Hello, this is Benjamin George, Co-Founder, and CEO of TopBlades, LLC.

Here at TopBlades, we understand that price is a big part of the buying decision and want to be open and transparent about our pricing structure. It is uncommon in our industry to share this information, but I believe that by making our costs, expenses, and prices transparent we will earn the trust of our customers, employees, and community. We have nothing to hide and want to give our customers all the information they need to determine if we are the right fit for their landscaping project or maintenance.

That being said, we are not the right landscape company for some homeowners and Customers. If someone is looking for price discounts, bartering, or price-matching... TopBlades is not the service for them. We have standardized pricing on all the services we perform. We strive to make a financially-sustainable business that can serve our customers far into the future. We aren't the lowest price in town, but we are constantly looking for ways to improve our efficiency within the company to give our customers the best price possible.

I have worked in the landscape industry for over 15 years and have spoken with lots of homeowners in Washington and Johnson County about their lawn care and landscape needs. Occasionally, people are distraught when they receive their price quote and find that the estimated cost of the project is much more than they had anticipated. Their question is "Why is this so expensive and how did you come up with this price?"

I understand your frustration.

I want to answer the most common questions I have heard when it comes to our pricing at TopBlades.

# 1: "Why is it so expensive?"
I understand that homeowners must work within certain parameters of a budget. For this reason, I understand the perplexity when a seemingly small landscape project costs a few thousand dollars when they could do it within 3-4 days on their own.

We will be more expensive than an uninsured, unlicensed landscaper that isn't bonded with the state, does not pay sales tax, or pays their employees under the table. Here are the risks of hiring a service such as that:

1.) If a worker gets hurt on your property while they are trimming a bush, you could be liable. 
2.) Under-the-table employees tend to be less reliable, trustworthy, professional, or courteous. 
3.) An unlicensed company not paying sales tax will eventually go out of business, and you will be stuck trying to find another service company. 

I think you get the point...

There is a lot of overhead we must pay to make sure that we can serve our customers quickly and effectively. We have implemented the highest grade software system for our crews, office, and Team to communicate on so that we can pass information accurately and efficiently to our Customers. We upgraded our Internet servers to enterprise-level to make sure we keep your billing information and credit card transactions safe and encrypted. This all costs money, and we cannot afford to provide this elite level of service if we price our services far below industry averages.

Every day, I am asking our Team "how can we save 5 minutes during our morning loading time?" or "what is the most efficient route to deliver materials?" To say that we are OBSESSED with efficiency would be an understatement. The reason? We want to pass those savings on to you, the end Customer and make our services affordable to as many Iowa residents as possible. This leads me to the next question... 

#2: "Is the owner trying to get rich off me?"

Well, I am the owner so let me tell you directly =) I give my paycheck back to TopBlades each quarter. We have open-book management so front-line Team members could confirm this since they see the financial statements each month. I am building the company and (most importantly) the Team for the long-term... It is very important to me that we retain our Team members and give them year-round work. Also the compensation and benefits we offer our Team are 20-30% higher than our industry average. Why does this matter? We don't have massive turnover. You will see the same staff on your property, year after year. You can expect professional Team members on your property that are non-smokers and have had to pass drug tests and background checks.

We want to make this a place where Team members can make a career and provide for their families. This is more than just words, it takes a financial commitment on my part to make sure the company is profitable enough to offer middle-class earning jobs. We have a long way to go before I am happy. I want to eventually offer full medical coverage and tuition payback... But, we have a great Team!

I know that economies change, markets and industries change, but if we can build a solid team of professionals... we will be unstoppable! Our ambitions are high and we have big plans for TopBlades and what we can do as a Team.


I hope this article answered some of your questions. I look forward to doing business with you. Our Team can't wait to give you a "TopBlades Experience." I have compiled other articles on the website that show our prices for certain services such as mowing, retaining walls, paver patios, and more! Please read those if you are considering those services.

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to email us at ben@topblades.org

Sincerely,

Benjamin George
Co-Founder and CEO

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