How to Price Lawn Care Services (2020 Update) 

My pleasure. Best of luck on your journey.

Hi Sammy. I am glad you found the video helpful. Thanks for watching!

!!!

Swim, I used to think that way as well. That 20.00 dollar per cut guy will not be in business for long! And the reason why is that we all have maintenance, breakage, gas etc. The expenses are the same regardless if your a small company or large. The first time his 20.00 per cut mower goes down or he breaks something on the property he will be gone! What most guys don't realize is that this is an easy business to get into. But it's very expensive to continue. Between mowers, maintenance, insurance, etc it's impossible to cut a lawn for 20.00.

@@techevar The problem is the $20 guy doesn't last long but he does a sufficient job for the customer. The customer in turn goes to look for another $20 guy and there is ALWAYS one around. It is not just the 1 $20 cut guy, it is the HUNDREDS of $20 cut guys. They need to be educated that it is not 2004 anymore. Prices need to raise across the board, but the $20 guy knows better than you.......and like everyone ALWAYS says, you have to start somewhere....and most guys start out charging $20.

If you pay him $$$ for his coaching, maybe he'll consider answering you? haha

Increase your hourly rate when on a zero turn vs a push mower. Your getting a lot more work done so your worth more per hour once you start using bigger equipment

It depends. You could technically still charge the same rate as before. Say 1 hour with a push vs 35 minutes with a rider = 1 hour charge, or charge the 35 minutes, and increase the amount of accounts in a given day to balance out the difference. An example I guess would be if each account takes let's say 1 hour each = roughly 8 accounts per day with a push mower, you can now theoretically accomplish 13 to 14 accounts within the same 8 hours. Ideally I would prefer to charge the 1 hour cost of service no matter the time saved by the larger equipment for increased profits, but sometimes that's not always a reality, and can only charge for the time actually spent. If you can get away with the full hour charge per account while shaving time, than by all means do so, but we aware it can lead some accounts being considered overcharged and them going with a cheaper rate from another company, or you having to quote exact price for the time actually spent.

That's a valid concern, Calbert! This is where communication, training, and trust come into play. What has worked for you in the past?

@@lawncaremillionaire doing it myself seems to be the best bet I had one employee who decided instead of mowing my customers lawn he would get drunk throw up and pass out on her lawn I'm like that's not what I'm paying you for

@@lawncaremillionaire Hello sir iam here in TX I've been watching you for a while and really would like to meet with you for just a Hr iknow your time is valuable so I won't take up to much time I just hope you can find time for the poor small guy Iam very blessed to be working a full time job and I have a very small Lawn Service company but want so bad to grow it so I can leave my full time I just really need guidance I have all the equipment I need to start doing commercial jobs but don't know how to get the work please if you have a little time I would really appreciate your time and I'll buy you lunch please sir and thank you.

Definitely feels like that sometimes.

There might be other variables that have nothing to do with race. How professional do your quotes/ invoices look? How does your website look? Is your team uniformed? Are you covered in tatoos? Are you overweight? How knowledgeable are you about your industry? If you're professional and a customer is a cheapskate asshole, don't take them on as a client. The business owners determine the rules of engagement, not the customer.

You're not "expected" to do it cheaper, you all just set yourselves up for it by charging less in the first place.

@@simple-steve there are always variables to how people conduct themselves with you but hispanic people can and are treated differently in a lot of work situations. I worked for BrightVeiw this past summer. Major commercial company located in almost all 50 states. We had a hispanic guy who was dumb experienced, one of the best most competent and fastest workers we had. He'd been with the company for about 13 years. LEGAL immigrant and after all these years they're still only paying him $13 an hour. I came in with zero experience and was immediately given $15. Just because YOU wouldn't do it doesnt mean nobody else would. My boss wouldnt dare offer an Amerocan born person a lawn care job for $13 an hour. Ain't no American doing lawn care for $13 an hour unless youre in the south and even in the south there are plenty of higher paying options. If our boss cut us down to $13 an hour he'd lose 95% of the company and he knows it.

Typical stereotypes, I would simply laugh at them and say, "Good luck with your lawn service needs at that price" and walk away.

No

Yes and no, Yes if it is still profitable, and no if you are breaking even or losing money.

Who’s going to pay $100 to cut a 4K lot?

@@jessegarcia744 100 per hour not per lawn.

Agreed

@@simple-steve $100 per hour sounds reasonable. Do you have a minimum? Say like $35 hour

@@jimbodacious66 yes a minimum for a job or per hour is smart. $100 per hour is a goal but hard to get solo at least around my area. More like $60 hour solo and depends on how much equipment is being used. No equipment = shovels, rakes etc. can charge less per hour.