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How To Estimate Lawn Mowing Jobs

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But This All Depends On Your Pricing Structure Of Course

How to Bid Lawn Care Jobs in 10 Minutes or Less

The right prices can help you earn new business, retain customers, and grow in your market. On the flip side, a bad pricing structure can cause your business to go under and fast. No pressure, of course

But seriously, I want to help you set up your lawn care business for success. To help, Ive put together a guide for pricing lawn care services. Ready to get started? Get your pen and paper out!

Quote This Lawn Mowing Job Google Maps

thor1911 said:How many of you guys quote directly from google maps?What would you guys charge for this yard? She wants weekly mowing, fertilization, and mulch installed. Not sure if I should cut a deal or not, I’m still thinking of $40 and pretty sure I’m sticking to it. Going to sleep on it before I call her in the morningWhat do you guys think? How much?

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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.

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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

Cost Effective Ways To Estimate Lawn Care Jobs

How To Bid On Lawn Care Jobs

Posted: Combining A Lawn Care Estimate With Contracts After you qualify the client, then you can sign a contract to help them with engineering and designing the project. If youre new to using lawn maintenance contracts, there are many resources online that you can reference, including entire templates already pre-made.

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Making Adjustments To Limit Mistakes

As Ive mentioned before and will again youre going to make some mistakes, especially in the beginning. But there are ways to limit the number of mistakes you make and ways to learn from them so that you tighten down your bidding system.

Its one thing to screw up a bid or two, but its another to lose money on an ongoing and regular basis. The first and best way to figure out if this is happening is to do a day in review. When you get home after a long day of mowing, look back on that days activities and do some quick math.

For example let’s suppose that its 6pm and you just finished up a long 10 hour day.

Based on the man hour figure we came up with, you should’ve earned $520 for that day

But what if you didn’t?

Suppose you grossed only $480.

On the surface of it, you might say, oh well, close enough. But not acknowledging this factor and not figuring out where the leak is the #1 cause of the utter failure of many lawn care businesses.

As you review your day, you realize that you spent an hour and a half at Mr. Squinchmeyer’s house but in your bid, you quoted him $39, or about 45 minutes.

What’s more.. It turns out that you screwed the pooch here and way under bid this job. Sure, one job once per week isn’t going to kill you, but think of it this way

If you waste $40 once per week every week that comes out to over $2,000 that you’re simply pissing away!

Doesn’t seem so small now, does it?

And what if you have 3 or 4 Mr. Squinchmeyers?

Will he stick with you?

How To Make Bids On Lawn Mowing

Mowing lawns on your own or managing your own lawn care business can be a lucrative way to spend time outdoors and work for yourself. But as much as you might enjoy being your own boss, you need to be business savvy to turn lawn mowing into a profitable venture. A large part of that effort includes pricing your bids for mowing jobs correctly. There is no set strategy to pricing a bid, but the best results come from studying your local market and taking a hard look at the nature of the lawn mowing job and the associated expenses.

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Divide the bid price by the square footage of your lawn to reach an estimate on price per square foot charged in your area. Avoid charging much higher than local rates; customers will simply hire another company to cut their grass.

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Visit the property that has work bids available, if possible. Square footage alone is only a rough approximation of what you should be bidding on a lawn. A visit to the property can help you determine if there are problem areas, such as ditches, that will require extra attention. Tailor your bid accordingly.

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Consider the advantages of per-hour bids if a square footage bid isn’t profitable for your lawn mowing business. Per-hour bids ensure that you make a living wage, regardless of any unforeseen issues that arise during lawn mowing.

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References

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How To Estimate Mowing Jobs

Posted: Cost to Mow Lawn – 2021 Cost Calculator Posted: For a basic project in zip code 47474 with 500 square feet, the cost to Mow a Lawn starts at $0.04 – $0.18 per square foot*. Actual costs will depend on job size, conditions, and options. To estimate costs for your project: 1.

What Should I Beware Of

HOW I BID A MOWING JOB – lawn care – mowing business – vlog

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 To Calculate Rates When You Have Employees

The advantage of having employees is the opportunity to speed up your work but you have to price out their labor. You should consider how much effort is required per person. For example, you can bid per hour after checking the site where youre to work and determine how long and how much labor you will need to get the job done.;

So, imagine taking a half-an-hour job with two people. You can bill the two people at the rate of $60 per hour and $60 per employee. So, thatll be $120 for only labor.

When Should You Adjust Prices For Your Lawn Care Service

Your hourly rate and services may change over time and you may need to adjust prices in the following cases:

  • When your job requires more than what has been stated in the initial terms of service.
  • When you want to offer discounts or target specific neighborhoods to offer group rates.
  • When the job or client requires specific needs that is not within your usual scope.;
  • To learn more about pricing lawn mowing services, you can hear from experts here:

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    Know Your Ideal Property Type

    If youâre just starting up, then you may have to take whatever jobs come your way but it is helpful for you to know what type of property you prefer to service. Hereâs why:

    The jobs you want will affect your equipment set up OR vice versa.

    If you are using a push mower, curved trimmer, and handheld blower, youâre probably going to want to stay away from commercial jobs right now. Your sweet spot is going to be small residential homes, and that is an excellent place to start your business.

    On the flip side, if you have a zero-turn with a 60â deck, youâre probably not getting that thing through many backyard gates. In that case, commercial jobs with large patches of unobstructed grass would be just perfect.

    Personal Story

    I remember when I was starting my business, I had a 42â residential Hustler Raptor and got a request from a friend to mow for a high-end housing development. They wanted me to mow the spec house, two large retention ponds and four large lots. It would have taken me close to eight hours per service , including at least three hours trimming, and they were looking for two cuts per month.

    Iâm not gonna lie, I wanted it, but I was terrified. I sought out the advice of another friend who had been in the business for a long time and he encouraged me to stick to residential for the time being until I had the equipment, and maybe even an extra pair of hands, to handle that large of a job. Best advice ever.

    Details About How To Estimate A Lawn Mowing Job

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    What Type Of Grass Do You Have

    There are two main categories of lawn grass: cool-season, which typically grow during early spring and fall, and warm-season, which flourish during late spring and summer. Popular cool-season grasses include rye, Kentucky bluegrass and fescues. Two examples of warm-season grasses include Bermuda and zoysia grass.

    Each of these different types of grass require different lawn care regimens. For example, lawn care pros will typically cut Kentucky bluegrass shorter during warm weather than Bermuda grass. The different types of grasses also have different sun and shade needs, different needs for fertilization and watering, and even different needs for how often to cut during cool or warm months.

    All these factors are compounded by your geographic region and local climate. By working with a lawn care professional you can be sure your grass will get the proper attention and treatment to allow it to flourish.

    Understand Your Market Environment

    After you have researched what other businesses will likely charge for their services, consider the environment you want to render your services. What is the standard of living like? What is the status of the people around you? This will determine the prices you set. A working-class neighborhood will definitely not pay you as much as an environment where you have affluent people. So, think of the people you want to be rendering those services to.

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    What Is The Average Cost Of Lawn Mowing In Australia

    On average, the cost of lawn mowing in Australia is around $40 per hour. An average-sized lawn takes about two hours to finish, so a client typically pays about $80 for a standard lawn mowing service.

    This service package may involve grass trimming, sidewalk edging, and debris removal. Anything outside the standard set of services comes at an added cost.;

    Factors like the size of the lawn and lawn mowing frequency can increase or decrease this median price. The price will also vary depending on the brand and company behind the mowing service a more reputable and well-known brand can typically charge more for their services.;

    Research shows that the cost of lawn mowing services in Australia also varies depending on the state or territory. The states of South Australia, Victoria, and Queensland have similar average pricing at $45 per hour. In the Australian Capital Territory, the cost is about $47.50 per hour while Western Australia is at $40 per hour. Tasmania has the lowest average rate at $39 per hour, while New South Wales is the most expensive at around $50 per hour.;

    Lawn Care Estimates: A Step

    Lawn care jobs estimating by Blades of Grass Lawn Care

    Providing accurate and consistent estimates to your clients is essential as a lawn care service provider. Not only does it help you to make sure you have realistic profit margins, but it also helps clients to understand exactly what theyll be paying for.

