Landscaping Pricing Calculator
Landscaping income often has to be earned in a shortened working season — this calculator spreads your annual income goal across the weeks you actually operate.
Landscaping-specific cost considerations
- A shortened season means your full annual income goal must be earned in far fewer working weeks than an office-based business — this calculator reflects that directly via "active season weeks."
- Equipment (mowers, trimmers, trucks) has real depreciation and fuel costs even when idle in the off-season.
- Crew size multiplies labor cost per visit — a 2-person crew doing a 1-hour visit represents 2 labor-hours, not 1.
Worked example
$55,000 income, $18,000 overhead, 34 active weeks, 45 hrs/week, 70% utilization, 1 labor hour/visit, 2-person crew:
- Billable hours: 34 × 45 × 0.70 ≈ 1,071 hours/season
- Recommended hourly rate: $73,000 ÷ 1,071 ≈ $68.16/hour (before reserve/margin)
- Price per visit: 1 hour × 2 crew × $68.16 ≈ $136.32
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Frequently asked questions
How do I price one-time jobs like mulching or hardscaping?
Use the Project Pricing Calculator instead — one-time jobs are better quoted with a scope buffer than a recurring per-visit price.
Should off-season months be included in overhead?
Yes — equipment payments, insurance and storage typically continue year-round even though revenue is seasonal, which is exactly why spreading annual overhead across a shorter season raises the required rate.
Price the route as well as the property
Landscaping profitability depends on travel density, loading, disposal and equipment utilization in addition to labor on site. The same property can have a different viable price depending on where it sits in the weekly route.
Improve the estimate
- Measure crew-hours from departure through cleanup instead of counting mowing time alone.
- Separate recurring maintenance from seasonal cleanup, installation and storm work.
- Group nearby customers and review route revenue per crew-hour.
Variable costs to include
- Fuel, blade wear, repairs and equipment replacement rise with operating hours.
- Green-waste disposal and haul time can dominate cleanup jobs.
- Weather cancellations and seasonality reduce annual billable capacity.