Landscaping is a rewarding job for those who love design, gardening, and working directly with customers on projects with visible results. However, unless you live in a tropical environment the chances are good that you will need to find another source of income to supplement during the off-season. I have put together a list of jobs and opportunities that are a great fit for landscapers during “the other 6 months.”
Professional landscapers can make use of the off-season to generate some extra cash both indoors and out.
Jobs landscapers can do in the off-season are:
- Snow removal
- Gutter maintenance
- Hanging holiday décor
- Landscape Design
- Teaching
- Tax Preparation
- Retail Associate
- Hauling Grain
- Custom Farm Work
These ideas are a great starting place to get your imagination flowing and put the off-season to work for you!
Top jobs Landscapers Can do Outdoors in the Winter:
Snow Removal
This is one of the first jobs landscapers turn to fill the off-season hours. Snow removal can include plowing, snow-blowing, and spreading salt. You can find work as an employee for an established business or become an independent contractor.
Things to think about for snow removal
- Start-up cost: This is likely to be minimal if hiring somewhere and significant if beginning as a contractor. Costs include equipment, licensing, insurance, and fuel.
- Steadiness: Snow removal is directly related to the weather. In some areas, work is guaranteed, while in other places it can vary widely. You will want to keep this in mind as you make your decision.
- I suggest contacting snow removal services in your area to ask them the average number of hours per season they expect to be employed. Knowing this number will give you a baseline for figuring out how much income snow removal is likely to generate.
- Hours: It may not be the first thing that comes to mind, but this is a very important thing to remember when considering a job in snow removal. Customers will need their walks and drives cleaned before business hours if it snows overnight and working into the wee hours is common.
Commonly used equipment for snow removal
- Truck mounted plow
- Snowblower
- Walk-behind Rock Salt Spreader
- Hand-held Rock Salt-Shaker
- Rock Salt
Licensing for Snow Removal
This varies from place to place but in general, you should expect to need a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) to operate snow removal equipment, and some states require a business license. Always check with your local business administration office for specifics on your locale.
- Expected Income: Many snow removal contractors charge between $25.00-$75.00 per hour.
Gutter Cleaning and Maintenance
Gutters are an important part of maintaining a building and need upkeep and cleaning regularly. Some of the best times for cleaning out gutters happen to be when landscapers are available.
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Things to think about for gutter maintenance
- Start-up cost: This line of work has the advantage of not requiring large investments. Those who plan to work by hand will have lower costs than those who decide to use specialized equipment. For everyone, there will be licensing and insurance.
- Steadiness: Most customers will want their gutters cleaned in the fall. This means you will be very busy during October and November while new contracts will likely taper off into November and December in most areas. Business will pick up again in the spring as the rainy season returns.
- Hours: The off-season has a shorter amount of daylight in most regions, so hours will likely run from first thing in the morning until late afternoon. This is one of the advantages of the gutter business. No evenings and nights away from your home and family!
- Location: By this, I am referring to the number of feet off the ground. Don’t forget that this job is performed in the air and if you aren’t comfortable with heights and ladders, it may not be the best fit.
Commonly used equipment for gutter maintenance:
- Ladder
- Pressure washer
- Wet/dry vac
- Bucket
- Work gloves
Licensing and Insurance for gutter maintenance:
As you likely expected, licensing does vary from place to place but all 50 states require a business license. Contact your local business administration office to learn more about the requirements in your specific area.
You will need to carry commercial general liability insurance to protect you and your clients in the event of an accident.
Expected income:
The average charge is $0.80 per linear foot, so for an average house with 200 feet of gutters, income would be $160.00 for the entire project, before expenses.
- Landscape Design
Winter is a great time to offer lawn and garden planning and design services to customers.
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Things to think about for landscape design work
- Start-up Cost: You already have the customer base, and possibly the design software. Your beginning cost is mostly limited to advertising, making this a great way to go!
- Steadiness: Design and planning can be done at any time of the year. You’ll need to work up interest so when you are just starting business may be slow.
- Hours: Regular daytime hours are a good time to offer consulting work, but for the convenience of your customers you may want to add evening and weekend hours to your schedule.
Expected income:
Landscape Designers often make around $29.00. Not bad for a job you already love!
Top Jobs Landscapers Can Do Indoors in the Winter:
The opportunities for indoor work are endless! Here I am presenting some specific options to give you a feel for what is possible.
- Teaching
Education-related jobs are a frequently overlooked source of income and work for landscapers. Schools often operate primarily during the off-season for landscaping and may provide the perfect fit for you!
Things to think about for teaching:
-Availability: In some areas, school is now year-round and may not work well for you. For those schools that keep a more traditional schedule, there will be some overlap with the landscaping season at the beginning and end of the school year.
You will want to consider your flexibility before applying. Still, many teaching positions are very workable for a landscaper so be sure to consider all the options!
-Steadiness: This is a great area to get started in if you are looking for a predictable, steady paycheck and daytime hours.
-Hours: You will work fairly standard hours with a teaching job. Work will likely start around 7:00 a.m. Expect to be at school from 4:00-5:00 p.m.
-Environment: Education-related jobs will involve frequent contact with students. This is a great advantage for you if you enjoy interacting with kids but keep this in mind if that’s not your style.
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Licensing for teaching:
All public school teachers will need a Bachelor’s degree and must complete an approved teacher preparation course before being hired.
Many private schools are not regulated by state laws and hire those who aren’t degreed and licensed, so this is an option to keep in mind.
