How much to charge?

[Ol'Man]

As I explained in an earlier post, I am starting a new business. I have been reading the posts on how much to charge for different services. I have come to the conclusion that I need $40 an hour when I am on the property. Problem is, when I question other services about mowing the same size properties, they get nearly twice as much for the same service. The smallest job I get $25 for. It takes me 20 minutes. Am I lowballing? Serious question!

[Grits]

Following the Lawnsite suggested rule of $1 per minute. $25 for 20 minutes is good. Only you know YOUR costs and what YOU need to make. If you have figured out your costs and discovered that you need to make $40 per hour then great. But on a different note....you also need to try and charge what the market will bear. On the other hand....just because Joe Bob's Grass Cuttin' SAYS they make $??, doesn't make it true.

[MattsMowing3535]

Dont forget load time and road time from property to property! IMO you arent lowballing thats about right on if not a bit extra which is good!

[DuraCutter]

Dont forget load time and road time from property to property! IMO you arent lowballing thats about right on if not a bit extra which is good!

Yes, road time, downtime, rain etc... realistically, try 100/hr. Don't laugh, you can do it. Prolly only 5% of lco make that and some more. It's all up to you. Charging by the job often nets you twice what you charge by the hour or more. The bigger lco's around here will tell you the same story, but chances are you won't believe it, instead you may believe the other guys who say "you can't earn that much!!" You are your biggest roadblock to making more... not just you, but like I said, most guys including me when I started in business. Now, I regularly make 100 to 200/hr. mostly by charging by the job. Mind you, that's with added services like snow, stucco repairs, dek master deck work, landscape etc...

Believe me, you can make more....:canadaflag: