Calculate Your Hourly Labor Rate
How much are you going to charge per person, per hour for the average job? This number should be based on things like the going rate in your area, how much money you want to earn per hour, and how much youre paying your employees.
If youre just starting off, look at the work and estimate the time it will take you to complete the job. Then consider how much you want to make per hour.
Pricing by the hour makes sense because lot size isnt always an accurate pricing metric. For example, garden homes might take you half an hour to complete, even if they are the same size as a quarter-acre lot, which could take you 45 minutes to complete.
Jason Creel explains that your hourly rate is important, but you shouldnt communicate it to your clients.
He explains:
Lets just say that your hourly rate is $60 per hour. Now, youre not going to speak to the customer and say, hey, I charge $60 an hour, so Im going to time myself when I cut your grass, and then multiply that by 60. Youll quickly learn how to estimate and then multiply that in your mind.
Pro tip: if youre just starting out and not sure about how long a lawn will take, keep track of the time it takes you to complete the job using time tracking software or a stopwatch. From there, find the average of your labor hours over time before figuring out exactly what speed you work at.
Prefer watching a video? Jason Creel talks about pricing out lawn care services below:
Remember That Lawn Care Is An Investment
Your home is one of the biggest purchases youll ever make, so youll want to protect that investment by ensuring your lawn is healthy and well-manicured.
Find your lawn care pro today, and we hope you enjoy your beautiful new yard for many years to come.
When you’re ready, get free estimates on HomeGuide from trusted lawn care pros:
Daniel W.
Yard Cleanup In Spring And Fall
Ever spring youll have downed branches and debris in your lawn and garden beds to pick up and remove.
In the fall youll want to prune back perennials and rake out garden beds to make them neat and tidy.
Homeowners generally pay between $100 and $250 for yard cleanup in the spring and fall, and its a great investment in making your home neat and tidy so you can focus on enjoying your lawn all year.
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So How Much Should I Charge For Lawn Mowing
As you can see, so many different variables go into establishing a cost. Its important to do whats best for you, but having some structure is a good idea. Perhaps create a scoring system for each factor that affects your cost. This way, you can match up a score with an appropriate figure when quoting a client.
There’s some helpful information in the forum of the Independent Lawn Mowing Contractors of Australia, where you can gain hands on advice from other professionals on what to charge specifically. The below video from Lawn Care Life goes into the different factors that go into pricing your lawn mowing services.
What If Im A Teenager
Your independence can help you gain more customers, but I would still recommend that you keep your prices a little lower than the professionals, somewhere in the ballpark of $30-$40. Not that youre any less skilled than adults, but you have to keep in mind that youre still living with your family and dont have to worry about rent or utilities. If you have your drivers license, you can reach a broader array of customers in your area without having to rely on your parents, and that in turn can give your more spending money to hang out with friends, take your significant other on a date, or save up to get that laptop or game console that youve been eyeing.
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How To Start A Lawn Mowing Business
When thinking of starting your own business, you must consider the services you can provide. So consider how you can maintain your customers lawn, the size of the yard you will be able to mow, and learn how to repair the patches where the grass is damaged.
For mowing grass, a gas-powered lawn mowing machine is better than an electric-powered machine because an electric machine requires an electric cord, and you may run into the problem of there being no available power outlets at the location. A gas lawn mowing machine eliminates power outlets need as it runs on the gas tank installed. You may need to buy yourself a tractor-style mower to accommodate for larger acres of land with time.
You will also need a larger vehicle, like a truck, to transport your equipment to the desired site. If you dont have money to invest in a truck, then a small trailer attached behind your vehicle is suitable. This is a crucial part of setting up your business because if you cannot transport the necessary equipment to the location, it will be problematic.
After starting your business, its important to promote your business as much as possible to increase the number of customers. There are several ways to do this. You can use social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, create your website or blog or advertise through your local newspapers. You can also contact your local real estate office and ask them to promote your business through their property management division.
How Much To Pay For Lawn Mowing
- behind your left sho
Spike99 wrote: My place is approx 1/3 acre – flat land. It takes approx 45 minutes for me to cut the grass – using my “push behind” Honda lawn mower. I suppy the lawn mower, gas and oil. I pay a 14 year old kid a flat rate of $3 to cut the back and $2 to cut the front. It takes him “turle speed” 1 hour to cut the grass. Hiring a kid works for me….
