We love seeing a vibrant green lawn with the fresh smell of grass and that relaxing feel when walking barefoot but it comes with a cost and there is a lot of contention about the perfect price for mowing the lawn. Lawn mowing is not easy; it takes time, effort, and money. Of all the things you could be doing on your day off but you have to mow your lawn and since lawn mowing services seem a bit too much at times, We are often reluctant to hire them.
Mowing our lawns ourselves has its pros and cons but we often choose to focus on the cons and therefore accede to the conclusion of hiring a lawn mowing service but then the prices seem exorbitant. This leads us confused and dubious. At first setting, the price for lawn mowing may seem simple but there are a litany of factors that contribute to the prices and why they fluctuate throughout the year. Let’s look at a few of them.
Factors that affect the job pricing
As the service charges fluctuate throughout the year and also from place to place this inconsistency gets a little annoying. But there are some major and minor factors that contribute to the prices. Major factors have a significant influence while the minor factors make somewhat of a contribution to the prices. When we have a clear picture of all that needs to be considered it would be easier to set a plausible price for the service which suffices both the mower and the customer.
Major Factors
The preponderance of these factors is axiomatic. Each contributes to the total price in its way and is also interrelated. These are 1.Area 2.Time 3.Condition.These are the variable factors and vary from customer to customer. Let’s have a look at how each of these affects the price.
- Area
The spatial factor is quite explicable and reasonable. If your lawn is small, your cost for the service should be somewhat low. Is your lawn big? Well, your cost would be relatively higher but don’t worry as the cost is not based completely on the spatial realm other factors also play a role and might help change the price sometimes.
The area being mowed plays is crucial to the price because the greater the area to be covered greater would be the effort required, the more time. A specific price could be set for, say one square foot. This price would be multiplied by the area of your lawn that needs to be covered. This number would act as a base for the price that would be charged. Let’s call it the base price.
The base price can be calculated very easily. Let’s take an example to understand. The total area that needs to be bowed is 250 square feet and suppose we charge $0.5 for 1 square foot. We can easily calculate the base price by multiplying our per-square feet cost with the total area that needs to be mowed.
Base price = (price per square feet)*(area to be mowed)
Base price = $0.5*250sq” = $125 …………………………………………………………….………………….(eq 1)
Hence our base price would be $120. This price would then either increase or maybe have a slight decrease based on other contributing factors. However, this price would increase in most cases such as the time of the year and the condition of the lawn, and would be lowered only to the extent that no loss is incurred.
- Time
The timely realm acts as a supplement to the base price which in some cases increases or decreases it, is factious, and focuses on two conditions. First of all, what time of the year is it? Is it the growing season because in that case, the lawn needs to be mowed more often than otherwise. If it Winters well you need to take precautions, cut your grass too short and it will die out due to no available surface area to perform photosynthesis, the root dies due to lack of sufficient nutrient supply. And then there are the snow molds and all the damage they do.
As the weather has a major impact on plant growth and grass being a plant is also affected by these inevitable changes their growth is affected. For example, growth is relatively more compared to other seasons and relatively low or minimal during winter especially during a blizzard grass often dies out due to such extreme weather conditions.
Secondly, how long does the customer wish to use the service? Service providers often give discounts and charge lower prices to customers who choose longer programs compared to those who hire them for a month or two. As long-term customers would help lower the fixed cost, Charging a little less than the base price would still lead to no loss.
So the time of the month can be used as a subordinate to the base price based on the area. For example, let’s say it winters then the base price would increase by 10% so a simple formula to calculate the price in winters would be
Winter’s Price = base price(base price*10%) using base price from (eq1)
Winter’s Price = $125 + (125*10%) = $137.5 ………………………………………….………………….(eq2)
Now let’s assume we give a 10% discount to customers who hire 6 months of service, 15% discount to 1-year customers, and 20% to customers who hire the service for two or more years. So if it winters for customers with 6 months, 1 year and 2 years subscription would have the following charges:
Price for 6 months subscription
$137.5 – (137.5*10%) = $123.7 using winter’s price from (eq2)
Price for 1-year subscription
$137.5 – (137.5*15%) = $ 116.8 using winter’s price from (eq2)
Price for a 2-year subscription
$137.5 – (137.5*20%) = 110 using winter’s price from (eq2)
Now let’s suppose it’s spring and grass is growing at full pace. You might need to mow your lawn multiple times a month. Service providers often charge most during these times. Let’s suppose we charge an additional 40% during this season. Our formula would then be as follow:
Spring season Price = Base price + (base price*40%) using base price from (eq1)
Spring season Price = $ 125 + (125*40%) = $175…………………………………………………………..(eq3)
Similarly, the prices for different subscription periods would be as follow
Price for 6 months subscription
$175 – (175*10%) = $157.5 using spring season price from (eq3)
Price for 1-year subscription
$175 – (175*15%) = $ 148.75 using spring season price from (eq3)
Price for 2-year subscription
$175 – (175*20%) = $ 120 using spring season price from (eq3)
For other seasons when the growth is relatively slow and consistent we assume the rate charged is 15% over the base rate. So we can calculate the price as follow
Other season Price = base price + (base price*15%) using base price from (eq1)
Other season Price = $ 125 + (125*15%) = $ 143.75………………………………………………………….(eq4)
And now the discounts given to each of the customers based on their subscription period.
