The price you set for your lawn care services depend on the following
factors:
- Size of the yard
- Amount of trees
- Frequency of visits
- Condition of lawn
- Slope
- Additional services you may include (weed control, pruning, etc.)
The size and quality of the lawn are important factors in making a price
quotation. You can charge less for a larger yard that was previously well
cared for and flat with fewer trees; while you can charge more for lawns
that are weedy or rocky. You can charge less for customers that require more
visits compared to those who require your services few and far between. You
can also choose to charge by the hour, or you can offer packages of service
at different price points.
In making the decision in setting your prices, it is important to conduct
research and consider the following questions:
- How much are competitors in the area charging?
- How much are people willing to pay?
- How much do you think you are worth per hour?
- How much will it cost for each job?
Contact other lawn care service companies both in and outside of your
market, and get a list of prices for services that you are planning to
offer. You can find the numbers of most, if not all of your competitors from
the Yellow Pages or online directories. This will allow you to have a sense
of the going rate in your area as well as other areas and what potential
customers are expecting to pay.
It is important to stick to the going rate in your area. You don’t want
to price yourself out of the market, unless you are offering a unique
service not offered by your competitors. But you also don’t want to be the
cheapest around – and trumpet this fact – as you will attract the cheapskate
price shoppers that are difficult to work for with matching difficult yards.
In fact, lowball competitors are a common concern of landscape and lawn
care business owners, particularly in the mowing and maintenance area. To
combat lowball competitors, the key is to offer more services to retain your
core customer base while fostering growth.
