Minimum cutting price

[Husky]

What are your minimum cutting edging and blow prices for your area?

[troblandscape]

25$

[coonman]

$20 for the postage stamp lawns.

[pilotcoplawnboy]

$25.00

[GrassMaster84]

For a random customer, 1 time only, I will not do it for less than $30.

[rodfather]

$30...and those are the ones where it seems to take longer to unload/load the equipment than it does to do the job. And it probably is.

[Lawn Dog2001]

$25

[fatboy5803]

$2o.- 25 ,, I have gone Lower for the elder when I know they don't have it !! And I have done it for Free in the same situation.
Small yard........... And felt Good !!


Lou :)

[The Plant Poet]

25.00 dollars. and only because it's in a neighborhood I already work in.

Two thumbs waaaay up for Lou! Older widows should always be free.

[J&R]

35.00 no ifs ands or butts. If they want cheap go get a schoolboy to do the job.

[leeslawncare]

25.00 for us an that is a very small one .3 to 5 k

[grassdaddy]

1 at 25.00 takes 12min--other than that one,30.

[FrankenScagMachines]

I'm setting my minimums at $20 no fencing (if I can use the Scag), $25 with fencing (using JD), and $30 if they insist I use a push mower unless it is so small I couldn't use my Scag or JD anyway, in which case it would be $20-25 depending on size. The 52" Scag is more maneuverable than the 38" JD anyway (same length but hydro) so it'll probably go everywhere the JD can but through gates.
Eric

[keith826]

$25.00

[bob]

Originally posted by BushHogBoy
$30 if they insist I use a push mower


You better break your customers of that! Don't let a customer tell you how to run things!

[2 man crew]

$30.00 for contract customers

$55.00 for 1 time residentials or realtors (relocations or vacant houses)

[PR0 TURF]

$30 as we speak...trying to phase it into $35....


:blob2:

[FrankenScagMachines]

Bob,
I'd only push mow a "smaller" lawn like 5,000 square feet or less per say. I set it so that I would get paid the same per hour using a push mower as I would the larger mowers so it is worth my time (even though I have to walk it's cheaper to run a Lawn Boy than a 52" hydro Scag & sulky). But I highly encourage the larger mower pointing out it would be cheaper and they would probably like the look as well and I have had people insist on the push mower and I said let me try my larger mower let you see how you like it (32" Toro RER at the time, striped good) and they loved it. I have discharged with it before and people thought I mulched or bagged. I never told them otherwise! :cool: LOL....

[CMLLawnServices]

the least i have done it for is $15 that is for the small lawn directly accross the street from me. its nice that i only have to drive accross the street 50 yards from my shed to cut. it takes about 15 minutes with trimming and blowing.

[Just Cut]

0 - 10000 sq ft $30.00

[grshppr]

$25.00 minimum. I do a couple of lawns at $20.00 but they are long time customers and they only take 8 minutes each max with 2 guys anyways.

[tiedeman]

mowing, trimming, blowing...no edging $20 min

[wriken]

I have 2 very small one next to each other, 15.00 a piece unloaded and loaded up in 15 minutes. Other than that the lowest I have is 30.00 and on that one I'm done in 10 minutes

[lawncare3]

Originally posted by fatboy5803
$2o.- 25 ,, I have gone Lower for the elder when I know they don't have it !! And I have done it for Free in the same situation.
Small yard........... And felt Good !!


Lou :)

I have done the same many times and they were so happy with me.

I charge a minimun of $20 for all lawns but, there are exceptions like the ones that only want front yard done that take 2 wb passes I just cahrge $15. As for those one time cuts I will charge @ least $25.

[65hoss]

$35 minimum for regular customer. $45 minimum for 1 time only.

[jason r.]

I've just gone up to $30 for this year. Got one I do for $20 still but that's only because her referrals have led to 6 other regular customers and her yard just takes about 20 minutes.

[Barkleymut]

Sounds like most of you are missing the point. Let me ask you this. Would you bend over to pick up a $10 bill? Well I cut a lawn for $15 every week. It is on the same street as 5 other customers so in theory no transport time. This lawn takes about 5 minutes with a 21" and 2 mins. trim and blow. So I am making a killing. I'll tell ya what you guys go ahead and quote them $30 for a 7 minute lawn and I'll quote $15. I'll be bringing in 3 times the amount of jack that ya'll are passing up on. You should not have minimums, they don't make business sense. If you could net $5 in 1 minute would you do it?

[darryl gesner]

My minimum is $30 but I have one at $25.

[fatboy5803]

I'm not missing any point. That $15. lawn you mow everyweek is fine, Maybe you don't get other's point. Sometimes I'll have a minimume up so the customer say's no way,, ( what I want to here). It's what ever floats your boat I guess is what I might be trying to say... I'm not sure what we here in Fla. should make an average per hr. In other post's I've stated I'm getting back into lawn care after a 20 yr. layoff. Still learning what's going on...
I'll use my gut feeling for alot of job estimates. That floats my boat......


Lou

[kooter]

how much would you charge if you were to do some brush clearing with a chainsaw? or cutting wood for firewood

[kooter]

how much would you charge if you were to do some brush clearing with a chainsaw? or cutting wood for firewood

[brentsawyer]

Barkeleymut,

You can take all the $15 yds you want, even if it takes you 10 min. to mow, try to figure how much loading/driving time you have in a day as compared to actual mowing time. Fact is that you would have to do 33 every day to do what I do a day and I'm sitting down. Plus, lifting the gate that much is also more than I want to do, on average I put mine down 5-8 times/day. Also, I have 1/2-1/3 as many customer calls, bills, checks to apply credit to and so forth b/c I have that many less customers. Now to do what I do in one week that would be approx 133 customers. Sorry, but that is way to much to keep up with for that amount of money, what if one of those wants it done later or skipped or just if something is different with one, it is a pain to compensate for a lousy $15. So, I like others here realize that a couple of these across the street from another is OK but it ain't gonna pay the bills for $15, there's just to much administrative work that comes into it. And once you get the larger,better paying ones, you may keep the smaller $15 ones like many have done, but just ask or guess when those are getting done. My guess is anywhere between 8-9pm on the last day of the week.

So, this is why I have a $25 min for a yard that takes 15min. anymore and its gonna be $30 unless it is a neighbor.

[Gravely_Man]

$35.00 minimum for regular customers and much hirer for one time cuttings.


Gravely_Man

[IBGreen]

$35, don't drop you're gate for any less. If they need quality service they should be happy to pay that, no matter how small the lawn is.

[sirsweatsalot]

$15.00 6 min. the town is small enough that even if i have to drive all the way across town its still worth my while. but the only one i do for 15 is right across the street so i just drive from my garge to there lawn, no loading or unloading! min is usually $20.00, but if there old i'll do it for less... it does make you feel good, and it gives that person some pride in there lawn.

[jsr2741]

$30 for mowing, trimming and blowing the clippings. $30 for the first edging of the year then $5 a week for maintenance if needed.

[bob]

$25-30.

[Lawn Tek]

25.00 if its on the route . Others how ever long it takes .

[kutnkru]

Originally posted by Barkleymut
... I cut a lawn for $15 every week. It is on the same street as 5 other customers so in theory no transport time. This lawn takes about 5 minutes with a 21" and 2 mins. trim and blow. So I am making a killing. ...I dont know about a killing??? however if you take out the 40% for mowing expenses etc, that brings you to about 9 bucks -- which equates to approximately $1.28/min.

Not the best for such a small lawn -- but DEFINITELY within the means of making good money nonetheless -LOL!!!

[danny m.]

25$ but in and out 15 to 20 min.

[Flex-Deck]

Kukenkru - Barkleynut is right on - "In my area - no transport -5 min mow - 2 min trim = $15 for 7 minutes = $128 per hr.

How can you start talking about 40% expenses? - Every thread I read on this site is talking about trying to make about $60 per hr. gross mowing income - and how do you do that etc etc.

It looks like Barkely may have just leaped past most of the people here be getting the right yard at the right time - in the right place.

Thanks, Brad

[FrankenScagMachines]

In my market and mind the smaller it is the more profitable it will be. I'd like gate springs on my trailer though! 4'x6.5' gate is heavy.

[Toroguy]

I have adopted Grassboys unbeatable pricing plan.

Any lawn $24.95 per month.

For you lawnsite non-historians...the plan is true, I jest adopting it:laugh:

[Cutright2002]

If anyone ever had the question why the mowing part of this buisness is so hard to get the prices where they need tobe then this post answers it.

[kutnkru]

Brad

Buck-o-minute gets you your $60/hr gross (lol). You simply need to determine what your hourly cutting productivity is and then factor it out at $60/hr.

The same holds true with shearing, trimming, edging, etc. -- it all depends on how much you can do(produce) and then figure out how many sf, lf, etc. you can do in that hour.

The 40% expenses come from what it costs you to do business. Basically I figure that every property we service losses 24% to the tax man -- 10% to operating fixed and var -- 7% goes towards replacement costs of equipment. Depending on site conditions and S.T.U.D. factors it varies between 40 and 42%, more consistently with 40% though.

