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Lawn Care pricing

#1

jakesteel22

jakesteel22

How do you guys price or estimate a lawn? Like for a mow and trim? Just want to see what other people prices are.


#2

Lawnboy18

Lawnboy18

You will get an endless amount of prices ranging from 20$ to 45$ (and even more) and many different opinions. It depends on so many factors: yard size, the equipment used, the economy in your area, the offer and the demand (we want an equilibrum price), the age of your clients, etc. A good rule of thumb is 1$/minute, but it can get excessive for let's say a long mowing job.


#3

Ric

Ric

jakesteel22 said:
How do you guys price or estimate a lawn? Like for a mow and trim? Just want to see what other people prices are.
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I think Lawnboy 18 pretty much covered it. Your pricing will depend on what your area can handle.


#4

Lawnboy18

Lawnboy18

I forgot to mention that the average price for a lawn cut is something like 26.50$. Then again, we cannot be sure of this depending on how they came up to this result.


#5

Mike88se

Mike88se

And then you get companies like this who think $19 is a good price for almost any lawn :thumbdown:


#6

Lawnboy18

Lawnboy18

Mike88se said:
And then you get companies like this who think $19 is a good price for almost any lawn :thumbdown:
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Yea, that sucks! A 19$ cut could be acceptable for a very small lawn that takes about 15-20 minutes, but when it gets bigger it is just ridiculous and not worth it.

I read about that link and I don't quite understand at 100% how it all works, but someone is making money.


#7

davbell22602

davbell22602

Mike88se said:
And then you get companies like this who think $19 is a good price for almost any lawn :thumbdown:
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How do they do it for that price? You could always contact them to see if you can be contractor for them in your area for future mowing jobs.


#8

Lawnboy18

Lawnboy18

davbell22602 said:
How do they do it for that price? You could always contact them to see if you can be contractor for them in your area for future mowing jobs.
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I would never work for them!

They make money by having mowers close by. It is like a job bidding thing. They post an add for a lawn cut and the closest person takes the job thus already saving money (less travel time). Then I guess the person that created the website gets half. They say they pay 8$/9$ a person. It isn't that clear, but it seems a little strange. They say contractors will use this some times.


#9

lawn mower fanatic

lawn mower fanatic

It says STARTING at $19, and if it's more than quarter acre, or the grass is higher than 3 inches, it goes up. :rolleyes: Personally I only cut at 3"!


#10

Ric

Ric

Lawnboy18 said:
Yea, that sucks! A 19$ cut could be acceptable for a very small lawn that takes about 15-20 minutes, but when it gets bigger it is just ridiculous and not worth it.

I read about that link and I don't quite understand at 100% how it all works, but someone is making money.
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This lawn care pricing thing has been an unanswered question for forever. There's to many factors and variables to consider for each business when estimating pricing. You have a business that get 25$ a cut another who gets 15$ a cut for the same lawn and both prices can be perfectly legit, it all comes down to how one wants to operate their business and how greedy they want to be.


#11

Mid TN Lawn

Mid TN Lawn

We have a 35.00 minimum as does most legit companies in my area. I figure fuel is 10. On every job that leaves 25. Then taxes and ins. 7.00 that leaves 18.00 then labor 16.00 that leaves 2.00 then equip. 3.00 that leaves -1.00 general overhead 3.00 now were -4.00 hole if salesman sold customer thats another 3.50 now were -7.50 in hole. Makes you wonder how we make money well it aint on 35.00 size yards. But volume does help.
Note - 35.00 lawn will have to be finished in 20 mins for above numbers to work


#12

exotion

exotion

On a 35 dollar job if it took me an hour I would make about 28 to 30 dollars :)


#13

pricelandscaping

pricelandscaping

You have to decide what it is worth to you include wear and tear on machines and fuel/labor


#14

Mike88se

Mike88se

Lawnboy18 said:
Yea, that sucks! A 19$ cut could be acceptable for a very small lawn that takes about 15-20 minutes, but when it gets bigger it is just ridiculous and not worth it.

