Just like in any industry, in landscape design, there are both pros and cons. If this is a field you are debating entering, then you are likely curious about what the cons might be, to see if it is something you would be able to work through, or if it would be a deal breaker. Let’s take a look at what exactly the cons of being a landscape designer are, and how you can work around them.
The four cons of being a landscape designer are working outside all day, not having a set schedule, not always having steady work, and having tough competition in the field. Some of these cons will not have as big an impact on the job as others.
Now that we’ve taken a look at the four cons of being a landscape designer, let’s go through each one of them in depth so you can see for yourself if it would be something you could work through, or if you find that landscape design perhaps isn’t the field for you after all. We’ll also go through tips and suggestions to work around these challenges and overcome them!
Working Outside All Day
For some people, working outside is a dream come true, and nothing could be better for them than escaping a 9-5 desk job and working with their hands. But keep in mind, doing this day after a period can take its toll. There will be days when you will have to be outside for long periods of time in the scorching sun and scalding hot temps. While you can always drink lots of water to cool down, and I highly recommend you apply and reapply sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun, there is no escaping the heat that will inevitably come on long summer days.
To protect yourself from the sun I highly advise wearing lightweight clothing, a hat, and sunglasses. Stay in the shade as much as you can, and remember to hydrate frequently. Regardless of these precautions, it will still be pretty hot in the sun, especially if you are out mowing the lawn, planting flowers, or doing some other kind of yard work that requires a lot of movement.
On the other side, if you are taking on jobs during the winter to stay busy during the off-season, it can get very cold outside while you are working. Jobs such as snow removal and Christmas light hanging will likely be the worst of it, as you are likely out in December with the snow and the icy temps! Of course, you can take precautions such as layering up, wearing gloves, boots and multiple pairs of socks. But at the end of the day, you are still working outside for at least a few hours in December, so it will get chilly.
You could always invest in a portable outdoor heater that you could use to keep warm, or take breaks inside your car with the heat on, but you still will have to be outside working in the cold for hours at a time until the job is done. If you are not accustomed to working in the cold or are worried about being outside in the cold for hours, then consider if this is the role for you.
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Not Having a Set Schedule
Another con of the job is not having a set schedule. It certainly isn’t by any means a 9-5! Again, some people will enjoy this variation in their work life and love the fact that no two days are the same, while others will hate it! Another thing to keep in mind is that your work day won’t necessarily end at an exact time if a service you are working on runs late. You may have the best intentions to have a client’s lawn mown and packed up by 5:00, but some days you may end up getting stuck well past when you had planned to leave.
You may also have to work on weekends and evenings if that is when the client is available to work with you. Making this job less than ideal for those who value having weekends off or having evenings free. To avoid this, you could certainly work as a freelance designer and make an effort to plan out your schedule as best as you can and only take on jobs that fit within the hours you want to work. But this may leave you finding fewer jobs to take on and earning a lower wage than you’d like to be making.
Not Always Having Steady Work
The trouble of having a role such as landscape designer, is not always knowing where your next paycheck is coming from. Some months you may have more work than you know the next month be bone dry and slow for weeks on end. It isn’t quite as simple and straightforward as having a nice office job where you have a guaranteed pay per week. Sometimes lining up clients and getting jobs can be a full-time job in itself.
This can be especially tricky if you are just starting, and are working independently or starting your own company. You will have to network and advertise to start landing clients, and it could be quite some time before you are making enough money to properly support yourself and pay the bills.
If this is something that worries you, then you may want to ask yourself whether landscape designer is the right role for you. There are plenty of other jobs out there that come with a lot more peace of mind as far as knowing where your next paycheck will be coming from and knowing how much you’ll be making each month.
There are many other roles inside the industry that are a little less risky, where you can find work through a landscaping business or firm that will line up positions for you. If you are worried about the uncertainty of having to line up your own jobs, consider looking into these positions instead.
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Having Tough Competition
Lastly, having tough competition might just be the biggest con of working in the landscaping industry. There are many others out there who are offering the same services you are offering and are trying to beat you out for clients. Some of them have been in the industry for decades, and likely have the upper hand when it comes to winning clients. Their experience will speak for itself, and if you are just getting started, you will have a tough time getting clients to choose you over them.
You can work to overcome this by offering competitive prices and bundled services to stand out from the competition. But be careful, you can’t lower your prices so much that you aren’t even making a profit on your service.
But the flipside of this is if your prices are too high, or even the same as your competitors you won’t have a competitive edge to win guests over. It’s a tricky slope, but one you will have to figure out if you want to succeed in this industry. According to landscapeprofes.sionals.org the landscaping industry employs approximately one million people and is growing. Obviously all one million of these people don’t live in your neighborhood, but you understand the gist of why your competition will be strong regardless, of this many people in the industry.
Weighing the Four Cons Considering these four concerns
When entering the landscaping industry, then I would advise taking these four considerations to make your decision. Of course, every industry has pros as well so please take those into consideration as well before making your decision. But make sure these cons are ones that you can manage or live with. You don’t want to start into a career that you very quickly find is not to your liking.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are there related jobs within the field that I can pursue instead?
You could always look into landscape architecture, which is a related field to landscape design, however, focuses more on the design aspect of landscaping. You will be working more with clients and inside offices rather than spending time outside. This is a more stable field as landscape architects usually have a set salary and work for larger companies, however, the competition will be much higher to get into.
Is the salary worth the trouble I will have to put up with?
The average salary landscape figure is about 57,000 per year according to indeed.com. But you have the potential to make up to six figure salaries. It all depends on the firm you work for and the clientele you build up. With these numbers in mind, you will have to decide for yourself whether or not this salary is worth the cons for you.
To learn more on how you can start your own landscaping business, check out my startup documents here.
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Meet Shawn Chun: Entrepreneur and Landscape Business Fan.
I’m a happy individual who happens to be an entrepreneur. I have owned several types of businesses in my life from a coffee shop to an import and export business to an online review business plus a few more and now I create online resources for those interested in starting new ventures. It’s demanding work but I love it. I do it for those passionate about their business and their goals. That’s why when I meet a landscape business owner at a job site, driving down the road or anywhere else I see myself. I know how hard the struggle is to retain clients, find good employees and keep the business growing all while trying to stay competitive.
That’s why I created Landscaping Business Boss: I want to help landscape business owners like you build a thriving business that brings you endless joy and supports your ideal lifestyle.