In addition, you can hire on as a teacher’s aide if you have a high school diploma or equivalent. Some areas do require an Associate degree as well.
Expected Income:
The average starting wage for public school teachers is $44,000. Private schools will tend to be lower with a starting wage of closer to $20,000. Teacher’s aides in the public sector make an average of $14.00 per hour.
Other Education-Related Jobs to Consider:
- Paraprofessional
- Coaching
- Tutoring
- Food services
- Maintenance
- Transportation
- Clerical and Office
- Administration
- Librarian
- Tax Preparation
There is a saying that the only things certain in life are death and taxes. You can use this to your advantage. Nearly everyone files a federal income tax return on April 15. There are several ways to become credentialed in a relatively short time.
Good information on the options can be found on the IRS Tax Professional Qualifications and Credentials page.
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Things to think about for tax preparation:
-Start-up cost: This will include the cost of any coursework and exams and fees for certification and IRS recognition.
-Steadiness: The tax season begins as early as December of the previous year and will run through April in most cases. Those who work for established businesses can expect regular, predictable income.
If you become a tax prep freelancer, you will need to build your clientele which may make your income a little more unpredictable when you are starting.
-Hours: Tax preparers can expect to work during regular business hours although I can’t promise Saturdays off and free evenings. This is a very busy area to work in with deadlines to meet in a short amount of time.
Expected Income:
Tax preparers can expect an hourly wage of about $24.00. Freelancers may choose to charge per return completed. Expect to earn between $180.00 to $200.00 for each return.
- Retail Jobs
Busy season peaks for most retailers during the holiday months of November and December. Stores are often looking for extra help during this time. This line of work will offer you predictable income, steady work availability, and good wages.
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Things to keep in mind when considering the retail industry
-Start-up Cost: Retail shines here. There should be little to no startup cost. Some employers will require you to purchase a specific type of clothing or only provide a certain number of uniform shirts and pants. Do think of the type of shoes you will want to wear if you are standing for long periods or doing heavy lifting as you may want to invest in a quality pair of footwear.
-Steadiness: Here again, retail is a winner! Hours will be predictable and steady and lend to ease of budgeting. Employment will likely be short-term and won’t fill all of the off-season months.
-Hours: Expect a lot of flexibility here. Many retail stores open at 9:00 or 10:00 a.m. and stay open until 9:00 or 10:00 p.m. You can look for work that fits your preferred schedule.
Expected income:
Retail workers can expect a starting hourly rate of at least the local minimum wage, although many prospective employers will pay 12-14 dollars per hour. Some businesses may offer higher pay for evening and weekend hours, in addition to overtime pay and commission-related compensation.
Unique Jobs Landscapers Can Do during the Winter
If you live in a rural area, consider a job in agriculture during the off-season! Busy time for many farmers in the corn belt is fall and harvest. They are often looking to hire help with field prep, planting, and chemical application in the spring and harvesting, trucking, and fieldwork in the fall.
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Things to think about for working in agriculture:
-Start-up Cost: This ranges from very low upfront cost to quite expensive depending on the area you enter. Those who are in trucking often own their semi, while those who operate harvesting, planting, and spraying equipment will usually run equipment provided by the client.
-Steadiness: Agricultural jobs will see their heaviest workloads in the spring and fall. Truckers can often expect contracts throughout the winter months, but the majority of the work will be completed in the months immediately before and after planting and harvest.
Licensing for agriculture:
Some types of agricultural equipment, such as grain trucks will require a CDL to operate. Independent contractors will need to make sure they have the right certification and training for chemical application. This information is available at your area Farmer’s Bureau.
Expected Income:
I covered a broad range of possibilities so I encourage you to research your area of interest for a more exact idea but in general, grain truckers can make $126.00 per load of grain hauled to the elevator.
Custom farm workers such as combine and tractor operators will generate around $23.00 an hour starting but can make up to $65.00 an hour in some circumstances.
Other Ag-related jobs to consider:
- Grain Hauler
- Elevator Employee
- Combine and Tractor Operator
- Chemical Applicator
- Maintenance and Repair
- All-around Handyman (every farm needs one)
- Grain Marketing
- Seed Salesman
- Crop Insurance Adjuster
I want to give some brief attention to a few other job areas that are a great fit for a landscaper’s schedule but are often overlooked.
The off-season yardwork usually lines up well with the hunting season. This is a multibillion-dollar industry just waiting for your expertise. If you are looking for adventure and variety, consider becoming a field guide for hunting trips and ice fishing or an outfitter of hunting gear. The opportunities are truly endless!
If you live in the right area don’t forget seasonal work at ski resorts and snowmobile outfits. For truck operators, certain routes become available in the winter months as lakes freeze over.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where should I advertise my landscaping services?
Besides the obvious use of social media for advertising, consider running a few ads in a local circular, mailing out flyers, or putting up posters in businesses and public places that most people frequent like the post office.
One very effective tactic I have seen contractors use is creating a page with offered services on the top and rip-off tabs with phone numbers cut along the bottom. Even if you get no leads, you’ll have a good idea of whether your sign is attracting attention and interest. You’ll want to get permission from the business owner, of course.
How do I get a business landscaping license?
First, you will want to come up with a name for your business. Once this is settled, you are ready to fill out an application for an Employer Tax Identification Number from the IRS. From there you will need to determine the exact type of business license needed and compile and submit the required paperwork. More information can be found on your state’s government website.
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.