Swiftbank Lenders, a small-business funding service in Grand Forks, North Dakota, explains how to buy a lawn care or landscaping business: checking which customers and contracts transfer, inspecting the equipment, estimating running costs, and funding the purchase with a term loan, equipment financing and a line of credit. It includes Grand Forks County landscaping figures.
Lawn Care in Grand Forks County, ND by the Numbers
Grand Forks County counted 31 landscaping services employers in 2023, 71.0% with fewer than five employees, and 177 employees in total (County Business Patterns). Separately, 69 landscaping businesses operated without payroll in 2024 with $2.0 million in combined receipts, about $29,300 each on average by our arithmetic (Nonemployer Statistics). Industry notes are on landscaping business funding.
How to Buy a Lawn Care Business: What You Are Paying For
- Customers: the route list, with what each pays and how long they have been customers.
- Contracts: written agreements, especially commercial ones, and whether they can be assigned to you.
- Equipment: mowers, trailers, trucks and small tools, with hours and condition.
- The name and phone number: how customers find the business today.
Customers without written contracts can leave after a sale, so a partner will value them cautiously. Ask the seller to stay on for a transition period and to introduce you to the largest accounts.
Running Costs for a Lawn Care Business
Running costs depend on the size of the route and the services offered, so there is no single local figure. The categories are predictable: fuel, equipment maintenance and replacement, insurance, labor, disposal fees, and the payments on whatever equipment is financed. Build a monthly budget from the seller's records and your own quotes before agreeing on a price.
Lawn Care Business Loans: Funding the Purchase
| Piece | Structure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Customer list and goodwill | Term loan | Repaid from route income over years |
| Mowers, trailers and trucks | Equipment financing | Each unit secures its own financing |
| Fuel, payroll and repairs after closing | Line of credit | Draw when needed, repay as customers pay |
Worked numbers, hypothetical (not an offer)
A buyer agrees to $85,000 for a residential mowing route with about 140 accounts, including two zero-turn mowers, a trailer and trimmers that an inspection values at $24,000. The buyer brings $15,000. The request might be $46,000 on a term loan for the route and $24,000 against the equipment, with a small line of credit for the first months.
Can You Finance a Lawn Mower Separately?
Yes. Dealer financing is one route for a single new mower, and partners may finance used commercial mowers from dealers too, often with a shorter term. If the purchase includes old equipment that will need replacing soon, plan that replacement in the budget rather than discovering it in the first month.
Checking the Route Before You Buy
Ride along for a few days if the seller allows it. Note how long each stop takes, how far apart the stops are and how the equipment holds up. A route spread across the county can burn more fuel and time per account than a tight one in the city, and that difference belongs in the price you offer.
What Partners Ask For
- The seller's tax returns and route income records
- The purchase agreement, including what transfers
- Equipment list with hours and an inspection or appraisal
- Your track record in lawn care or landscaping
- Your business bank statements, if you already operate
Sector-by-sector Census counts for the county are on the Grand Forks, ND page.
