Hourly rate

[CP Estates]

Simply put, for those of you who work alone, what is your gross target hourly rate? I've been hearing between 50 and 55 per hour.

[LB1234]

50-55 is 100k per year. A comfortable living could be made with a salary of 100k...just my opinion. Of course we haven't discussed uncle sam

[daveintoledo]

i shot for 50 to 60 an hour, but what are your expenses, figure out your cost of doing business, what you need to survive on and get your price from there

and i did not make 100k from charging 60 per hour... that is irrelivent, depends on number of accounts, number of cuts in your region, upselling...

[LB1234]

Sorry,

If you generate $50/hr for 2080 hours than your income is $104,000.00.

[CP Estates]

I was just figuring out that if people are shooting for 50 - 60 per hour before costs come off, then the more one can reduce costs, the more that they would make. Focus on one area for example and your travel time is reduced therin putting extra money in your pocket. I've got about 100 2 acre estates where I live with a variety of guys from all over looking after a few each. My thought was to get 20 of them @ 50 / hr (3 hrs / home) and I'm looking at $75,000 based on 25 cuts / year. If I have virtually no travel time then I can either pick up a few more or give each of them added value like maybe a basic spring / fall cleanup included or something else.

How low have you seen people go? If I'm going to be looking for 50 /hr. and Joe Lowballer is doing it for 35 then no matter where I cut expenses, I can't compete.

[daveintoledo]

How low have you seen people go? If I'm going to be looking for 50 /hr. and Joe Lowballer is doing it for 35 then no matter where I cut expenses, I can't compete.

you have to do better work, higher quality, more personal service... and the lowballer will hopefully go out of busines in the first 8 weeks and they will call you back....:)

and if they dont, they arent the type of customer you want anyway...

[CP Estates]

... as I am a resident of the area that I mentioned, I have the ability to offer things like cleanups that realistically only cost me my time. If I include this and am competative on rates, does that make me a lowballer or just a prudent businessman?;)

[daveintoledo]

i dont give away anything... in fact my time is what is most valuable... but it may work great for you:)

[CP Estates]

My problem is that I have a marketing background and the first question is always "What makes you any different than everyone else?". You can't say service because everyone will quote that line. There's alot of competition in this market so to get started, you need a hook. My thought is to make it a neighbourhood based business and appeal to their sense of community as well as added value. Another one might be that I could offer house-watching when required as it's not out of my way and would only take minutes to do a walk-through.

[wantstolearn]

doh! I called a guy I know the other day that has been in Lawn Care for 12 years to get some advice. I told him I didn't want to be known as a 'low baller' and asked him what he charged. He said $35 an hour is what he shoots for. Wonder if this is normal for the region I am in, or if I asked a 'low baller' for advice. :confused:

[lowballer17]

My goal has been to cut 10 lawns per hour at $17 per lawn,(cut, edge&trim) along with my partner. The key is to saturate an area, get accounts close together, drop the gate and work. Cutting one here, one there, drive, cut, drive, cut, makes no sense to us.

[cwlawley]

I aim for $50.00 per hour for my work and $30.00 per hour for other employees work (if I need the help).

[tjsquickcuts]

My goal has been to cut 10 lawns per hour at $17 per lawn,(cut, edge&trim) along with my partner. The key is to saturate an area, get accounts close together, drop the gate and work. Cutting one here, one there, drive, cut, drive, cut, makes no sense to us.

I agree Lowballer, but wow, wait until I tell my wife this. She has been bitchen at me about doing 15 in a day. Just curious, but how my accounts do you do in a day, and in a week? I have most of my customers in two huge up-scale neighborhoods, so I am able to park and work all day.

[PMLAWN]

Sorry,

If you generate $50/hr for 2080 hours than your income is $104,000.00.

That is not income-- that is gross. It is not what you will be living on, Net is what you bring home. If your overhead is 75000 than you live on $29000.

[lowballer17]

I cut from sunup to 3pm W-F, no cutting on the weekends, M&T cut till 11am
I love a 4000 sq ft house on a 40x90 lot. My gravely 34" rider cuts them in about 2 min, takes longer to blow the driveway than to cut.

[tjsquickcuts]

I cut from sunup to 3pm W-F, no cutting on the weekends, M&T cut till 11am
I love a 4000 sq ft house on a 40x90 lot. My gravely 34" rider cuts them in about 2 min, takes longer to blow the driveway than to cut.