I read about that link and I don't quite understand at 100% how it all works, but someone is making money.
Click to expand...

davbell22602 said:
How do they do it for that price? You could always contact them to see if you can be contractor for them in your area for future mowing jobs.
Click to expand...

Lawnboy18 said:
I would never work for them!

They make money by having mowers close by. It is like a job bidding thing. They post an add for a lawn cut and the closest person takes the job thus already saving money (less travel time). Then I guess the person that created the website gets half. They say they pay 8$/9$ a person. It isn't that clear, but it seems a little strange. They say contractors will use this some times.
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I didn't mean to sidetrack this thread...just thought that was interesting. I think I read that the mower get $17 on a $19 job which leaves maybe a dollar for the company and one for paypal. It looks like a big operation and I'm sure they can grow. I don't think they'll cut into the big lawn co's business but small operations may get hit. I put the address of my biggest lot in, 1/2 acre, and got a $29 quote. I wouldn't want to do it for that price. There is a long driveway and also a circular driveway and sidewalks. Edging takes a while.
Ric said:
This lawn care pricing thing has been an unanswered question for forever. There's to many factors and variables to consider for each business when estimating pricing. You have a business that get 25$ a cut another who gets 15$ a cut for the same lawn and both prices can be perfectly legit, it all comes down to how one wants to operate their business and how greedy they want to be.
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Mid TN Lawn said:
We have a 35.00 minimum as does most legit companies in my area. I figure fuel is 10. On every job that leaves 25. Then taxes and ins. 7.00 that leaves 18.00 then labor 16.00 that leaves 2.00 then equip. 3.00 that leaves -1.00 general overhead 3.00 now were -4.00 hole if salesman sold customer thats another 3.50 now were -7.50 in hole. Makes you wonder how we make money well it aint on 35.00 size yards. But volume does help.
Note - 35.00 lawn will have to be finished in 20 mins for above numbers to work
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I was curious about that. Working alone there aren't many jobs I can complete in 20 min. Speaking for myself, I don't have enough lawns to hire help. There is probably no one simple answer for a question on pricing except charge enough to make money.


#15

Mid TN Lawn

Mid TN Lawn

exotion said:
On a 35 dollar job if it took me an hour I would make about 28 to 30 dollars :)
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No you would have 28-30 net before taxes and social security you would have 21-23 after that
We have employees 401k plan HSA plan
Payroll taxes office overhead and fuel avgs


#16

Ric

Ric

exotion said:
On a 35 dollar job if it took me an hour I would make about 28 to 30 dollars :)
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What or how much you can make depends on how you run your business and what type of overhead you have. Your a solo operator so you cost are going to be different than someone who has a ton of equipment and employees or crew to provide Insurances and payroll to. There's just to many variables to consider for one person to tell another how to price for there services.


#17

exotion

exotion

Mid TN Lawn said:
No you would have 28-30 net before taxes and social security you would have 21-23 after that
We have employees 401k plan HSA plan
Payroll taxes office overhead and fuel avgs
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No my overhead is gas, maintenance, and taxes that's it ... I use maybe 1 dollar gas per lawn I have small equipment taxes is about 15% so that's about 4 dollars and maintenance costs is maybe a few cents ...


#18

Mid TN Lawn

Mid TN Lawn

I just looked at that lawn mowing online site you cannot stay in business or operate on those numbers a idiot came up with pricing structure business idea is good but pricing is so far off its not funny.


