver quick and efficient services that your clients will love.

Depending on the services you want to offer right out of the gate, you could fork over a significant amount of cash. Somewhere in the ballpark of $25,000 to $40,000 is a reasonable start-up estimate.

But remember: Lawn care is an excellent investment in your clients’ home improvement projects, whether you mow, mulch, prune, or offer complete lawn care or landscaping packages.

And once you get your landscaping business license, don’t forget landscaping business insurance to protect you, your lawn care business employees, and your customers.

Huckleberry makes it affordable and straightforward to get the insurance protection you need. Seriously—try it. It takes only minutes to get a small business insurance quote and the entire process, from quote to completion, is online.