How much to charge?

[evan156]

I'm not a lawn mowing professional. I'm just a college kid hoping to pick up a few extra yards this summer to make some extra money. I'm just a little uncertain about what to charge per yard and still turn a profit. I was thinking offer 30 to 50 per hour depending on the yard. What do you think?

 

[kcatr]

I'm not a lawn mowing professional. I'm just a college kid hoping to pick up a few extra yards this summer to make some extra money. I'm just a little uncertain about what to charge per yard and still turn a profit. I was thinking offer 30 to 50 per hour depending on the yard. What do you think?

Same I am 16 and I got a truck trailer and lawn mower and its hard

 

[evan156]

Same I am 16 and I got a truck trailer and lawn mower and its hard

What do you charge?

 

[jekjr]

What do you charge?

If you have a zero turn and it works good and you weed eat and blow drives and walkways $50 per hour is normally about right. It does depend on the area you live in as well though. In some areas you won't be able to compete.

Check around and see what your competition is charging also and charge accordingly.

In South Alabama we normally charge about $45 for a yard that is 1 acre or less with a house on it if there is not a tremendous amount of weed eating. I charge a minimum of $35 to unload if I don't have to drive too far.

In the last week or so I posted on here asking how much folks would charge to cut 4 acres. I can cut it in less than two hours with one mower and a helper running the weed eater. Some of the guys on here said that they would be losing money if they charged $175. I am glad to get $150.

Hope that helps.

 

[Carscw]

If you have a zero turn and it works good and you weed eat and blow drives and walkways $50 per hour is normally about right. It does depend on the area you live in as well though. In some areas you won't be able to compete.

Check around and see what your competition is charging also and charge accordingly.

In South Alabama we normally charge about $45 for a yard that is 1 acre or less with a house on it if there is not a tremendous amount of weed eating. I charge a minimum of $35 to unload if I don't have to drive too far.

In the last week or so I posted on here asking how much folks would charge to cut 4 acres. I can cut it in less than two hours with one mower and a helper running the weed eater. Some of the guys on here said that they would be losing money if they charged $175. I am glad to get $150.

Hope that helps.

4 acres for $150 is easy money
That's $75 a hour

(( racing is the only sport that you need two balls ))

 

[Ric]

I'm not a lawn mowing professional. I'm just a college kid hoping to pick up a few extra yards this summer to make some extra money. I'm just a little uncertain about what to charge per yard and still turn a profit. I was thinking offer 30 to 50 per hour depending on the yard. What do you think?

Actually you would be better off charging by the cut than trying to achieve an hourly rate. If you are a collage kid hoping to pick up a few extra yards this summer to make some extra money you can't compete against a Professional Lawn Maintenance crew that's doing it for a living especially if you are a solo operator. The Lawn maintenance guys are going to be faster and have the equipment, ZTR's Trimmers, Hedge trimmers, pole saws edgers, anything they need and two or three of each to do the job that needs to be done or that the client wants done. If I were you I'd find a Sub-division with small lawns that you can cut,trim, edge and blow off in 30 minutes, charge $17.50 to $20.00 a cut, two in an hour and you can get you into your 30 to 50 an hour.

 

[Ric]

4 acres for $150 is easy money
That's $75 a hour

(( racing is the only sport that you need two balls ))

OH my........

 

[Carscw]

OH my........<img src="http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=14240"/>

You just can not help it. I understand.

(( racing is the only sport that you need two balls ))

 

[evan156]

I was originally thinking probably $50 per hour, so that sounds good. I have to say, the idea of hitting up an entire subdivision at 20ish per yard seems pretty good as well.

 

[jekjr]

Actually you would be better off charging by the cut than trying to achieve an hourly rate. If you are a collage kid hoping to pick up a few extra yards this summer to make some extra money you can't compete against a Professional Lawn Maintenance crew that's doing it for a living especially if you are a solo operator. The Lawn maintenance guys are going to be faster and have the equipment, ZTR's Trimmers, Hedge trimmers, pole saws edgers, anything they need and two or three of each to do the job that needs to be done or that the client wants done. If I were you I'd find a Sub-division with small lawns that you can cut,trim, edge and blow off in 30 minutes, charge $17.50 to $20.00 a cut, two in an hour and you can get you into your 30 to 50 an hour.

This discussion of by the hour vs by the cut is discussed all of the time. Truth is however the only way most people, myself included know how to base a per cut price is by how long it will take to cut it. If you have a customer that has a yard that will take you an hour to cut and you charge that person $50 they will probably hire you. However if you tell that same customer you need $50 per hour they are liable to thank you and get another estimate.......

Any way you slice it dice it or figure it you are charging per hour of usage on your equipment and per hour of your time and however you word it dollars per hour is going to be your final measuring stick.