The short answer: three different pricing models depending on the service. Mowing subscriptions price per-visit scaled by lawn sq ft. Design-install prices per sq ft of redesigned area with sub-pricing by element. Seasonal addons (cleanups, mulch, snow) price per-event by lot size. Landscape Launch auto-measures lawn + hardscape + bed area on every render and applies your rates to generate quotes in 30 seconds.
The three pricing models
1. Mowing subscriptions — per-visit, scaled by lawn sq ft
| Lawn size | Per-visit range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tiny (under 1,000 sq ft) | $30-$45/visit | Townhouse, small urban lot |
| Standard suburban (1,000-3,000) | $45-$70/visit | Most common — single-family suburb |
| Large suburban (3,000-7,000) | $70-$120/visit | Larger ranch + new construction |
| Estate (7,000+) | $120-$250/visit | Sub-acre + acre-plus |
Route-density adjustment: lock 5+ adjacent stops and you can price at the low end (drive time amortized); isolated stops should price at the high end (drive time is the killer).
2. Design-install — per sq ft of redesigned area
| Element | Per-sq-ft range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Planting beds (mulch + perennials) | $3-$8/sq ft | Material + light labor |
| Premium planting beds (shrubs + perennials + drip) | $8-$15/sq ft | Mature specimens |
| Paver patio / walkway hardscape | $20-$35/sq ft | Standard paver |
| Premium hardscape (natural stone, retaining walls) | $35-$50/sq ft | Higher labor + material |
| Specimen tree or ornamental | $200-$1,500 each | Per specimen, by size |
A typical 1,000 sq ft front-yard refresh with new beds + 2 specimens lands at $4K-$12K.
3. Seasonal addons — per event by lot size
- Spring cleanup: $200-$600 depending on lot size + leaf volume.
- Fall cleanup: $300-$900 (leaves are heavier).
- Mulch install: material + labor at $80-$150 per cubic yard installed.
- Snow plowing: $40-$120 per push for residential driveway depending on length.
- Fertilizer program: $40-$80 per application × 4-6 applications per season.
Annual contract vs per-visit
Annual contracts (one fixed monthly bill across 24-30 visits) reduce churn 30-50% vs per-visit billing because the cancellation friction is higher and the customer is committed to the season. The trade-off: per-visit math is slightly lower on annual to make the fixed-monthly attractive. Most established lawn care companies offer both — annual for stickiness, per-visit for flexibility.
Target gross margin
A healthy residential landscape business runs 50-65% gross on mowing and 25-40% gross on design-install. Mowing margin is higher because labor + equipment amortize across many visits; design-install margin is lower because material costs are a larger share. New landscape companies running cold acquisition in year 1 typically run 35-45% on mowing; route density compounds margin into the upper range.
The fastest quote workflow
- Render the yard in Landscape Launch's Render Agent (~30 seconds).
- Read the auto-calculated lawn sq ft, hardscape, bed lengths, tree count.
- Apply your per-visit + per-sq-ft rates (set once in account settings).
- Send the customer portal link or mail the postcard. Homeowner sees mowing tiers + addons and signs up with card-on-file.
Quote any yard in under a minute.
Free rendering, automatic lawn + hardscape measurement, subscription tiers + addons on every render. $1 per mailed landscape quote when you're ready.
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