How Much Should You Pay Someone To Mow Your Lawn

Consider The Costs Of The Equipment

First, you will need to take a look at the costs of all the equipment you would need to care for your own lawn.

The total cost of all of that is $2,000 dollars. That is a lot of money!

“But, It will pay for itself in the long run, right?”

Unfortunately, that is not necessarily true.

One of the things that people who take care of their own lawns may not think about, is the costs of maintaining the equipment.

Lawn Care Pricing Chart

The lawn care pricing chart below is intended to serve as a baseline for the cost of common lawn care services. The size of your property, and the zip code you live in will obviously have an impact on the price youll pay for a landscaping company to care for your lawn.

And if youre looking for a low-effort option for DIY lawn care, consider Sundays lawn care subscription service .

I have an entire guide to selecting the best lawn care subscription service for you if youd like to learn about your options.

Lawn Mowing Price List

Lawn mowing prices vary according to region. If you live in Perth, for example, you might pay less than those in Sydney. If you dont have a front yard, you might pay $40 to $60. Depending on the time of year, this wont amount to much at all.

Lets say you book a lawn mowing service in summer. You should book a service for lawn mowing every two weeks to maintain an even look. That means your lawn mowing costs will amount to $80 to $120 per month.

When autumn and winter roll around, your grass wont grow quite so rapidly. You can reduce your mowing frequency to every four to five weeks. For the sake of simplicity, lets say that means youre paying around $40 to $60 per month. Thats great news, right? But what if your lawn is slightly bigger than average?

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Decide How Many Employees

You know that your labor rate will be the largest factor in determining your lawn care prices, so your focus should also be on what influences your labor rate. In this case, that would be your employees.

And since you wouldnt be able to grow as quickly without your employees, pricing their labor takes skill.

When you assess a job for a potential client, determine how many workers it will take to complete the job in a reasonable amount of time.

To get your total labor rate, add each employees hourly rate to get your total hourly labor rate. Then multiply that by the number of hours the job will take to complete.

For example, lets say a job takes two hours for two of your employees to complete, and you pay each of them $40 an hour.

$40 x 2 employees = $80 hourly rate$80 x 2 hours = $160 total price of the job

Remember, $160 does not include factors such as special services, a markup for profit, or overhead as labor costs are only one part of the lawn mowing pricing formula needed to create estimates.

Lawn Care Maintenance Costs Per Hour

Most professionals offer hourly rates on lawn care maintenance. You can expect to pay from $40 to $90 per hour for these services, depending on the additional maintenance tasks required. It is important to note that this price is per person per hour, so if multiple workers are used, the price per hour will go up, but the overall cost will likely be the same since having more people means it will be completed sooner. Very large areas often require multiple workers.

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How Often Do You Want To Have Your Lawn Mowed

There are some instances in which a homeowner only wants to have their lawn mowed every once in a while. They might call on a lawn care service to cut their lawn when theyre away on vacation or when theyve had a long week at work and dont have time to mow.

When this is the case, most lawn care services will extend one price to their customers. But when customers agree to have their lawn mowed by a service on a regular basis throughout the spring and summer seasons, theyll often get access to a differentsee: lowerprice.

Lawn care services are open to charging their regular customers less than their one-time customers to show their appreciation to them. Theyre also able to get into a routine when cutting these lawns so that they take them less time overall.

You might be able to score a great deal on grass cutting services by scheduling regular mows as opposed to only scheduling them every so often.

But What If I Have To Do Extra Work Shouldnt I Charge More For Extra Labor

Lawns come in all different shapes and sizes, and some require more work than others. There are different models you can use in order to charge your customers so youre getting enough money for the work youre putting in.

Lets say you have ten customers who need their grass mowed weekly. These include:

Customer 1: 10,500 ft2 2 hours to mow

Customer 2: 8,000 ft2 1 hour to mow

Customer 3: 15,000 ft2 2 hours to mow

Customer 4: 12,000 ft2 2 hours to mow

Customer 5: 20,000 ft2 3 hours to mow

Customer 6: 6,000 ft2 1 hour to mow

Customer 7: 14,000 ft2 2 hours to mow

Customer 8: 17,000 ft2 2 hours to mow

Customer 9: 4,000 ft2 30 min. to mow

Customer 10: 9,000 ft2 1 hour to mow

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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.

Consider Special Services And Materials

Lawn care isnt just mowing grass. As you know, a lot goes into maintaining a lawn, and therefore, a variety of services that your business could offer.

Additional lawn services include:

• Winterization.

You should price each of these additional services separately instead of putting them together in one lump sum. This ensures that you account for all elements of the job.

Not only do these services require different types of labor, but they also require different materials that affect the total price of the job.

Discuss these special services with your customer beforehand to ensure that youre both on the same page.

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Cost Of Hiring Someone

You can pay anyone as little as $30 to attend to your lawn, but youll not receive a professional service. Different lawn care providers charge differently depending on the kind of service done to your yard. According to Ben from homegardenhuides.com, you can expect to pay around $40 per hour on average. However, considering your lawns size ,it can go as low as $35 per hour or as high as $75+ per hour.

Get several quotations from different service providers to choose which fits your budget. Companies charge $60 per hour when attending to your lawn once, but they go as low as $40-$50, where they provide you with the services regularly, either fortnight or monthly.

The best part is hiring a professional will include grass cutting and debris and weed removal, grass clippings, and landscaping where necessary. You may pay more for trimming and sidewalk edging.

