Simple question about pricing by the minute?

[Jordan]

I have read in other posts that a $1.00 a minute is a good price for trimming, mowing, and blowing residential lawns. Is that the price for one guy on the job? How much would you charge for a one-man crew and how much would you add to the price for each employee added to the job?

[Bryan]

reply

Jordan, I used to use a dollar a minute as a rule of thumb for jobs when I was using a 48" belt W/B, Trimming and blowing by my self..

That simple formula was only used for mow, trim, and blow.. and only during the time I was on the job.. Not for travel time..

Now I use Square footage for a more accurate up front quote.

when you start adding employees into to line-up then youre figures change because you should be able to cut more grass per minute.

Green is good !!

[Scaper-S2k]

reply

That dollar a minute rule should only come into play AFTER you have met your minimum priced lawn. So, you set your minimum price of say $30. That covers lawns from 5 minutes up to 30 minutes (unloading to loading). So a 15 minute lawn is still $30, but a 35 minute lawn is $35. No what I mean? Keep in mind, that works okay up to a few acres.

Obviously doing the math will show that if you set up a minimum price, the smaller the lawns and quicker, the more $$ is profitted.

<<Don't Fear the Green!>>

[A+ Lawncare]

I'm just starting out and i currently have a 61'' ztr and two 21'' toro push mowers and your average arsenal( blower and trimmer/weedeater). I am wondering what i should be targeting small residental or big residental lawns. Keep in mind i'm only 17 and so is my helper. How much should I charge for these type lawns and how many accounts should i get for the first season if i'm just starting out.

[Getter Done Lawn]

charge $45 per person per hour...do trials at your house to get a certain number of feet per hour and then just do the math to get how long it will take to do a certain lawn and then divide by 2 for 2 people...and charge them that times $90

[blade2blade]

i also figure the $1 a minute when estimating residentials. majority of the lots i cut are about the same size, so it doesnt take long to figure what i need to charge. but how do you figure out what to charge (per sq.ft) for the larger lots? talked to others & one guy said they needed to charge at least $1.80 per 1000 sq ft. (i think it was?)to come out ahead. of course he's got more overhead, so i know his rate will differ from my one man operation. any advice? dont want to get stunned when John Q. Customer asks me,..."how much"? thanks!

[drlawn]

I am new to this forum, WOW what a lot of great info and what a great help this has been. I am thinking about starting a lawn care business (mow, trim, edge, fert.,) in Canada BC Lowermainland. What is the rate per hour here in BC. The average lawn (cut and trim)$$$$

thanks

JON