What’s so special about the Lawnkeeper franchise? – Cost, Alternatives, & Profit

Who doesn’t love a clean and flourishing garden? Everybody, isn’t it? Then why not just understand the business and partner with a reputed and most-loved lawn care franchise in the UK?

The demand in the lawncare sector is impressive, and its customer base is also growing at a rapid pace. Moreover, unlike other food franchises, it doesn’t demand a significant investment and gets customers across the city in all seasons, making it a recession-proof business.

So, here in this article, we’ll be discussing the potential opportunity with the Lawnkeeper franchise. Basically, on completion of this article, you’ll have the following mindful knowledge on the below topics:

1. What is a lawnkeeper franchise, and how is it positioned in the lawncare industry?
2. Benefits of partnering with Lawnkeeper business
3. The estimated initial investment cost and profit margin for this franchise
4. A few key facts, including its requirements and alternatives.

• Brand: Lawnkeeper
• Founded: 1991
• Key People: Sam Langrick
• Industry: Lawn care
• No. of outlet: 15+
• Area served: UK
• Franchise Fee: £9,000
• Royalty Fee: 8%
• Marketing fund: 2%
• Initial Investment: £19,700 to £25,000

Overview of Lawnkeeper franchise

Established in 1999 by Sam Langrick, Lawnkeeper is one of the UK’s most popular lawncare chains that offers a wide range of services, including moss, weed, disease control, aeration, scarification, and much more, to local and commercial customers.

The chain is a member of the Institute of Groundsmanship and a profound member of the BFA and the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association.

Considering the immense demand and flexible mode of operation, it allowed its founder to embrace the franchising concept in 2007. Currently, the chain has over 14 franchisees spread across the country.

With the ability to provide solutions for a variety of lawn problems, such as patchy growth, seasonal damage, and all other kinds of invasive flora, fungus, and pests, the franchise has served over 110,000 domestic households.

The lawnkeeper team also offers a free quotation for the work required, and with their latest equipment and experienced lawn experts, one can certainly have a clean and beautiful lawn all through the years.

Additionally, the brand is continuously looking out for aspiring candidates who are willing to put their effort into the industry by expanding their presence to other territories.

How is the lawnkeeper positioned in the lawncare industry?

The lawnkeeper has been in the industry for more than two decades, and they just started selling their franchises in 2007.

However, according to the study, there are over 18–20 million lawns across the country, and only quite a few million of these lawn owners employ any kind of lawn care specialist.

With over 90% of the UK lawn care market still untouched, partnering with a brand like Lawnkeeper will not only help you leverage the brand’s image and expertise but also create more chances for you to succeed in quick time.

According to the brand’s analysis, the franchise managed to divide the country into 173 different territories, with each consisting of around 100,000 potential customers. And even if approved candidates serve merely 1% of the given population, they can certainly expect a healthy return on investment.

Key facts about the Lawnkeeper

Why should you consider partnering with the Lawnkeeper franchise?

1. Low startup cost and high profit potential:
   • The lawnkeeper business can be started with an initial investment of as little as £20,000, and that’s not all; you can also expect a higher profit margin.
2. Recession-proof business:
   • Regardless of the economic condition, houseowners will still continue to invest in it, and as a result, you’ll continue to cater to the demands of domestic and commercial clients throughout the years, thus making it a recession-proof business.
3. Impressive growth opportunity:
   • As mentioned earlier, 90% of the lawn care market is still untapped, and partnering with Lawnkeeper, which provides franchises at a low cost and offers vast territories to operate in, will eventually provide ample opportunity for every candidate to maximize their earnings.
4. Higher customer retention rate:
   • The franchise’s expertise in serving best-in-class lawn care services has contributed significantly to their customer retention rate of a whopping 90% who continued to renew their contracts on a yearly basis.

How much does a lawnkeeper franchise cost?

The interested candidates can partner with Lawnkeeper with an initial investment of £19,700 to £25,000, which includes the franchise fee of £9,700 and other costs.

Additionally, if the candidates are willing to procure multiple territories, they have to put in more investment accordingly. Here is the cost breakdown for the investment:

• Set-up Equipment, Uniforms and PPE: £10,000
• Marketing costs (marketing and stationary initial package and then a menu option, which is additional to the Royal Mail leaflets delivery service)
• Vehicle costs: Ford Transit Custom needed

What are the ongoing costs for a lawnkeeper?

