20000 sq. ft lawn estimate?

[nlminc]

What would you bid this weekly? Grass must be removed and the trimming is a swing set, split rail fence 200' long and the foundation planting beds approx. 150'. No trees or planting beds in the lawn. The customer wants a price for aeration and dethatching also.

thanks,

Chris

[thelawnguy]

Why is an experienced LCO such as yourselfd asking such an elementary question? Or are you just taking a poll?

Anyhoo, aeration 75, dethatching 125, weekly mow trim blo and go 35.

[Barkleymut]

Mow = $45 If she wants it bagged additional $45
Dethatch & remove all old thatch = $275
Aerate = $100

[kutnkru]

MOWING:
$45 cut clippings dispersed (incl. trim + blow)
$70 cut clippings removed (incl. trim + blow)

POWER RAKE:
$280 one direction, includes debris removal

AERATION:
$120

Good Luck this season!
Kris

[MOW ED]

Mow and bag = 75.00 if I fertilize min. 4x (extra $$)
Mow and bag no fert= 100/per cut
I control the N and with that the growth.

dethatching and removal 20k sq ft= 325.00

aeration=240.00

No way in the world I would bag a 20k lawn for 35 bucks. You will be very sorry if you get hooked on that one. No offense lawnguy but thats a great value for someone.

[little green guy]

Cut(not bagged)-40.00
Cut(bagged)-120.00 (I'd have to buy a grass catcher)

Aerate- 125.00
Dethatch- 225.00

[dhicks]

Mow Ed speaks for me on this one.

[thelawnguy]

Originally posted by MOW ED
No way in the world I would bag a 20k lawn for 35 bucks. You will be very sorry if you get hooked on that one. No offense lawnguy but thats a great value for someone.

Who said anything about bagging? I would mulch, and there would be no clippings.

Look, the lawn is less than a half acre, with minimal trimming-just some fence posts. I would be in and out in 1/2 hour, aeration would take an hour, dethatch an hour with the broom and an hour cleanup. This assumes an average lawn which has been reasonably cared for in the past.

With all due respect to you guys out there, I can see your pricing on this small yard, and the threads complaining about how the scrubs are taking away your customers, and have come to the conclusion that either some of you need a handle on your overhead or need a crash course in pricing jobs.

[HOMER]

Thanks Bill! GMTA :D

[tpirobert]

Price would vary upon looking at lawn and location to other jobs, but...

Mow $50
Mow/Bag $75 ( dispose of clipping at site )
Aerate $200
Dethatch/removal $300

[MOW ED]

I went back and read the initial post and mr. nlminc stated that the clippings are to be removed from the property. Based on the SPEC given for this property I am telling you what I would charge and what I make in my situation.

Yes the lawn is less than a half acre but hav any of you had to bag a half acre of grass after joe homeowner went out to Home depot and threw 2 bags of triple 19 on the lawn in the spring. I have. I won't do it for 35 bucks even mulched.

With all due respect, I would welcome a lesson on overhead reduction as it is a concern but certainly not a problem for me as my business has grown better than 20% per year for the last 6.
As far as a lesson on pricing jobs goes, I won't need a lesson in that as I know how to price jobs here in N.E. Wisconsin which is the market that I am in.

I don't want to get into a pissing match with anyone on this subject but I cater to the higher end customer who wants things done a certain way and are willing to pay me for it. In response to those needs, I have high quality equipment and run a professional business for these people.
If they want Timmy from down the street to cut their lawn for a roll of nickles and a snowcone then I don't need to deal with them, nor do I hold any malice towards them or Timmy for that matter.

Pricing in this business depends on many factors, I know my targets and I know what to charge. I also know how to sell. I learned this the hard way, long before Lawnsite was here to help people like us. The reason this site is so great is that it gives differing opinions from many different people. This is mine.

[smburgess]

It always amazes me when a "professional" four states away, in a different economic center asks me what I would charge on a job I haven't seen. I don't give prices over the phone to customers here in town, let alone assume the cost per hour of a company I no nothing about states away from me. Everytime one of these types of questions are posted "professionals" post answers back thinking they are doing a service to the guy, which again amazes me. Then to see discussion on who's right and who's wrong? I'm not trying to start anything here, just stop and think.

[Randy Scott]

smburgess. Ditto!

[MOW ED]

OK, lets stop and think. I think that Lawnsite gives "professionals" as well as anyone else who lurks here or ends up here by accident a chance to interact with others.
This question was posed to the whole site and as a member of this site I responded. The question was general in the sense that minimal information was given and I responded with a specific for my situation as did others. Differing opinions ensued but isn't it nice that we all aren't the same.

The point I would like to get across to the above 2 posters is that everyone can read the information that is posted on this site. People are curious and want to learn. Mayby someone in my general area will read this and learn something. Discussion is just that - discussion. I harbor no ill feelings towards anyone that has a differing opinion than I. I learn from and enjoy a difference of opinion.

Your opinion appears to be that we should not discuss things of this nature and I respect that. My opinion is that without all types of discussion this site might as well shut down.

You looked at this post because something interested you in the title. You learned something by reading thru the posts. I have been on this site a long time and have asked similar questions that were answered by members of this site. I have no idea if they are "professional" or not but I appreciate every post, if I agree or disagree.

This is our forum to learn thru discussion, if there is a better way, let us know.

[smburgess]

MOW ED...

My opinion is, as a professional, is that I wouldn't post a question of this nature nor respond to such a question because of the reasons you stated as to why you would. Clearly looking at the posts that were made you can see the question along with the posts became clouded, not through differing opinions but with differing company economics.

I've always felt this Commercial Lawn Care Forum to be a place to discuss lawn and landscape maintenance, equipment, personnel, productivity, and business management - not how much should I charge to cut the grass, to apply fertilizer, to clean leaves up, etc. Anyone in the business should know this already.

Granted, there seems to be alot of "professionals" here that need such guidance, but without knowing practically everything about their company and local economics, I feel any answer provided would be misleading.

This is only my opinion, as to what I believe this forum to be about, professionals asking questions of professionals. I'm not trying to upset anyone, and since your post was directed to me, I felt I needed to respond with perhaps a clearer thought.