5 Ways to Lower Costs When You Own a Landscaping Company

As a small business owner, you want to keep costs low so that they don't eat into your profits. If you run a landscaping company, there are multiple ways that you can save money on plants and other materials. Consider the following ideas.

1. Buy Plants and Other Materials in Bulk

Rather than buying plants, mulch, landscaping rock and other materials one at a time, consider buying these materials in bulk. That saves you money on upfront costs, and as your clients are getting the exact same product, you don't have to lower their prices. Ultimately, that puts more money in your pocket.

2. Shop at Wholesale Nurseries

Whether you're buying in bulk or just picking up a single plant, don't pay consumer prices. Instead, find a company that works with professionals and buy your materials at wholesale prices. Note that some wholesale nurseries require some proof of the fact that you run a business in order to offer you the most advantageous prices.

3. Create a Storage Area

If you are buying lots of stuff at once, you need to be able to store it somewhere. A covered carport can work for some items, part of your garage can work for other items, and you may even want a space where you can plant some items and then replant them in your client's landscaping designs.

4. Focus on Plants That Survive in Containers

Planting and replanting some landscaping plants can work, but in other cases, it may be easier to store plants in containers. To make that possible, consider buying a few container friendly plants at a wholesale nursery. For example, yucca, boxwood, and creeping jenny work well in containers. You can keep them in containers at your storage area and then easily transport them to clients as needed.

5. Buy Equipment as Part of a Co-op

Of course, running a landscaping business involves more than just buying plants and landscaping rocks. You may also need special equipment. Some items such as shovels you just need to buy, but there may be big items such as rototillers that you only use on occasion. When it comes to those big items, consider going in with a group of professionals and buying that equipment as part of a co-op. That saves money and you can all share the items.

Alternatively, consider hiring equipment as needed for the day, and hitting multiple projects at once with that equipment. For example, do all of the backhoe work at every client's home or business on the same day. Then, return the equipment the next day.

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