#19

exotion

exotion

Mid TN Lawn said:
I just looked at that lawn mowing online site you cannot stay in business or operate on those numbers a idiot came up with pricing structure business idea is good but pricing is so far off its not funny.
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He stays in business using low end desperate contractors the guy who runs it doesn't even push a mower he sits back and collects the contractors he has on his list are beginners in their field a lot like me if I had known about this site I would have used it a couple years ago


#20

Ric

Ric

exotion said:
He stays in business using low end desperate contractors the guy who runs it doesn't even push a mower he sits back and collects the contractors he has on his list are beginners in their field a lot like me if I had known about this site I would have used it a couple years ago
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Actually you've hit it about right, the guys is basically just a referral service. As long as he can find the people to mow it's a win win for all.


#21

Mid TN Lawn

Mid TN Lawn

I had a blind call last year from some property management company asking if i was interested in mowing there repos in our area said they had 85 at that time. They proceeded to tell me they pay flat rate of 25. Per cut per property and need 20 something pictures of every yard. I asked do you really get people to mow for that and there response was no problem all over country. I told them your just going to have to keep looking because we cant push paper for less than 35. Per cut and thats for weekly cuts when someone desperate for work or not works too cheap they hurt all in long run.


#22

exotion

exotion

Mid TN Lawn said:
I had a blind call last year from some property management company asking if i was interested in mowing there repos in our area said they had 85 at that time. They proceeded to tell me they pay flat rate of 25. Per cut per property and need 20 something pictures of every yard. I asked do you really get people to mow for that and there response was no problem all over country. I told them your just going to have to keep looking because we cant push paper for less than 35. Per cut and thats for weekly cuts when someone desperate for work or not works too cheap they hurt all in long run.
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Ya a local company here called me this year said they wanted me to do 30 properties 20$ I asked for a list so I could check them out see if they were worth it. Most were 1/2 acre over grown weedy dusty and gross. They wanted 2 angles of each section of the lawn before and after would be about 10 pic per properties taking and sending the pictures would almost take as long as the properties I called them back and asked for 35$ at least for the first time then I would do 25 each (most were within a few blocks of each other) they said they would find someone else


#23

Mike88se

Mike88se

Mid TN Lawn said:
I had a blind call last year from some property management company asking if i was interested in mowing there repos in our area said they had 85 at that time. They proceeded to tell me they pay flat rate of 25. Per cut per property and need 20 something pictures of every yard. I asked do you really get people to mow for that and there response was no problem all over country. I told them your just going to have to keep looking because we cant push paper for less than 35. Per cut and thats for weekly cuts when someone desperate for work or not works too cheap they hurt all in long run.
Click to expand...

exotion said:
Ya a local company here called me this year said they wanted me to do 30 properties 20$ I asked for a list so I could check them out see if they were worth it. Most were 1/2 acre over grown weedy dusty and gross. They wanted 2 angles of each section of the lawn before and after would be about 10 pic per properties taking and sending the pictures would almost take as long as the properties I called them back and asked for 35$ at least for the first time then I would do 25 each (most were within a few blocks of each other) they said they would find someone else
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:thumbsup: Requiring you snap 10 to 20 pics and send/upload them is asking a lot... especially for what they are paying.


#24

Ric

Ric

exotion said:
Ya a local company here called me this year said they wanted me to do 30 properties 20$ I asked for a list so I could check them out see if they were worth it. Most were 1/2 acre over grown weedy dusty and gross. They wanted 2 angles of each section of the lawn before and after would be about 10 pic per properties taking and sending the pictures would almost take as long as the properties I called them back and asked for 35$ at least for the first time then I would do 25 each (most were within a few blocks of each other) they said they would find someone else
Click to expand...


I get those calls a number of times during the year. I have two houses across the street and they get mowed about twice a week by those guys. I talked to several of guys that do those lawns and like you said they take all kinds of pictures but according to them they only get like 10$ a lawn. The thing is it doesn't cost the individual doing the cutting a dime, just his time because there supplied with everything.


