LANDSCAPING BUSINESS LAUNCH CHECKLIST
From https://www.brix.so/start/landscaping (updated 2026-10-24)
Print it, tick it off, keep it in the truck.

DAY 1

[ ] Find out whether your state licenses landscape contractors, irrigators or horticulturists, and what dollar or task triggers it
[ ] Register the business, get a free EIN and open a business checking account
[ ] Buy general liability, tools and equipment (inland marine) coverage, and any license bond your state requires
[ ] Decide which work you'll do in year one: maintenance, installs, hardscape or irrigation
[ ] Set up a business phone line and a simple quote template with a materials line and a labor line
[ ] Open trade accounts at a nursery, a stone yard and a bulk mulch supplier
[ ] Save 811 to your phone and build the locate request into every dig job

MONTH 3

[ ] Turn every maintenance client into a candidate for one install project, and ask
[ ] Compare actual crew hours and material costs against each quote you sent
[ ] Take before and after photos of every install for your Google Business Profile
[ ] Collect deposits on install jobs before you order plants or stone
[ ] Book next season's maintenance contracts before the current season ends
[ ] Text back every missed call the same hour

YEAR 1

[ ] Add workers' comp before your first hire and check your state's rules for seasonal crews
[ ] If you'll need seasonal workers next year, look into the H-2B filing calendar early
[ ] Decide whether to buy or keep renting the big machines based on how many days you used them
[ ] Add a commercial umbrella policy if your installs or commercial clients call for higher limits
[ ] Write a winter plan: snow, holiday lighting, design work or planned downtime
[ ] Raise prices where your calendar is full and your margins are thin
[ ] Review whether an LLC or S corp election fits now that you have a year of numbers

Rules, fees and licensing vary by state, county and city. Check your state
agencies and local licensing office before you take paid work. This checklist
is not legal or tax advice.

Questions? Call or text (518) 588-1122, or book 15 minutes:
https://cal.com/ethanharris/15min