In Ontario, people want a trusted, local professional to care for their yards and outdoor living spaces. Depending on where they live, they may only have a few short months to enjoy the beauty of their outdoor spaces, so it’s important to choose a passionate landscaper to take care of their yards, and you may be that person!
Do you love gardening, are passionate about lawn care, and are wondering how to start a landscaping business in Ontario? Whether it’s a one-person company or you’ll be working with a number of landscapers and lawn care professionals, it can seem overwhelming to start a landscaping business of your own, but luckily, there are some straightforward steps to take to launch your own landscaping company.
No matter the size or scale of your landscaping or lawn care operations, if you look up how to start a landscaping business in Ontario, you will find a number of things you need to do to start a business venture successfully. Below, we’ve outlined the steps to ensure you can successfully launch your business, from starting your business plan to getting landscaping business insurance.
No matter what type of business you want to start, you first need to research the market and your competitors and create a business plan.
Researching or doing market analysis will ensure that you can better understand what is being offered and help determine your target audience and refine your offerings. For instance, there may be dozens of different landscaping companies out there, but do they service this area? Do they provide lawn maintenance or landscape design services? Ultimately, by conducting proper research into how to start a landscaping business, you can use that knowledge to craft your business strategy and landscaping business plan better.
Your landscaping business plan should contain information on your concept, mission statement, and goals. Consider the following:
When taking this step to start a landscaping business, be as thorough as possible, as a misstep in this stage can spell issues later on when marketing or getting funding for your landscaping venture. Make sure your business plan contains detailed operation plans and financial plans, which can act as a guide to how to start a landscaping business in Ontario.
With your business plan completed, the next step in how to start a landscaping business is business registration. You need to register your business to be in legal compliance in your jurisdiction, protect your business name, access government programs and services, have liability protection, protect your personal assets, and for tax purposes. In Ontario, you can do this online or in person with ServiceOntario.
During this step in how to start a landscaping business, make sure to check to ensure your planned business’s name isn’t taken. During the research phase, you should have checked to ensure your desired business name isn’t taken. Double check with a business name search when registering your business and getting a business number from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
Once registered, you will need to get any necessary permits or landscaping licenses to operate your landscaping company, such as a business license, zoning permits, and health and safety certificates. Additionally, if you or any employees will be operating heavy equipment, ensure everyone is licensed to do so. You will also need to register for the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST), if your landscaping business is making more than $30,000 in annual revenue, and with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board if you plan on hiring any employees.
With your business registered and properly licensed, getting small business insurance is the next step in starting a landscaping business. Without the proper insurance coverage, in the event of an accident or unforeseen event, you can be on the hook for equipment loss, property damage, medical expenses, legal costs, and more, which can quickly drive you out of business and into bankruptcy and/or the courtroom.
Even if you don’t have a facility from which you operate, as a lawn care specialist and/or landscaper, you will have a lot of specialized tools and high-quality equipment that are vital to your business activities, and without the money to replace them if they get broken or stolen, you may not be able to do your job.
Your Morison Insurance broker will be more than happy to discuss your insurance needs and present you with customized insurance policies from Canadian insurance providers that’ll give you the coverage you need when starting a landscaping business and provide expert advice on liability insurance and additional coverage based on your business activities. For example, did you know you may need commercial auto insurance if you use your personal vehicle for your lawn care company? Or if you have services for tree care, you may need arborist insurance as well?
We’ll help you get the right insurance for your landscaping and lawn care business, so you can be protected in the worst-case scenario.
Now that you are properly insured, the next step in how to start a landscaping business is to get any needed supplies, tools, and equipment. You should already have a solid list of what to purchase from the research and planning phase, but it’s always a good idea to double-check to make sure you haven’t missed anything in this phase of how to start a landscaping business in Ontario.
Some basic equipment you may need to purchase include shovels, gardening tools, lawn mowers, hedge trimmers, and leaf blowers, but you may need specialized equipment for tasks such as lawn aeration or topiary, as well as a company vehicle to transport everything. Another major expense is purchasing fertilizer and seed supplies for lawn care or landscaping services. Watch for expiry dates, and avoid ordering too much, or you’ll be stuck with inventory that goes off before you can use it.
Small business grants or loans may be available to purchase necessary equipment and supplies, so look into obtaining funding to lower startup costs. Additionally, pay attention to any warranties in case equipment breaks within its warranty period. Also include any supplies you need to maintain your equipment, such as cleaning supplies, as part of your start-up and ongoing business expenses.
Another part of this step on how to start a landscaping business is to hire any needed employees if you plan on doing so. If you plan on being a one-person show for the time being, you don’t need to worry about this step, but as your business grows, you may need additional landscapers or office staff to handle the increased volume. Once you’ve determined your staffing needs, create a detailed job description and advertise job openings, making sure to carefully screen and review the qualifications of any applicants before hiring them. Once hired, ensure they are well-versed in company policies and receive training before setting foot on a job site.
With your business set up and ready to go, the next step in starting a landscaping business in Ontario is to market it. In the first phase, you should have a good outline of your service offerings, but finalize your prices based on additional factors such as overhead costs and market demand before reaching out to potential customers.
While your marketing plan and branding should be laid out as an earlier step of how to start a landscaping business, keep in mind that it’s not a static plan, and you can change your marketing strategies to adapt to the market. For example, if you find that word-of-mouth is proving effective, consider increasing your presence with local business associations and community events in the target area, handing out business cards and other marketing materials, implementing a referral program for customers, and encouraging your happy customers to leave reviews to get the word out to potential clients. Adapt your marketing efforts as needed to accommodate changing client bases and new landscaping or lawn services as your business grows.
At Morison Insurance, we want your business to be a success, and because we’re used to handling the insurance needs of the business community in Ontario, we know what needs to be done when starting a landscaping business. You can ask our insurance experts for professional advice on what you need to consider, whether you are just starting to research how to start a landscaping business or have already registered your business name and hired employees.
Give us a call today for expert advice on your commercial insurance or how to start a landscaping business in Ontario!
This content is written by our Morison Insurance team. All information posted is merely for educational and informational purposes. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Should you decide to act upon any information in this article, you do so at your own risk. While the information on this website has been verified to the best of our abilities, we cannot guarantee that there are no mistakes or errors.