- +5
- 109 upvotes
Spike99 wrote: My place is approx 1/3 acre – flat land. It takes approx 45 minutes for me to cut the grass – using my “push behind” Honda lawn mower. I suppy the lawn mower, gas and oil. I pay a 14 year old kid a flat rate of $3 to cut the back and $2 to cut the front. It takes him “turle speed” 1 hour to cut the grass. Hiring a kid works for me….
- +4
Spike99 wrote: My place is approx 1/3 acre – flat land. It takes approx 45 minutes for me to cut the grass – using my “push behind” Honda lawn mower. I suppy the lawn mower, gas and oil. I pay a 14 year old kid a flat rate of $3 to cut the back and $2 to cut the front. It takes him “turle speed” 1 hour to cut the grass. Hiring a kid works for me….
- 161 upvotes
lamborghinireventon wrote: I don’t think I would want a kid to work on my lawn…i am talking of these professional companies who do lawn mowing and other maintenence on the lawn..any idea how much it should cost me..i have called some companies to give me price quote and will let you guys know..
- 161 upvotes
- 909 upvotes
- +4
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When To Adjust Your Lawn Care Service Pricing
Image credit: Paul Moody via Unsplash
You should always adjust your pricing as the demand and the average lawn care prices in your area change, and your business needs evolve.
Here are some examples of when you should adjust your lawn care pricing:
- If you want to target specific neighborhoods with different demographics.
- If you want to add discounts or promotions as part of your marketing strategy.
- The seasons are changing, and you are transitioning to winterization or snow removal jobs.
From time to time, step back and take a look at how your business is performing. Then ask yourself these questions:
- Are you making as much profit as you were hoping to make?
- Have your expenses increased?
- Is your customer base growing?
If you keep these questions at the back of your mind, youll prevent your business from falling behind. Make sure you make these updates to your lawn mowing pricing formula as well!
How To Price Lawn Mowing Jobs
Pricing lawn mowing jobs is difficult. We walk you through how your equipment, hourly rates, minimums, experience, frequency, route density and more can affect your pricing.
You’re all set!
Would you believe that many lawn care operators are underbidding yards by 20%, costing them potentially thousands of dollars every single year? In my conversations with dozens of operators, Iâve unfortunately found this to be true.
If youâve been mowing grass for a while and feel like thatâs you, itâs not too late! Keep reading and we can walk through this together.
If youâre just starting out, then letâs get this right from day one so you donât leave money on the table. And be sure to read our Ultimate Guide to Starting a Lawn Care Business if you haven’t already.
Fortunately, there are a few simple best practices weâre about to unpack that will be helpful guide rails as you get experience pricing yards.
Using these tips, I have been able to get 20%, and sometimes 50% OVER my target rate. Iâll explain how below. Toward the end of this article, weâll take all of the tactics and boil it down into an example to show how this all works.
To stay on topic, weâll give pointers on how to price lawn mowing jobs, not landscaping jobs.
Letâs dive in.
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What Are The Average Acreage Mowing Prices
For customers with large properties, charging per acre may be the best option for a quick and accurate estimate.
Although prices differ, you should expect to charge around $175 per acre for mowing alone. However, that bill can quickly add up if additional landscaping is involved.
Large properties that only require mowing dont require as much prep time or edging, so its possible to charge less than the average per acre for large yards and still make a profit.
Image credit: Tomasz Zajda via Adobe Stock
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Does Your Company Use A Gas Mower
Fluctuating gas prices will have an affect on the cost of your lawn mowing and trimming services if your service provider uses a gas mower. Some companies will reflect those prices in their cost per service each time, while other companies may update their pricing yearly. For example, a company may increase prices by $5-$10 after a year if gas prices have continued to climb, but they won’t change their prices on a week-by-week basis.
Some companies use only electrical mowers and trimmers, so fluctuations in gas prices don’t affect them. Their equipment runs from pre-charged batteries or through extension cords plugged into your electrical outlets.
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Tree Pruning Or Trimming
Dont neglect the trees on your property. Its essential that you have them pruned every winter so that you wont end up with any dying branches.
This is a safety issue, and it will also encourage green growth when the spring arrives.
Beyond this, trees that are limbed-up and pruned allow more light to get to your lawn, which will improve the health and thickness of your lawn. It also just makes your property look better.
On average, homeowners with trees on their properties spend between about $292 and $638 to have tree branches pruned and to get their trees limbed up.