Like other franchises, royalty fees are a major contributor to their annual income because they not only help them provide the best services to their franchisees but also allow them to manage the brand’s operations effectively.

At present, Lawnkeeper levy a royalty fee of 8% that is usually calculated on your monthly sales. In addition to this, you’ll also need to pay a fee of 2% for marketing fee.

Does the lawnkeeper provide financial support?

Though one can partner with Lawnkeeper with an available liquid capital of £9,700, it is important to understand that the total initial investment for this franchise could range between £19,000 and £25,000.

For this, the lawnkeeper team helps the candidates procure the investment from third parties or can even guide them to apply under the government-backed business start-up scheme to borrow up to £25,000.

How much is the Lawnkeeper franchise profit margin?

Before taking on any franchisee, one would always dig into its earning capabilities. However, for any lawncare franchise, the estimated profit margin is solely dependent on location and the available market size.

It is also important to check the market presence of its competitor.

The fresh franchisees with no background in the lawncare sector can absolutely leverage the Lawnkeeper’s immense support system and training to provide customer-oriented services, allowing them to strengthen the overall customer base and revenue stream.

With an expected yearly income of £25,039 for the first year to potentially generate over £250k per annum in the next few years, Lawnkeeper may certainly prove your every penny worth.

To conclude, the larger the customer you serve, the better the margin you expect.

What does it require to become a Lawnkeeper franchise?

1. Though it is not necessary to have any prior experience in the industry, possessing strong business and great communication skills is a must.
2. Despite its extensive training program, it will be “YOU” who need to put in the required effort and display it on the field to generate a healthy monthly income.
3. Though the application program is open to candidates of all ages and backgrounds, you need to be at least physically fit to carry out all the necessary operations.
4. You should be great at team building and should be ready to understand the customer’s needs and deliver the required services.

How does the lawnkeeper support its business owners?

The franchisee receives regular communication from head office that guides them about the industry’s best practices and ongoing training on the latest equipment to stay ahead in the competition.

Additionally, the team also tracks your progress and trains you if there is any improvement needed. With their state-of-the-art marketing strategy and social media presence, you’ll also receive daily leads from them.

What’s the best alternative to the Lawnkeeper franchise?

There is certainly no doubt that the lawnkeeper is a great franchise opportunity. However, finding its competitors and performing in-depth analysis on them not just widens your understanding of the businesses but also helps you compare the competitive advantage of the chosen franchise.

Let’s jump into its two best alternatives:

Lawn Master franchise

It was only founded during a similar period, i.e., in the 1990s. Bob Underhill and his wife, Rachel, who shared a similar vision that revolved around having a neat, clean, healthy lawn, gave birth to Lawn Master in the UK.

Since the last 25 years, they have been in business and expanding their presence to other locations by partnering with passionate candidates. Its franchise fee is also approximately £9,000, and it also offers similar services.

There are a few more interesting things about this chain, do check that out.

TruGreen franchise

Your search for a lawn care brand shouldn’t end until you do research on TruGreen.

TruGreen was established in 1973 and offers a diverse range of lawn care services across the United Kingdom and the US market. Under the leadership of John Cowles, the CEO, TruGreen currently operates over 314 locations.

Moreover, there are several existing TruGreen franchises that have been associated with the brand for more than two to three decades.

The minimum capital required to become a TruGreen franchise could range between £28,000 and £35,000. The chain also has multiple territories available, and a few locations are open for resale.

To learn more about it, you can check out the given article.

Read more: How to Start a TruGreen Franchise – Cost, Fee, & Profit

Application procedure to partner with Lawnkeeper

Now you should be perfectly aware of this brand and its service offerings. To proceed with next step, you need to navigate to its official website and fill in the personal details in the request info form.

If needed, you can also schedule a call with one of their franchising managers, where you can discuss more about their services and terms and conditions.

Wrap Up: The Final Thought

The lawn care industry is certainly booming, and given its initial investment cost, it eventually presents a lucrative business opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs who aspire to join the lawn care industry and share a deep bond in caring for lawns and gardens.

While you perform your research on this franchise, don’t miss out check out its alternatives (mentioned above).

Want to explore more? Then check out below franchising opportunities.

Food & Beverages Franchise, Bakery Franchise, Home Improvement, Car wash, Real Estate, and Tea & Café Franchise

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