Factors That Contribute To The Price
Each lawn possesses unique characteristics that determine lawn maintenance costs. Many lawn care contractors do not have pre-set rates, and they will request an on-site assessment before giving the homeowner a cost estimate. This is necessary to identify the various factors that could impact their overall costs.
Below is a list of factors that contribute to the overall price:
Size of the yard Yard size is one of the most important factors determining lawn care prices. Naturally, service providers incur more expenses while servicing large-sized yards, and they spend more time working on large lawns than smaller ones. These costs can add up pretty quickly if the lawn care professional is charging by the hour per person, and has several workers deployed on-site.
How often How often homeowners schedule their lawn care is another factor determining their overall lawn maintenance costs. Scheduling monthly visits may seem to cost less than a bi-weekly service, but this can result in an overgrown lawn requiring hours of extra work during the routine monthly service. Homeowners who desire a perfectly manicured lawn while paying fixed rates, usually opt for bi-weekly service.
Landscaper insurance A lawn service firm with liability insurance, and or workers compensation, will charge more for its services to pay for insurance premiums.
Diy Lawn Care Vs Professional Service
An attractive and well-manicured lawn provides space for families to spend quality time together in pleasant surroundings, and it also contributes to the overall value of the property. Healthy lawns and other green areas have been known to improve the oxygen supply of the immediate environment and provide a peaceful and calm refuge from city life, and commercial activities.Achieving a healthy and attractive lawn requires a lot of dedication and resources. Lawns can rapidly deteriorate if left unattended for a relatively short period. Property owners have a choice of doing the yard work by themselves or hiring the services of a lawn professional. Although factors like limited time and budget are key considerations when it comes to hiring a lawn care professional, it is important that homeowners carefully evaluate the pros and cons of both before making a decision.
Pros of DIY lawn care.
Cons of DIY lawn care
Pros of hiring a lawn service
Either Stay Small Or Scale Up The Right Way
Russell keeps his service area small by design.
Most million-dollar companies only have a 10 to 14% margin because they have a lot of overhead. However, he says that companies who do less than $2,000,000 worth of business annually have a 50% to 60% profit margin.
If youre a small company and your profit margins are less than 50 to 60%, youre doing something wrong.
Thats why he doesnt want to get too big.
Although there are advantages to staying small, you can scale up if you do it right. No matter how big you get, stay lean. Heres a video weve done on that topic:
As you grow your business, you might have the desire to branch out into more directions. Thats what Russell is doing right now.
He has big ambitions, and he has plans to give his company a makeover:
You might start out with a broom and a single push mower. But, if you do fantastic work and continue to rake in the cash, theres no telling how high you can fly.
The skys the limit!
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Lawn Mowing Service Pricing And Installation Cost Checklist
- Expect the Lawn Mowing Service prices to fluctuate between various companies each and every company have different operation expenses and over-head.
- Try to get prices in late Fall, early winter you should expect aggressive pricing discounts by waiting for a contractors down season.
- Try to budget and additional 7-15% more on top of what our calculator gives out for Lawn Mowing Service costs.
- Visit every supply house that sell your particular brand of Lawn Fertilization Service tools and try to negotiate a better price with each supplier I save on average 20%.
- Lawn Mowing Service isnt an easy task to perform and can leave you with a sore back. You might find it more cost effective to hire a landscaping company to perform the work for you. Landscaping companies will most always get better prices on Lawn Mowing Service saving your back and additional costs of Lawn Mowing Service, so shop around, ask your neighbors if they can recommend someone.
What Characteristics Affect Our Mowing Prices
Great question! The size of your lawn is certainly a factor. More specifically, the amount of grass your lawn has. Since we dont mow things like your home, the driveway, or the pool, we subtract out those items and only take into account the amount of grass you have to cut.
Your lawns location compared to us and our current clients. Drive time kills most lawn care companies. We are burning gas and paying employees while they are not generating any revenue for our company. We only mow in parts of Boone and Kenton County, KY to keep our drive time to a minimum. If your lawn happens to be out of the way for us, we will have to account for the additional drive time in your quote.
Fences, corner lots, trampolines, pools, hills, and obstacles raise our pricing. All of these add additional time and/or difficulty to our job. We do our best to accommodate anyone interested in our service, but please understand if your lawn has any of these characteristics it will slightly affect the quote we provide you.
