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Stop Losing Money Every Winter
Your mowers might be parked, but your customers still need help. This free checklist covers the winter services lawn care pros are using to keep revenue coming in from November through March.
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Winter does not have to mean zero revenue
Most lawn care businesses lose 40–60% of their annual revenue during winter. Crews sit idle, trucks sit parked, and customers forget you exist until spring.
But the businesses that keep growing year-round are the ones that diversify. They add services that match the season — and sell them to the customers who already trust them.
You do not need to become a different company. You just need to look at what your customers need when the grass stops growing. This checklist walks you through the highest-value winter services and how to start offering them.
What is on the checklist
Six categories of winter services you can start offering with equipment you likely already own — or can add without a huge investment.
Snow & Ice Management
Driveway and lot plowing, sidewalk shoveling, salt and sand spreading, de-icing for commercial properties, and emergency callouts after storms.
Christmas Light Installation
Measure and quote, residential and commercial installs, bulb replacement and maintenance, takedown after the season, and off-season storage.
Holiday Decorating
Wreaths on doors, garland on railings and posts, yard displays and inflatables, commercial storefront decorating, and full takedown service.
Tree & Shrub Care
Dormant pruning (the best time for most species), dead limb removal, storm damage cleanup, stump grinding, and winter mulch ring refresh.
Property Winterization
Irrigation system blowouts, spigot and hose bib covers, outdoor furniture storage, gutter cleaning before freeze, and downspout inspection.
Firewood Services
Source wood from your own tree jobs, split and season it, then sell delivery, stacking, and bundled firewood to residential customers.
Plus pricing guidance and pitch scripts for each category.
How to pick your winter services
Start with your customers
Send a quick email or text to your mowing list. Ask what they need help with this winter. You will be surprised how many say yes.
Match your equipment
If you already own a truck and trailer, snow plowing is a natural fit. Already doing tree work? Sell the firewood. Start with what you have.
Test two or three
Do not try to launch everything at once. Pick two or three services, price them, and offer them this winter. Expand next year based on what works.
The math on winter services
You do not need to replace all your mowing revenue. Even a few winter services add up quickly:
Christmas light install
per house
$400–$800
Snow plowing contract
per month
$150–$300
Irrigation blowout
per visit
$75–$125
Dormant tree pruning
per job
$200–$500
Firewood delivery
per cord
$200–$350
Holiday decorating
per property
$300–$600
10 light installs + 5 plowing contracts + 20 blowouts = $12,000+ in winter revenue.
That is from three services, sold to customers who already know and trust you.
Not sure what to charge? Use our pricing calculator to set competitive rates. Or check out our off-season services checklist for even more ideas beyond winter.
Why winter services work for lawn care pros
Your customers already trust you
They hired you all summer. When you offer winter services, it is not a cold pitch — it is a trusted provider expanding what they do.
Less competition
Most lawn care companies shut down for winter. The ones that keep working have the market almost to themselves.
Keep your crew working
Good employees leave if you lay them off every winter. Year-round work keeps your best people and reduces spring hiring headaches.
Spring pipeline
Every winter customer is a warm lead for spring mowing, landscaping, and maintenance contracts. You are building next year while earning today.
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Questions
Irrigation blowouts and gutter cleaning are the easiest starting points — they require minimal equipment and your existing customers already need them. Christmas lights are a bigger investment to learn but have high margins and strong repeat rates once you build a client list.
Yes. Most general liability policies for lawn care do not cover snow and ice work. You will likely need a snow removal endorsement or a separate policy. Talk to your insurance agent before your first plow job — commercial lot contracts especially will require proof of coverage.
Most pros charge per linear foot ($5–$10 for rooflines) plus a flat fee for trees and bushes. Include the cost of lights, clips, and storage in your first-year price. Returning customers in year two are almost pure profit since you already own the materials and know the layout.
Start in September or October. Send an email or text to your existing mowing customers first — they already trust you and are the easiest to convert. Update your website to show winter services before the first frost so you show up in local searches.
It depends on your market and how many services you offer. A solo operator adding Christmas lights and snow plowing can realistically bring in $10,000–$25,000 over a winter season. A crew that adds three or four services can replace most of their mowing revenue.
Your website should sell winter services too
LawnEngine gives you a professional website that updates with the seasons — so customers find you for snow removal, Christmas lights, and more.