National Average $ Rates For Mowing Are High

[Turf Dancer]

I guess I am sheltered here in NE Oregon and SW Washington because mowing rates here are way lower than the rates I am seeing on here. Around here if you are at $25 per hour people think you are nuts and you will lose accounts to the scabs . If you can get $30 per hour you are making damn good money. Here are the averages around here for maintenence work (mowing, trimming, etc.)


Mowing rates from LCO's - $25-30 per hour
Minimum for a small lawn (under 1/2 hour)- $15

Landscapers - $35-45 per hour
Minimum for a lawn - $18-20

Are there any other areas where rates are so low ?

[mikal]

Im in western MD and that is around what i make. Its a hard living but I am doing what I love and am my own boss which is the best benefitt.

[P&J Lawncare]

Time to move guys.

[Vibe Ray]

Yes, make sure you either move or start mowing better neighbohoods or something!

[65hoss]

Sorry guys but I disagree. What you make in revenue per hour is based on marketing and your personal concepts on pricing. Most people live in large enough areas to find the good customers. If the preception that your prices are too low then your probably looking for work in the wrong areas.

Also, how you market yourself and how potiential customers see you counts even more to how much you can charge. There is always people that are willing to pay more for quality and reliability. You have to spend the time to find those people. It doesn't happen overnight.

I don't price according to anyone else. I sell myself 1st. Sure you will be turned down by some. But thats the nature of the business. Any business for that fact. You just have to stop assuming that means all people want to pay $25 for a quality job. If thats the case, maybe everyone should close up shop today and find new careers. Because that amount of money for seasonal work just wouldn't pay the bills.

[Smartgene]

There are many advantages to living in small towns like Pendelton, OR. Generally, there is less crime, less polution, less traffic, friendlier people etc. However, from a business standpoint, you normally can't compare a small town to a place like Dallas or Detroit (where I am). If I could acquire as many customers at the same rates in Pendelton as I do in Detroit, I'd be packing my bags and buying a one way ticket to Pendelton.
I put up with all the hassles of big city living in order to have the power of numbers on my side. There are 750,000 residents in my county. There are over 1 million in the next county, and 70,000 within 15 minutes of me. I have to put up with a lot of headaches, but I get my customers and my pricing is pretty strong.

[musselman]

I work in a very small town maybe 4500 people probably less and my prices seem to be $15-$30 for residentals. after reading some of the other post I dint think I was making great money ethier, but when I set down and figured it out I was bringing in about $36 an hour, figure I lose half to taxes, insurance, and other expences thats still $15 an hour, I figure thats good for a part time job, when most part time employment around here is at minimum wage. But if I was full time I could see where you would need to make more. Another thing to look at is cost of living...I can buy a fairly nice home in the area for $60,000 and a dang nice place for $100,000. The last place I lived a 60,000 would get you a building lot. I wouldnt worry about what eeryone else is making....if your paying your bills and providing for your family your doing ok, Good Luck

[Just Turned Pro]

Sorry to get off topic.... But Holy cow!

Originally posted by musselman
Another thing to look at is cost of living...I can buy a fairly nice home in the area for $60,000 and a dang nice place for $100,000. The last place I lived a 60,000 would get you a building lot. I wouldnt worry about what eeryone else is making....




In the North Puget Sound region... building lots start around $120,000 (in a development w/ utilities etc) and those are for 5000-9000 square foot lots.... move out of the city to an "estate sized" lot and you are looking at $125,000 plus!

:cry:

[Richard Martin]

I agree with musselman and others. Whether or not you are making enough money depends more on local and personal factors than anything else. If I wanted to buy a house with a $1500 mortgage they would probably laugh me right out the door. But my mortgage payment including escrow is only $570.00 a month because I bought my house 17 years ago. So I'm putting money in the bank every month towards my eventual retirement. At the time I bought my house the payment was huge for me but now it's almost pocket change compared to how much I make.

[AltaLawnCare]

Originally posted by musselman
I wouldnt worry about what eeryone else is making....if your paying your bills and providing for your family your doing ok, Good Luck

I agree with that.

I would like to see a major publication do a survey, and get averages for different regions of the country. A magazine article had the national average for $38.00 per hour, but it makes a big difference where you live and the median income.

Even if you're a lawyer, doctor or CPA, it still makes a big difference in your location, in how your income stacks up against others in your field.

A LCO can easily get maybe $15.00 per cut on a lawn on a street next to 20 more just like it, do four different lawns in an hour and gross $60.00 per hour.

Go out to an area where most household income is less than $50,000 per year, and the average yard takes 1 to 2 hours, you're not going to get $120.00 per cut. It depends on how many lawns you're doing and the economic conditions of the area.;)

[awm]

as far as averages go ,no way.
theres people that have limited knowledge ,an mostly just know how to crank a mower. i dont hardly believe that person is worth anything close to a person who knows what to do in most lawncare situations.thats a pro.
some o these are better than others ,so
we talking a broad spectrum of difference,in what u get for your money.
jmho

[TLS]

Thirty year old 3 bedroom rancher 1200 sqft, 2 car garage, on a country acre...... = $170,000 here! I get between $45 and $70/hr here. So cost of living / per capita has A LOT to do with the prices we charge!

[MOW ED]

About a dollar a minute average. Some jobs are waaayyy more. Pretty nice area here and many wealthy business people, widows and 2 income climbers.

[leeslawncare]

I agree with mow ed.I've got a lot of my long time folks (6yrs) that i get 1$ minute.I had them when i had the ol'''(i've forgot how they work) ...push mowers.Now after yrs. of up gradeing it pays off.Long time customers..are the way to go.

[scottb]

I cut in the Mooresville NC area(or Race City USA) it has become a bedroom city to Charlotte most of the people work in Charlotte.
So with families a long commutes they dont want to do there lawns and dont have the time,so they gladly pay around the average of 35.00an hour. On lake Norman or lake nothing as the fishermen call it you average 45.00. But there you get half millon dollar homes on half acre lots.

[MATTHEW]

Dollars per hour will vary with equipment, price and drive time. Granted, most of us have good equipment, and basically similar pricing. The killer is DRIVE TIME. In a tight area, I can get $60/hr with no problem. Spread 'em out and it's down to $35/hr. I figured once that if I had 45 lawns within 3-4 blocks from my shop, and could hit at least 3 at each stop I would make $70/hr.

My personal goal is to hone down my service area each year. I have turned down 10-20 jobs each year because it is outside the boundaries. It hurts in the short run, but will pay off eventually.