Hope this helps.
Kris

[Barkleymut]

BrentSawyer- I usually use my 60" Chopper for most lawns but this is in the heart of the city and I use a push mower maybe 6 times a week. It maybe gets 2 hours a week tops. As for the administrative work, that's why my wife stays home with the kids. I don't have to deal with it but I do know its there. By the way I also fert this yard for $22/app. The lawn is maybe 1000 sq. ft. So you think maybe $1.50 product/2 minutes spreading/1 minute cleanup, if I could do that all day all on one or two streets I'd be a happy boy. Once again this price is only because I am already there doing several others that are next door. Also dropping the gate is no longer much of a concern since I got my new Haulmark 24ft enclosed with the super duper gate assist.

Kutnkru- My employee uses a $150 MTD push mower on this yard while I am on my 60"DC, 48"WB or 36"WB. As soon as he is done he grabs a trimmer and when I am done mowing the others I help finish up trimming then we cleanup. So equipment cost really isn't a factor on this lawn.

FlexDeck- Have you perfected a flexdeck for my $150 MTD? Maybe then I could be even more efficient and knock this lawn out in 5 minutes and only charge them $12. LOL

[lsylvain]

$30 generaly
$25 if I think you are broke
$20 if i really like you and I owe you one
I have done 2 lawns for $10 before. One of them was because I cut their entire family plus all the mulch at their houses and businesses so I was really cutting 5 lawns for $115 plus about $2000 in mulch.

The other $10 job was a little old lady that lived next door to one of my other accounts so all i had to do was go another 10 feet with the mower before turning etc. only took about 5 more minutes.

It looks like the battle of the "low-ballers"begun.

what you charge doesn't matter as long as you are pulling the desired profit you want. I definatly see the point to doing tons of lawns for $15, there may be some more admin work in bookkeeping etc, but I bet you will have a lot less complaints and irritaion from little Mrs snooty stay at home doctor wife types, who think you should pick up the clippings with a pair of forcepts. I'm sure you can run your mower a lot faster and sacrafice some quality, I people who pay $15 want their fingernails cut, not manicured. I've said it time and time again. Look at wal-mart every item they sell goes out of that store with a tiny bit of profit, but they are a largest company in the world pulling in almost 2 billion a day.

[Tony Harrell]

Last year, I had a woman call me to just trim. I had an account near her so I looked it over. It was very small and her boy (about 10) used a beat up Murray to cut it. She is a single mother of 3 and was working and going to school. I told her it would cost just as much to mow/trim/blow as just trim so why not become a reguler customer for $20? This is a very unique case and the only one I have for $20. My absolute lowest price for others is $25 on a weekly schedule, this year new customers will be $31. Now, some people in my area tell me that "when I was doing it, I got $45-$60" YEAH RIGHT! Maybe that's why they're not doing it anymore.

[Lawn277]

one timers are $22.00 unless you are handicapped or over 60, those people get it for $18. I ve even done some for nothing.

thanks
Rick

[earthandturf]

$30 minimum and no fenced yards. If I can't use my 52" Lazer HP I won't do it.

[outrunjason]

I charge $25 but for new customers they get 4 mowings at $15 per mowing.

Just for promtional purposes.


Jason

[gogetter]

1 small lawn in a trailer park for $20
Most other lawns in the area start at $25 and go up from there.

[Harvestman]

$30 min for us also.

[PRECISION LC]

$25.00

[Simone Lawn Service]

$25.00 Min. (I do have one I do for twenty). After doing this a few years I'm finally starting to adopt the "Work smarter not harder" philosophy. The fifteen and twenty dollar (cash) jobs are ok from time to time. Sometimes someone will stop me and I'll figure...well for ten min. work I can gas my vehicle up or pay for such and such. But I have a friend who always ends up doing all sorts of things for peanuts-he makes decent money-but I know he'll work twice as hard as me to make the same amount of money. I suppose you just have to figure out what your time is worth- The older I get the more it seems to be worth.payup

[SLS]

$25 minimum

I don't care if it takes me 2 minutes to mow the lawn. I still have to schedule it, maintain my equipment, buy the fuel, collect the money, keep the records, pay my taxes and insurance, do the deposit..............

All that is worth something in my mind. If not, I'll go fishing instead. :D

[outrunjason]

I like what SLS said that will keep me motivated for some good money this year.

Jason

[brucec32]

Originally posted by Barkleymut
Sounds like most of you are missing the point. Let me ask you this. Would you bend over to pick up a $10 bill? Well I cut a lawn for $15 every week. It is on the same street as 5 other customers so in theory no transport time. This lawn takes about 5 minutes with a 21" and 2 mins. trim and blow. So I am making a killing. I'll tell ya what you guys go ahead and quote them $30 for a 7 minute lawn and I'll quote $15. I'll be bringing in 3 times the amount of jack that ya'll are passing up on. You should not have minimums, they don't make business sense. If you could net $5 in 1 minute would you do it?

You have a point. But there aren't many 7 minute lawns out there around most places. That's really tiny. Ones as big as my living room take about 15 counting load/unload/trim/edge/blow, maybe 12 min w/o any loading.
Also, building a client base on $15 yards would mean you have to have a LOT of customers to make a living. I prefer fewer phone calls, fewer invoices to create, and more time spent sitting on my arse on a Lazer Z to walking behind a 21".

One reason people use us is that it's a job they find unpleasant or don't want to buy the equipment for. A really tiny lawn, even the laziest guy may well prefer to spend the 5 minutes and save the $15. You're talking electric mower size there. My minimum is $22. They're often more trouble than they're worth. Less lawn means you'd better not make any mistakes or they'll be sure to notice it. But if you can line em up 5 at a time, hey, go for it.

I will say I prefer doing lots of small-medium lawns, as long as they're appropriate for a riding mower, because I do the work myself and like to get in and get out in less than a half hour, that way I don't get bored or tired. My rates reflect travel time, so I get compensated for that. I've found that I can't get as much "per minute" of actual work on really big properties as I can on smaller ones. People are fine with $30-$35 on a small lot, but fewer will pay $100 on a much bigger property that takes 3 times as long. And past a certain point, if the budget gets too high, they can afford a full service weed-pickin', mulch spreadin', stick pickin up' service. And I don't do that stuff.

[Organix]

Pretty much $15 dollars cut but don't get paid for the 5th cut in 5 day month. So 60 bux a month for like 1500 square ft of lawn. I do have one that I am doing for 50 that is few strips and small yard but lot of leafs. The only reason is I had the neighbor until they moved.

We just get less out here, but it's 12 months.

[4evergreenlawns]

This has been a great thread, now I know why I refuss to cut residential lawns.

Are you crazy, $15.00 to cut a lawn. One rock into a window and you will be cutting that lawn for free for the next two years. I was getting $15.00 in 1980 cuting lawns with dads mower for money to buy Atri games. Get real. And then you use that same pricing to bid on commercial jobs, but when you get the job and actually work out your time and cost you you lose the job because you are in such a rush to get to the $15.00 lawns or just stop doing all the work. Next thing I know I am getting the call to bid and replace the guy who said he could cut, and trim 3.5 acers in 40mins. Several times I have had the property manager come out and time me on a job at no cost just to close a deal, after a residential LCO has mis-quoted a job.

The wife does the work so it does not cost me anything. That is the best one yet. Maybe you could stay home with the kids and teach her how to run the mower, then you will really being getting it all done free.

God Bless all of you LCO's cutting residential, I cut 225 residential lawns for three seasons. The hardest three seasons of my life. Now I am cutting commercial jobs only, spent the extra money on equipment, have less than 10 customers with about 40 locations and neting what I did doing 225 residentials.

Keep up the good work and fight for the $10.00 lawns they are out there, just look harder. Hey, maybe you'll get luck and get a whole sub division of about 200 homes at $15.00 a lawn and really rake in the money.

Just my 25 cents, when I was cutting residential I only had two cents to offer.

[Organix]

You really can't compare the prices here to there. For one, your yard's are way bigger. And I think the fact that I get paid all 12 of those month's is another reason for it. If it rains here, I get paid whether I cut or not.

True enough though, the prices are way too low here. I have tried bidding a bit higher and don't get the job's. Part of that has to do with number of non-english speaking people who are happy making 10 bux an hour or even less. The prices have not really gone up much from when I was doing this both 10 and 20 years ago. At least I don't have to worry about dumping fee's though.


I do hope to get into commercial but I am making about 30 an hour or more, I can live with that for now. An LCO near one of my accounts has 3 right next to each other that are 75 a month. He is probably there an hour. That's close to a dollar a minute.

