Need help figure out how to make a bid for lawn service

[JMBonesteel]

Hi Everyone, I am new at this. My name is James. Ppl called me, Jimbo. I am deaf but wear cochlear implant. I been having trouble finding job dues to my hearing. So, my church started help me to start a small business doing any odd job for members at our church. Now, I am getting more people requesting me to do lawn service as they like the work I do at the church and heard great things I do. Some of them own a business that has grass that will need to be mow. I am learning. It would be great if I can get some help how to figure out the measurement by Cents or dollars per square foot. I saw there is a calulator but I dont understand it. I wonder if anyone has easy way to do the measurement. Please let me know. Thanks! Jimbo

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

Hey Jim, Welcome to our forum. Are you currently mowing lawns? If so, can you measure the area you are mowing? Then divide that by the amount you are charging and you will get a rate per sq ft. If you do this for all the lawns you are mowing, you can average out the amount you are charging to get a better idea what you should be charging new customers. Does this help?

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[JMBonesteel]

Hi Steve,

At the church, its depend on paying issue. Sometime they give me alot, other times they give me small. But other members of the church that I did, I started out at $13.75 an hours. 3 lawns take me 3 hours, 3 take me 1 and half hours, and 1 take me 4 hours. Some members gave me more then what I charge them while other just pay actual amount. Now, they are spreading words out for me. I get a called from some businesses ppl asking about a bid so they can look at it. They also said they dont want the hours, they wanted in CENTS. lol I am beaten my brain out trying to figure it out.

Jimbo

Originally Posted by Steve

Hey Jim,

Welcome to our forum.

Are you currently mowing lawns? If so, can you measure the area you are mowing? Then divide that by the amount you are charging and you will get a rate per sq ft.

If you do this for all the lawns you are mowing, you can average out the amount you are charging to get a better idea what you should be charging new customers.

Does this help?

[CHEESE2009]

I suppose that they are looking for more of a set payment method that they can pay you, instead of something that might change over time depending on your efficiency.

If I hired someone to charge me for their time, I'd be a little nervous about them taking advantage of my wallet.

It may be hard to figure out how much fuel you are consuming per each piece of equipment, I forget my method for that, but that calculator is decent at finding out quite a bit.

Make sure to always cover your expenses, regardless if they are short term (gas) or long term (repairs/new equipment).

Try it out, and let us know what results you get

[jymie]

Originally Posted by JMBonesteel

Hi Steve,

At the church, its depend on paying issue. Sometime they give me alot, other times they give me small. But other members of the church that I did, I started out at $13.75 an hours. 3 lawns take me 3 hours, 3 take me 1 and half hours, and 1 take me 4 hours. Some members gave me more then what I charge them while other just pay actual amount. Now, they are spreading words out for me. I get a called from some businesses ppl asking about a bid so they can look at it. They also said they dont want the hours, they wanted in CENTS. lol I am beaten my brain out trying to figure it out.

Jimbo

$13.75 an hour? that is dirt cheap. The national rate is more like $40 - $50 an hour. You can also use the calculators on the forum as well located here.

[Steve]

Jim,

Let's keep this simple. Let's grasp this topic and then move on with the topic to a higher level so you can grow.

Give me a list of three to five customers you service. Tell me the sq ft of the property, how long it takes you, and how much you charge for the mowings.

I will show you how to do this with your actual figures and then we will move forwards.

[JMBonesteel]

Hi Steve,

That is just thing, I dont know the square foot. I just know by the look of it compare to other lawn work I did. I know one property that I actually took the measurement yesterday. Just lawn only 54.666 ft X 120ft. With push mower is what I have take me about 40 minutes. no around house but two large maple trees. That is all. Then there is one on the other side of the house take me good hour 102.675 ft X 120 ft. Then behind the house there is piece of lawn that is 30.250 ft X 80ft take me good 20 to 25 minutes to push mow with front wheel drive.

Jimbo

Originally Posted by Steve

Jim,

Let's keep this simple. Let's grasp this topic and then move on with the topic to a higher level so you can grow.

Give me a list of three to five customers you service. Tell me the sq ft of the property, how long it takes you, and how much you charge for the mowings.

I will show you how to do this with your actual figures and then we will move forwards.

[jymie]

Originally Posted by JMBonesteel

Hi Steve,

That is just thing, I dont know the square foot. I just know by the look of it compare to other lawn work I did. I know one property that I actually took the measurement yesterday. Just lawn only 54.666 ft X 120ft. With push mower is what I have take me about 40 minutes. no around house but two large maple trees. That is all. Then there is one on the other side of the house take me good hour 102.675 ft X 120 ft. Then behind the house there is piece of lawn that is 30.250 ft X 80ft take me good 20 to 25 minutes to push mow with front wheel drive.

Jimbo

Using this example you multiply the two distances to get the square footage.

55 X 120 = 6600

103 x 120 = 12360

31 x 80 = 2480

Total Sq Footage = 21440

Add them together, this is the total sq feet you would use to calculate your charge with the calculator.

[JMBonesteel]

Thanks, Scott. But I have the Square Foot figure out but what will be the charge that I should be given to them? That is my questions. If you were to mow this lawn, how much would you charge them?

Jimbo

Originally Posted by jymie

Using this example you multiply the two distances to get the square footage.

55 X 120 = 6600

103 x 120 = 12360

31 x 80 = 2480

Total Sq Footage = 21440

Add them together, this is the total sq feet you would use to calculate your charge with the calculator.

[jymie]

Have you tried the calculators on this site?

Lawn Calculators

All you have to do is input your information in and press the button.