- Register as a sole proprietor or incorporate with BC Registries (~$40–$380)
- File your Coquitlam business licence (~$100–$200/yr)
- Get general liability insurance
- Set your rates ($50–$80/hr, or maintenance contracts from $150–$400+/month per property)
- Build a brand, website, and online booking
- Set up card payments and simple bookkeeping
- Launch a Google Business Profile focused on Coquitlam
Coquitlam's yards come with the territory — newer hillside developments on Burke Mountain and Westwood Plateau plus mature mid-century neighbourhoods below — and that terrain shapes the work. Hillside terracing, new-build yard establishment on Burke Mountain, and slope maintenance are specialist niches that price above flat-lot work. The skills are the easy part; the business wrapper — registration, a Coquitlam licence, insurance, a real brand, and online booking — is what wins the job.
Why Coquitlam specifically
Coquitlam's hillsides are a moat: slope work, terracing, and new-build yard establishment on Burke Mountain price well above flat-lot rates because most competitors can't quote them.
For a landscaper, that means terrain premium: slope and terrace skills that flat-lot competitors can't quote.
Where the work is: Hillside terracing, new-build yard establishment on Burke Mountain, and slope maintenance are specialist niches that price above flat-lot work. Neighbourhoods like Burke Mountain, Westwood Plateau, Maillardville each have their own client base — your Google Business Profile and local pages should name them.
Startup costs in Coquitlam
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| BC business registration (sole prop) | ~$40 |
| Name request fee | ~$30 |
| Coquitlam business licence | ~$100–$200/yr |
| General liability insurance | $500–$1,200/yr |
| Equipment & supplies | $1,500–$4,000 (mower, trimmer, blower, trailer or truck setup) |
| Branding, website & booking setup | $0 DIY – $3,000+ agency |
Government fees change — confirm current amounts with BC Registries and the City of Coquitlam. Coquitlam issues home-based business licences for service trades; hillside neighbourhoods mean travel buffers matter — we build them into your booking setup.
Realistic earnings
Around Metro Vancouver, $50–$80/hr, or maintenance contracts from $150–$400+/month per property is the going range. Keep the calendar full and $5,000–$10,000+ per month solo in season, with recurring maintenance smoothing the off-season is achievable solo — though your niche, service area, and how professional you look all move the number. No certification required for general landscaping; pesticide application requires a licence.
Let's name it
One fear stalls more launches than licence fees ever will. “What if equipment damages a client's property, or the weather kills my schedule?” A weather-delay clause, a liability waiver, insurance, and recurring contracts smooth both — and every Prontco launch includes the paperwork done properly.
Talk it through on a free callLandscaping Pricing Calculator
Work out what to charge before you quote your first job in Coquitlam. Set the job size, condition and the hourly rate you need to earn, and get a defensible number in seconds.
Open the calculator →Your first clients in Coquitlam — the landscaping playbook
- Specialize in slope and terrace work on Burke Mountain — hillside skill prices 30%+ above flat-lot rates.
- Pitch yard establishment to new-build owners before their first spring — sod-to-garden conversions book out.
- Build routes by elevation band to cut drive time between Plateau and valley jobs.
The shortcut
Every step above is DIY-able if you have the evenings to spare. The alternative: Prontco builds it all in roughly 10 business days — Coquitlam licence filed, brand and website live, booking and payments connected, books set up — then stays with you for 30 days of launch support. From $997, and you own everything.
Related guides
How to start a landscaping business in BC · How to start a business in Coquitlam · The complete BC startup guide · Free calculators & checklists