How much to charge for lawn care and mowing
Recurring lawn work lives or dies on route density. The price per stop matters less than how many stops are within ten minutes of each other.
Below: the published wage for this work, why your billing rate has to be well above it, how this job is actually priced, and what moves the number. Put your own rate into the generator and you get a real itemized estimate built on it.
Generate this estimate now
Describe the job in plain words. No email needed to see your first estimate — about fifteen seconds for a small job, a little longer for a big one.
What you get — see the format first
A complete estimate you can send to the customer, built from the rate you enter:
| Description | Qty | Unit | Unit price | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labor — itemized by task | hrs | hour | your rate | — |
| Materials — with your markup applied | qty | ea / sq ft | cost + markup | — |
| Permits, disposal, access | — | — | — | — |
Plus a plain-English scope summary, assumptions (what had to be guessed), exclusions (what you are not doing — the section that prevents most change-order arguments), and a validity period. Printable, or send the link.
Every figure comes from the rate and markup you supply. We never fill in a market price for you.
How lawn care is priced
Price per visit from lot size and the time your crew actually spends, with a minimum per stop. Recurring schedules earn a lower per-visit price than one-offs because the grass is shorter and the route is efficient. Quote one-time cleanups separately — they are a different job.
What the labor actually costs
$19.27/hour — US median wage for grounds maintenance workers, May 2025 ($40,080/year).
That is a wage, not your billing rate. It excludes payroll burden, insurance, the hours you spend driving and quoting, overhead and profit. Billing at or near it means working the job for free once those land — which is where underpricing starts. What your multiplier should be depends on your business, so put the rate you actually bill into the generator and every line prices from your number.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — national median, May 2025. Wages vary widely by metro.
What moves the number
- Lot size and how much of it is actually turf
- Obstacles — trees, beds, play sets, fences and gates that slow a mower
- Slope and drainage, which force smaller equipment or hand work
- Frequency: weekly grass is faster than biweekly grass
- Gate width, which decides whether your big mower fits
- Trimming, edging, blowing and whether clippings are bagged and hauled
How lawn care gets underpriced
- Pricing a biweekly account at weekly rates, then fighting overgrowth every visit
- Ignoring drive time between scattered accounts
- Bagging and hauling clippings without charging for the disposal
- Quoting from a satellite photo that hides the obstacles
Related guides
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Estimate templates by trade
landscaping · handyman · cleaning · general contracting · concrete · drywall · flooring · fencing
How to estimate
How to write a contractor estimate · Estimate vs quote vs bid — and which one you should send · What to include in a contractor estimate · How to price a job as a contractor · Should you charge for estimates? · How to follow up on an estimate · How to handle change orders · Estimate vs invoice: what's the difference? · How to raise your prices as a contractor