Quoting for Fall Cleanup

[tx_limo]

I've just started my lawncare business this year and as the year has progressed, I've had a few folks change their frequency from weekly mowing to every 2 weeks. I realize that eventually, all the mowing business will stop for the year (until spring 2013). Knowing all this, I've also come to the realization that I need to start offering lawn cleanup (raking leaves, etc) to my current customers and also start posting ads for it. My question to everyone is what is a good basis to quote someone to rake their leaves? It doesn't seem right to charge just $25 to rake the leaves when that is what you charge them to mow their yard. In my eyes it should be more but how much more? Any help you can be is greatly appreciated!! Keith

[usmc3391]

Lawn care business tips

This will be my first year of doing fall clean ups as well but from what i have been reading on here I am going to estimate how long it will take and ad my hourly rate to that. So if i think it will take 4 hours to do ill charge 200. In my area the leaves are beginning to fall so i practiced on my yard the way i would if it were a customer so now I have a good idea of how long it will take. I also took into account if the leaves have been there for more than one season which makes them much harder to blow/rake up. hope this helps.

[LawnBoy0311]

It's hard to get you a definate price, since every area in the US is different. Or for Cheese up there in Canada. Anyway, the best to do is see how long it will take you and apply that to your man hours. Some go off $40, $50,$60 an hour...the only person who knows your rate is you. So figure out how long it will take you a multiply it by your man hours.

A GREAT money maker for me is aeration/dethatching/seeding. I've done quite a few so far, and although the work destroys my knees and back, the payoff is awesome. Maybe its something to look into?

USMC- when did you get out? What was your MOS?

[usmc3391]

i was 0621 field radio for an artillery battery my end of contract was in july. i assume you were a grunt judging by your user name?

[LawnBoy0311]

Congrats on the EAS!!!! Ya I was an 03 "Dumb Dumb". 2003-2007 with 2nd BN 8th Mar. Fun times, but never again! This lawn mowing stuff is much easier, and I don't get shot at!

[phouse65]

I have made the mistake in the past by not charging enough. I look at a job and try to figure out how long it will take, then I always add an hour for safe measure. I base my leaf removal on time and how many trips it will take me to dump the leaves. I go by $75 an hour an that includes my drive time to the dump. How are you going to do your leaves? What equipment do you have for this job?

[usmc3391]

Originally Posted by LawnBoy0311

Congrats on the EAS!!!! Ya I was an 03 "Dumb Dumb". 2003-2007 with 2nd BN 8th Mar. Fun times, but never again! This lawn mowing stuff is much easier, and I don't get shot at!

Thanks...and very true although ive mowed in some shady areas and was thinking about putting on my flak and kevlar!

[willshome]

I bill based on $25 an hour using home owners tools (22" mower, hand blower, rake &, bagging the leafs) and adding $45 for removel
The better tools I have the faster I make money

[SECTLANDSCAPING]

We do $200 minimums. I use to not have a minimum but even the smallest yard will take close to 4 hours. This is in the northeast where leaves are plenty.

[ringahding1]

An easy way to figure out pricing for leaf clean ups is to simply multiply the cost per cut by 4. This has covered all of our man hours, dumping, etc.

Depending on the property leaf situation, sometimes we have to multiply by 2 or 3. At the very least multiply by 2.



Other factors in pricing:

• Dumping on site(wooded area)..Do not fool yourself and think just because you are able to dump on site, that the job is not as big as other jobs. Of course these are the ideal jobs...but some of these take just as long as HAULING off site accounts.

• Per Cubic Yard ~ Hauling would also need to be factored. Having a set $$$ amount per cubic yard will help you determine an accurate price. In other words how many yards of leaves and grass do you think you are taking away? Depending on where you take compost will help your estimate.

• Equipment ~ Someone else mentioned. This needs to be factored to justify any formula.

EXAMPLE
Base rate for compost is $15/per cubic yard. Estimate for Mowing @ $35...Total $140
Everything written above must be taken into consideration. Although if you feel that the job is bigger than your equipment or this estimate it probably is, so adding a yard or two in your estimate would not be out of the question.

Final Thoughts
Some LCC's (usually big ones) have an hourly rate...anywhere from $50 to $85 per man hour, this will all depend once again on your equipment.
The only real problem you will have with my formula is actually teaching employees what a CUBIC yard actually looks like. But if you know your prices, this will be second nature and you can just factor cubic yards in your estimate.