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The Pesticide Ban Makes It More Difficult To Maintain Your Lawns And Gardens
The Lite Gardener clearly has the knowledge to deal with the issues posed by the pesticide ban while making sure your lawns and gardens remain a source of tranquility and enjoyment.
For example, this ban raises a number of issues for homeowners wishing to enjoy their lawns and gardens and to share the enjoyment these provide with the neighbourhood. How do you control the chinch Bugs and grubs in your lawn and other insects in your garden without the use of chemical pesticides?
Rates Vary A Little By Location
Much of this depends on what part of the country you live in.
For example, pricing for lawn maintenance services in warmer climates such as Florida or California are more competitive than they are as compares to cooler climates.
You might be wondering why this is?
Well, think about it. The lawn care business is more stable in climates where the grass needs cutting year-round. Naturally, in an area where grass grows for shorter seasons, lawn care services have to figure out how to make ends meet, during the wintertime.
Put another way, lawn mowing services are treated more as a commodity in warmer climates.
And more as a luxury service in Northern climates.
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Are Additional Treatments Needed
If you offer additional treatments and services, such as hedge trimming, pesticide application or spreading fertilizer, you should charge for the services separately. Don’t forget to include the cost of products or equipment in your pricing.
Armed with all these figures, you should be able to come up with a reasonable quote for your services.
References
Is It Cheaper To Fertilize Your Own Lawn
In theory, yes, its cheaper to fertilize your lawn yourself than to hire an expert to do it for you. We had a look at a decent-quality 15-pound bag of lawn fertilizer in Home Depot, and they cost somewhere around $25.
As weve just read, a one-off treatment from a pro can cost between $80 and $400 dollars, depending on how much grass there is.
So, DIY looks like a bargain so far, and you could also cut costs by going for a cheaper product. But how much coverage will that 15 pound bag get you? The average American lawn measures around 10,000 square feet, and as the 15-pound bag provides 5,000 square feet of treatment, youre going to need a bigger bag
The bigger the bag, the less it costs per square foot. A 35-pound bag can cost somewhere in the mid-forties however, you may not want to drag a heavy sack around on your own!
On top of the cost of the fertilizer, youll maybe have the one-off payment for your spreader. A typical broadcast spreader costs between $40 and $120, depending on the size, brand, and quality. Of course, this is a single payment, so that figure needs to be spread out over a few years worth of treatments.
On the whole, like most things, DIY is the cheaper option, but it will take up your time, and you may not get such good results. A lawn expert will find the perfect treatment for your lawn type, as different grasses need subtly different nutrients.
Watch this short clip from The Lawn Care Nut to see whats involved in fertilizing your own lawn.
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How Much Does It Cost In Your Area
$25-$35 USD per cut. This includes basic mowing, line trimming around the house and fence, and assumes a med size city lot of approx 1/4 acre.
Edit – Dallas TX, USA
This. I pay $30 per service each week at ~ 40 weeks per year.
Wow, that’s cheap. I used to cut yards for my elderly neighbors 20 years ago and back then I was getting $10 for 1/8th acre lots. Edged maybe every other cut. Miserable work to do in the South, but now I live in the Bay Area and hardly break a sweat so it’s pleasant to just be outside.
My bare minimum is $45 for a 2 to 3k sqft lawn average is around $75, Cape Cod, MA. Some charge by the sqft I figure in the time and obstacles, light post, trees, gates, and hills. Also how can they quote a whole season when you could have rain or drought and not mow one week. Your paying about $40 per mow for a 28k sqft lawn that is dirt cheap.
Their service is once a week no matter what. Which brings it down to 61$/mow that’s canadian for a 1/2 acre. It seems very reasonable.
I charge $40 for an average home front and back including mow edging and clean up.
We charge $75 per acre per visit for bi-weekly and $60 for weekly services. Mow, edge, line trim and blow. My mower doesnt come off the trailer for less than $40. Southeast US.
Why Is Lawn Care Important
As most of us know, appropriate and consistent lawn care is essential if you want a beautiful lawn.
If your lawn doesnt get the care and maintenance it needs, you will end up with a variety of problems, such as pests, browning, ugly thin patches, and even lawn diseases.
Your grass can eventually die, as well. You dont want to end up in this situation, so make sure you learn about all the care your lawn needs and the steps you can take to make sure it gets it.
I have a lot of great resources for homeowners looking to make their grass green and healthy on this site, so I hope youll look around.
