Costs · Canada
Seasonal Lawn Care Plan vs Paying Per Cut: Which One Fits You?
IllustrationA seasonal lawn care plan books your mowing for the whole season, on a set day, weekly or every two weeks. Paying per cut means you book and pay for each visit when you want it. A season plan fits most busy homeowners, because the grass never gets too long between cuts. Paying per cut fits small, slow-growing lawns and people who like to mow most weeks themselves.
What does paying per cut mean?
You call or text a lawn company when the grass looks long. They come when they have room. You pay for that one visit, and that's the end of it.
Some people like this. There's no deal to sign and nothing paid ahead. If you're away for most of July, you just don't book.
The catch is the timing. You're not on anyone's route, so you wait for an open spot. In a wet June, every company is busy at once. Your "quick cut" can turn into a ten-day wait.
Each visit also stands on its own. The crew that shows up may not be the crew that came last time. They don't know your gate code, your soft corner by the downspout or where the dog's toys end up.
What is a seasonal lawn care plan?
A season plan puts your lawn on a schedule from the first spring cut to the last fall cut. You pick weekly or every two weeks. Your crew comes on the same day each time.
You stop thinking about the lawn. Nobody needs to look out the window and decide if it's time. The visit just happens.
Most plans are paid in one of two ways:
- Paid up front for the whole season
- Billed monthly or after each visit, with the schedule locked in
Read how a plan handles pausing, cancelling and rain days before you pick one. Our post on what to read in a lawn care contract covers those lines.
What happens to your lawn when cuts get skipped?
This is the biggest difference between the two, and it has nothing to do with money at first. It's about the grass.
City lawn guides across Canada repeat the same rule: don't cut off more than one third of the grass blade at once. The City of Kamloops gives a simple example. If your grass is 9 cm tall, only take off 3 cm and leave 6 cm.
The City of Greater Sudbury says to cut grass to 6 to 8 cm (2.5 to 3 inches). It warns that cutting off more than one third can shock the plant. That leaves it more open to disease and pests.
How fast does grass get too long?
Faster than most people think. The City of St. Albert says to mow about every 4 to 5 days in the growing season, and about once a week in the shoulder season.
So in May and June, a lawn can go from fine to shaggy in a week. When you pay per cut and wait for a spot, the grass keeps growing. By the time the crew comes, one pass would take off way more than a third.
St. Albert's fix for a lawn that got too long is a double cut, with the second pass going across the first. That's more time on your lawn, and more time is what you pay for.
Which one costs less over a season?
There's no one answer, because every lawn is priced on its own. But you can see what pushes the total up or down.
Things that change the cost of either choice:
- Lawn size. The biggest part of any mowing price.
- How many visits. Weekly means more visits than every two weeks.
- Overgrown cuts. Long grass takes longer, and may need a second pass.
- Slopes, gates and obstacles. Beds, trees and tight gates all add time.
- Add-ons. Trimming, edging, hedges and cleanups on top of mowing.
With pay per cut, the visit count is lower if you skip weeks. But each late visit can take longer, and you may pay extra when the grass is long. With a season plan, the visits are steady, so each cut is a normal one.
Our guide to what affects lawn mowing cost goes through each of these in more detail.
Can skipped cuts get you a bylaw notice?
They can, if the gap gets long enough. Many Canadian cities set a maximum grass height. In Hamilton, the Yard Maintenance By-law says grass and weeds must not go over 20 cm (8 inches).
A lawn on a weekly plan won't get close to that. A lawn that waits three weeks in a wet June might. If you travel a lot in summer, that's worth knowing. Our post on long grass bylaws in Canada lists the rules in other cities.
Who is paying per cut a good fit for?
Paying per cut can work well when:
- You mow yourself most weeks and only want help now and then
- Your lawn is small, shady or slow-growing
- You only need a cut before a party, a sale or a long trip
- You're selling the house and only need it tidy for a few weeks
- You don't mind waiting a few days for an open spot
If that sounds like you, keep a mower handy for the busy weeks. Spring growth won't wait for a company's schedule.
Who is a season plan a good fit for?
A season plan works best when:
- You don't want to mow at all, from spring to fall
- Your lawn is big or grows fast in the spring
- You work long hours or travel during the summer
- You want the same crew who knows your yard
- You want trimming, edging or a fall cleanup done by the same people
The plan also takes the guesswork out of it. You never text "are you coming this week?" because your day is already set.
What should you ask before you pick?
Whichever way you go, ask these questions first. Get the answers in writing.
- What does each visit include? Mowing only, or trimming and edging too?
- Is it the same crew every time?
- What happens when it rains on your day?
- Is there an extra charge for long grass?
- Can you pause for a vacation, and how?
- If you cancel partway, what do you get back?
- Is the crew insured, and can you see proof?
That last one matters for both options. A crew working on your property should carry liability insurance. Our page on what vetted and insured means explains what to look for.
How does the Golden Oak season plan work?
Golden Oak Lawn Care matches you with a vetted, insured local partner crew. They do the work. We stand behind it with the Golden Oak Guarantee.
Our mowing runs on a season plan called the Worry-Free Lawn Season. You pick weekly or every two weeks. Here's what comes with it:
- Your price by text in 60 minutes, from 7am to 8pm
- The same crew every visit
- A photo after every cut
- On-Time Guarantee: if your crew misses your window, that cut is free
- Love-It Guarantee: text a photo within 24 hours and your crew re-cuts it free within 48 hours
- Season paid up front, with pausing for vacations by text
- Cancel anytime and we refund half of your unused visits
- First cut free when you book the season
We measure your lawn from satellite images, so nobody needs to visit. Read how the 60-minute satellite price works, or see the three steps on how it works. Your crew can also handle trimming, hedges and cleanups when you need them.
Want it handled? Get your price in 60 minutes, or call 1-866-904-LAWN.
Season Plan vs Pay Per Cut Questions
Is a lawn care season plan worth it?
For most busy homeowners, yes. Your lawn gets cut on a set day, so it never gets too long. That keeps each visit a normal cut instead of a slow, overgrown one.
Is paying per cut cheaper?
Only if you skip a lot of weeks. Fewer visits cost less, but long grass takes longer to cut. Some companies charge extra for overgrown lawns, so ask before you book.
Should I pick weekly or every two weeks?
Weekly suits fast-growing lawns in spring and early summer. Every two weeks can suit slow, shady or dry lawns. Our answer on how often to mow in Canada has more on this.
Can I pause a season plan when I go away?
With Golden Oak, yes. Text us your dates and your crew skips those visits. They pick up again when you're back.
Rules change, so check with your city before you plan. Sources: City of Kamloops: healthy lawns, City of Greater Sudbury: green gardening and lawn care, City of St. Albert: grasscycling, City of Hamilton: property use by-laws.
