What Are The Benefits Of Hiring A Professional Lawn Mowing Service
Almost nothing is as gratifying as a well-maintained lawn. Fortunately, a lush and beautiful yard no longer requires endless hours of mowing and trimming by the entire family. The best lawn care professionals can help take care of your home, office, rental or commercial properties and they’re beneficial in many ways.
For one, lawn care professionals have their own lawn mowers and trimming equipment, so you don’t need to spend money on a mower of your own. Hiring a professional gives you back the space you would have used to store bulky lawn equipment in the garage or shed. You also won’t have to worry about keeping gas in the tank or a charge in the battery, or finding an extension cord long enough to let you weed-whack your entire yard.
They can also take care of your lawn beyond just a simple mow and trim with add-on services like laying down fertilizer or coming up with a mowing plan to keep your yard growing healthily year-round. Or, if your lawn has been neglected for awhile, they can revive it. No matter how poorly maintained your lawn has been in the past, the pros can bring a dried-up lawn back to life or tame an overgrown mess.
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
What Kind Of Business Model Does The Lawn Mowing Service Have
Another factor that will determine how much it costs to mow the lawn is the type of business model the company operates.
Less formalized independent contractors will typically charge less than their more established counterparts. If a lawn care company has a company truck, uniforms, and more systemized business practices, they need to charge more to cover their overheads.
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Is It Ever Illegal To Mow Lawns For Money If Im A Kid
Short answer, no, its not illegal, but you need to make sure youre paying your taxes if you need to. According to the IRS, lawn mowing counts as a kind of self-employment, and you are required to pay income tax. Not only this, but you also need to pay self-employment tax if your earnings are $400 or more. Its also important to keep in mind that some cities or counties have different rules about mowing lawns for money, although this is quite rare. Its always a good idea to look it up on your state governments website.
Landscaper Lawn Mowing Costs
If you hire a lawncare company, the average cost to mow a lawn is 1.2 cents per square foot, which works out to $45 to $90 for lots of the most common sizes. But for very small areas, the cost per square foot is much higher. Most companies have a minimum charge of at least $40.
Youll probably pay about half that price if you hire a neighbor kid who is looking to earn spending money. But dependability of someone who doesnt do it for a living might vary.
When using a landscaping company to handle your weekly or bi-weekly yard maintenance you can expect them to first clean up branches and debris that may have fallen onto the grass. Then theyll cut the lawn at the correct height for the season. After the yard it cut, theyll use a string trimmer to cut in your edges around the sidewalks, driveway, and planters. Finally, theyll finish up with using a blower to remove all debris from the hard surfaces. This is commonly referred to as a Cut, Trim and Blow by landscapers and yard maintenance crews.
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How Often Should You Mow A Lawn
There is no set-in-stone schedule for mowing your lawn, as each grass variety grows at a different rate depending on the season. Once you determine the type of grass in your lawn and its ideal height, aim to remove no more than the top third of the blade at a time to retain its healthy structure.
In the high growing season, this will likely break down to about once a week, which is why lawn care specialists often offer weekly plans.
Do Lawn Mowing Prices Vary Per State
Tasmania has the lowest average lawn mowing rate at $39/hr. Meanwhile, lawn mowing services in Western Australia only have a slightly higher price of around $40/hr. Residents in Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia are paying approximately $45/hr for the same service.
In the Australian Capital Territory, lawn mowing businesses typically charge an average rate of $47.50/hr. New South Wales, on the other hand, has an average cost of $50/hr for lawn mowing services.
If you need someone to take care of your lawn, ServiceSeeking.com.au can help you find the most reputable and reliable lawn mowing businesses in your area.
Pricing information correct as at August 2017.
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Create A List Of Your Lawn Care Services
Make a list of your lawn services in your business plan, and along with that, mention how frequently youll offer each service. The services you provide may be determined by factors such as
- Your assets and equipment, which you possess or can lease.
- The services and rates that your competitors offer in the industry.
- The services your clients require and the prices they are willing to pay.
- The need for novel or unconventional lawn care services in the market.
- Opportunities for seasonal employment, such as installing holiday lights or clearing snow.
The following are the list of services your garden services business plan can include:
- Yard cleanup and leaf removal
Its a wise decision to start out with a few basic services for your lawn care business and expand from there if youre just getting started.
How Much Does It Cost To Get Your Lawn Mowed
You might have the ability to work with a neighbours teen to trim your yard for R100 an hour using your mower, but thats not an expert service. Expert yard mowing service fees are about the same as for basic garden upkeep services. Usually, it will cost about R250 and upwards an hour but they will most likely offer you a discount for repeat work.
A lawn mowing service might cost you:
- Only R300 R500 per cutting if you have your grass cut every 2 weeks or so.
- R600 per hour or more for a ride-on yard trimming service with fuel included
A lawn cutting service will most probably include all the aspects of mowing a lawn like:
- Making sure borders are clean of any grass
- Removing lawn cuttings
- General cleanup of grass cutting on walkways and patios
but will not include other garden services like:
- Applications of fertilizer and pesticide
- Management of flower beds
These services will most probably also be offered by the same garden services but will cost an additional fee.
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Average Lawn Care Costs
You’ll find services offered as one-time visits or within year-long packages for between $100 to $400 or as high as $500 for large leaf-removal jobs.
