Fairway Lawn Service

Specialties

We specialize in lawn aerating. That’s all we do.

Unless you count the careful attention to detail, our spot-​on advice, which is given free with each service as a lawn diagnosis, and the many hours we spend (for free) counseling our customers, anybody, really, about weeds, grubs, reseeding and other lawn issues we know how to properly deal with. Our customers lawns improve, and they keep having us aerate.

We recommend aerating twice a year, more if your lawns are on a slope or have heavy clay.

Each job gets fertilized for free as a way of thanking our customers for choosing Fairway Lawn Service.

Fairway started in Los Altos, and is now based in Santa Fe, NM.

Rates start at $ 59, which includes free lawn feeding and covers up to 1000 sq’, then 3.5 cents per sq’ up to 2000 sq’. The rate drops over 2000 sq’ to only 2.5 cents per sq’. Call us for a free estimate.

History

Established in 1977.

My name is Max Todd, and I own Fairway Lawn Service. We aerate lawns. In fact, that’s all we do! I started Fairway in 1977 in Los Altos, now we are throughout the Peninsula.

In 1985, we were approaching a million dollars a year in volume, but the overhead costs were killing us. Our workers always made more than other companies, but it wasn’t enough to bring out the best in people.

So, I developed ways to get rid of all the overhead costs and set up independent contractors to do the work. Each contractor supplies the vehicle, insurance, machines, fertilizer, etc. and the liability. The workers used to get 13% of the profit, now they get 70%. I expect a lot from them.

I developed sophisticated software over a period of 11 years to track absolutely everything so that nothing would fall through the cracks.

Meet the Business Owner

Max T.

Business Owner

Max managed a lawn service in San Jose for six years before starting Fairway Lawn Service in 1977 in Los Altos.

Max went to Almond, Covington, then Los Altos High School. He grew up in Los Altos.

Max loves lawns, and knows everything about them. Call him. You’ll see!

Max loves animals and has always had at least one dog. Fairway gives thousands to an animal sanctuary that rescues abandoned puppies.

Max is a skilled craftsman. He works with stone, wood, and metal and has worked with his hands for over 45 years.

Max designed his own landscape in Santa Fe, using hundreds of tons of flagstone and moss rock. It is truly spectacular.

Max is an accomplished pianist, performing only for himself or small groups. Max plays and owns a Bosendorfer piano.

Max has also owned a software development company for over 30 years.

Max spends his time waiting for the phone to ring. When it does, he rushes to answer it because he knows who’s really the boss.

Max’s philosophy: «Take responsibility!»