Short answers to what Austin homeowners ask first
Licensing, prices, permits, the oak-wilt window, which grass, the watering rules, natives, HOAs, rentals and storms. Anything missing, call and ask.
Are you licensed and insured?
Texas has no general landscaping licence, so nobody can honestly claim one. Irrigation work requires a TCEQ Licensed Irrigator and chemical applications a TDA applicator licence; the independent contractor doing that work holds it, and you can ask for the number and a certificate of insurance before the visit. This site books the work and makes no licence or insurance claim of its own.
How much does mowing cost?
Around Austin in 2026, $45 to $65 a visit for a lot up to a quarter acre, $65 to $95 up to half an acre, weekly in season and biweekly in the heat and winter. One-time cuts and overgrown lots are priced separately.
Is the estimate free?
Yes. The walk-through and the itemized written estimate are free and good for 30 days. A detailed design plan carries a fee that is credited against the installation.
Do I need a permit to remove a tree?
Inside Austin, yes for a healthy tree 19 inches or more in diameter on developed residential land; at 24 inches it is a heritage tree with stricter rules. Dead or hazardous trees are exempt when the threat is imminent, with documentation. The suburbs have their own ordinances. The contractor files before cutting.
When can my live oak be trimmed?
July through January, outside oak wilt beetle season, with every cut painted immediately. Pruning does not need a permit; removal does once the tree is over the threshold.
Which grass should I plant?
Bermuda or Zoysia in full sun, St. Augustine in shade, and two grasses if the yard has both. Sod goes in October through April so roots are deep before summer.
What are the watering rules?
Austin Water assigns watering days by address and tightens them by drought stage. Automatic sprinklers are limited to assigned days; drip is treated more generously; new sod can get a temporary variance. The irrigation audit sets your controller to the current rules.
Why do you keep mentioning natives?
Because they live. Texas sage, salvias, yucca, muhly grass, agarita and the oaks came through the 2021 and 2023 freezes and the droughts between, on the assigned watering day, and look like they belong here.
Does my HOA have to approve a front-yard change?
In Cedar Park, Leander, Round Rock, Pflugerville and the gated communities, usually yes, on plants, hardscape and anything visible from the street. The submittal is part of the quote. Texas law limits an HOA's power to ban drought-tolerant landscaping outright.
Can you work with my property manager?
Yes. Managers get a set day, a monthly price, a photo after each visit and one contact. Tenants do not need to be home.
Do you charge to come to Georgetown or Kyle?
No. One price list across Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Georgetown, Pflugerville, Leander, Dripping Springs, Kyle, Buda, Lakeway, Bee Cave and Hutto, with no travel charge.
How fast can someone come after a storm?
A tree on a structure or a limb over a walkway is dispatched by priority the same day. Debris in the yard is scheduled within a few days.
Is there a contract for maintenance?
No. Mowing and bed care run month to month and stop with a week's notice. Commercial properties get a written scope with a term if they want one.
Do you really answer the phone at night?
Yes, every hour of every day. Details are taken on the spot and someone calls back to set a time; a hazard is dispatched by priority.