Seasonal lawn care goes a bit further than basic mowing and watering services without getting into complex jobs like leveling the slope of your lawn, tree trimming, and new landscape design.
Typically lawn care services include:
-
Spring and fall cleanup
As we noted above, you can purchase packages of weekly or monthly visits that include basics like mowing and watering. Lawn care teams will determine which additional services your grass needs during each visit, depending on your contract.
Between basic and more complex lawn care treatments, you’ll pay:
-
$50$200 for weekly visits
-
$100$300 for monthly visits
What Are The Benefits Of Using A Professional Lawn Mowing Service For Your Customers
Both customers and businesses need to know why anyone would hire a professional lawn mowing service when its a job that homeowners can do themselves.
Lawn mowing is hard work, takes a lot of time, and the equipment can be expensive. If someone works a busy schedule or doesnt have the equipment, a professional like you can keep their yard as green as a leprechaun. Plus, if a person lives in a part of the country with an inconsistent climate, managing the seasonal needs of a lawn is something that should be left to the professionals.
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Getting Your Lawn Overseeded
Overseeding your lawn via a professional usually cost around $1,200, which you saw in my lawn care pricing chart.
Overseeding can boost the health and appearance of your lawn by encouraging the grass to continue growing even when older and problematic patches die.
When you hire a company to overseed your lawn, you can specify that a disease-resistant or drought-resistant grass seed be used. This will be helpful for you if you live in a harsh climate.
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Overhead And Equipment Costs
Overhead costs are everything that keeps your business operatingthat includes office space, computers and tablets, liability insurance, fuel costs, and advertising costs.
Many lawn care businesses add an additional 1520% on top of their estimate to account for overhead costs.
You should also budget for equipment and maintenance in your overall lawn service cost estimate. Even after youve paid off your lawn mower, for example, it might still need engine repairs, spark plug replacements, or oil changes.
Some lawn care professionals charge two times the hourly rate of labor just to have their equipment on the site.
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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.
How To Keep Your Lawn Looking Its Best All Year Round
Mowing the lawn may seem easy in principle, yet achieving the perfect lawn is something of an art form. From getting perfect stripes and framing, to keeping it in good condition all year round no matter the weather, theres a lot of little things to remember.
Regular grass cutting is key, with weekly cuts from spring to autumn ensuring the grass stays in good condition. Following the one third rule only cutting off the top third of the grass helps keep moisture in the grass and reduces the damage done. You should also mow in the evening or early morning for the best results and especially not when the grass is wet.
Dont neglect your mower either. Keep blades sharp and make sure it isnt underpowered for the work required.
Regular lawn maintenance should include:
- Lawn feeding, ideally twice a year or more.
- Regular watering in line with any seasonal rain growth to ensure you dont overwater.
- Prompt removal of weeds and leaves.
- Regular removal of dog waste as it can damage the grass if left out. Bear in mind its not a fertiliser.
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Are You An Employee Or Independent Contractor
The first thing you need to know is your tax status. If you have a lawn care business, youre an independent contractor or sole proprietor. You may even be a partnership, LLC, or corporation if youve grown.
The only times you would be an employee are if youre working for someone elses lawn care business or if youre on the in-house maintenance team for a large business. If youre an employee, youll get a W-2 and file a basic tax return. This post is a guide for business owners.
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How Frequently Should You Mow Your Lawn
In hot sunny South Africa, a well-established lawn will need to be mowed every two weeks in the summer and once a month in the colder months.
Caring for a lawn does not just entail mowing the lawn by also might require you to apply fertilizer, water the grass when you have not had substantial rain and fight off unwanted pests and disease. If you want the perfect lawn this can all be a bit complicated and very time-consuming especially if you dont have the know-how or right equipment. This is where a lawn care service can be really helpful saving you a lot of time and energy.
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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.
Dont Forget Overhead And Equipment
Once youve calculated the cost of labor, you will factor in overhead and other costs.
Your lawn care companys overhead costs may include:
- Administrative staff.
After labor, your businesss second-largest expense is equipment. Just like labor, equipment costs money, so you have to make sure that youre always in a position to maintain or replace it if necessary.
As a result, equipment should always be factored into your overhead costs. You should markup anywhere from 11 50% to cover your total overhead costs.
From there, add a markup for profit. Your markup should be based on how much profit you are looking to make from every job and is determined by your other expenses.
Before arriving at a final price, double-check that youve included every element of the job in your calculation and have priced any special factors correctly.To give your customer an idea of your prices beforehand, you can create a lawn care price sheet.
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Find The Best Grass Cutting Service Near You
It aint always easy finding that perfect gardener. The one that is chatty enough but not annoying, who gets the job done in time and doesnt leave any mess behind. Sounds fantastic, right? Now its simple to compare local lawn experts in your area when you request quotes here. Read their profile and reviews, and choose the best gardener for your needs.
Peoria Commercial Lawn Maintenance Rates
*These rates are current for 2020. New rates available upon request. These rates are a guideline and do not represent the actual estimate that will be provided once one of our professionals reviews your property.
- Seasonal contracts receive a 10% discount
- All Web rates are projected estimates and subject to change.
- Extra costs for trimming around fences and other obstacles may apply, but will be identified in estimates.
- Estimates for commercial leaf blowing and commercial leaf clean up are available upon request.
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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.
