How to price a lawn mowing job
Mowing looks simple to price until you account for the two things that sink small operators: drive time and terrain. The cut itself is fast, but a 20-minute round-trip drive you didn't charge for can erase the profit on a small lawn — that's why this calculator builds drive time into every quote and why a per-lawn minimum charge exists. Terrain matters too: an open flat yard mows several times faster than a sloped lot full of trees, beds, and trim work.
Enter the property and your loaded hourly cost (crew + mower + fuel), and you get a per-mow price, your effective hourly including the drive, and what the account is worth across a full season. Weekly recurring accounts are the foundation of a profitable route because they spread your drive time across more revenue.
Typical per-mow prices by lot size (2026)
| Lot size | Typical per-mow price |
|---|---|
| Small city lot (< 5,000 sq ft) | $40 – $55 |
| Quarter acre (~10,900 sq ft) | $45 – $65 |
| Half acre (~21,800 sq ft) | $60 – $90 |
| Full acre (43,560 sq ft) | $90 – $150 |
Includes mow, trim, edge, and blow. Steep slopes, heavy obstacles, and overgrowth push the price up — that's the terrain setting above.
Set a minimum and protect the route
If the price above comes out lower than your minimum (often $40–$50), charge the minimum — the drive and setup cost the same on a small lawn as a big one. Then cluster nearby accounts so your paid time goes up and your windshield time goes down.
Also try: pressure washing pricing · house cleaning pricing.