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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Approximate Price Of A Lawn Mowing Job

A lawn mowing job will cost you about $84.46. This is for an average-sized lawn that requires a standard maintenance routine including grass cutting, sidewalk edging, trimming, and removal of debris and grass clippings in the curbs, walks, lawn areas, drives and patios. If you need additional services, ready your pockets as youre likely to pay a bigger amount.

Lawn Care Price Based On Size

Even though you shouldnt price based on the square footage of the lot, knowing the size will still help you estimate the total cost of a job.

The price of lawn care is greatly affected by the size of the lawn, which will be an element you use to determine the labor that goes into it.

Now that you know what goes into the costs of lawn care services and your different pricing options lets nail down how much to charge for your services.

Find out how automation tools grow your field service business.

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Are There Any Obstacles That Could Make It Hard To Mow Your Lawn

Do you have a relatively flat lawn that doesnt have many trees and bushes on it? Its going to be pretty easy for a lawn mowing service to knock your lawn out without charging you an arm and a leg for it.

But if you have a lawn that has hills or if you have a lawn with tons of trees and other obstacles, it can present problems for a lawn mowing service. Theyll have to take their time when mowing your lawn, and youll end up paying the price for it.

You obviously cant do a whole lot about any obstacles situated throughout your lawn. But you can make sure youre aware of them and the role that they might play in the price you pay for lawn mowing.

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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Lawn Service With A Purpose:

We are here to put time back in your day and take the stress out of maintaining your lawn. When you hire B n B Lawn Mowing you can rest assured a uniformed employee will show up in a company vehicle with a smile on their face. If you are not satified for any reason, we simply apologize and return your payment.

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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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.

How Much Should I Pay My Teenager To Mow The Lawn

Warm weather, combined with recent rain, finally has my lawn green and growing. Ive dropped my first application of fertilizer, pulled my lawn mower from the shed, and generally gotten ready for another season of lawn care. Soon enough, my lawn will need to be mowed regularly.

I love being outside and mowing the lawn, but Im a busy guy and the two hours it takes to cut the grass and trim around the house is sometimes hard to find.

That being said, I have a teenage son who is looking to earn some extra money. Hed like to get a part-time job, but getting one at age 15 is difficult, because most business require applicants to be at least 16.

Mowing the lawn would be a perfect way for me to save some time, and for him to earn some money. But heres the question:

How much should I pay him to mow my lawn?

My three options:

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What’s Included In Lawn Maintenance Vs Lawn Care Service

While the wording may vary from company to company, lawn maintenance typically includes all the services that keep your current healthy lawn looking sharp. Think mowing, watering, weeding, and a spring or fall cleanup.

Lawn care digs a bit deeper. These packages may include services that elevate your lawn’s health or address an issue throughout the year. Fertilization, pest and weed control, and dethatching all fall into this category.

Lawn Care Costs Per Acre

Lawn care prices per acre run from $150 to $250. Just like with mowing, more significant lawn care such as seeding, weed control, fertilization, and aeration is typically priced per acre, with many companies performing more than one of these services at a time. Maintenance costs range widely due to the variety of services that may be needed. They may include one or more services, such as seeding with fertilization or aeration. These services are usually performed and billed separately from mowing. If you have several acres, costs will definitely be higher:

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Find Out The Track Record

Ask how long a lawn care provider has been in business. What level of experience and education does the person or a providers staff have? Also, is the provider properly licensed and insured?

Unfortunately, some providers are fly-by-night operators that havent been in business very long and are interested only in taking your money, not in providing top-notch service. As noted by MarketWatch, providing lawn care requires little more than some equipment and a business license. Almost no training is required.

Lawn Care Service Prices

Lawn care professionals provide many different service outside of just mowing. Depending on where you live, and how long its been since your yard has been maintained, some additional services may be needed. Let’s take a look at some common lawn services and their prices:

• Lawn Mowing: Average cost $25 – $50
• Tree Trimming: Average cost $250 – $500
• Lawn Aeration: Average cost $80 – $175
• Lawn Weeding: Average cost $20 – $40 /hour
• Lawn Winterization: Average cost $350
• Lawn Fertilizing: Average cost $40 – $60 /application
• Lawn Seeding: Average cost for professional $700
• Leaf Removal: Average cost $50 – $80
• Landscaping: Average cost between $3,000 and $15,950

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Is It Worth Paying For Lawn Care

Hiring a professional lawn care company in your area saves more time than money, but it can be financially beneficial in the long run as well. If you don’t have the time to keep up with mowing, watering, and treating lawn issues throughout the year, you could end up with costly issues like overgrown thatch, disease, or pests.

How To Quote A Lawn Mowing Job

Quoting a lawn mowing job requires you to strike a balance between earning profits and giving a fair price to the client.

When quoting a lawn mowing job, you can use one of these three approaches:

• Time-based rate: Most new lawn care professionals charge by the hour because its a straightforward and transparent way to price jobs. With this pricing method, you can also factor in equipment setup and cleanup in your hourly rates, earning you an extra bit of cash before and after work.
• Square footage rate: Pricing your job by how many square feet youre mowing is a fair pricing method for businesses. However, this approach doesnt factor in whether a clients lawn has hilly terrain or trees, which can throw off your calculations and extend job hours.
• Flat rate: The simplest pricing model is to charge a flat rate regardless of the time you take to complete the job. This is best used for recurring clients.

Keep in mind that not all yards are large enough for you to turn a profit. So you dont lose money working on especially small lawns, consider setting a minimum rate or price.

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