Ask three contractors to price the same property and you will often get numbers that are nowhere near each other. The instinct is to assume someone is overcharging. More often, they are quoting three different jobs.
Normalise the visit count first
A season priced at 22 visits and a season priced at 16 are not comparable, and the per-visit rate on the cheaper one is frequently higher. Divide the seasonal total by the number of visits before you compare anything. If the visit count is not stated, that is your first question.
Then check what a visit includes
The word “mowing” hides a lot of variation:
- Trimming — is the string trimming along fences, beds and the foundation included, or billed separately?
- Blow-down — are the driveway, walkway and street edge cleared of clippings before the crew leaves?
- Clippings — mulched back in, or bagged and hauled away? Hauling costs real money.
- Edging — how often are hard edges re-cut? Once a season and every visit are very different services.
Watch for the things quoted separately
Spring and fall cleanups, aeration, overseeding and fertilisation are frequently outside the mowing contract. A low mowing number beside four unpriced add-ons is not a low quote — it is an incomplete one. Ask for the all-in seasonal figure covering everything you actually want done.
Questions that separate contractors quickly
- How many visits, and what happens in a drought when the grass stops growing?
- Do I get the same crew each week?
- What day of the week, and what arrival window?
- Are you insured, and are you cleared with the WSIB? Can I see the certificates?
- What happens if I am not happy with a visit?
That fourth one matters more than people realise. If an uninsured worker is injured on your property, the exposure can land on you. Any legitimate contractor will produce certificates without hesitation — and most property managers ask for them as a matter of course. Homeowners should too.