[4evergreenlawns]

Here is what I am trying to understand with the $1.00 per minute. Is that what your goal for a bill rate is, of your goal for profit per hours. I hear everyone talking about the $1.00 per min., but If i cut for an hour and bill $60.00 my profit on that is about $28.00. That is too low. Here is this area a most residential LCO's are shooting for $80.00 - $90.00 per billed hours, commercial should be in the $110.00, that should cover the truck and fuel, equipment operation & maintenance, insurance, and labor. My profit goal is $40.00 to $50.00 per hours. I can do that when I am doing commercial jobs at a aggresssive bill rate of $95.00 per hour and I get plenty of work. But that is commercial work. When you can go to an office park cut 5 acers at $60.00 an acer and be done in 2.5 hours now you are making some money. How many $25.00 lawns can you cut in and hour. I bet you might try to average 4 and hour but that is not happening. more likely 2 to 3 an hour. Me, I like three maybe four stops a day do between 800.00 - 1000.00 a day. I am happy. all thoose residential customers, wanting to come out say hello, how are you. bla bla bla, and you have to talk to them right?? Do you figure that in. Not every customer but one here, one there, it adds up. No one comes out on a commercial job to ask you anything or talk to you about the weather. That is the way I like it, and moreover, no one comes out to ask the crew, "hey, you have 5 minutes to cut my lawn for a qucik $20.00 bill".

Even on the west cost when you are cutting year round I am sure the commercial market is where the money is to be made. A professional bussiness owner understands things like real companies, with insurance and licensed personnell, with professional equipment doing the work. John Q does not care who is cutting his lawn, just that he is not out there doing it, and he wants it done as cheap as he can get it. If Juan does not show up this week Jose well be stopped two doors down and he will cut the lawn. Not meant to be racially charged but the truth of the matter. The kicker is most of the residentail work is being done as side jobs and the company does not know about it. Sevreal time I would change cutting crews and schedule, even ride with the crew and find at least three to five lawns a day getting cut that were not under contract. Figure that into your margins???

Going commercial is the best thing I ever did. Cost me some cash in capitol to start, but I am a happier person and have a few more dollars in my pocket.

[FrankenScagMachines]

FWIW, I once timed myself in my driveway, it took me 2 minutes to open the vehicle door, walk back, drop gate, start my Scag (rope start), back off trailer, and drive to lawn area maybe 10 feet from trailer and then turn around and drive back on trailer, shut off, raise gate, walk back to vehicle, get in and close door. 2 minutes for all that which simulates unloading and loading. That doesn't count for trimmer and blower unload/load time though.
Just thought that might help someone to know it doesn't take long to unload/load. Oh and I have a 4' long x 6.5' wide gate pretty heavy. I might put lanyards on the pins and clips that latch the gate so I can just drop them instead of set them down. Wont' lose 'em that way either. The blower will probably just sit in a wooden tray on the floor so no latches on a rack, and the trimmer has a pretty quick release on the rack.

[FrankenScagMachines]

4evergreenlawns, A friend who does the small lawns has 4 a couple blocks away from each other that he can do in an hour. We did them together in 45 minutes one day, me trimming and blowing, he mowing with a 48" hydro w/b and sulky.

[4evergreenlawns]

That is fine, but you need you spread out your total production over the total number of hours worked over at least three to four weeks to be acurate. When you do that, I bet your production rates will suprise you in that for those four you do in 45 mins. there are a few that take twice as long. Consdier the overall route, time of day, hours already worked, weather conditiond, (air temps, rain) also factor in bi-weeklys, egding in place of trimming, bush cutting, it all adds up. The mistake we sometime male is using the scenario you gave for bidding all your work. When it does not always apply.

I only know becase I have spent the time to evaluate productivity, when I personnally was doing the work, and than the time it takes a cutting crew to do the same work just as an example. If you expect your crew to cut at the same rate in mid summer as they do in early spring or late fall you are in for a suprise, I now first hand that I even slow down when the weather changes. Now if you are mixing your cut crew with landscaping job, now you are really talking about a slow down. It kills me when I talk to a LCO that is complaining about his crew being behind on cuts after having them doing 50 yards of mulch, and than cut 30 lawns, or several hundred feet of brick wall, and going out to cut 30 lawns. .

I just say this because I became so fustrated with trying to understand why a guy would cut a lawn for $15.00. I shouuld add the average yard in the market I am in runs 7500 Sq. to 10,000 Sq. do the math. I think I saw a thread talking about bill rates for fertilizer programs and it basicly was $3.50 per 1000 Sq. with a min drop fee of $20.00. If we would all use a rate plan like this the customer would not see such a difference in rates, and we would all get the same amout of work are managable margins.

As for it only take 2 mins to load, unload the trailer, mutilpi that times an average of 30 lawns a day. That is 1 hour a day loading, unloading, times 5 days a week, 5 hours. Now consider that is five hours a week you could be cutting so you have to figure you should charge yourself the same rate of $1.00 per min. or $60.00 and hour, which meaning loading and unloading is now costing you $300.00 a week. See how that 2 minutes adds up. If you do not factor all this things in, as you grow your profit margins will actually decrease as your account list increases. Just from expereince. Rember your time IS money, otherwise we all being doing this for free. Do what you want with the info. Food for thought.

[G. Moose]

Mine is 30 bucks, no questions asked. Only exceptions are if lawn is a front yard only or something like that. Most lawns just aren't worth your time for any less than that. But it takes a good quality job to convince new customers they aren't paying too much.

[FrankenScagMachines]

4evergreenlawns,
Yes you gave me some stuff to think about. But those four lawns even with travel and load/unload time get $70. For an hour's work (solo) that isn't bad. If I were bidding them it would be $80/hr solo. Round these parts, you could only get $60/hr tops on larger jobs. $40/hr is more realistic for what equipment I have to use. So it depends on your equipment. I'm setup to do small lawns under 1/2 acre. I have a 52" Scag hydro walk behind with a sulky and a 21" LawnBoy (doesn't leave the trailer much but is there when needed). Good setup for small lawns, the Scag is the biggest thing you can fit on these lawns and the LawnBoy is one of the best 21" mowers out there, runs on same oil as my trimmer/blower and requires little maintenance. Lightweight too. It's all in the size of your equipment as to where you can make the most money. But to me this is where I would best fit because with least investment I can make the most profit off of it. If I had a 72" ZTR I would be into the larger jobs though and I could make just as good of money there without dropping the gate all the time. so you are right, but this just fits me better. Plus smaller ones are easier to schedule in, if you have 20 minutes left before you have to be somewhere, you can get another one done. Not so with big ones. Also if the customer leaves you you aren't losing much money or time slot in your total. So it is not a big deal if you lose one. But it is harder for administrative purposes. Also, larger properties around here will be harder to sell side jobs to such as aerating and dethatching, etc. Leaf cleanups are often easier, faster and less strenuous on smaller lawns as well. Usually you can get by with mulching meaning no haul away of debris. As I said it is all in your equipment but for me for now this is where the money is at and I will stay here!
Eric

[turfman59]

I would cut the neighborhood lawns for as low as $ 19.95 thats if I can get there without the Truck and Trailer 2 blocks max

[FrankenScagMachines]

You'd drive your mower, somehow carry trimmer, edger and blower for upto 2 blocks? Thats dedication lol. Think I'd take the truck and trailer with me.

[lawncare3]

Originally posted by BushHogBoy
You'd drive your mower, somehow carry trimmer, edger and blower for upto 2 blocks? Thats dedication lol. Think I'd take the truck and trailer with me.

One time I walked 4 blocks to get a job. 2blocks is nothing.

[Willis]

Minimum $30 :)

[BB36]

$30.00 plus.

[hoffmanlandscaping]

Won't drop the gate for nothing under $30.

[Jon99]

I cut two yards for $18, one is for my 90 year old aunt who insists on paying me and the other is the next door neighbors, I mow that when I mow my own and it takes me an extra 10 minutes...

Other than that, $24 is as low as I go....

[wriken]

I have one that I charge $15.00, rest are 30 and up

[darryl gesner]

A couple of blocks is nothing. I've been known to drive my big mower a couple of miles to jobs. I just put the tools in the front end loader or on the bush hog and go. Takes less time than trailering.

[bastalker]

$30.00:D

[T.E.]

hey guys I think that both dollar a minute and sq.ft. both have there advantages, but I don't think that either one is set in stone exmple I bid two lawns that are to be done every week one is 6945sq.ft total for 30. 00 and the other one is 7495sq.ft. and it is 35.00 and they both thought they would have to pay more.If I had gone sq.ft. I would not have got this price for either one,and if I had gone dollar a minute I would still be less than what I am at right now

[o-so-n-so]

35 scoops

[dmk395]

Too many farmers not enough businessmen.....my minimum is $30 for a residential. For 15 bucks I wouldn't stop my truck. Granted I have 2 lawns that we mow for $25, but they are tiny and have been with me for years.

[Flex-Deck]

T.E. Great Point - You can not say $1 per minute or Xper sq. ft.

It all depends on equipment you have and what you are mowing.

Here is a machine that does 8 acres per hr. at 2/3 max speed. http://Wide

[Flex-Deck]

T.E. Great Point - You can not say $1 per minute or Xper sq. ft.

It all depends on equipment you have and what you are mowing.

Here is a machine that does 8 acres per hr. at 2/3 max speed. http://Wide

[Flex-Deck]

dmk - Where does this farmer - not business man come from - farmers around here had better be business men or they are done.

[Nichols Lawn Care]

Originally posted by IBGreen
$35, don't drop you're gate for any less. If they need quality service they should be happy to pay that, no matter how small the lawn is.