#25

Lawnboy18

Lawnboy18

Ric said:
I get those calls a number of times during the year. I have two houses across the street and they get mowed about twice a week by those guys. I talked to several of guys that do those lawns and like you said they take all kinds of pictures but according to them they only get like 10$ a lawn. The thing is it doesn't cost the individual doing the cutting a dime, just his time because there supplied with everything.
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All that picture taking is ridiculous! I mow lawns for four appartment buildings and it takes me about 1.5 hours to mow them and drive in between them (about 5 minutes between each building is the driving time). I charge about 60$ to mow those lawns all together. They are very small lawns! A few lines and I am done. The guy sent his daughters to check my work out and they were very impressed! The rest of the summer he trusted me! Where has trust gone these days? It's lost...


#26

Carscw

Carscw

The lower down the line the less you get paid.

Right now a2z holds the contract for HUD homes they pay me as a vendor $55 per house. Say I sub out 100 yards to a company for $40 per yard then they sub out 50 for $30 per yard.
On a grass cut we take 10 pics.
On a initial clean of the house and yard we take around 60 pics at $350 plus any extras I can get guys to do it for $150.

There is a company called Coast to Coast that only pays $10 for grass cuts on foreclosed homes and wants 30 pics.

Taking pics really does not take any extra time. My wife take the before pics while I unload the equipment and keeps the camera with her and takes the during while we work then takes the after while I load up.
At the end of the day we drop the SD card off with a lady and she does all the invoices for $2 each.

For someone just starting out and wants to stay busy then doing foreclosed homes for $20 is not to bad as all you do is cut , trim , blow and don't have to make it look nice just knock the grass down. Now doing a HUD home you need to get paid what you would if it was a occupied home.

This referral company is not really that bad they pay you $20 to cut a yard and get a new regular customer that most wi pay $30


#27

Lawnboy18

Lawnboy18

Carscw said:
The lower down the line the less you get paid.

Right now a2z holds the contract for HUD homes they pay me as a vendor $55 per house. Say I sub out 100 yards to a company for $40 per yard then they sub out 50 for $30 per yard.
On a grass cut we take 10 pics.
On a initial clean of the house and yard we take around 60 pics at $350 plus any extras I can get guys to do it for $150.

There is a company called Coast to Coast that only pays $10 for grass cuts on foreclosed homes and wants 30 pics.

Taking pics really does not take any extra time. My wife take the before pics while I unload the equipment and keeps the camera with her and takes the during while we work then takes the after while I load up.
At the end of the day we drop the SD card off with a lady and she does all the invoices for $2 each.

For someone just starting out and wants to stay busy then doing foreclosed homes for $20 is not to bad as all you do is cut , trim , blow and don't have to make it look nice just knock the grass down. Now doing a HUD home you need to get paid what you would if it was a occupied home.

This referral company is not really that bad they pay you $20 to cut a yard and get a new regular customer that most wi pay $30
Click to expand...

Very true! That is why you have to try and stay at the top of the game to get the most money, but we all have to start some where. I started out with an electric trimmer and my parents lawn-boy (good mower!). Now, I got a bunch of commercial grade stuff and charge more.

Just out of curiosity, does 55$ cuts, how long do they take you


#28

Carscw

Carscw

Lawnboy18 said:
Very true! That is why you have to try and stay at the top of the game to get the most money, but we all have to start some where. I started out with an electric trimmer and my parents lawn-boy (good mower!). Now, I got a bunch of commercial grade stuff and charge more. Just out of curiosity, does 55$ cuts, how long do they take you
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This time of year with the grass not growing most take less than 10 mins.
In growing season most take 30 mins. Last year with all the rain we had some took longer. With HUD you have to mow, edge, trim, and blow and no clipping.


#29

Lawnboy18

Lawnboy18

Carscw said:
This time of year with the grass not growing most take less than 10 mins.
In growing season most take 30 mins. Last year with all the rain we had some took longer. With HUD you have to mow, edge, trim, and blow and no clipping.
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Humm, that is pretty good money for 10-30 minutes! Way more than a dollar/minute.


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