As lawn care Pros, we all want to deliver a great experience and keep our customers happy, right? But sometimes, a customer might ask for work that isn’t part of the basic lawn mowing service — and that’s totally okay. The key is knowing how to politely explain what’s included and offer a quote for any extras. Here’s how to do that with confidence, clarity, and courtesy.
✅ What’s Included in Basic Lawn Mowing
First, it helps to know what’s already covered. The standard mowing service includes:
A full mow of the lawn (Check the details to see if it is the full yard, backyard only, or front yard only)
Edging with a string trimmer around the house, fences, trees, and mailboxes
Maintaining an existing hard edge (not creating a new one)
Blowing off clippings from all hard surfaces — patios, walkways, driveways, etc.
Anything outside of this — such as creating a hard edge, trimming bushes, pulling weeds, cleanups, etc. — is considered an additional service. You should quote the customer for extra work, which means an additional charge for the customer and extra earnings for you if they accept the quote.
💬 How to Say It Politely
Here are a few friendly phrases you can use to let the customer know something is outside the included service:
“I’d be happy to help with that. Just a heads up — it’s not part of the basic mow, but I can send over a quote in the app for you to review and approve.”
“That type of work isn’t included in the standard mowing, but I can take a few photos and send in a quote on the app for you to approve.”
“Basic service covers mowing, edging, and blowing clippings — anything extra like bush trimming or cleanup is a separate job. I can send a quote over in the app for you to approve. If you aren’t ready right now, you can request it yourself in the app later, and I can evaluate and give a price then.”
Customers appreciate transparency, especially when it’s delivered with a helpful attitude.
📸 Pro Tip: Photos Help With Quotes and After Pics
If you’re submitting the quote yourself, make sure to take clear photos of the area that needs the extra work. These are helpful in two big ways:
They show the customer exactly what the quote is for.
They become your “before” photos, so when the job is done, you can take matching “after” photos to highlight the difference.
This adds a professional touch, builds trust, and shows off the quality of your work.
📲 Directing Customers to the App
If the customer wants to request the service directly, you can gently point them to the app:
“You can request a quote right in the LawnStarter app. Will you make sure to put complete details of everything you would like done? This way I can quote you accurately and give you exactly what you’re looking for.”
That way, the customer stays in the loop and knows how to ask for more work when needed in the future.
👍 Keep It Positive
Remember, setting boundaries around what’s included isn’t being difficult — it’s being professional. A lot of customers don’t mind paying for additional work as long as they understand what they’re getting. Being upfront and kind about it builds trust and keeps expectations clear.
Got a go-to phrase you use when quoting extra work? Share it in the comments — let’s help each other grow ⤵️