You know if you charge someone on the street$15 or 20.00 for a certain sized yard and the guy down the street for the same sized yard for $30; then you better hope they don't talk to each other or one of them might think you are ripping them off. Go by the square footage and explain more or less trimming. I agree with the above quote set a standard. I tell them nothing comes off the trailer less than $30.00.

[dmk395]

FDECK


Its just a saying

[Navig8r]

I won't drop my gate for less than $35.00......

Couple of exceptions... one acquantance of mine with small lawn on busy road, he already got me some referral business last fall.... I told him $30.00. He's easy to please.. Lawn is easy to cut.

Exception #2...... Family member of existing customer... next door to him... charged $20.00, only took 20 minutes extra, since I was there anyway, to mow,trim and blow. I DID tell her that if I came at her request to ONLY mow her prop... it would be $35.00.

[Lawn277]

22.50 unless your a senior citizen or disabled


thanks
Rick

[PaulJ]

I am tempted ot print off this thread and show it to some of my costumers and potential costumer.

I am tired of these people dropping their teeth when I tell them I want a $15 minimum for a 5000k lawn. And the lady in the new house on the corner lot who wants me to come down from $21 to $20 per cut on her corner lot with 8400 sq ft of turf.:rolleyes:
( it was $19 last year)
I f I could get $1 a minute or a $30 minimum I would be doing fine , but the truth is if I tried that here I would be completely out of work. I might be heading that way anyway.

To I guess I am TRYING to get a $15 minimum for anything up to 5K. after that It all depends on the lawn. I hope for $30 per hour but It's going to be closer to $27 this year.

Good luck to all

[mike9497]

25.00 to 35.00 and no way would i use a push mower for anything.smallest one i have is my exmark metro 32.i don't do one time customers.season contracts only.i also don't do free mowings for old ladies or anyone.they have more money than god up here.plus they do nothing but crab about every little thing.it feels good to me to take there money.i treat them the same as joe shumo or rawane the seven 11 owner which both of them pay me to mow there lawns.when you start doing things for free there going to think its always free.i charge by how many customers i have in that area.if i have alot in one spot i will charge less.if i have one 3 miles down the road i charge more

[KLMlawn]

Well I might as well throw in my 3 cents ...
I felt bad giving everyone between a 6-10% increase this season ...
My $30's went to $32, the few $25's went to $28, I did keep the $35's steady.
All due to gas prices and the "terrorist insurance risk" surcharge.

Bottom Line, any new accounts will be at least $30 & be weekly (not this bi-weekly nonsense), or I can not be bothered to keep a spot open for them on the route.
Then I just tell them they need a lawn care program or at least some other sort of add on to round out the numbers ... :D payup

[John at JDH Select]

$25, increasing to $30 soon. Overhead is a large factor!

[hustlers]

33$ minumum, very few exceptions, unless
I know and like them alot.

The last person YOU want to UNDERCUT
is YOURSELF:( :( :( :alien: The last person you want to UNDERCUT is YOURSELF!!!

[LawnGuy73]

$30.00 no less

[KCLandscape]

30.00 Min
Does not matter where is it at

[Frosty_03]

I want do it for less tha 35 to 40 dollar per depending on angles and trimming:blob2:

[Stinger]

This should be based on the cost of running your operation. I feel you need to know your overhead and expenses in order to determine the exact ammount to charge.

[KLMlawn]

Originally posted by Stinger
This should be based on the cost of running your operation. I feel you need to know your overhead and expenses in order to determine the exact ammount to charge.

In addition to my last post above, I have to agree with this.
It really depends on what your business expenses really are and what you need to make to bring you to where you want to be or at least keep you at a certain comfort level.
Obviously this varies depending on state, economy, and region.
Another thing to factor is, how many responces are from guys who are fully insured, Licensed, and certified (if they apply pesticides) ... so that those expenses can even the playing field.

I doubt that a company who is completely licensed, insured, certified, is giving any help they have a fair wage, has good up to date (not necessarily brand new) equipment and truck(s) in good repair ... can be charging that much more or less than a guy with the same expenses in another state or region.

What really makes the difference in minimum charges are the lowballing uninsured, unlicensed, inexperienced illegals out trying to make some mad money and not taking the business seriously or are to uneducated to know how to run a ligitimate and profitable business.
For these I do not fear, for as many come and go, I will still have my loyal and satisfied clients who realize the value, professionalism and quality for the money they pay.

Which member posted -
"Though I walk thru the valley of the shadow of lowballers, I shall fear no evil ..."

[TotalLawn]

$30, but I don't currently have any that cheap.

[Q-Lawn]

$25 is my lowest! Not enough time in my day.

[KerryB]

$30.00. Does'nt matter if its next door to one I am doing its still $30.00.
I price each property as if it were the only one in that area. What if I loose my other props in that area then I would be loosing money on the one prop I priced ever so cheaply because there was no drive time.

[Soupy]

Bottom Line, any new accounts will be at least $30 & be weekly (not this bi-weekly nonsense), or I can not be bothered to keep a spot open for them on the route.


Why wouldn't you want to cut bi-weekly. Just seems like more money in your pocket. I can see the possibility of schedule problems. But If I could cut bi-weekly i would try my hardest to schedule it. I have been trying for years to convince my customers to go to a 5 day schedule in the spring. Not having much luck though.

[Spence]

I won't start a mower for less than $35. Not worth it.

[KLMlawn]

Originally posted by Soupy
Why wouldn't you want to cut bi-weekly. Just seems like more money in your pocket. I can see the possibility of schedule problems. But If I could cut bi-weekly i would try my hardest to schedule it. I have been trying for years to convince my customers to go to a 5 day schedule in the spring. Not having much luck though.

When you quoted me, what I meant was every other/second/two weeks, not twice in one week.
Perhaps I am using the wrong term to refer to every other week cutting, but everyone around here that I know, understands what I mean when I say bi-weekly as to mean every two weeks.

[darryl gesner]

KLM - I have a habit of doing the same thing... using bi-weekly to mean every two weeks, but it's more accurately semi-monthly... but since there are acutally 4.3 weeks in a month and not 4, that's not accurate either. :dizzy:

[Soupy]

KLM, I'm sorry I thought you meant twice a week. I read your post late last night :sleeping:

I should have known what you meant no matter how you worded it. Because I haven't met one person argueing they need teir lawn cut twice a week or else :)

[Ajays]

Although I hate biweekly clients, I don't see them as a real problem with scheduling. 2 biweekly clients is one weekly lawn care client, but two of everything else. 2X the referals 2X the side jobs 2X the fertilizations and I just charge them more money.

[MDMowing]

We charge a minimum last year of $30.00 to start and went up from there. That was for about 45 min. to an hour. This year with the GAS prices going higher than I can reach, we are shooting for $40.00 minimum.

I do have a couple where I only charge $10.00 but it only takes 5 minutes to do too.

[Expert Lawns]

Minimums:

In the area - $25.00
One time deal - $30.00
Mowing tall grass/weeds - $40.00

[Soupy]

I forgot to post my minimum, It's $25. I won't mow a 10 x 10 area for less.

Alot of people have lost site of the question. The question was what is your minimum price for cutting, edging, and blowing? Not your average price. I see guys posting a minumim then saying we have a few small ones for $10 or $15. Well then your minimum is $10 or $15.

[SDlawndawg]

$25 minimum.

I have found bi-weekly cuts to be a pain but some are very profitable. I have a sub where I cut the roadsides. Good moneymaker. Also, some of my bi-weeklys are vacationers who are up only a couple weeks a year. I cut their grass in the evenings so I can extend my day and I don't bother anyone. I usually cut until 8pm every day except fridays.

[Turf Dancer]

Small Lawn say around a 12 to 15 minute lawn would be $15 here

[RMDoyon]

$95 per month for 12 months up to 4700 sf.

[BB36]

Just read in Wednesdays local paper a LCO in my area charging $15.00 and up to mow, trim and blow properties.
I hope he crashes and burns.

[lawncare3]

Originally posted by Turf Dancer
Small Lawn say around a 12 to 15 minute lawn would be $15 here

Yup I just got one that will take me 10 minutes (solo) trim mow & blow. $15

I wish I wouldn't have told him that because now I want to go up to $20 oh well. :rolleyes:

[Willis]

$30. min up to 10,000sqft.

[Willis]

:waving: payup

[jeffex]

$27 for mow, trim ,edge ,and cleanup.
one customer is $16 for front only. I have 8 on the street. If I were asked today what I would charge a new customer I would quote $30 . When I get the one timers who want you to cut while they are on vacation I quote $35 and request payment first. I work in a small area and am fairly well known [10 years in same area]. I have a rep. of being trustworthy and that is worth something. here is a pictur of a tyical lawn on my route

[Avery]

We do not do many residential jobs, but the minimum is $40. Not worth the drive time and unloading for any less than that.

[precisioncut]

$15 for the smallest of yards.

[Potchkins]

$ 25 to unload the mower(s)
$ 15 just to show up odd jobs
and such but there are exceptions

[broken leg]

$45.00 to drop my ramps I do a very good job and get paid a fair price. You want cheap don't call me.

