What's the best way to get multiple bids for lawn care without making a bunch of calls?

What's the best way to get multiple bids for lawn care without making a bunch of calls?

As a homeowner, it’s important that you get a good deal on your lawn service. Overpaying can add up over the year. The main way to find affordable, local lawn care is to get multiple bids. However, some people find that this is harder than it sounds.

An online app like GreenPal is the most effective way to get multiple quality lawn care bids. But why is it so important to get more than one bid in the first place, and why not just call around instead? Here, we discuss the benefits of using an app, the drawbacks of calling, and provide some tips to help you find the best landscaping business for your home.

Why getting multiple bids is so important

Getting multiple bids is the only way that you can guarantee you’re getting a good deal on your lawn care. If you hire the first bid you get, you’ll never know if there are more affordable providers out there. Most consumer protection agencies recommend getting at least three quotes before hiring someone.

In addition, multiple bids create competition between service providers. When landscapers know that potential customers are comparing bids, they’re likely to make a more competitive offer. 

Besides affordability, multiple quotes also allow you to compare qualifications. There can be a wide spread of skill levels between lawn maintenance professionals, so it’s good to have all options available to you.

The drawbacks of calling local businesses

Individually calling lawn care business owners may seem like a straightforward method to get quotes, but it’s usually quite challenging. There are many inconveniences that are involved with this process, including:

• Availability Concerns: You never know if the contractor you’re calling is ready to take on new jobs. They could be fully booked for the summer or booking out weeks in advance.

• Playing phone tag: It’s not uncommon to go directly to the voicemail of landscaping contractors. This just extends the amount of time it takes to get a hold of them. You’ll go back and forth playing phone tag for a while until something gets scheduled.

• Requiring on-site estimates: A traditional lawn care company might want to schedule an in person home inspection before giving you an accurate quote. This just slows down the process.

• Unknown qualifications: You never really know who you’re calling. For example, you might find a lawn care pro in Chicago through their Google business profile and look at reviews. But that’s the extent of the vetting that’s normally involved. A phone call isn’t enough.

• Time-consuming: All of these inconveniences take hours out of your day. The whole point of hiring lawn care services is to get time back in your life.

The main issue with calling companies is the lack of quote comparison. Since it’s so time-consuming and exhausting, most homeowners settle after just one or two quotes. Most of the time, there are higher-value quotes out there. Additionally, calling local companies directly is generally more expensive.

Why a marketplace app is more efficient

Marketplace apps like GreenPal take the hassle out of finding qualified small business landscaping companies. On these platforms, the contractors come to the homeowner, not the other way around. This is the main reason why it’s more efficient: it saves the homeowner time.

The contractors who respond to your property listing are ready to work, so there’s no question about availability. Communication can occur through the platform’s messaging, so phone tag isn’t a concern either. Since you provide details about your property, there’s no need for an on-site estimate. You can easily review past project photos, reviews, and reliability ratings, ensuring that you’re hiring the right person.

The biggest advantage is that you can quickly compare multiple bids. Your app dashboard will display every lawn care pro’s quote and their qualifications, which allows you to make a confident decision. You can feel certain that you’re getting the best deal possible.

How GreenPal makes it easy to compare multiple bids

GreenPal has specific features that make it so beneficial for comparing bids. The platform is designed to streamline lawn care for both service providers and homeowners. To get bids, a homeowner inputs their property address, and the app calculates how big the yard is. They are then asked other questions about:

• Service frequency and whether they need weekly or bi-weekly service.

• Whether they need additional services like mulching, aeration, etc.

• How soon they need the lawn cut.

• Whether or not they want a basic cut or something very thorough.

• The length of their grass.

With answers to these types of questions and the size of the property, the contractor can give an accurate bid. They respond to the property, and homeowners can immediately see their quoted price, reviews, past project photos, and reliability score (how often they complete jobs on time). In about 24 hours, a new lawn that’s posted will receive five bids. This gives lots of choices for the homeowner.

How to compare lawn mowing bids: Follow these steps

It can be tough to know how to start comparing quotes when using a marketplace platform for the first-time. Many contractors may offer comparable prices, but there’s more to a bid than the cost alone. What’s the key to finding the best? Use this five-step process for comparing bids:

1.Collect all bids that are in your budget. Make sure that they are “standardized” and address your specific lawn.

2.Determine what each bid includes. Some may just do a standard mowing, whereas some might include extra services like bagging grass clippings.

3.Look at pricing and how it compares in relation to the frequency of services. Some providers give deals to lawn care customers for weekly services, so it’s important to do an accurate cost comparison.

4.Double-check reviews, testimonials, social media accounts, and any other factors that speak to their qualifications. Make sure that they’re experienced enough for your job.

5.Finally, consider other aspects like responsiveness, proximity to your home, and whether you’ve heard of them through word of mouth. When you know which contractors best, follow up with a message through the app.

Questions to ask potential lawn care providers

There are still many questions that you may want to ask before hiring a contractor. The best time to ask them is during step five, when you’re completing your vetting process. Some questions you might want to consider include:

Do they have insurance and all required licenses (if applicable)?

What do they use for equipment?

Have they mowed other lawns in your neighborhood?

How long have they been working as a lawn care provider?
Do they do this full-time, or is it a side hustle?

How do they prefer payment?

Spotting a skilled lawn care business: Simple checklist

You don’t have to do as comprehensive a quote comparison if you don’t want to. If someone fits your budget, you can just do a couple of checks. Use this checklist to vet contractors quickly. If they meet the requirements of the majority of the boxes, you’re likely safe hiring them:

  Has a four or five-star rating.

 Has a reliability rating of at least 80% or 90%.

 Quick communication; they respond to your messages within a day.

 Clear deliverables; there’s no question what services they’ll provide.

 High-quality, modern equipment.

 Fits your budget.

 Is available to mow on your requested day.

Find and compare quotes today

Calling lawn care pro phone numbers and asking friends for referrals is the hard way to get multiple lawn care quotes. And as discussed, multiple quotes are one of the most important ways to find good value services.

Marketplace apps like GreenPal build trust between contractors and homeowners. Rather than searching local directories or consulting Google to find business names, homeowners can post their property and get bids delivered directly to them. 

If you’re interested in having a professional handle your lawn care, use GreenPal to compare quotes and vet contractors. Whether you need landscaping, a quick mow, snow removal, or leaf removal, there’s a provider out there who’s ready to help you. Sign up today to get started.