Lawn care is big business in the United States. Around 630,000 companies focus on mowing and maintaining landscaping and yards. The perks of working in the industry include flexibility, working outdoors, and the option of working with your friends.
So how much money can you make mowing lawns? Read on to learn some of the basics of the industry in this lawn care guide. You may be surprised how much you can earn mowing lawns.
How Much Money Can You Make Mowing Lawns?
The going rate for most lawn mowing companies is around $1 a minute or $60 per hour. Since commuting is a factor, even a booked schedule means an hourly rate of around $45 per hour at best.
This averages about $1,800 a week or around $90,000 per year if you work forty hours a week and take only a few holidays off.
Important Considerations for Maximizing Profits
Try to avoid mapping out service areas that are difficult to navigate. For instance, you won’t want to have to travel along a route that doesn’t allow for easy commutes from one area to the next.
An ideal service area has multiple routes to crisscross to various clients. This allows you to book customers along routes that minimize driving and maximize lawn care profits.
Be Mindful About Urban Spread
Once you pick your boundaries, stick to them. It’s easy to be tempted to pick up work outside of the boundaries where you work. You may think it’s no big deal because you already have a customer out there.
The more you spread out your clients, the more traveling you will have to do. This extra driving is not compensated, and you will be spending more on gas and travel. As you travel more, your profitability will also drop.
Ideally, try sticking to a five-mile radius from where you live. I
Plan Routes Before You Leave
Using an online mapping tool can help you stay on schedule and maximize profits. Plan your routes so you do not become caught in rush-hour traffic. You want to be heading against the flow of traffic and avoiding school zones when possible.
Fortunately, most people are happy to have their lawns mowed during hours outside of rush hour. Try to group all your mowing jobs into single suburbs so you don’t have to drive back to the same town twice during one day.
Learn More Lawn Care Tips
Following these basic tips can help you maximize profits and enjoy a career that beautifies neighborhoods. Like the lawns you care for, the lawn care industry is expected to see steady growth in the next years and decades.
Now that you know how much money can you make mowing lawns, start small and consider the possibility that you may one day own a chain of lawn mowing companies.
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