[GrassBustersLawn]

$25 Minimum no fence. $30 minimum with fence. Front Only is still $25. Can't unload/load any faster just because you are doing the front only! No Elderly/Disabled discounts. My rent & overhead aren't reduced any if I do discounted work. Besides, I pay enough in taxes to take care of my part for elderly/disabled.

Mike

[lawnman_scott]

Originally posted by MDMowing
We charge a minimum last year of $30.00 to start and went up from there. That was for about 45 min. to an hour. This year with the GAS prices going higher than I can reach, we are shooting for $40.00 minimum.

I do have a couple where I only charge $10.00 but it only takes 5 minutes to do too.

Would this not make the minimum $10?

[BravesFan]

Originally posted by PaulJ
I am tempted ot print off this thread and show it to some of my costumers and potential costumer.

I am tired of these people dropping their teeth when I tell them I want a $15 minimum for a 5000k lawn. And the lady in the new house on the corner lot who wants me to come down from $21 to $20 per cut on her corner lot with 8400 sq ft of turf.:rolleyes:
( it was $19 last year)
I f I could get $1 a minute or a $30 minimum I would be doing fine , but the truth is if I tried that here I would be completely out of work. I might be heading that way anyway.

To I guess I am TRYING to get a $15 minimum for anything up to 5K. after that It all depends on the lawn. I hope for $30 per hour but It's going to be closer to $27 this year.

Good luck to all

Paul,

If you are trying to operate a LEGITIMATE business for $27-$30 an hour, you are paying for the priviledge of cutting your customer's grass..plain and simple.

If your area won't bring any better, you're in a depressed-rural area.

Dennis

[workaholic]

All I can say is you guys that charge ten fifteen and 20 dollars per lawn are desperate for work and are non educated mow blow and go guys and thats all your capable of doing so keep busting your a-- for a couple of dollars dont matter to me I do not bid any customers property that is concerned with price only and sure dont bid with lowballers and we maintain 70% res. and 30% COMM. HAVE NOT LOST ANY ACCOUNTS IN 13 YEARS...

[P.Smitty]

1 hour or less-$35,

[bastalker]

$30 is my minimum

[Steve9]

I dont unload for less than $30. People claiming 8 minute jobs are full of it. No way any job of M-W-E takes 8 minutes. I dont care If your doing the lawn across the street. So if your original job drops you are you going to continue doing it for $8-$15? Doubt it. Why would you under bid like that?
I think a lot of people underbid because they only think of what it takes for them to do the job. I factor in what it would take the customer to do it also. Something that might take you 30 minutes might take them 2 hours. So $30 seems reasonable to them in that regard. Believe me they arent thinking of your expenses. The easiest thing for them to understand is the time they would spend.
Im shocked at all the low bids im seeing on this thread. Scared might be a better word.
I realize there are a few charity cases out there but where I live (DFW) an average 5000 Sq ft lawn with fenced yards where the average house is $100-$120k for most of my clients we charge $30 minimum. MINIMUM!

[tiedeman]

The problem with a minimum bid on this post is that different locations mean different prices. Heck my minimum is $25 and some would think that is too low. But around here if you tell someone $30 for a 5,000 sq ft lawn they would laugh at you. I sometimes even get that for $25. It all depends on your location and your overhead.

[KerryB]

From what I have seen just about everyone all over the country pay about the same money for equipment supplies and the like.
Why is it that we all charge so differently?
I know the standard answer, its what the market will bear. But the markets seem to be th e same when it comes to the spending of our money.

[DFW Area Landscaper]

Steve9,

I'm just finishing up my first full year in the business and I've not been charging enough.

If you're minimum is $30 for a weekly cut, what is the minimum you have for bi-weekly service?

I didn't offer bi-weekly service through the first 10 months of the year. I turned down a lot of business and I knew there was demand for it. Since I started offering it, I'm noticing that most folks elect bi-weekly when presented with the choice. I figure my best price for weekly service and just add 40% for the price on bi-weekly service.

If you're getting $30 on a postage stamp weekly, will they pay $42 for bi-weekly on a postage stamp?

Later,
DFW Area Landscaper

[KLMlawn]

Originally posted by tiedeman
The problem with a minimum bid on this post is that different locations mean different prices. Heck my minimum is $25 and some would think that is too low. But around here if you tell someone $30 for a 5,000 sq ft lawn they would laugh at you. I sometimes even get that for $25. It all depends on your location and your overhead.

So keep your current $25 customers, and for any new ones, just give a $30 minimum price.
Would you like to cut 18-20 ($20-$25 houses) each day or 12-15 ($30-$35 houses) and make the same money?
You wouldn't need as many customers to have the same income and be putting less wear and tear on yourself and your equipment, plus less payroll if you have a helper.
You would also then wind up with a little more time to go out and sell higher priced customers and weed out the lower ones if they didn't want to accept an increase in price.

[Mikes Lawn Landscape]

Your minumum is a direct reflection on the type of accounts you do

High end golf course type lawns =$45.00
Nice Subdivision with lots of beds = $40.00
Decent Subdivision = $30.00
Tract home Postage Stamp lot = $25.00
Trailer Park = $15.00

The quality of the lawn and the time you spend maintaining it has a direct correlation.

I'd rather spend 30 minutes on a $30.00 lawn than 1 hour on a $45.00 lawn cause the customer is so picky.

But hey thats just my uneducated mow and blow never gonna amount to anything opinion:waving:

[impactlandscaping]

$ 32.50 residential minimum(up to 28-30 mins)
$ 45.00 commercial minimum ( up to 30 mins.)
<a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/8/8_2_85.gif' border=0></a>
Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!

[lawnman_scott]

Originally posted by KerryB
From what I have seen just about everyone all over the country pay about the same money for equipment supplies and the like.
Why is it that we all charge so differently?
I know the standard answer, its what the market will bear. But the markets seem to be th e same when it comes to the spending of our money.

Not at all, look at the price difference in houses for one thing accross the country.

[lawnman_scott]

Originally posted by BravesFan
Paul,

If you are trying to operate a LEGITIMATE business for $27-$30 an hour, you are paying for the priviledge of cutting your customer's grass..plain and simple.

If your area won't bring any better, you're in a depressed-rural area.

Dennis

Well im not in a depressed rural area, and i make about 30 per man hour. With a crew of 3 if you cant make a very good living, here anyway, well then plain and simple, your an idiot. Once again every area is different.

[BravesFan]

I was speaking to a solo operator...not someone paying multiple employees minimum wages.

Dennis

[Turf Dancer]

$15 under half an hour with 21" machine.

[Blades of Steel]

35$ and nothing less, if they grobble at that I say 40 or buy a mower

[KLMlawn]

$15 under half an hour with 21" machine. [/QUOTE]

Sorry to say ... the above statement is one of the reasons why there is such a vast difference in price and quality in our industry.

If you are charging $30 per hour for a 21" lawnboy (etc.), then I should be able to charge AT LEAST $150 per hour with a 52" hydro ... but alas ... because you degrade the customer perception of value, those of us who are professionals and invest $30K, $40K, $60K, or more, in equipment, etc., will be subject to customers unwillingness to pay what our services are worth.

[fisher of men]

Are you requered to colect sales tax also on the service?
Thank you
William

[JLLawncare]

When I arrive to bid a job, I look at the lawn, look at the size of the home, and try to determine if I want to deal with the lawn every week. So I bid accordingly. I can honestly say that I would rather bid too high and lose a bid than be cursing at myself, all the while busting my butt mowing an underbid lawn. It isn't worth it to me to make $15-$20 per lawn...no matter how small. My work is top notch and the residential customers that I keep are willing to pay for it. When I was in grade school I was making $20 per lawn, with the customers mower! Since then, house values in my area have more than doubled, and good equipment isn't getting any cheaper!payup

Jamie
JL Lawncare

[Mark P]

:) 35.00 per-cut, I do have 3 at 25.00 very small lawns 12min jobs, ive had those lawns for 15yr's.....The real good money's come from all those extras..........Marks Mowing Service

[rodfather]

Originally posted by Mark P
:)The real good money's come from all those extras..........Marks Mowing Service


Good point Mark.

It's the fertilization, aerating, prunning, spring & fall cleanups, etc., where you really make out. Sometimes I will price a lawn a little lower than usual just to get my foot in the door so I can supply some of these other services. And then over time, I will continually bump up the price each year until I am charging what I think is right...

[MOlawnman]

Rodfather-

If you're starting low and continually bumping the price over a number of seasons then what is the opportunity cost of your low bid. You could have been making what you thought it was worth the whole time instead of playing catch-up. If you can't "get your foot in the door" with refferals, references and good salesmanship on the add on services then you should just stick to mowing.

No matter what anyone says, we are salespeople in this business. You must be able to sell your clients and potential clients basic and additional services to make a living.

I agree that additional services are good profit centers, but I would never start with a lower basic price just to sell the add-ons.

Steve

[Steve9]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by DFW Area Landscaper
[B]Steve9,



If you're minimum is $30 for a weekly cut, what is the minimum you have for bi-weekly service?

I didn't offer bi-weekly service through the first 10 months of the year. I turned down a lot of business and I knew there was demand for it. Since I started offering it, I'm noticing that most folks elect bi-weekly when presented with the choice. I figure my best price for weekly service and just add 40% for the price on bi-weekly service.

