GREENSBORO, N.C. — Landscaping and tree trimming companies are feeling the pain at the pump as gas prices go up and stay up in the Triad.
The increase comes at a time when yard work businesses really start to gear up for their busiest part of the year. Matt Hunter at New Garden Landscaping and Nursery said he felt the impacts hit his business hard when Russia invaded Ukraine.
"Prices increased so dramatically overnight. Our biggest setback is with the contract work we do, which is about 30% of our overall business and we cannot go up on those contracts because we already had a price increase in January to compensate for the increase in labor prices," he said.
Hunter's company has 67 trucks on the road every day, 26 pieces of mowing equipment, going through about 5,000 gallons of fuel a week.
"The price increase in fuel hurts the most during the mowing season rather than the off-season when we’re just using blowers and hand shears," he said.
Hunter said the company will hold pricing steady for people with contracts.
"We try and look at it by being optimistic. COVID has had a very positive impact on our business with people being at home, they spent more of their landscapes from whether it’s a retail garden center or from a landscape install and maintenance so fuel prices do have a negative impact but overall we’ve been a very positive impact over the last two years," Hunter said.
Samantha Hancock is with Trim Pro Tree and Landscaping based out of High Point. She said she's had to cut costs to keep up with the rising prices.
I spend two to four hundred extra," she said, "As far as affecting the company we've absorbed all that to keep customers happy. So we're still trying to keep prices down while inflation has gone up."
Hancock said the family-owned and operated business includes a 24-hour emergency service that operates around the clock when people need help with fallen trees on their property. The service also specializes in landscaping, too.
"Each morning I fill bucket trucks, two dump trucks, a chipper truck I have to fuel the chippers, all my saws need gas, fuel," she said, "So I'm spending about $1,000 a day fueling at least 6 trucks and equipment."
Both Hancock and Hunter are looking forward to when the prices at the pump come down again.
"I'm just looking to move forward from this," said Hancock.
"I think once the prices get down closer to 2.75 to 3 dollars a gallon we’ll be more comfortable," Hunter said.