Rates? What to charge?

[WilliamBos]

I am looking at starting a lawncare business, be a one man show. I have no idea what ot charge, or how to find out what rates are locally.

Looking for advice.

Thank you.

 

[Youngandfree]

How much money/hr do you need to operate your business and make a profit? I'd start there. I'm solo part time. My minimum mow price is $45. My typical customer is up to around quarter acre. What size yards are you going to cut, and how fast can you cut them? What kind of equipment do you have?

 

[WilliamBos]

I bought a 54" Big Dog Alpha MP, have a 5'x10' trailer, a Husky straightshaft trimmer, a husky handheld blower and a pushmower. The equipment is mine, no debt attached to it.
I want to get commercial and residential accounts.

 

[Youngandfree]

Have you figured what your expenses will be? Even though you bought the equipment outright, you need to put money aside to be able to repair and replace it when time comes, and figure that into your costs.

 

[WilliamBos]

Im trying to figure that out now, definetly need a rainy day fund.

 

[Hvlc]

Make sure you get commercial insurance

 

[WilliamBos]

Have you figured what your expenses will be? Even though you bought the equipment outright, you need to put money aside to be able to repair and replace it when time comes, and figure that into your costs.

Do you put a certain percentage of each cut away for future expenses?

 

[MowDaddy]

Do you put a certain percentage of each cut away for future expenses?

Figure mower will need replacement around 2000 hrs.
So as an example:
A $10,000 mower divided by 2000 hrs. Equals $5 for each hour. Plus $1 per hr for maintenance.
Figure about $2 per hr per handheld.
These are aprox only.
You may get 3000 hrs out of your mower.
Ball park on mower gas is about a gallon per hr. Or $3 per hr.
Your insurance you'll have to divide your annual cost by how many hrs per yr you put in.
Truck and trailer you'll have to do your best on that. Cause I've no clue how old it is, or how much life is left in it.
But this gives you a very general idea how much to recoup on equipment costs per hr.

 

[CapeMay609]

To be honest when I started out right after high school. I called the top companies in the area to give me a “quote” for lawn mowing at my parents house (where I lived when I was 18 lol) and that’s how I got my mowing pricing down at the time. (Used walk behind 48 and a push mower)

 

[WilliamBos]

Thanks. That makes it easier knowing how much per hour to put away.
My trailer is brand new Canada trailer 5x10, truck is a 17 Silverado 1500.

We have bought from a Commercial outfitter, so get excellent prices.

Figure mower will need replacement around 2000 hrs.
So as an example:
A $10,000 mower divided by 2000 hrs. Equals $5 for each hour. Plus $1 per hr for maintenance.
Figure about $2 per hr per handheld.
These are aprox only.
You may get 3000 hrs out of your mower.
Ball park on mower gas is about a gallon per hr. Or $3 per hr.
Your insurance you'll have to divide your annual cost by how many hrs per yr you put in.
Truck and trailer you'll have to do your best on that. Cause I've no clue how old it is, or how much life is left in it.
But this gives you a very general idea how much to recoup on equipment costs per hr.