Massachusetts landscapers may be charging more this spring due to rising gas prices

The increasing gas prices are having an impact on landscaping businesses in Massachusetts, and it may mean customers have to pay more.

Gas prices continue to climb across the country, and the average price of a gallon of regular in Massachusetts was $3.93 on Monday, according to AAA. That is up 13 cents from last week and 78 cents from one month ago.

It’s an extremely busy time for landscapers. Spring cleaning is underway, which means lawnmowers, blowers, weedwhackers and trimmers are in overdrive. Andrew Pecorella runs his own landscaping business serving areas like Natick, Framingham, Brookline and Newton. He says the increasing cost of gas prices is impacting the industry.

“Everybody wants their properties looking well so if it has to go up, then my prices are going to have to go up a little bit,” Pecorella said.

He uses diesel for his truck and premium fuel for his landscaping equipment. He goes to the pump every day to fill up. He’s noticed a big increase since last spring, which is why he has to charge his customers more.

“Mostly been saying to them that prices are going to have go up a little bit, mainly because of my cost of fuel and cost of materials,” Pecorella said. “Because the materials have to get to the yard and that costs more money for them to ship it to the yard and make the mulch and make all the products. It costs money. It costs fuel.”

He says fuel, materials and equipment costs are making it challenging, which is why he’s cutting it close to make sure he’s being fair to his customers and also being business savvy. He says if he has to drive further, it will cost more.

He’s been in the landscaping business since 2010 and started his own business in 2018. He says he loves his job even when it’s hard to predict how much things will cost each year.

“It’s just one step at a time, do the best that you can, and try to make sure all your customers are happy,” Pecorella said.