Lawn Care Forum banner

How much do you charge to cut an acre

53K views 28 replies 18 participants last post by  Miller5862 
#1 ·
What do some of you guys charge to cut a 1/3 acre, 1/4 acre, 1/2 acre, and an acre all with light to medium trimming. I am in the richer part of maryland (baltimore) I can do most of the 1/4 acre lots with a 48" walk behind and be done in 30 min and charge 25-30 bucks. However im not sure how to charge for the acre lots... does $70 sound fair?
 
#4 ·
Ad up your costs then determine how much you would like to make on that yard, while trying to stay competitive. Guys around here charge 75-100 for an acre depending on trimming. If you can mow it for 70 and still make a profit then your gtg. Always make a profit or just don't mow it.
 
#25 ·
About $100 an acre is the the going rate. In the Houston area for rural property. You can work it out either hourly or by the job you come out to about$100 an acre. Using a $35 an hour rate which includes expenses you windup about$100 an acre with with little or no trimming.. This being done with a ZTR and not a bush hog.
The best price to charge is the one that you feel good about and so does the customer.$35 an hour may seem a little high but I would not take a lawn mower off the trailer for less than that price.
 
#5 ·
so the best way to figure out cost would just be add up what every thing cost (on my side) then figure out how much and hour I want?
Yes, add up all costs (include labor as a cost) then you can divide it into an hourly rate and come up with your cost per hour.

It is a good idea to have knowledge of your local market pricing to make sure you are competitive, but like I said before, just because Joe bid a lawn for $25.00 doesn't mean you should match his price.
 
#10 ·
I would work out your numbers and let that dictate your price. Your area is your area so I wouldn't put much stock in what others are charging. An hourly figure should point ya right at what your price will be.

Best thing I did was quit worrying about what everyone else was charging and focused on my operation. Good luck.
 
#11 ·
It doesn't matter what I charge. If you have a 2,3,4 or 5 man crew, my pricing wont work for you. I do like the $1 a minute rule. 32vld seems right to me.

But I guess if you had employee's you'd have your pricing figured out.
 
#13 ·
Quarter acre $30-35 + sales tax.

Half $40, three quarter $50, One acre $60 + sales tax.

So would I be in the ball park to say

1/4 - 30-40
1/2 - 45-55
3/4 - 55-65
1 acre - 70-90

all involving light to medium trimming?
Do you have or plan to have employees? I would factor that in too. I would personally do the dollar per minute thing. Be fair to yourself!
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#14 ·
Now this all depends on the level of services you provide: for the high end market I service, we charge $2 per minute. Granted we do exclusively maintenance contracts only and no "mow and go" accounts anymore. But you don't want to carve out your niche as being the "cheap lawn guy." If you are providing a quality service, you should receive a good wage for it
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#16 ·
Easiest thing to do is figure up how much you want to charge per hour based on costs per hour. Going by the acre is never a good idea unless you're bush hogging or mowing a field which is still based on hourly costs. We're at $75 an hour here with a $35 minimum for two guys.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#17 ·
Those prices are very, very low IMO.
Thank you, I started reading that and thought Damn. Just for me to edge and weedeat a half acre takes 30 minutes. Ofcourse it's not just square lots. Any of my yards above quarter acre are $35 and up, but there's a lot of trimming involved and a zeroturn would only work on one. I could see those prices working for a empty square lot with no house and a 61" zero turn but add a house and sidewalk and your grossing less than $30 per hour. When cost are at least $15-$20 per man hour, you might as well go work for someone else.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#18 ·
minimum stop fee is $40. doesn't matter if its 3000 sqft. but basically as good as mowers are and as efficient as they are these days you can cut 3 acres in about an hour on average 60" mower do you want to only make $60 an hour mowing?? when other people are charging $75 per acre for the first acre... no! if you work fast and know what youre doing but at the same time do a great job you should be able to mow trim and blow off a 1 acre lot solo in about 50 minutes. and for that id charge min. $65 depending on the obstables to trim around and if theres any hills slowing you down mowing etc.

1/4 (11k) $42.50
1/2 (22k) $50
3/4 (33k) $60
1 acre - $70

these are all flat and easy access

if I have a multiple acre property say 4 acres I cut a little break because usually not as much trimming involved. 4 acres would be about $235
 
#28 ·
I dont know how you wernt called on this yet but thats not a break by your own flat rate..

You said 235. I get 190 priced without a break.

