question for lgf

[ronslawncare]

i read your post on priceing per sq ft.for mowing can you explain more in detail if i had 10,000 sq ft lawn $1.25 a sq ft for that you would charge $12.50 cents to cut it.is there a stop charge.also how do you charge for edgeing and blowing.im sorry for bringing back the same topic but i really apreciate the info .thanx ronnie

[TSS]

Ron,

The pricing formula increases when the sf of the lawn decreases.

Example = lawn under 20k = 3.00 per sf
lawn over 20k = 2.00 per sf
lawn over 44k =1.25 per sf

Then the degree of dificulty will need to be added into the price.
Depends on what your market will allow though.

[ronslawncare]

how about chargeing for edgeing by the linear ft. and blowing walks.

[TLS]

If you cant just look at a lawn and estimate how long it will take to mow, then your in the wrong business!

I guess it comes with experience, but all these formulas give me headaches! You can always compare a new lawn to one of your existing lawns and estimate from there. If its real big, think of how many "smaller" lawns fit inside this big one....Then add them up!

Seems too many people are overthinking the estimating process. :rolleyes:

[ronslawncare]

thats being of no help.why guess when you can get it precise and know the sq ft for seeding ,fert ,or mulch for beds .why not measure everything from the start and keep it filed.

[TLS]

If you cant look at a 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 1, + etc lawn and estimate the time it will take to mow, trim, and blow, then your barking up the wrong tree. Sorry I can be of no help! As for fert and mulch, it kinda follows the same rule of estimation, NOT guessing!

If you need the sq footage of a property, go to your counties website and look under property assessment. Mine lists everything from house and property sq/footage to how many bathrooms!

[ronslawncare]

i guess if your that lazy you should look it up .yeah your right anyway thanks for the great help.i asking how to price each property by the sq ft not not the way tls does business.i already know how to do it your way.

[TSS]

Yes it will tell you the sf of the property. Will it also tell you the sf of the new in ground pool they just put in along with the new deck they built on the back of the house?? To someone who is just starting out they don't have the luxury to allow for this. I guess to each their own but I agree with ron.

[TLS]

Originally posted by ronslawncare
i guess if your that lazy you should look it up.

I'm not lazy. I do it my way because that is the most efficient way that I can do it!

If you want exact, measure on of your existing properties and figure out a formula for yourself that comes out "mathematically" correct for the prices you are charging.

My eyes haven't been calibrated in a while, but I can still look at a property and "see" what I will charge that particular customer. It isn't rocket science, but estimating is a VERY important part of this business.

The only thing you should be measuring for is a patio or walkway, as brick and materials are non-returnable.

[jaybird24]

I agree with TLS- if you cant look at a lawn and figure how long it will take to mow maybe this isn't the right biz for you. I'm too damn busy doing the work to spend my time measuring and adding stuff up. If you like numbers that much maybe you should be an accountant .

[Eric ELM]

Originally posted by TLS
If you cant just look at a lawn and estimate how long it will take to mow, then your in the wrong business! Seems too many people are overthinking the estimating process. :rolleyes:

Chalk this one up on the wall Tom, since we are not talking mowers, I agree with you. :D

It all comes with experiance at doing it though. I grew up on a farm estimating acres of fields, not these little lawns.

[LAWNGODFATHER]

$1.25 per 1000 sq/ft from 21,000 adn up with little to no trim and blow.

Then if it is a hard lawn I times the price by 1.5

As the acrege goes up the times number goes down.

But if it looks to be to high I will adjust it.

I can estimate pretty close to the exact time, but I have to measure for apps so I came up with these numbers and have gotten all but one bid I quoted so far, and at a few dollars more than I would have guessed at.

It only take 1 minute to hand some one a bid, but it can take a few years to catch up from under bidding it.

This is not over thinking it, it is actually an easy system, and the only reason I came up with it, is for a sales men, this way he has some kind of guide lines to follow.

[robert payer]

Following coments are not criticism directed at any one person.

Measure the lots and you will get the bid at above industry standards. Inteligent clients will begin to tell you that your price is more than fair.

No measurements? Hope your not fertilizing! Measure your existing clients in the winter so that it does not cost you money maybe. Personally would not wait my self.

