The first question everybody asks when considering hiring a lawn mowing service is how much it will cost to mow my lawn? In your search leading to this post you have probably seen or read countless articles on this very topic. The problem with many of these articles is they don’t consider the many variables that go into pricing and they try to provide a simple blanket answer for the whole nation rather than a more accurate city to city pricing. Hopefully this blog can clear up some of these questions and variables for those seeking lawn mowing services.

The Pricing

1/10 Acre

These price anywhere from $50.

¼ Acre

Our typical price on a ¼ acre property is $60.

1/3 Acre

Here complexity of the yard is a huge determining factor. Later in this post I’ll get into the variables that influence pricing however these almost always fall in the $60-$75 price range.

½ Acre

Our typical price on a ½ acre property is $75-95.

¾ Acre

The bigger the lawn gets the more variables can have an impact on pricing. A lawn this size typically runs $95.

1 Acre

Acreage often runs between $120-$150 an acre. More acres will result in a lower price per acre.

You can look up the approximate size of your property by going to actdatascout.com This is a free service provided by the state of Arkansas.

The variables

Small gate big back yard.

Hills too steep for mowers requiring string trimming.

Excessive string trimming.

Excessive concrete that requires edging.

Bagging the clippings.

Frequency of mowing.

Often these variables won’t impact the pricing and if they do the change in pricing is $5-$10.

But I hear of people paying more or less than these prices for similar properties?

We have done a lot of research on pricing averages in our area to ensure our prices are competitive for the quality of work we perform. However, occasionally we will hear of someone paying significantly more or less than the averages we have gathered from customers, other lawn mowing services, and our own personal experience on what prices need to be to stay in business.

When its cheaper?

New guys in the lawn mowing business often struggle with figuring out what is a fair price. At this point in their business they haven’t yet learned the cost of being in business. Therefore, until they have to pay for operating expenses at the beginning it can appear to them, they are making really good money. But when the string trimmer and blower wear out in 2 years or their main mower needs replaced in 5 years, they begin to struggle with these expenses.

Sometimes as well the lawn mowing service maybe be cutting costs by excluding essential things such as general liability insurance. Even if he is a honest good business owner, if he damages your property he may or may not have the money to complete the repairs. Worst case he may decide to drop the account and replace it with another one. Suddenly becoming difficult to get in contact with hoping you will let the issue go. Even worse than that would be if he hurt himself or someone else on your property and a claim was filed against your homeowner’s policy.

At these lower prices the result all too often is the quality suffers as well. As the operator must hurry to complete the job and be profitable, he won’t have enough time at each job to do quality work. The mower blades are frequently left dull to reduce maintenance cost as well.

Why is it so much higher?

The short answer here is hopefully you are getting what you are paying for. We often access the needs of the client and the property to determine the level of service they want. While we refuse to do poor quality work, some clients just want a general mowing service where others prefer a higher standard for the health and appearance of their lawn. This may include bagging for zoysia or Bermuda properties, spending additional time using smaller lighter weight mowers on days rutting or turf disturbance could be an issue, or using less efficient mowing patterns to prevent ruts or wear patterns in the turf over time.

In conclusion

While its impossible to put an exact price for lawn mowing and guarantee it with out seeing it in person, this information can be used to come up with a fairly accurate idea of what one’s property might cost to maintain. As always estimates are free and we are always available to come by and provide a price for lawn mowing services.

Zach Poole

501-617-2773