Lawn Care Pricing Calculator: per mow, per square foot, per season

Per-mow price = (mow time + trim time + drive time) × crew × your target person-hour rate, floored at your minimum charge. Time-based pricing is the honest method because drive time is real cost — the same 8,000 sq ft lawn is worth less money 25 minutes away.

Lawn sizesq ftA typical suburban lot has 5,000–10,000 sq ft of turf.Primary mowerTrim / edge / blow time% of mow time30% is typical for fenced suburban lots.Drive + unload timeminRoute density is the whole game — tight routes make money.Crew sizepeopleTarget rate per person-hour$/hr$45–$80/person-hour covers wage + equipment + overhead + profit in most metros.Minimum charge$Never drop the gate for less — small lots are priced by the stop, not the square foot.Mows per seasonvisitsPrepaid season discount%

Charge per mow

$45

Mow time (36" walk-behind): 10 min
+ trim/edge/blow (30%): 3 min
+ drive/unload, × 1 crew: 24 person-min
Effective per sq ft: $0.0056/sq ft
Season (26 mows, prepaid −8%): $1,076
Minimum charge applied: raw $24 → $45

Time-based pricing beats per-square-foot guessing because drive time is real cost: the same lawn is worth less money 25 minutes away. Quote season contracts off the per-mow price — the discount buys you route density and April cash flow.

How this calculator works — the formula

mow minutes = sq ft ÷ mower productivity × 60 · site minutes = mow × (1 + trim%)

per-mow = max((site + drive) × crew ÷ 60 × rate, minimum)

season = per-mow × visits × (1 − prepaid discount%)

Mower productivity reference: 21" push ≈ 30,000 sq ft/hr, 36" walk-behind ≈ 50,000, 48" zero-turn ≈ 80,000, 60" ≈ 100,000 (open turf; obstacles and gates reduce it).

Questions contractors actually ask

How much should I charge to mow a lawn in 2026?

Typical per-visit prices run $40–$80 for suburban lots, driven by time on site and route density more than raw square footage. Set a hard minimum ($40–$50 in most metros) — the stop itself costs you money before the mower starts.

How do I price a seasonal mowing contract?

Per-mow price × expected visits (24–30 in most northern markets, 35–42 in the south), minus a prepaid discount of 5–10% if the money lands up front. The discount buys route density and April cash flow — cap it there.

Should lawn care be priced per square foot?

Only as a sanity check. Square footage ignores gates (no zero-turn), slopes, trampolines, and drive time. Price from time, then note your effective $/sq ft — the calculator shows both.

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