First time for this sized account. Please help.

[jrs.landscaping]

Using your rate of $70 PMH I come up with $332.50.

[Above Par Lawns]

Originally Posted by joesimoes2

You don't have a street view picture

Unfortunately, no this address does not have a Street view picture.

Originally Posted by Roger

"... Should I go measure the property even though it will take forever? ..."

Not to be critical or harsh, but if this is your approach to this sized job, perhaps it is not one you should be attempting to land. Even if it takes you two hours to measure off, and get it right, the two hours will be trivial if you ignore measuring, and estimate the job 30 minutes short for each visit.

There are online tools for property measurements that are very accurate, and cost nothing. But, if you not willing to invest some time in a good estimate, them maybe you are stepping into a hornets nest that will sting you in the end.

Don't worry buddy, I know what I'm getting into. I just wanted to have a ballpark figure before I called and talked to this guy. If he had asked me approx. how much would I charge him i wouldn't have had the slightest clue that's why I was asking others opinions first. That is what this website is for.

Originally Posted by CreativeLawncareSolutions

Price each house individually and add them up.

Hillbillly guess is about $200-250/week

Thank you for your guesstimate. I will definitely be splitting up the three properties when I take my measurements.

[MOturkey]

Hard to say for sure without the property dimensions, but just looking at it in the pictures, I'd say $300 would be in the ballpark, but perhaps a bit on the low side, depending upon the trimming, edging, and blowing required. I do agree to look at as 3 separate properties. Add the 3 prices up, and maybe do a slight reduction because you staying in one spot and only having to invoice one owner.

Since this is through a friend, you might ask if he can find out what they have paid in the past. It doesn't mean that price will be correct, but it will give you a starting point, plus let you know what they have been comfortable paying in the past. In my experience, people with money, are often the tightest. I mowed a single family home for an attorney a couple of years ago, telling them I'd do it for $100 the first time, then give them a price for routine maintenance. After doing the property, I called and told them I'd have to have $125 per mowing, based on weekly service. His wife said they just couldn't afford that, and I told her that was the best I could do considering the size of the property and the difficulty involved in mowing it (on a hillside). Took me about a month to get that $100 check, too.

[StanWilhite]

Originally Posted by jrs.landscaping

Using your rate of $70 PMH I come up with $332.50.

The way I read the OP's post is that he was shooting for 70.00 per hr (combined) for him and a helper. I may be wrong but I would think 70.00 per man hr would be way high.

[32vld]

Originally Posted by StanWilhite

The way I read the OP's post is that he was shooting for 70.00 per hr (combined) for him and a helper. I may be wrong but I would think 70.00 per man hr would be way high.

The way math works in my country is $70 / 2 = $35 per man hour.

[ArTurf]

Do you have a hand held GPS or know someone who does? Most of these can be used to measure Sq Footage and give you an idea. Go to the Exmark website and they have a mowing time calculator. Add mowing time and trimming and you can guesstimate how much time it will take. It seems to me that I always underestimate the time. You might can offer a one time price with the understanding you can actually see how much time it takes and then discuss a regular price. After I mow a property for a while I usually can figure how to cut a little time. Sometimes I will suggest to the owner changes that will cut time and thus price just to make the property easier to maintain.

[knox gsl]

With your hourly rate for 2 workers I getting $280-$300 or 8 man hours total.

[Above Par Lawns]

Originally Posted by jrs.landscaping

Using your rate of $70 PMH I come up with $332.50.

Thanks. Yeah I was thinking it would be somewhere around $300 to cut. That just seems crazy to me. That's $1200 bucks a month someone's paying to have their grass cut. That's more than my damn house payment! Lol

Originally Posted by MOturkey

Hard to say for sure without the property dimensions, but just looking at it in the pictures, I'd say $300 would be in the ballpark, but perhaps a bit on the low side, depending upon the trimming, edging, and blowing required. I do agree to look at as 3 separate properties. Add the 3 prices up, and maybe do a slight reduction because you staying in one spot and only having to invoice one owner.

Since this is through a friend, you might ask if he can find out what they have paid in the past. It doesn't mean that price will be correct, but it will give you a starting point, plus let you know what they have been comfortable paying in the past. In my experience, people with money, are often the tightest. I mowed a single family home for an attorney a couple of years ago, telling them I'd do it for $100 the first time, then give them a price for routine maintenance. After doing the property, I called and told them I'd have to have $125 per mowing, based on weekly service. His wife said they just couldn't afford that, and I told her that was the best I could do considering the size of the property and the difficulty involved in mowing it (on a hillside). Took me about a month to get that $100 check, too.

I'm waiting on some checks too brother. I hate it! That's why I'm not taking them anymore.

Originally Posted by StanWilhite

The way I read the OP's post is that he was shooting for 70.00 per hr (combined) for him and a helper. I may be wrong but I would think 70.00 per man hr would be way high.

I wish I could get $70 per hour by myself on a regular basis!

Originally Posted by ArTurf

Do you have a hand held GPS or know someone who does? Most of these can be used to measure Sq Footage and give you an idea. Go to the Exmark website and they have a mowing time calculator. Add mowing time and trimming and you can guesstimate how much time it will take. It seems to me that I always underestimate the time. You might can offer a one time price with the understanding you can actually see how much time it takes and then discuss a regular price. After I mow a property for a while I usually can figure how to cut a little time. Sometimes I will suggest to the owner changes that will cut time and thus price just to make the property easier to maintain.

I've got an iPad. So there's got to "be an app for that" right?

[Above Par Lawns]

Originally Posted by knox gsl

With your hourly rate for 2 workers I getting $280-$300 or 8 man hours total.

Thanks Knox. I talked to the home owner finally and turns out he is getting a great deal from the people he has been currently using. They cut all 3 properties and his office for under $250! I found this out from his daughter (My friend). There's no way I can compete with that. Turns out it is 3 Hispanics with 2 zero turns that are in and out pretty fast.

He told me to come by next week and talk to him about fertilizer and weed control though. He's got another company handling that currently and he wants to change. I'm thinking that'll be more profitable anyways.

[Above Par Lawns]

Originally Posted by Roger

"... Should I go measure the property even though it will take forever? ..."

Not to be critical or harsh, but if this is your approach to this sized job, perhaps it is not one you should be attempting to land. Even if it takes you two hours to measure off, and get it right, the two hours will be trivial if you ignore measuring, and estimate the job 30 minutes short for each visit.

There are online tools for property measurements that are very accurate, and cost nothing. But, if you not willing to invest some time in a good estimate, them maybe you are stepping into a hornets nest that will sting you in the end.

So should I go measure the lawn to see how much fert and pesticide to put down? joking...joking