If you're getting $30 on a postage stamp weekly, will they pay $42 for bi-weekly on a postage stamp?

Interesting Question

Believe it or not most of mine ARE Bi Weekly. I dont just charge more because as you know in the DFW area growing slows BIG TIME in the summer. If the grass on a lot is a fast grower then I charge more from the start when i quote a price. I can tell by looking @ it how fast it will grow and how thick.
Price is just based on time really. if its gonna be a pain in the a** I charge em more thats all. Some that I mow bi weekly dont even need itthen! i feel guilty like im just blowing dirt around. You know how some species of bermuda are. Never grows tall! Im just cutting the seed sprouts off! O well..heres your bill!
Im just a part timer so Im real flexible. I can understand full timers having scheduling issues.

[dgram8]

$40 mim. for mulch, $55 min. for bagging

[lawnman_scott]

Originally posted by BravesFan
I was speaking to a solo operator...not someone paying multiple employees minimum wages.

Dennis

Well I for one dont pay anywhere near minimum, just goes to show that there is no set minimum that would work for everyone.

[KerryB]

Not at all, look at the price difference in houses for one thing accross the country.

I wasnt speaking to the difference in housing. I was saying that the price of equipment is pretty much the same across the country.
The price of a z mower is pretty much the same here as it is in NY.

[BravesFan]

Originally posted by lawnman_scott
Well I for one dont pay anywhere near minimum, just goes to show that there is no set minimum that would work for everyone.

Who said there was?

My point is if you're a small solo operator billing YOUR time at $25-$30 an hour...with roughly a 40 hour week...34 cuts per year...you're only grossing roughly $35-$40K. After expenses and taxes...maybe 20K in your pocket...and that's a BIG maybe.

It's not rocket science...basic math.

Dennis

[rodfather]

Originally posted by MOlawnman
Rodfather-

If you're starting low and continually bumping the price over a number of seasons then what is the opportunity cost of your low bid. You could have been making what you thought it was worth the whole time instead of playing catch-up. If you can't "get your foot in the door" with refferals, references and good salesmanship on the add on services then you should just stick to mowing.

No matter what anyone says, we are salespeople in this business. You must be able to sell your clients and potential clients basic and additional services to make a living.

I agree that additional services are good profit centers, but I would never start with a lower basic price just to sell the add-ons.

Steve


Steve, I said sometimes I will price a lawn a little lower than usual. And sometimes is like 5% or less of the time. Ever hear of the term "loss leader" that department stores use? Kind of the same analogy btw...

[bayfish]

Originally posted by MOlawnman
Rodfather-

If you're starting low and continually bumping the price over a number of seasons then what is the opportunity cost of your low bid. You could have been making what you thought it was worth the whole time instead of playing catch-up. If you can't "get your foot in the door" with refferals, references and good salesmanship on the add on services then you should just stick to mowing.

No matter what anyone says, we are salespeople in this business. You must be able to sell your clients and potential clients basic and additional services to make a living.

I agree that additional services are good profit centers, but I would never start with a lower basic price just to sell the add-ons.

Steve

What Rodfather is practicing is salesmanship. Many companies use this type of strategy of pricing the lower skilled work low, in order to get the higher skilled, higher priced work. Once you get past mowing, a substantial portion of your competition drops out do to lack of skill, licsense, equipment etc...I know, I've been there. If the add-ons have not been previously agreed to, you will probably get it because the people are used to seeing you on the property and are comfortable with you being there. They won't flinch at you charging accordingly. You can easily make up for the lower mowing price. JMO

[rodfather]

Thanks Tom...you summed it up exactly.

[KLMlawn]

But if you follow your methodology and and underprice all the accounts by $5, then you are loosing $7500 for every 50 accounts you have.
That being so, and assuming you average $35 per cut per week, and you are cutting for aprox. 30 weeks, then you would need another 7 accounts to be cutting weekly to make up the difference.
Depending on the size of your company and the speed at which you work, that could also be translated into an additional 1/4 - 3/4 of a working day ... for what ... a chance at the additional work ... which you may or may not get?

[rodfather]

No, I look at it this way...

Let's say I underprice by $5. Estimate 30 cuttings means I am not making an addtional $150 for the year for one account (whoopie).

But, now I have the opportunity to sell them on a fert program 4 times a year at $165 let's say. That equals to $660 with minimal product expense. Now let's add on a yearly aeration at say $300. Prunning and/or bed maintenance maybe another $250. Add Fall and Spring Clean up at a modest $300 total for both.

Add it all up and I have additional $1510 of services that I probably would not had gotten if I hadn't forego the 5 bucks per week mowing. And I have left out other possible services such as mulching, snow plowing/blowing, etc.

Guess what? I ain't gonna miss that 5 bucks each week...I rest my case. BTW, I am only going to drop the $5 if I am very sure I will get the add-ons.

[Turf Dancer]

$15 under half an hour with 21" machine. [/QUOTE]

Originally psoted by KLMlawn 12-22-03 7:39 am
Sorry to say ... the above statement is one of the reasons why there is such a vast difference in price and quality in our industry.

If you are charging $30 per hour for a 21" lawnboy (etc.), then I should be able to charge AT LEAST $150 per hour with a 52" hydro ... but alas ... because you degrade the customer perception of value, those of us who are professionals and invest $30K, $40K, $60K, or more, in equipment, etc., will be subject to customers unwillingness to pay what our services are worth.


__________________
Kryn


KRYN,
You best watch how you state things son! Because you have no clue how the market is here Mr. big mouth, First of all I am right there as far as rates go with the other 8 lco's here ! I am not up there with the rates the Landscapers charge because we can't get the rates they get.

LCO rates here are around $25-30 per hour. All use 21" machines because of access, two guys have lawn tractors they use on a few lawns.

Landscaper rates are around $35 to $40 an hour it varies between the three of them. One has an old worn out ZTR, One has a JD 48" Belt Drive, and the Last one has a 48" Belt Drive and two JD ZTR's, They get more for their work and they can get contracts we can't get because they are licenced Landscapers and some people feel they are gettting a better deal from a geyu with a Landscape license.

Maybe you should think before you allow your shotgun mouth to go off and say thoughtless things that you cannot backup because you know nothing about the market here. You see I provide an excellent service at price that the market will tollerate.
If I could charge $40 an hour and get it I would, but guess what I can't and what the customer will pay is what determines the market. There are plenty of guys running around after work and doing yards that I get $18 for as low as $8. THose are what you folks call scrubs, We call them scabs!

You are right we don't all have $30k to $50 k in equipment. A couple of us have in the range of $8 to 10 K in equipment the otheres only $2 or so.

In this area there are not alot of people making big $ that could pay your outragous rates. Come on there are maybe 15 people in this area that would pay $40 for the lawn to be trimmed and mowed. My biggest residential takes me 52 minutes and I get $30 for it. We charge what our market will pay. If that does not fit in with your mindset and you think our pricing here effects your rates in your area then you are way too stupid to run your business anyways so give it up ! You are 2900 miles from here and you think our rates here will bother your poor business ! You need to be on meds !

One more thing KRYN ! We are professionals! We have a great relationship with our customers! We do not degrade the customers perception of value as you seem to believe. We give them what they expect. As for your sky high rates well the plumbers and electrcians are not that high here! I will probably average more per hour once I buy a larger machine this spring but I will not be at your overpriced rates. YES on some commericial contracts I will be at a higher rate because they were bidded based on using a 21" machine not a 36 to 52" so yes it will make my hourly rate more on these. Will it make my prices higher on residential lawns no ! Will my monthly rates on commercial higher no it will not. It will however make me more productive and allow me to be competitive with the Landscapers here on commercial maintenance contracts.

[KCLandscape]

WOW...

[Soupy]

Originally posted by KLMlawn
Then I just tell them they need a lawn care program or at least some other sort of add on to round out the numbers ... :D payup

Sounds like the same thing rodfather is doing.

Originally posted by KLMlawn
$15 under half an hour with 21" machine.

Sorry to say ... the above statement is one of the reasons why there is such a vast difference in price and quality in our industry.

If you are charging $30 per hour for a 21" lawnboy (etc.), then I should be able to charge AT LEAST $150 per hour with a 52" hydro ... but alas ... because you degrade the customer perception of value, those of us who are professionals and invest $30K, $40K, $60K, or more, in equipment, etc., will be subject to customers unwillingness to pay what our services are worth. [/QUOTE]

He is making half of what most of us make with 1/20th the equipment cost. That's not to shabby.

KLM, every business has something different that sets them apart from the other guy. Just because you don't agree with them means nothing. Maybe you should put more time in your business instead of trying to tell everyone else how to run theirs.

Just my $0.02
Soupy

[KLMlawn]

rodfather - as is was pointed out above by soupy, I guess we are approaching things in a similar fashion, but I will almost NEVER lower my initial estimate.