Be open to new ideas. I was a hard head for many years.

"God is really only another artist. He invented the giraffe, the elephant, and the cat. He has no real style. He just goes on trying new things."

Prosperity to all in this new season!

[LAWNGODFATHER]

Also if you research KutnKru's posts he has a pretty good scale too.

[Little Guy]

You guys are cutting estates, not lawns like around me! The average here is between 5 and 15,000 sqft.

And I won't cut a blade for less than $25.00






Little Guy:blob2:

[Eric ELM]

Originally posted by robert payer
No measurements? Hope your not fertilizing!

The original question was figuring for MOWING, not fertilizing.

[Fantasy Lawns]

Measuring is perfect for when you need to fert or mulch ....but unless they want the bid to be broken down for these "extras' after all that's alot of measuring for just a cutting bid ....I can just look at it n get close (but then I do time samples of present jobs during different times of year to give me the foundation for the eye ball bidding)

Your going to have to develope your own system .... maybe a spread sheet broken down with various measurement increases ...the one I use is broken into 5 k yard measurement n includes n gives increased due to diffulculty of job

SAMPLE:
Under 10k Turf è .0035 x Measured Turf Sq. Ft = Per Cut
10k – 20k Turf è .0030 x Measured Turf Sq. Ft =Per Cut
20k – 40kTurf è .0020 x Measured Turf Sq. Ft = Per Cut
+ 40k Turf è .0012 x Measured Turf Sq. Ft = Per Cut

this is just "sample number" sooo say the yard is 13k sq ft 13,000 x.0030 = $40 per cut ....or a yard say 1.5 acres or 65,340 x .0012 =$ 78 per cut ....again just sample # ....yours WILL vary according to the cost of living & competive rate in your area

Tom
I too use our County Property Tax page for turf estimates n Yes it does give building measurment n pool n shed n driveway etc ....tells me Whom the Owner is .... has an airal view ...how much the home is worth ... it is very close to true turf measurements

[LAWNGODFATHER]

County Property Tax is only going to give you sizes that you had to aqurie a permit for to build.

Will not give you the areas you put mulch beds, small shed, dog house, Trellas, ponds/water falls, Landscaped areas, driveways, walk ways, etc...

There are a great deal many I looked up on there and then went to the house and they were so far off it was unreal.

First; business operate on systems. (I hate systems)

I had to develope a system for others to estimate in my place other than a ruff guess.

Second; my system is desinged for my business.

If I think the price is to high or to low for the property it will be adjusted to it. There have been a few really easy properties that it came in to low on the price, and I know I can get more than the scale showed.

Third; I measure every property now, this give me the ability to give an aeration/seeding price, a dethatching price, lawn application price, and even the mulch price.

Now I have measurements on file without having to go measure again, I can give I quote. Only draw back is a partial area from what I have on file.

They get a quote for all of those with whatever they called me for.

If the called me just for mulch they get all the rest also.

Also my scale is off of using a 52" Wb, not a 60" ZTR.

[robert payer]

Eric Elm,
Your properties are very well kept. The photos on your site are enjoyable. Nice work! My previous post was concerning grass cutting. The fertilization comment refers to the fact that many people are mowing and fertilizing a property and still do not have measurements. An apology is due for going off the subject. Thank you.

Little Guy,
Minimum charges are nice to have. $25.00 sounds fair for a small lot if you are in the neiborhood.

Measuring the lots has really worked wonders here and hope that you may still consider adapting the idea.

Quote
"The only limits to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today." Thomas Jefferson- He died the day before he was to give the speech.

Prosperity with the new season!

[KirbysLawn]

Ok, I have a question. If you have never measured a lawn but can look at it and know how big it is, how do you know how big it is? Know what I mean? I mean heck, you could be looking at 10k and thinking it's 15k, how would you know for sure you are right or wrong?

I measure all may lawns, it does not take that long, i record the measurment and always have it for reference. I do fertilize all the lawn I mow so it helps with that figuring along with aeration and overseeding estimates.

[ronslawncare]

sorry i got carry away and called you lazy tls .i do know what the going rate is in my area and i definately can eyeball a price and come out nice.actually im one of the high ones everyone tells me but besides i appologize and thankyou for all answers they were very helpful.ronnie