Beyond this number from my lawn care pricing chart, the exact price youll pay depends on the number of trees they have and the size of the trees.
Unit Costs: How Pros Price
Unlike other websites that publish pricing from unrelated jobs in the past, Homewyse creates up-to-date estimates from current Unit Costs. The Unit Cost method delivers high accuracy by using location, details and options for the unique requirements of each job. Contracting, trade, design and maintenance businesses rely on the Unit Cost method for transparency, accuracy and fair profits.
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Calculate Your Rate When You Have Employees
Employees can speed up your operation tenfold. But, theres an art to pricing out their labor.
Jason explains that when including labor in your price, you should consider how much effort is required per person.
When I say $60 per hour, Im talking about the rate per person. So if you have a two-man crew, youre looking at $120 per hour. If you have a three-man crew, $180 per hour. If Ive got a two-man crew and were cutting grass and it took us 30 minutes to cut, thats a $60 lawn. Although it took half the time to mow this lawn, it required two times the effort for labor for Jasons team.
Or, you can take Edwards approach:
We bid per hour. I like to walk the site, get the job requirements, and decide how long and how much labor it will take. For example, a job might take an hour and a half with three people. So Ill bill three people on the site at $45 an hour, $45 per employee, so that $135 for labor alone.
Notice that this price doesnt include overhead, equipment, and materials costs yet.
Factors That Affect Lawn Mowing Price
- Size of the lawn As stated earlier in this guide, the size of the lawn is a major factor that determines the lawn mowing cost. If a lawn is large, the lawn mowing cost would be high. Small lawns cost less because of this size factor.
- Mowing frequency The mowing rate determines the price of the lawn mowing service. Lawn owners who require regular owing would definitely pay more than lawn services that only need once weekly or bi-weekly mowing. To keep your lawn yard in great shape, consider agreeing on a lawn mowing service plan that fits your budget.
- Other services needed Lawn care servicesare beyond lawn mowing as there are other activities that are needed to keep your lawn in good health. When included in your next-day lawn care, the cost of lawn mowing would increase.
The other services might include watering, mulching, fertilizer application, weeding, etc which all cost more than regular lawn mowing.
- Location of the property Lawn mowing prices vary per location. Some cities will cost more than others. At GoMow Lawn mowing, we offer reliable and trusted next-day lawn care where we care for your grass with a professional service that you can afford.
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How Much Does It Cost To Have Your Lawn Mowed
11:27 AM
Does it feel like youre spending entirely too much time tending to your lawn these days?
The average American homeowner only has to spend about 30 minutes per week mowing their lawn. That equals out to be about 11 hours per year since most people only have to mow their lawn for a few months each year.
But still, mowing the lawn week after week can be a tedious task. It might be enough to make you ask, How much does it cost to have your lawn mowed?
Generally speaking, you should be able to have your lawn mowed by a professional service without breaking the bank. The average lawn mowing cost sits at somewhere between $20 and $40.
But the answer to the question, How much is lawn care?, is going to be different for everyone. Figuring out how much itll cost to get your grass cut varies depending on a number of factors.
Here are several factors that will impact how much you can expect to pay to have your lawn mowed by the pros.
Average Cost Of Lawn Mowing Per Square Foot
On average, you can expect to pay anywhere between $0.01 to $0.05 per sq.ft. for mowing. Mowing costs are sometimes calculated by the square foot, especially for smaller yards. Keep in mind that as the size of the area approaches a full acre, your costs may switch to acreage to make the estimates more accurate. Your professional may also choose to charge by square footage if your yard has large, landscaped areas.
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What Is The Average Cost Of Lawn Mowing Jobs
It should come as little surprise that the typical lawn mower service cost can vary from place to place. This may be because lawn care companies are subject to different tax laws that affect pricing.
Rates per hour can range from $35 to $55, resulting in a median rate of $45.
New South Wales charges the highest-priced services at $55 per hour, while Queensland follows close behind at $50 per hour. The Australian Capital Territory is a little more reasonable at around $45 per hour.
Victoria and South Australia both charge a rate of $40, while Western Australia and Tasmania charge the lowest rates at roughly $35 an hour.
If you include additional maintenance tasks, your bill can even run up to $90 depending on which mowing services, you ask. Some factors affect the average cost of lawn mowing service jobs which have caused a huge range of fluctuating prices.
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