As the weather starts to cool, homeowners will begin to prepare their homes for the colder months ahead. During the winter months, it’s difficult for homeowners to maintain their landscape so it’s best to prepare in the fall. To help you avoid catching-up come spring time, here are the average costs of fall landscaping projects to start working on. Checking these projects off your to-do list now will leave your property looking healthy when the snow eventually melts next spring.
Gutter Cleaning
The first item on your fall landscaping checklist is having your gutters cleaned. Between the impending rain, sleet and hail and snow, your gutters are going to be doing a lot of heavy lifting in the coming months. To ensure you aren’t left with ice dams, a leaky roof or a wet basement, have a pro come by to give your gutters a good once over before the weather turns wet. Gutter cleaning typically costs under $200, depending on the height and size of your home.
Yard Maintenance
The first snowfall can arrive in the blink of an eye, so it is important to get a head start. One of the most common mistakes homeowners make is leaving their lawn full of leaves during the winter. While a blanket of leaves may look pretty in the fall, leaving them there throughout the winter will prevent any sun getting through to your grass, which stops it from growing. The result of this is brown patches throughout your lawn. Whether it is time or temperature that is preventing you from cleaning up your yard there are professional landscapers to help you out.
Average cost of landscaping clean-up is $200-$400 (cost will vary depending on the size of your lawn). Connect with a landscaper today and schedule your fall lawn clean-up now.
Mulch
If you are thinking your leaves will be impossible to gather because there are so many, an alternative is mulching your leaves. Breaking down your leaves feeds your lawn through providing nutrients for the winter months to come, leaving your lawn looking healthy for the spring. Mulching leaves can be a time consuming process, so if you do not want to spend time raking leaves or going over them with a lawn mower, it’s best to call in a professional.
The average cost of mulching your lawn is between $100-$300 (again, the size of your lawn will impact the cost). Have a professional survey your property to see what the best option is.
Sod
If you have found that your lawn is already showing signs of spotting, the fall is one of the best times to lay new sod. With the help of showers and cold weather, sod will be able to establish roots faster, ensuring you will have a healthy lawn come spring time.
The average cost of installing sod is between $500-$3000 (again, depending on the area that needs covering). Consult with a landscaper to see if laying sod is an option for your lawn.
Tree Care
One task homeowners often overlook is having an arborist come and survey your trees and bushes prior to the winter. This is a very important task to complete. The winter weather brings storms unlike any other season which can be dangerous to you and your home. Rotten trees or overhanging limbs are the most vulnerable during this time. You do not want a storm to bring a tree branch crashing down upon your home. Dealing with these issues before they happen will help you save costs and damages in the future and will ensure you and your home are safe for the season.
The average cost of tree maintenance is between $500-$800 (depending on size/number of trees, their location and ease of access). Connect with an arborist to discuss your trees needs.
Pool
Closing your pool for the season is important to ensure its functionality when you reopen it. It is efficient to deal with any damages or repairs prior to closing so that the issue does not worsen, or even become irreparable during the winter. Closing procedures are best handled by a professional as you don’t want to miss any steps and have your pool not working come summer time.
The average cost of closing your pool for the season is in between $100-$400 (depending on the size of your pool and labour involved).
Driveway Sealing
Over time, your driveway experiences frequent wear and tear. A lot of damage can be caused during the cold winter months, such as cracks. It is important to seal your driveway and make necessary repairs to prevent any further damage or major cracks, which become difficult to repair during the winter and may lead to the need to fully repair your driveway. Read this article to learn the warning signs that it’s time to update your driveway.
The average cost of sealing your driveway is $100-$300.
Getting a head start on your fall projects will ensure that you finish them before the snow falls. Winter is a harsh month for your landscape, but taking preemptive measures will minimize the amount of future damage and costs. Talk to a professional today and learn how to best take care of your property before the winter.
