What should I charge for lawn care?

Lawn care runs on tight per-yard prices and a season that does not last all year. Equipment, fuel, the trailer, and winter months with no mowing all have to be paid for by the cuts you make in season. Price each stop from your time plus a markup that carries those costs, so your in-season price funds the whole year.

Price a job the way contractors actually do it: add up what the job costs you, then add a markup for your overhead and profit. Fill in your numbers — your bid updates as you type.

What this job costs you

Materials & supplies ($) — your cost for everything you'll buy for this job

Other direct costs ($) — fuel, equipment rental, disposal fees, permits

Your labor

Not sure what to charge for your time? Employed landscaping workers earn a median of about $18.82/hr (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A self-employed labor rate is typically higher — roughly $30–$40/hr (about 1.5–2×) — because it also has to cover self-employment tax, the benefits an employer would otherwise pay, and the hours that cannot be billed.

Hours this job will take

Your hourly labor rate ($) — what your time is worth per hour; e.g. $30–$40

Hired help ($) — paid to a helper or subcontractor; leave blank if solo

Your markup — overhead & profit

This is where your business actually makes money. Industry standard is roughly 20–30% overall for contractors; solo operators often need the higher end to cover insurance, tools, truck, admin time, and slow weeks. Adjust to fit your business.

Markup on your costs (%)

Materials & supplies	$0
Your labor (0 hrs × $0)	$0
Hired help	$0
Other direct costs	$0
Your costs (subtotal)	$0
Markup (30% — overhead & profit)	$0
Bid price	$0

Pricing method and standard percentages from contractor-industry sources (Angi, Buildern, NAHB): overall contractor markup 20–30%, materials markup 7.5–35%, labor markup 25–50%, recommended profit margin 15–25%. A markup is a percentage of your costs; the resulting margin (share of the bid that's profit) is lower — both are shown above. These are general benchmarks, not a guarantee for your market.

What your markup has to cover

The markup in your bid covers the costs no single job shows. For lawn care, your overhead typically includes mower/trimmer/blower replacement, fuel for equipment and truck, trailer, blades and maintenance, liability insurance, and dump fees. None of that appears on one job, but all of it is paid out of the markup added to every job. Published contractor guidance (Angi, NAHB) puts a typical overall markup at 20–30%.

Be realistic about your hours

In most of the country mowing season is 28–40 weeks, not 52 — enter your real season length. Drive time and loading mean a 10-yard day might be 6.5 billable hours. Your seasonal weeks must fund your whole year unless you sell winter services.

Lawn Care Pro pricing FAQs

How do I price a yard I have never seen?

Estimate cut time from lot size and obstacles, multiply by your hourly labor rate, and add a margin for the unknown. Most solo operators floor at $45–$50 per stop — below that, drive time makes the job a loss regardless of yard size.

Should I offer seasonal contracts or per-cut pricing?

Seasonal contracts (fixed monthly over 8–12 months) smooth your income through the off-season and reduce skipped-cut losses in dry spells. Price them at your per-cut total ÷ contract months, plus a small discount only if it locks in the full season.

What about equipment costs if my mower is paid off?

A commercial mower lasts roughly 1,500–3,000 hours. Divide replacement cost by expected hours and that is your true cost per mowing hour — often $3–$6. Include it in expenses or the replacement will land as a surprise.