$160-$200 per month for professional lawn care?

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I was having trouble keeping up with all the yard work around here about 15 years ago, and at the time was looking at $300+/mo to keep it up, so I stopped watering during the summer. I mean, much of it is actually a field anyways, and we're definitely rural, so looking out front and seeing yellow when it's 90F outside isn't a big deal to me.

There's still a small green lawn right by the house, and (now) lots of drought-tolerant stuff that barely needs watering if at all (and thus doesn't encourage weed growth); I still have a ton of mowing to do in the spring time (... today) because the "grass" (technically I'm pretty sure it's grass but nobody planted it) grows like crazy - and we had a record-setting wet winter, so it's still growing.

Most likely I'd still be looking at ~150/mo to do the upkeep we have, but I live where many people consider a vacation place, and honestly I like being outside at my place, and I don't like sitting around unless I'm reading and I don't like to read all the time. So, why not DImYself? Not trimming, though. My wife seems to "like" trimming for some reason, not sure if I've ever used the trimmer other than to tune it up.

 

[EddieWalker]

My wife doesn't believe me that the grass turns brown in the summer there. Here, summer means everything is naturally green and lush. Winter is when the grass turns brown and goes dormant.

 

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My wife doesn't believe me that the grass turns brown in the summer there. Here, summer means everything is naturally green and lush. Winter is when the grass turns brown and goes dormant.

I'm in the foothills, so the hills are still green with trees (Ponderosa, Oak, Madrone, Ghost Pine, besides manzanita. Unless you're watering, the fields will be golden with splotches of (invasive) Himalayan Blackberries.

 

[Otto Syracuse]

I do pay for lawn service. I have almost two acres of grass, and it is not one big area, there are many curves, trees, landscape beds, etc. There are three guys here to cut once a week, and it takes them about 90 minutes. It is $125 per week. When they are done, it looks spectacular, crosscut, trimmed, blown off sidewalk and driveway. Very professional. Mowing season is May to October, so only half the year. I do snow removal myself, which is just as expensive, so in my mind it works out.
I also have 5 acres or so of pasture that I mow 3-4 times a year, but I do it in stages, not all at once. I get plenty of seat time taking care of that without having to worry about the lawn. Plus a small garden, trail work in the woods, food plots for deer, fruit trees, and a lot more. I would never have time to mow myself and get the same result both on the lawn and everywhere else, and leave any time for the cottage, or seeing friends or just enjoying life. Thank God, I can afford it. I know it is a luxury and if things were different I would find a way to get it done.

 

[oosik]

I've never lived in a situation where somebody else took care of my yard. I mow about 1.5 - 2.0 acres around the house. Its a real chore to keep that much lawn green until we get fall rains/winter snows. Its important to keep it green - its a barrier to any possible fall wildfires.

 

[Sigarms]

Over 10 years ago when we first moved here, a couple quick quotes gave me a bottom price of around $150 per mowing session to take care of around the house.

Made me get on my butt and start looking at decent mowers ASAP because some simple math can tell you a good mower is worth the investment.

Even in the HOT NC weather where I'm at, you can figure on at least 3 months out of the year of weekly mowing to keep the grass at bay.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

Over 10 years ago when we first moved here, a couple quick quotes gave me a bottom price of around $150 per mowing session to take care of around the house.

Made me get on my butt and start looking at decent mowers ASAP because some simple math can tell you a good mower is worth the investment.

Even in the HOT NC weather where I'm at, you can figure on at least 3 months out of the year of weekly mowing to keep the grass at bay.

So what your saying is that we undersold ourselves cutting grass as a kid?

I remember cutting about 2 acres for $50 lol

I have push mowed over an acre that was too hilly to mow with a tractor for $50, that **** yard took over 2 hours to push mow and was a huge pain in the arse. But it was money which was better than the money I didn't have at the time.

 

[ovrszd]

I have push mowed over an acre that was too hilly to mow with a tractor for $50, that **** yard took over 2 hours to push mow and was a huge pain in the arse.

You weren't a kid, you were a "Stud" to push mow a steep hilly large acre in two hours!!!!

 

[Sigarms]

So what your saying is that we undersold ourselves cutting grass as a kid?

I remember cutting about 2 acres for $50 lol

I have push mowed over an acre that was too hilly to mow with a tractor for $50, that **** yard took over 2 hours to push mow and was a huge pain in the arse. But it was money which was better than the money I didn't have at the time.

No - I undersold myself when I was around 12, and my uncle paid me $20 to dig out his basement and move the dirt outside. Worked about 20 hours in 2 days, looked like a local coal miner after each day, and I still couldn't get all done LMAO

If you cut 2 acres for $50, what would you have charged me for 6-8 acres? I'm thinking my $150 quote at the time wasn't too bad, but even then it could really add up.

Some questions, and sincerely curious...

1 - How old were you when you mowed 2 acres for $50
2 - Did you buy the mower yourself, if yes, how much?
3 - Did you buy the gas yourself for the mower, and if yes, how much?
4 - Did you transport the mower to the job site? If yes, by your own vehicle that you bought? If you had a vehicle, did you carry the insurance on it yourself, and if yes, how much?
5 - When you mowed as a kid, did you carry insurance? If yes, how much did that run you? If not, what would of happened if you had a accident on the job site, or worse yet, caused some kind of destruction while working?

These are all questions I'm going to be asking my boys as I determine how much to pay them for working around the house for lawn care. I understand they get free room and board, and they already do chores around the house, however, I'm trying to instill in them that nothing is free, and even when you make money, there are ALWAYS expenses to consider when you're getting paid.

That said, they (boys) went with us yesterday and helped load 17,000 meals yesterday for a local cause, and they were one of the few pre teenagners at the event on a a saturday morning. Even though their mom can still outwork them no problem, they're trying, and I can be hard on them, but at the same time, would like to reward them through work.

Working 8-5 for someone is easy, no worries but showing up. But if you're the one trying to make the money as a business, you need to understand overhead and what it's actually costing you do do something.

 

[Sprinklerman]

I started my mowing business in 1984 , I am in the Balto / Annapolis suburbs . I made great money mowing thru the late 1990's . The irrigation side of the business got too bust to keep mowing . Prices actually went down In the late 1990's due to many more companies and the " imported labor " . I cant count anymore the amount oF mowing companies . But I do know this , a 3 man crew running 1 zero turn , a walk behind and a guy on the weedeater will average $ 1200 on a 8 to 10 hour day . The guys I know are not taking on any new work , they are that busy . Prices are based on 1 dollar a minute per machine .