Thats great, I am not cutting on weekend this year, and hope to cut all my accounts in one week, so I can use the off weeks to landscape and weed control and fertilize. I am not sure of what my time will be like this year, last year I cut anywhere from 10-14 alone, and @ time with some help. So the first month is going to be a true test, and if I can handle more, I have a lot of people on a waiting list, and I will bring them into play. Keeping my fingers crossed....by the way, how many total accounts to you do in a year LB

[tjsquickcuts]

Just got three calls from last weeks flyers.....I am amped for this year.

[lowballer17]

yeah, that's the idea. Leave the weekends open. Many of my peeps dont like me running mowers during their lawn parties anyway on the weekend. Works for me.

[CC Lawncare]

I wish I had those hours..........sort of......OK. I don't really but they do sound enjoyable. I am in the north and we get all that we can get. I work 10 to 12 hours weekdays, 8 to 10 on Saturdays and if the weather hurt me during the week, I do up to 6 hours on some Sundays. I know that sounds terrible to some guys but I gotta tell you, I LOVE MY JOB. :headphones:

[gammon landscaping]

i work when i can and as long as i can. i have sat here at the house all week with my thumb up my butt cause it is to wet for me to work. so when spring is here i will be rolling 10-12 agian. i have al the time in the winter i need so come summer i will be so happy pull a good 12 hour day every day. i am a solo landscape installer. i feel that if the weather is good i need to be working. if it is bad i can rest. i just feel really lazy any other way. btw i feel really lazy right know.

[PMLAWN]

Thats great, I am not cutting on weekend this year, and hope to cut all my accounts in one week, so I can use the off weeks to landscape and weed control and fertilize. LB
How do you train the grass to only grow when you want it to?

[daveintoledo]

I cut from sunup to 3pm W-F, no cutting on the weekends, M&T cut till 11am
I love a 4000 sq ft house on a 40x90 lot. My gravely 34" rider cuts them in about 2 min, takes longer to blow the driveway than to cut.

i cut 7 days with a half day on sunday.... but out here in the sticks, there is no one to bother, great day to do bigger acreage...rabbits, squirrels and the deer dont care.....
:)

[tjsquickcuts]

How do you train the grass to only grow when you want it to?
I am beginning to think you wanna come work with me....lol....and you say I dont know anything. Bermuda grass could be cut every 3 to 4 days, but choose to wait 14 days on most of my accounts because I mulch, and that usually helps with keeping the grass from growing outta control and at a faster pace. Okay, I might need to charge you for this lession. But, I charge a avg of $105 a month, with the exception of a few of my million dollar home that I do every week, and most accounts dont want it cut every week. So, just knowing my area, and knowing what I am doing, somehow it all seems to work. Guess I just have a gods gift for landscaping.

[tjsquickcuts]

i cut 7 days with a half day on sunday.... but out here in the sticks, there is no one to bother, great day to do bigger acreage...rabbits, squirrels and the deer dont care.....
:)

Thats is a great schedule, but after spending the Last month really working less then part time in the field, and at home with my 2 year old and my wife, I cant wait to be back pulling 10 hrs a day, with Sat being my fishing and hanging out with my boys day. My two talks all day, and thinks I am a moving play ground, and my wife wants to talk about every single things that comes on TV, or that she has done that day. I am so ready to get started, I think I might :dancing:

[OUTLANDER]

i guess, 50 to 60 per hour is possible there?............i'm in the wrong area here...you'd have to be really good...lol(what do i know...lol,lowballer i guess,35 to 45 here depending on what we're dealing with

[ICE]

I would shoot for just that! With all of the costs of everything going up, you need to make that just to keep ahead of it all. JMO

Tim

[M RASCOE&SONS]

i charge 45 to to 60 per man hour..

[LB1234]

That is not income-- that is gross. It is not what you will be living on, Net is what you bring home. If your overhead is 75000 than you live on $29000.


Agreed...


I should have simply stated if YOU get paid (generate, whatever) $50/hr I beleive a cmfortabel living could be made.

[wglawncare]

From the numbers you have you are expecting a $150.00 per cut. Thats $600 a month for just grass cutting. If cutting for 6 months thats $3600. To get to my point, If I were the homeowner Id go out and but one of those zero degree mowers from HomeDepot and cut my own grass.

[B&D Lawn Care]

I try to shoot for 40-45 bph.

[AzonPM]

I started a landscaping division for my property management business. This is our first year landscaping. My prices so far are $40 per hour/per person, all landscaping services i.e. clean ups, mulch install/delivery, planting; and flat rate per cut based on size. Right now we are doing hour rate only with ALL expenses paid by customer, including travel time if delivering mulch.

Any feedback or advice??:confused: