Home 101: How Much Does It Cost To Remove Leaves?

There's so much to love about fall — the cooler but still comfortable weather, hayrides, pumpkin patches, holiday fun and of course the beautiful foliage that comes with the season. Those fall leaves are pretty, but they can also be a pain if they're not taken care of.

If you don't want fallen leaves on the ground to turn into an eyesore, or worse, a big rotting mess, you'll need to remove them. Here's a breakdown of the best way to do this and how much it's going to cost.

Blow or Remove?

Simply getting the leaves blown off your lawn is a pretty simple process. The problem is, you have to make sure you're not just blowing them into the neighbor's yard! If you want to avoid potential turf wars, you'll need to bag and remove the leaves from your property. This obviously takes a lot more time and labor than simply blowing the leaves into the yard next door, but it's definitely the more neighborly thing to do.

Average Cost: The average cost to have leaves professionally removed is $330, but most HomeAdvisor members report paying in the $173 to $489 range. This cost will vary based on the size and type of yard you have, as well as how many trees are in the vicinity.

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What About Mulch?

If you get your leaves vacuumed off your lawn, you can have them sucked up, bagged and removed entirely from your property. Many leaf removal companies will also give you the option of having your leaves turned into mulch to use in your garden. If you choose to do this, the leaves will be vacuumed and chopped up into dust before they're poured onto your garden and watered. From here, the decomposition process will begin. In time, your old leaves will turn into great mulch for your garden. Think about it this way: If you turn your leaves into mulch now, you won't have to buy it at the garden store later.

Other Outdoor Fall Fixes

Grow the Grass: Even though it looks like grass stops growing in the fall, the roots are actually growing deeper in preparation for winter. Now is the best time to fertilize and reseed your lawn.

Average Cost: The larger your yard, the more it will cost to re-seed it. The type of yard you have and the equipment needed to work on it will affect costs as well. That said, the national average cost to have a home lawn professionally seeded is $825.

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Trim the Trees: Cut back any tree limbs that are too close to power lines or the roof of your house. If you don't do this snow, heavy snow and ice can cause damage in the winter. After the leaves turn, it's a good idea to prune your trees and shrubs in order to encourage healthy growth.

Average Cost: The average cost to trim or remove trees and shrubs is $736.

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Clean the Gutters: Gutters and downspouts should be cleaned frequently throughout the fall so leaves and other debris can't build up in them. Make sure water is able to flow through gutters and downspouts properly to avoid flooding, wood rot problems and pest infestations.

Average Cost: The average cost to clean gutters and downspouts is $153.

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More Home & Garden:

• How To Get Your House Ready For Fall: A Simple Checklist
  
• How Much Does It Cost To Remodel Your Fireplace Before Winter?
  
• Should You Be Waterproofing Your Home?
  

First Photo Credit: Image via LABabble, Flickr, used under Creative Commons