Turf Dancer ... first ... lets watch who you are callin' ..."son".
I was already mowing grass by the time you found out you could fill a diaper.
Secondly, I really don't need a lecture as to business practice from you or anyone else. If I have need for your opinion, I will ask. I am not the one making $30 per hour, my business has increased over 50% from last year .... so I must be doing something right ... maybe you should pay attention to what I have to say istead of trying to defend your inexperience.
Yes, you are degrading the customers perception of value, because if myself or someone else with a larger investment comes calling and the issue of "hourly rate" comes up, and we tell them we are even asking for half of what we are worth at $60 per manhour with all the equipment at our disposal .... in the back of their mind they will remember the little guy with the lawnboy who was just charging $30, and that is why they will EXPECT that level of service and will be all they are will to pay for.
So I guess what you are trying to say is that it isn't worth it to any of us to bother going out and buying newer, bigger, better equipment because you will still be their with your 21" to cut our throats. ... LOL

Oh, and one more thing after re-reading your post ...
I AM LICENSED, INSURED, & a CERTIFIED PESTICIDED APPLICATIOR, so yes I am worth more money than you when I pull up in front of someones house with nearly $100K worth of truck and equipment ... and I really am diappointed with myself for having even dignified a responce to someone of your caliber.

[Willis]

O.K. , lets shut the thread down!!! :dizzy: :mad::realmad::gunsfirin :rolleyes:

[workaholic]

10.00 15.00 or 20.00 is totally insane anybody that mows lawns for that cheap next to your house across from your house and even if you have ten yards side by side and for any reason you may have is totally disgusting you guys are dirt cheap and busting your ass for nothing. Most of you gave many reasons for why you charge this much or that much and the true bottom line is you are running a business to make money not do people favors thats why they keep you they love you price 25.00 and upward.

[alpine692003]

35 minium for me!

[sgallaher]

$30.00 min. Any bigger than 1/2 acre the min is 35.00. $60 for 1 acre.

[Kingbman1]

$5

[workaholic]

Originally posted by Barkleymut
Sounds like most of you are missing the point. Let me ask you this. Would you bend over to pick up a $10 bill? Well I cut a lawn for $15 every week. It is on the same street as 5 other customers so in theory no transport time. This lawn takes about 5 minutes with a 21" and 2 mins. trim and blow. So I am making a killing. I'll tell ya what you guys go ahead and quote them $30 for a 7 minute lawn and I'll quote $15. I'll be bringing in 3 times the amount of jack that ya'll are passing up on. You should not have minimums, they don't make business sense. If you could net $5 in 1 minute would you do it? I disagree all lco's should have a minimum price.

[workaholic]

Originally posted by JLLawncare
When I arrive to bid a job, I look at the lawn, look at the size of the home, and try to determine if I want to deal with the lawn every week. So I bid accordingly. I can honestly say that I would rather bid too high and lose a bid than be cursing at myself, all the while busting my butt mowing an underbid lawn. It isn't worth it to me to make $15-$20 per lawn...no matter how small. My work is top notch and the residential customers that I keep are willing to pay for it. When I was in grade school I was making $20 per lawn, with the customers mower! Since then, house values in my area have more than doubled, and good equipment isn't getting any cheaper!payup I totally agree with you and that is the reason we have miniumum prices nothing under 25.00 and thinking about raising that to 30.00 this year.

Jamie
JL Lawncare

[workaholic]

Originally posted by KLMlawn
rodfather - as is was pointed out above by soupy, I guess we are approaching things in a similar fashion, but I will almost NEVER lower my initial estimate.

Turf Dancer ... first ... lets watch who you are callin' ..."son".
I was already mowing grass by the time you found out you could fill a diaper.
Secondly, I really don't need a lecture as to business practice from you or anyone else. If I have need for your opinion, I will ask. I am not the one making $30 per hour, my business has increased over 50% from last year .... so I must be doing something right ... maybe you should pay attention to what I have to say istead of trying to defend your inexperience.
Yes, you are degrading the customers perception of value, because if myself or someone else with a larger investment comes calling and the issue of "hourly rate" comes up, and we tell them we are even asking for half of what we are worth at $60 per manhour with all the equipment at our disposal .... in the back of their mind they will remember the little guy with the lawnboy who was just charging $30, and that is why they will EXPECT that level of service and will be all they are will to pay for.
So I guess what you are trying to say is that it isn't worth it to any of us to bother going out and buying newer, bigger, better equipment because you will still be their with your 21" to cut our throats. ... LOL

Oh, and one more thing after re-reading your post ...
I AM LICENSED, INSURED, & a CERTIFIED PESTICIDED APPLICATIOR, so yes I am worth more money than you when I pull up in front of someones house with nearly $100K worth of truck and equipment ... and I really am diappointed with myself for having even dignified a responce to someone of your caliber. Well said !

[brucec32]

Originally posted by workaholic
10.00 15.00 or 20.00 is totally insane anybody that mows lawns for that cheap next to your house across from your house and even if you have ten yards side by side and for any reason you may have is totally disgusting you guys are dirt cheap and busting your ass for nothing. Most of you gave many reasons for why you charge this much or that much and the true bottom line is you are running a business to make money not do people favors thats why they keep you they love you price 25.00 and upward.

And just what part of your anatomy did you pull "$25 and upward" out of? What great oracle (look it up) spewed forth this wisdom to you that exactly $25 is the magical minimum? Why not $24? Or $26?


A lawn that requires a properly equipped cutter a half hour to do at $30 or $40 can be LESS PROFITABLE than the same cutter lining up a lot of close-together $20 lawns that take 10 minutes each. It all depends on the situation. And just because YOU want to earn X amount of dollars that doesn't mean everyone else has to.

Have you ever considered that economic conditions vary throughout the country? Do you think $30 earned in New Jersey is the same as $30 earned in upstate New York?

Did you know that it costs about half as much to buy a comparable home in Macon Georgia as it does in Palm Beach County, Florida?

.....or that gasoline in Georgia costs about 20 percent less than average due to lower taxes?

Or that a guy w/o employees and no workers comp to pay, no unemployment insurance, no warehouse to rent, no ads to run to constantly replace customers (because he is small enough to rely on word of mouth), just MIGHT be able to acheive lower costs and undercut another's price and still make the same profit?

Did it occur to you than some of us know how to mow a lawn properly faster than others? Or that they've invested in better equipment? That a "30 minute lawn" for one guy might be worth more than one for someone else?

...or that some lawns are "easy" or otherwise desireable, so the lco might be willing to do it for less because it's easier or more rewarding than another? I know I'd much rather do a flat, open lawn for $30 than a hilly, obstacle-filled one for $35, even if they required the same time investment. Why? Because at 4pm I'm still going strong, not ready to go home exhausted. Which is the more "profitable" strategy in the long term?



Don't you think that matters just a tiny bit?

Ever consider that "wantin' ain't gettin' and that in some areas competition is more intense than where you are? That maybe they CAN'T charge more? Ever hear of free markets? Supply and Demand? Ever consider that in some places if you charge over a certain amount the "customer" will just go buy a mower and do it himself? Or that the unemployed factory worker who puts a flyer in their mailbox suddenly doesn't seem such a bad idea? (compared to your prices)

I mowed one lawn for $22 and another for $24 this year. The rest were all priced at $30 and up. The first was a back-yard only in a zero lot line complex. I was in and out in 10 minutes and it was a retired lady. The other was another zero lot line home with less grass on it than the size of my living room. Again, 10 minutes from arrival to departure. I also mowed lawns for $75. I'd rather do 4 tiny lawns, personally. Mixes it up.

Now I suppose I could be all high and mighty and not demean myself by doing work for such a pittance, but if you take time to actually do the math, you'd see that this type of work can be more profitable than doing larger properties if you know what you're doing. What ARE big properties other than collections of small areas of lawn, anyway? Six of one, half a dozen of the other. If a guy does 20 small lawns at $15 or 10 bigger ones at $30, there's not a dime's worth of difference. Sure, there's more to keep up with and more invoices to send, but there might also be more add-on work and more people out there referring you to others.

Is it just me? I'm really getting tired of the mean spirited tirades from self-proclaimed "experts" in the business who apparently know it all, yet haven't managed to even learn to read and write at a 7th grade level, and haven't spent a single hour in a college classroom learning cost-accounting. Have any of these same people ever posted anything here that's even remotely helpful, other than posts designed to show how they're so bright and the rest of us are all a bunch of dummies?

I don't like people who don't know their true costs lowballing either, since it lowers the going rate for all of us, but to blame it on "minimum prices" is wrong. But maybe your problem is your presentation to the customer and inability to show how you're worth more than the lowballers. I haven't had problems with price sensitivity in 12 years. My only problem has been finding the energy to do all the work I'm asked to do.

[KerryB]

I just dont think that I have ever seen a 7 minute job. lol Dont know how one could pull all the equipment off and cut edge blow in 7 min.