    Eventually, you may get a feel for estimating jobs, but when youre first starting out, it can be a challenge. We spoke to lawn care pros Jason Creel from Lawn Care Life and Ed Ramsden from Enviromasters Lawn Care to make a step-by-step guide on how to estimate lawn care jobs.

    In this resource, well cover:

    • The core steps to making accurate estimates
    • How to estimate property sizes
    • Converting estimates into quotes

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    Cost Of Seeding Your Lawn

    Lawn seeding is another great way to improve and/or maintain the long-term health and vibrancy of your lawn. It depends on how large of a lawn you have, but the average cost of seeding your lawn is between $850 $1,700. The more area you need seeded the higher the price because it will take longer, and you will need more seed to finish the job.

    How To Estimate Lawn Mowing & Leaf Removal Jobs

    Posted: When plumbers estimate new construction with a price per square foot, they know the cost of the pipe and how long it will take them to run the pipes. They get paid by the job and their earnings per hour comes out of that. There is a website for lawn care professionals. They might be

    Read Also: When To Put Weed Killer On Lawn

    We Hope This Article Helped You Learn About How To Quote Lawn Mowing Jobs For Your Business

    Are you a lawn care or landscaping provider looking to join the Plowz & Mowz fleet? Well handle the quoting for the lawn mowing jobs we send you through the app and youll instantly see what each mowing job pays you for your time. Visit our provider sign-up page for more information on how we can help you grow your business.

    How To Save Money On Lawn Care Services

    lawn

    If you love the idea of professional lawn care but not the added household expense, think strategically about signing on for the long term with a lawn company. “Lawn mowing is a competitive business,” says one lawn care pro. As a result, many companies will negotiate discounts and deals based on frequency of visits.

    If you are planning to become a regular customer, ask about package rates and bundling lawn mowing and trimming with other lawn care services such as landscaping and fertilization. Lawn care pros benefit by providing you with multiple services, your pocketbook benefits from the discounts, and your lawn benefits from the holistic care.

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    How To Estimate At Peak Efficiency

    • Do you ever have to call the lead back?
    • Do you have to schedule house calls for every quote?

    If you said;”Yes” to either of these questions, you are too slow for the digital age.

    Today, this is the most efficient way to estimate:

    • Stay in;your chair.;For most lawn maintenance jobs, you;don’t need to go to the property anymore.
    • Use Smart Maps to check for obstacles.;Note anything that will make change your time on the job;
    • Use Smart Maps to measure properties;without an “in-person visit.”;It’s time to sell your measuring wheel to an antique collector. Now, you can get;the square footage of the property from your air-conditioned;office.

    So far…

  • The lead gave their address
  • And you measured the property while they waited.
  • Now you want to give the client a full quote, which includes 20+ services and packages. But you can’t keep them on hold while you build this estimate because this will take at least 20 minutes… right?

    Wrong.;

    Service Autopilot’s Estimate Templates can store any combination of services and packages that you quote regularly. They’re ready at a moment’s notice.

    If your services are set up to calculate using rate matrices, estimate creation is even faster. A rate matrix is a table, based on square footage that calculates the client’s rate based on that measure.

    In the example below, 0 to 5 bushes cost $20 to trim.

    Your estimate process just went from:

    That saves you 45+ minutes per estimate.

    How Companies In Three Revenue Tiers Price Their Mowing Jobs

    If youre like a lot of landscape businesses, pricing your mowing jobs may be a sore spot. There are quite a few factors that go into pricing and most of them are going up. In fact, 66 percent of landscape professionals answering a recent Turf survey say they are raising mowing/maintenance prices this year. Of those raising prices, the average increase is 5.8 percent.

    From rising labor wages to higher equipment costs, all of the signs seem to be pointing toward raising mowing prices, but its not always easy to do. The problem with pricing jobs is that everyone is afraid, says Dan Gordon, certified public accountant and managing member of TurfBooks. Mostly, theyre afraid of losing business. So, even companies that are raising their prices often arent always doing it in a meaningful way. Theyre really squeezing their profits because theyre afraid of raising prices too high.

    Of all of the factors that come into play with the decision to raise prices, Gordon says that labor is by far the most significant.

    We reached out to three different landscape business owners in three tiers to determine how theyre pricing jobs. Interestingly, at all ends of the revenue spectrum, the contractors we spoke to did raise prices this year.

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