You never truly know what a job will be like until you’ve spent at least a day in the role. To make sure it’s a good fit before you start, you need to do your homework on the job — because it doesn’t look good if you are constantly changing jobs.
One growing industry you should consider is the landscaping field. And within that sector are two main options: commercial or residential landscaping jobs.
Some companies offer both services, but even those will have dedicated crews for each property type. Although residential and commercial landscapes have similarities, they are two very different animals.
So before you decide what’s the right job for you, make sure you understand the specific ins and outs of each — and what’s best for you.
How Residential and Commercial Landscaping are Different
The basics are pretty much the same for both types of landscapes: You mow, trim, install plants and work to enhance both of them, but that’s pretty much where the similarities end.
Here are some ways commercial jobs will differ from residential ones:
- You rarely deal with the owner of the property: It’s most likely the property manager.
- You’re working on higher-dollar contracts.
- You have to perform work around people and other site traffic.
It’s important you know the basics since the two types of services are pretty different, even though they are in the same industry.
Opportunity for Career Growth
One of your main concerns for any job is if there will be the opportunity to advance within the company.
There are ways to move up in both commercial and residential jobs, but there will probably be a higher ceiling for advancement with commercial companies.
With residential work, there are normal crewmembers, field supervisors and then the owner. Depending on the size of the company, they may also have office staff, an in-house mechanic and possibly a marketing team.
But there are a lot of other facets when it comes to commercial landscaping jobs, since the size and scope are larger than residential. There are still crewmen and field supervisors, but there can also be crew drivers, account managers, business development managers and operations managers.
That gives you higher positions to aspire to, no matter where you start in the company. And with a higher position comes a higher salary.
Commercial Landscaping Challenges
There are several benefits to having a commercial landscaping job, but there are also some added challenges compared to residential work.
Commercial properties will probably have a higher expectation for quality since they need to attract tenants and visitors — not just add curb appeal. That means workers will need to use best practices for all of the services and even walk around the site with property managers to see if there are issues.
Another possible challenge is having to work around site visitors. It’s not like performing services at a home where the yard is free of traffic that could get in the way. You could be on a retail, office or medical facility property with people walking around where you need to be working. It can add a wrinkle to your work.
Find the Best Commercial Landscaping Job
A job in the landscaping industry can have its perks, like being able to work outside, transform a property and learn marketable skills. And if you decide to focus on commercial landscaping jobs, look for a company that values its employees and promotes from within.
We only work on commercial properties at Level Green Landscaping, and we’re one of the top companies in the Washington DC area. Beyond offering competitive pay and health benefits, we also create a family work atmosphere and ways for our employees to meet their career goals.
Ready to work in a rewarding industry?