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Average Mowing Cost Per Square Foot
Mowing costs are sometimes calculated by the square foot, especially for smaller yards. Keep in mind that as your lawn approaches a full acre, your costs may switch to acreage to make the estimates more accurate. On average, the price per square foot is around $0.009 to $0.015 for weekly mowing and $0.015 to $0.020 for biweekly mowing.
Next Decide What Additional Services Youll Offer
Lawn care professionals do much more than mow lawns. Depending on the time of year, you might also:
- Do a spring or fall yard cleanup.
- Test soil levels.
- Weed flower beds.
- Trim shrubs.
You should offer each of these services at a different price, based on time and effort. Similar to lawn mowing, it helps to investigate how much other lawn care companies in your area charge. Then, make a price list based on:
- How long youve been in business.
- Where you do business .
- If you work with commercial or residential clients.
- The size of the property.
- How much you need to earn to generate a profit.
- Whether or not you have business insurance
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How Much Should I Pay For Lawn Care
There are different services involved with lawn care, so costs vary from yard to yard and between different regions. Of course, the bill also depends on the size of your lawn.
Weve done some research and found a few ballpark figures for you. These vary quite a bit, but should give you some idea:
- Lawn mowing: up to $60 per hour
- Lawn fertilizing : $80 $400
- Full yard clean up : $100 $250
- Full lawn care service: $125 $430
Cost Of Fertilizing Your Lawn
Your lawn needs the proper nutrients to look its best and your soil does not always have enough nutrients. This is where fertilizer comes in. Fertilizing your lawn is the best way to improve the health and appearance of your lawn.Fertilizers contain the necessary minerals and nutrients that your grass needs to grow to its full potential. But it is important to note that different types of grass require different fertilizers.
- The minimum cost for lawn fertilizer is $0.08/sf
- The maximum cost for lawn fertilizer is $0.48/sf
If you do not have the time or the tools to fertilize your lawn on your own, you can hire a contractor to do the job. If you hire a contractor, the cost of fertilizing your lawn is about $12-$15/hr. You can also hire a lawn care expert or professional lawn care company, which will bring your lawn fertilizing cost up to about $60 per hour, on average. The more experience someone has, the more it will cost. That said, if you go with an expert you will do the least amount of work and you will likely get the best results.
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Lawn Service Cost Estimator By Brand
Many brands, like Lawn Doctor and TruGreen, do not publish prices online. This is because what youll pay can vary so significantly based on the condition of your lawn, its size and where you live. Heres a look at what youll pay with two different popular brands:
- TruComplete Lawn Plan: $780 per year.
- Scotts LawnService: $650 per year.
What Should I Beware Of
One thing to be mindful of when comparing lawn-mowing prices is whether the quote youre getting seems reasonable.
Also, keep in mind that a lawn-mowing professional or company might try to bump up the price simply because you live in a fancy neighborhood. Why? Because they think you can afford it, Farley says.
Regardless of what sort of neighborhood you live in, there are some things you can do to avoid lawn care rip-offs. The Better Business Bureau, Better Homes & Gardens, HomeAdvisor and the National Association of Lawn Care Professionals offer these tips:
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How Big Is Your Lawn
Outside of considering your homes location when trying to answer the question, What is the going rate for lawn mowing?, a lawn care service will also consider the size of your lawn.
The $20 to $40 price range that we mentioned a moment ago applies to small- and medium-sized residential lawns. But it doesnt always apply to lawns that are more than an acre or even several acres.
The larger that your lawn is, the more than youre going to have to pay a lawn care service to cut it for you. Its going to take more manpower, more equipment, and more gasoline for them to mow your lawn, which will lead to you paying higher prices.
What To Ask When Hiring A Lawn Mowing Company
When speaking with a lawn mowing service you should consider asking the following questions:
- How long will it take you?
- What are your hourly rates?
- Do you provide any additional services?
- Do you provide written quotes?
- Can I review your references?
In order to receive the most accurate quote, provide as much detail as possible, ask questions and have the job inspected.
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Extraneous Factors Affecting Start
When you begin a lawn care service company, its great to look over the equipment list and understand those initial and ongoing expenses. But where do you intend to store your equipment?
A small start-up lawn service may be able to use a small garage to store the equipment. Perhaps you have a garage at home that you intend to use for your machines until your business gets off its feet and can afford to rent a commercial unit.
If you are planning on renting a commercial property from the beginning, the start-up costs could be extremely high comparatively. It would be especially true if you need to renovate the property to make it initially viable for your business model.
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