Price for 6 months subscription
$143.75 – (143.75 *10%) = $ 130 using other season’s price from (eq4)
Price for 1 year subscription
$ 143.75 – (143.75*15%) = $ 122.2 using other season’s price from (eq4)
Price for 2 year subscription
$143.75 – (143.75*20%) = $ 115 using other season’s price from (eq4)
So the price would change according to the time of the year and the length of subscriptions. Customers with longer subscriptions would have to pay relatively less.
- Condition
The condition would refer to how your lawn is at the moment it was recently mowed or hasn’t been mowed in months or even a year. Mowing a lawn that hasn’t been mowed for months or years would take relatively more time and effort hence higher would be the rate charged. Lawns that have been recently mowed would not take much time or effort and hence would be charged lower rates.
So one may wonder how to specify the rate based on the condition of the lawn. It is quite simple, the ideal length for lawn grass is 2.5-3 inches. This number varies slightly throughout the year. During winters grass is kept short to avoid diseases while making sure that it isn’t short enough to die. As for the other seasons, the ideal length of 2.5-3 inches is preferred. So the rate charged would be based on the length of grass that needs to be clipped. Suppose the base price remains the same for 1 inch of grass but for 1.5-3 inches it is raised by 3% and for 3-5 inches it is raised by 5% and for lengths over 5 inches the rate is increased by 7%.
It is to be noted that this price is charged apart from the base price and is according to the length hence may fluctuate from time to time. At first, the rate would be high if the customer has not had their lawns mowed for months but with frequent mowing which would then lead to a consistent length the number would lower down and eventually plateau. Hence the simple calculation based on the lawn condition can be made using the following formula :
Base price + (base price*rate for the length)
Rate for 1 inch
(base price*rate for the length)
Rate for 1 inch = (125*0) = $0 using base price from (eq1)
At this length only the base price will be charged.
Rate for 1.5-3 inches
Base price + (base price*rate for the length)
Rate for 1.5-3 inches = (125*3%) = $ 3.75 using base price from (eq1)
Rate for 3-5 inches
Base price + (base price*rate for the length)
Rate for 3-5 inches = (125*5%) = $ 6.25 using base price from (eq1)
Rate for over 5 inches
Base price + (base price*rate for the length)
Rate for over 5 inches = (125*7%) = $ 8.75 using base price from (eq1)
Here is a simple graphical representation of how the extra rate charged would drop as the service is used more frequently. The x-axis represents the period in weeks and the y-axis represents the extra rate charged in dollars. As the service is used every week the rate drops drastically as the length is kept constant over a prolonged period which eventually leads to no extra rate to be charged and just the base price.
The plateau at zero shows that the length to be mowed now is just one-inch meaning that no extra rate would be charged at this point. This process also helps in explaining why people who hire the service for a shorter period are charged more. It is this plateauing of grass length in the long run from frequent mowing which causes a decrease in the overall price for customers who have a longer subscription.
So we now have a formula that gives us an idea of what rate to charge according to the 3 major dimensions: area, time, and condition.
The rate charged = Rate Price for the season and subscription period + rate according to condition.
Minor Factors
There are a litany of minor factors that might seem irrelevant to the job as they are not directly linked to the job but do play a role in the price setting. Some of them which are more crucial to price setting are listed below
- Commute Distance
This factor might seem irrelevant but it does contribute to the overall price. For people living in the cities, the commute distance for the mower would be small compared to those in the suburbs. Since it is a minor factor its contribution for customers with longer subscriptions might be negligible because it is a part of the fixed cost.
- Weather
Bad weather would affect the grass and hence in extreme conditions precaution and special care might be needed. For instance, if there has been slight rain throughout the month the grass might be growing a lot more. Or if there has been heavy rainfall throughout the month the grass would be vulnerable and might not need any watering until the soil dries up completely. In these critical times the grass requires special care or else it dies.
In intense heat, the grass might require more watering as they lose most of it from transpiration.
- Equipment used
The equipment used plays a crucial role as it reduces the time and effort required to do the job. But it comes with a price. Mowers can be as cheap as $200 or over $2,000. Higher the price better would be the service But as the equipment is used its value depreciates over time. Electronic mowers last anywhere from 8-10 years whereas petrol mowers last for 5-6 years with proper maintenance service.