42.50 initial 1/4.
1/2 50
3/4 60
1 70
1 1/4 80
1 1/2 90
1 3/4 100
2 110
2 1/4 120
2 1/2 130
2 3/4 140
3 150
3 1/4 160
3 1/2 170
3 3/4 180
4 190
 
#19 ·
minimum stop fee is $40. doesn't matter if its 3000 sqft. but basically as good as mowers are and as efficient as they are these days you can cut 3 acres in about an hour on average 60" mower do you want to only make $60 an hour mowing?? when other people are charging $75 per acre for the first acre... no! if you work fast and know what youre doing but at the same time do a great job you should be able to mow trim and blow off a 1 acre lot solo in about 50 minutes. and for that id charge min. $65 depending on the obstables to trim around and if theres any hills slowing you down mowing etc.

1/4 (11k) $42.50
1/2 (22k) $50
3/4 (33k) $60
1 acre - $70

these are all flat and easy access

if I have a multiple acre property say 4 acres I cut a little break because usually not as much trimming involved. 4 acres would be about $235
Yeah, I see what your saying. I was mainly thinking of my lawns. Those prices wouldn't work for me at all, but for someone else they could be golden. i guess the only way to really price a property accurately is how long will it take you be how much do you charge. I like to get $40-75 per man hour on lawns. Huge gap, I know. I shoot for $75 when I'm doing multiple small homes right next to each other and I get at least $40 when I'm doing larger homes that are spread out. my setup is mainly for smaller homes, and that take under 25 minutes solo.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#27 ·
Yeah, I see what your saying. I was mainly thinking of my lawns. Those prices wouldn't work for me at all, but for someone else they could be golden. i guess the only way to really price a property accurately is how long will it take you be how much do you charge. I like to get $40-75 per man hour on lawns. Huge gap, I know. I shoot for $75 when I'm doing multiple small homes right next to each other and I get at least $40 when I'm doing larger homes that are spread out. my setup is mainly for smaller homes, and that take under 25 minutes solo.
Posted via Mobile Device
I have also that you are selling a lot more than just a grass cutting service. This is especially true in rural property. If the landowner trust trusts you to do a good job and be reliable they work with you on price. If you show genuine interest and take ownership of the job you're working on you will be one up on your competition.
 
#20 ·
Yeah, I see what your saying. I was mainly thinking of my lawns. Those prices wouldn't work for me at all, but for someone else they could be golden. i guess the only way to really price a property accurately is how long will it take you be how much do you charge. I like to get $40-75 per man hour on lawns. Huge gap, I know. I shoot for $75 when I'm doing multiple small homes right next to each other and I get at least $40 when I'm doing larger homes that are spread out. my setup is mainly for smaller homes, and that take under 25 minutes solo.
Posted via Mobile Device
It doesnt matter how many peoplw you have or what equipment you have. A $50 lawn is a $50 lawn no matter who does it! I charge average $1.25 per minute for mowing man and $1 per min trimmer man etc. That give a ball park pricing on the average lawn. 15k 20k sqft
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#21 ·
that is a loaded question.

MOST people don't charge "per acre" they charge '"per hour"

if tom charges $40 per hour with his 21" and takes 80 minutes to cut an acre; that's $54.00

If kelly charges $85 per hour with his 60" and takes 17 minutes to cut that acre $24.00.

Are kelly's prices too low?


Additionally I see FAR too many people on this site alone (never mind live and in person) think "cutting an acre" = the whole property is an acre.
No, you have subtract out the house, driveway, porch, planting beds etc.
Most one acre properties have about a half acre or less of actual turf to cut, and just because your mower is bigger doesn't mean you can cut that faster, as there steps involved? Is it easy access with a ZTR and in a square or similar shaper or is it dotted all over the place with trails and bridges and statues of cupid in the way?

MOST lawn areas are pretty simple, but they are not all easily accessed. which then determines the machine you do it with, with also determines how long it is going to take you and how much trim is involved.
and THAT's what determines price… NOT how big the property is, which is only a single factor in the price.
 
#23 ·
Also, take into factor if the person is going to want extras... If it is seeming like each week they might want weeding, mulching, hedge trimming... etc. You could go a little lower on the mowing price, because you will get more work from this customer as well. I am talking like a $5 difference, nothing too crazy. When a customer orders lots of services, I tend to come done just slightly. Also you'll get the spring and fall clean up
 
#24 ·
Also, take into factor if the person is going to want extras... If it is seeming like each week they might want weeding, mulching, hedge trimming... etc. You could go a little lower on the mowing price, because you will get more work from this customer as well. I am talking like a $5 difference, nothing too crazy. When a customer orders lots of services, I tend to come done just slightly. Also you'll get the spring and fall clean up
better to put stuff like that in a seasonal contract and then get paid on a monthly basis…THEN you can package it together and give them a little % break.

ala carte is ala carte.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top