[ZEKE]

$25.00 minimum
Double the regular price for a one time or long first mow
Fertilizer is the same price as a mow
Charge what you think is appropriate for the circumstances until you know better. I just found this website and had little reference to use until now, but in the end every locale (ie..cost of living) is different so it will vary. I don't like hearing that I am hurting the "industry" if I don't charge "x" amount for this or that. In the end I need to feed my family and I know what it will cost me to mow a yard and as long as I clear my costs and what I think my time was worth for the job..I can sleep at night. I have mowed yards for free when I felt the need to...out of kindness or in order to suck up to keep in good with a customer. We all come from different areas and different size companies so finding a specific standard of services seems difficult. Thanks to all who have given priceless amounts of information for someone like me. Z

p.s. If I knew I could get a yard by offering a customer a lower price than they were paying someone else. I would pull the trigger.

[macaw]

First off, let me explain that my yards are measured by acres. I have about 10 clients and mow about 13 yards. I won't bid a yard for less than $50. Each yard is figured differently. Basicaly by how long it will take me to mow and trim the yard. I use a 48" Scag w/b and a 48" Black rock w/b as backup. The only time I pull out the push mower is to get what the w/b or trimmer won't get. I work by myself mostly. My son used to help me during the summer. I didn't do more yards with him I just got done sooner. I also like to have my weekends off (or to be used for rain day make up days). During the mowing season I usually bring home $800. per week. I don't kill my self, I don't advertise, & I turn down jobs every day.

[outrunjason]

Well $ 800.00 is about avearage. I personally don't measure anything. I just walk out there and look at it and make an estimate. I am there about 5 to 10 min at the most. But I think if you are using such large mowers maybe you have to measure. I just dont see the point in measuring because some of my lawns are really small and they pay more than some of my larger ones.

Jason

[Cutters Lawn Care]

$35

[workaholic]

Wow, BRUCEC32 THAT WAS A LONG ONE AND YOUR VEIW NOW CHILL OUT. EDUCATED I AM, EMPLOYEES I PAY THEM WELL, LEGIT BUSINESS HAVE BEEN SINCE 1990.DO I THINK YOU ARE WRONG? NO. DO I THINK IM WRONG? NO. I PRICE JOBS TO MAKE $ AND MY BUSINESS IS GROWING VERY WELL SO I MUST HAVE MINIMUMS....

[Kelly's Landscaping]

I am curious does every one here argue about senseless stuff like this as hard when the lawn season is in full swing or is this just something we do in Jan and Dec. I fail to see what lawn price has to do with anything its what you bring and hour and a day that matters iv done as many as 60 lawns in a day when I was a foreman working for my old boss he had one cluster where he had some 13 lawns all of them 22-25 dollars it was 90 mins with a three man crew. Now that he has 2 lazers he tells me its 1-hour.

There are to many factors in this debate

Quality of equipment

Quality of the truck

Distance between the lawns

Height of the lawn

Thickness of the lawn {I would rather a thin lawn I can finish in one pass then having to double cut it}

Experience of the crew and owner

And of course size of the lawn

I think the factor most present here and least understood is this is the company content with its size. Is it down sizing or is it trying to grow. That’s what determines the prices if you have too much work why not ask for 75 dollars a yard if you have 5 lawns on the other hand 20 dollars may be an increase of 20% gross sales to you.

The other factor is this completion iv read a yellow page post the guy said he had 4 other landscapers in his book I happen to have 8 pages and I read one horror story the guy claimed he had 800 other landscapers in his book. I can pretty much bet that guy doesn’t even think about having a minimum.

The other factor is do you have the right equipment for the job one of the reasons I don’t fear young upstarts that try low balling is with a ZTR I can out produce 3 walk behinds and easily level the playing field. That’s just my opinion.

Funny thing is half of you will agree with me and the other half wont and its easy to know which is which those growing will agree with me and those that don’t need to grow will insist on the minimum I personally have tru green and brickman’s in my town so I'm very competitive I have no choice and in the end when there’s one of us left standing I assure you I have no intention of it being one of those stumbling giants.

[macaw]

There is no way to use a ZTR in my area on my yards. They are not flat golf course lawns. They go up and down a lot. When I mow a hill side, some times I have to get off the sulky and walk,
or get the old pushower. And I don't relish the idea of walking a 1/2 acre hillside.

[draftlawncare]

whats a push mower

[KLMlawn]

Originally posted by draftlawncare
whats a push mower

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[MCDANIELBROTHER]

$25.00 Although I do admit giving a nice old lady a break at $15.00....but she makes me a fruit smoothie when I am done!!!

[Zach76]

Originally posted by MCDANIELBROTHER
$25.00 Although I do admit giving a nice old lady a break at $15.00....but she makes me a fruit smoothie when I am done!!!




Hell, if its hot enough, a good fruit smoothie is worth at least $5 or $6, so you ain't selling yourself too short. Have her throw a little Vodka in with it, and do her lawn for $10 (as long as its your last one of the day that is. BTW, my minimum is going from $25 to $30 this year. :drinkup:

[MCDANIELBROTHER]

Yeah ZACH,

Who said landscaping is all work and no play, ha!?!?! (:

SMOOTHIES FOR EVERYONE!!!

[prizeprop]

WHAT EVER WORKS FOR YOU IS WHAT COUNTS, HOWEVER TRY TO KEEP UP THE (PRICING)INTEGRITY OF THE INDUSTRY! IF I HAVE A THREE MAN CREW @ A TOTAL PAYROLL OF $33 AN HOUR I WOULD LIKE TO GROSS APPROX. $140 AN HOUR NO MATTER IF WE DO 5 $28 LAWNS OR WE DO 3 $46 LAWNS. WE MAKE OUR GOAL. REMEMBER THEN I HAVE TO PAY MY OVERHEAD AND THE ONE POSTER HAD IT ON THE MONEY,REMEMBER YOUR PULLING UP TO A HOUSE WITH $100,000 WORTH OF EQUIPTMENT, THEN THERE'S GASOLINE,INSURANCE,PAYROLL TAXES, ADVERTISING,PHONE BILL,GARAGE RENTAL,BILLING,STAMPS,REPAIRS,ACCOUNTANT,GENERAL MAINTENANCE OF EQUIPTMENT,DISPOSAL,ETC.

[Premium Services]

$30.00 min. and prices change with the square feet.

[Advanced Lawncare]

I do not unload my trailer for less than $25.00.

[NCSULandscaper]

minimum of $30 to drop the trailer gate.

[PrecisionLandService]

Do you charge extra for Residential lots that have a fence?? THey take longer!!

[brucec32]

Originally posted by MDMowing
We charge a minimum last year of $30.00 to start and went up from there. That was for about 45 min. to an hour. This year with the GAS prices going higher than I can reach, we are shooting for $40.00 minimum.

I do have a couple where I only charge $10.00 but it only takes 5 minutes to do too.

Wouldn't $30 for 45 minutes of work be LESS profitable than say $25 for 20 minutes of work, a figure below your minimum? (even after accounting for extra drive time)

I'm really not getting the concept behind the arbitrary minimums, other than if someone just wants their market niche' to be larger properties, period.

And on a lawn where you're there 45 minutes, how much gas does one use, 1-2 gallons? That would add maybe forty cents or so to your costs. How do you come up with a $10 price increase? (sounds like power company math. ha)

A rational pricing formula that accounts for time on site, drive time, customer contact time, invoicing hassles, etc. would accurately account for all lawns, big and small. Just develop one and stick to it and you can be just as profitable mowing any size lawns out there.

Finally, keep in mind that lawn types and sizes vary widely from region to region. Your idea of a "small" lawn might be a big one in another part of the country.

[TYLAWN]

$30. I do the house across the street for $25. Takes about 30 min. no trimming just ride they spray round up around everything.

[mbricker]

All I can say is, what some of you guys get for mowing---maybe most of you--makes me really depressed. I guess we have too many hillbillies here, who get done with their shift at the chicken plant and go lay a pair of 2x6's off the tailgate of their chevy pickup and mow a couple of lawns with their Walmart mower. And brag that they are "making $10 an hour." (They're GROSSING $10 an hour, but they don't pay taxes, and think 4 bits worth of gas is their only expense)

Believe me, the market you are in DOES make a difference, and it really doesn't matter what some of you say about lowballers degrading the value of your product. The lowballers are a fact of life, a lot more in some areas than others. The professional in this area, with pro equipment and doing high quality work, trying to stay competitive enough to keep his schedule full, is what some of you are calling "lowballer."

Here in NW Arkansas, there are also plenty of landscapers grossing $20 an hour, and proud of it!

[qualitylandscaping]

$15.00 minimum in town (<5000sqft)
$25.00 minimum out of town (<5000sqft)

Comes out to alittle under $1.00 per minute in town and alittle over $1.00 per minute out of town.. I do it cheaper in town, because 1) income level isn't as high as other areas I work in and 2) my drive time and expenses associated with travel are lower

[club54]

NOT unloading for less them $30.00

[TYLAWN]

Here in NW Arkansas



Hillbillies?

[scott's turf]

We generally have a $30 min but there are always exceptions. For instance we do a couple houses in a row and there is a neighbor that we mow for $10/cut every week. The strip of grass is one mower width wide and about 50' long with no trimming. Now I also made it clear to her that we wouldn't be able to service her lawn if we were to lose her other neighbors. When it comes down to it you need to be concerned with your hourly rate which doesn't always directly correspond to a minimum price.

[brucec32]

$12 to drive by their house and wave.

This is such a silly topic.