Different lawns require different equipment, for lawns that are large mowing tractors are required which come with a hefty price. As the service providers use the equipment multiple times a day for different customers the equipment requires frequent maintenance and lives shorter lives, the service providers have to buy new equipment now and then.
The service providers have to look into these factors and how they contribute to the overall expenses and how they can be financed using their revenues generated. Being a minor factor it does not make a staggering contribution to the price charged and has an almost negligible effect on the rates charged to customers with longer subscriptions.
Other price-setting options
Most service providers have different plans and ways of price setting. They either have self-made plans which are usually in 3 different levels. Let’s call these plans as 1. The advanced care, 2.The mediocre care, 3. The beginners plan with their benefits and prices. Each of these plans has different features which give you that ideal lawn that you want. And some also give you the option of making your custom plans.
These programs are usually for a year or longer. Let’s discuss each of these and how they help us in the price-setting process.
- The Advanced Plan
The Advanced plan usually included several services apart from lawn mowing such as fertilization programs, pesticide sessions, land clearing, irrigation, landscaping, or scarifying and aerating to remove weed while making sure no harm is caused to the grass. This plan gives us that extravagant lawn we see on tv.
These plans often come with a price tag but it is usually worth it because of the benefits they provide. This plan is most suitable for a lawn that had been fully destroyed through extreme weather conditions. With their proactive measures, they help recover a healthy and beautiful lawn in very little time. These services range anywhere from $2000-$3000 annually.
- The Standard Plan
These programs are usually the average programs with a few benefits apart from the lawn mowing service and have fairly affordable prices. For customers who have been using lawn services for a while and are seeking to either upgrade their lawn benefit from some other services apart from just mowing may sign up for this program.
This program may include facilities such as frequent fertilization and weed scraping. These plans like others are also for 1 year or longer , and the charged rate would vary for different service providers but it usually ranges from $1600-$1900 annually.
- The beginner’s plan
These plans are usually for people who are just starting on their lawn care. This program provides basic lawn care facilities such as mowing and scraping out weed at fairly low prices. Customers who have completed the advanced plan and have fairly healthy lawns can also transition to this plan as it does not charge as much and provides the basic services to maintain a healthy lawn.
These plans are good for lawns also for a year or longer and the rate charged may vary for different service providers but usually ranges between $1100-1500 annually.
Custom Plan options
The custom plan is one of the best options as it gives the customer the freedom to decide what facilities they want for their lawn and how frequently they want their lawns to be mowed. The custom plan would include the following options
Facilities other than mowing
In this option, customers can choose which other services they would like to hire other than mowing such as how often they would like their lawn to be fertilized or have pesticide sessions, weed scraping, irrigation, or landscaping. All these services would have their rates per visit so the customer can choose the number of visits they wish to have.
Mowing dimensions (Major Factors)
Here the customers would input all the major price contributors to the price. These factors include area, time, and conditions. It also encourages those who do not already use mowing services because the freedom to choose makes the plan more reliable and seems like a fair deal. Allowing customers to create their plans gives them the freedom to decide and create plans that they can afford.
Customers would have the option to specify how much area of the lawn they want to mow. Or even choose for how much area they want to hire services other than mowing. The rate per sqm would make it easier for them to calculate their overall price.
They would also have the option to choose how frequently they want their laws to be mowed. When given the rates per visit and relatively lower prices for longer subscriptions customers are more likely to sign up for longer subscriptions. They can see the different rates that are charged for different seasons and then adjust their needs according to their budgets.
They would also see how the conditions of their lawn would affect the price. If their grass has been growing out for months they might have to pay slightly higher and if it needs slight trimming the rate would be lower. They can choose how many inches need to be clipped and other major factor details and they would get an overall price based on their custom-made plan which they can adjust according to their budgets by adding or removing services.
The custom plan option is great for people who cannot afford the service provider’s plan. They become reluctant to hire the service because the firm’s plans might be out of their budget . By giving them the option to choose what they want for how often they want would make it easy for them as they can create plans that fit in their budgets and would most likely recommend it to a friend, family member, or neighbor.
Conclusion
Lawn mowing is crucial to maintain a healthy and beautiful lawn but it takes time and effort that not all have. To set the price requires understanding the various factors that go into consideration and how they contribute to the price. It is important to classify the factors into two different categories as major and minor factors based on their relevance and influence on the job.
The major factors focus on the surface area that needs to be mowed. Larger lawns would be charged higher and smaller lawns would be charged less relatively. The time of the year, different seasons influence the growth of the grass differently. Some seasons require frequent mowing such as spring. The condition of the lawn is the third major factor that contributes to the price. Grass that has been growing out for months would take up more time and effort for mowing.
The minor factors include the commute distance to the customer, equipment used for the process, and the weather conditions. Lastly, service providers can either craft their plans such as the advanced plan, the standard plan and beginners plan with their prices and facilities. They can also add a custom plan option giving customers the option to create their plans according to their needs and budgets.
