Leaf removal: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering leaf removal

Leaf removal is a seasonal job with steady demand in the fall and a quick turnaround on each visit. Your value is in working cleanly, knowing when to mulch and when to haul, and keeping leaves out of the street and storm drains.

What customers ask

  • Will you take the leaves away, or just move them to the curb?
  • Can you mulch the leaves into the lawn instead of hauling them?
  • Do you clear the gutters, and how high can you reach?
  • How many visits will I need this season?
  • Will you blow leaves into my neighbor's yard or into the street?
  • Can you clean the walkways and the driveway too?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask how many trees are over the yard, how deep the leaves get and when they usually drop, so you can plan the visit count.
  • Walk the yard before you quote and point out where leaves collect, such as corners, the side of the house and beds.
  • Put the areas covered, the hauling or mulching method, the gutter scope and the number of visits in the written quote.
  • Show before and after photos on your profile, including clean walks and the lawn surface after mulching or hauling.
  • Bag or pile the leaves on a tarp so they are easy to haul, and keep them off storm drains and the street.
  • If the customer needs gutter or roof work beyond a simple clear, flag it and set a separate visit, or refer it to someone licensed for that work.

What to put on your profile

  • Before and after photos of lawns and walkways after leaf removal
  • The methods you use, such as blowing, raking, vacuuming or mulching in place
  • Your service seasons and how many visits you plan for a typical fall
  • Your safety setup for gutter work, if you offer it

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a second visit when more leaves fall later in the season, and let the customer decide
  • Suggest a gutter check after heavy leaf drop, and explain how clogs can send water toward the foundation
  • Recommend a lawn check in spring if leaves smothered the grass in fall

Licenses and permits

Leaf removal alone is commonly not licensed; gutter and roof work can fall under contractor rules in some areas, and hauling debris may have its own rules. Check with your state or local licensing agency before you offer the work.

Questions

Do I need a license for gutter cleaning?

Gutter cleaning is commonly not licensed, but work on roofs or structures may fall under contractor rules in some areas. Check with your state or local licensing agency before you offer it, and confirm your insurance covers ladder work.

Should I mulch or haul leaves?

Mulching works for a light layer of dry leaves, and hauling suits heavy or wet leaves. Explain the choice to the customer, and say what happens to the leaves they do not want hauled.

How do I keep leaves out of storm drains?

Do not blow or sweep leaves into the street or drains. Bag them or rake them into a pile for pickup, and tell the customer where the debris will go.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

Edit history

More lawn, landscaping and trees guides for pros

Start here

About this guide

Get leaf removal requests

Customers pick you by name. Signup is free, and you pay only for leads you accept.

Join as a pro
Sign up free