When you start a landscaping business, your offering options can seem pretty limited. Mowing, planting, pruning, weeding, seeding, and laying sod are a few of the common tasks and routines people hire landscapers to handle. Depending on your approach, you might focus more on design than maintenance.
There are many ways to add value to your offerings by branching out. One of those ways is to focus on overall exterior design in conjunction with your landscaping offerings. Like the interior design, the exterior design focuses on the aesthetic elements of the house itself. Here’s how to add exterior design offerings to your landscaping business.
Deck Design and Repair
Decks are a focal point that adds curb appeal to a residence. While you may need to partner with a contractor if you lack building experience, building a deck is a great way to help customers enjoy the yard you’ve put together for them. Deck options can be as simple or elaborate as you like, with ground level decks, multi-tiered decks, various materials, and endless deck railing options.
If you don’t want to spend your time building decks, offer a deck maintenance or upgrade package in which you sand and stain an older deck. This offering also creates a client database for those who will need replacements over the next few years.
Exterior Window Treatments
With interior design, the curtains or window treatments often complete the room. With exterior design, the same mindset applies. This subtle touches can drastically increase curb appeal and add an air of elegance and refinement to the average home. Exterior window treatments include things like shutters, window boxes (which ties in well with landscaping), mini-pergolas, and awnings.
Again, you may have to outsource if you lack experience in installation. However, most of these projects are relatively easy to learn and add some unique selling propositions to your landscaping design business.
Trim and Paint Maintenance
Nothing refreshes an older home like a coat of fresh paint. When putting together a quote for landscaping design, upsell your clients on some painting touch-ups. While many homes have vinyl siding these days, paint can be a nice package option for those who still have wood.
If you don’t want to paint yourself, consider reaching out to local painting businesses to strike up a deal. You can each upsell on landscaping or painting and refer to one another while offering each other’s customers a discount.
Fence Building
A huge part of landscaping design is not wanting to see the neighbor’s less maintained lawn. Add a fence building service to your business, both with new wood and a recycled pallet option. This can be a particularly useful upsell if your clients have children or pets they would like to keep in a safe area.
Any time you get into building projects, particularly if they are near the boundary line of the property, you will have to be mindful of permits and regulations. Don’t forget to do your due diligence when creating a quote for these projects. Nothing looks more unprofessional than building half a fence before the city shuts you down.
Animal Enclosures and Playhouses
The cherry on top for exterior design is having animal enclosures and playhouses for children that match the overall decor goals of the property. Procure leftover building materials to build small playhouses or treehouses that match the larger house. Create a spacious, comfortable pet enclosure that pet parents can use instead of a crate or pen.
These options are quick, easy add-ons that have enough novelty to be appealing without taking up a lot of extra time in your (hopefully) busy work schedule. Finding unique offerings and ways to adapt to the needs of a customer is crucial for a landscaping business to be successful.
