How much does lawn care cost?

While there's nothing quite like a freshly mowed yard to make the front of your house or building look its best, it's not everyone's favorite chore — it can be a lot of work. Fortunately, there are lawn care professionals out there who can help.

Many lawn care professionals prefer to give in-person estimates as opposed to advertising set prices because so many factors affect the cost of services. To help you understand how much you will pay to hire a professional to mow your lawn, this article breaks down those factors and how they play into your total cost.

Lawn care companies often have all-inclusive mow packages that include mowing, weed-eating, edging, and either blowing, mulching or bagging clippings. You often have the opportunity to add on other services, such as fertilization or weed control.

In one example of average pricing for fertilization and weed control, HortiCare in Fort Worth, Texas, charges:

• For lawns that are 5,000-7,000 square feet (about ⅛ of an acre): $49
• For lawns that are 44,000 square feet (around 1 acre): $175

Of course, if all you need is a mow, companies offer that simple service as well. For example, Florida-based Panda Landscape Services, offers a la carte basic mowing services starting at $22.

While the size of your lawn has a large impact on the total cost of a lawn mowing or trimming service, it's not the only factor.

Below are other considerations that could impact how much you pay:

Is this a first-time mow?

A regularly maintained lawn takes less time and labor to mow than one that has been neglected for months. For this reason, a first-time mow can cost more than a visit that's part of your regular maintenance.

For this reason, it's more cost effective to book ongoing care instead of hiring a company only when you absolutely need it. Your lawn will look better over time and you'll have a consistently lower price.

How big is your lawn?

Often landscaping companies charge by the square foot or quarter-acre (one acre is 43,560 square feet). If you're not sure how large your lawn is, that's okay. Most pros will offer a free estimate based on a visual inspection or a calculation made using a wheeled measuring device.

Average cost of lawn mowing, by square footage:

If a company charges per square foot, the price per square foot will often decrease for larger lawns, since it's more efficient to bring equipment and workers and do prep work for a single large lawn than for several smaller ones.

For example, a Texas-based lawn care company shares typical costs for their mow package — which includes mowing, weed-eating, edging and blowing — for three sizes:

• Smaller lots in subdivisions: $35
• 1/2-acre lot: $50
• 1-acre lot: $100

Do they charge an hourly rate?

Many independent lawn professionals have set rates and charge by the hour, not the size of the lawn. For example, a professional may charge $25 per hour, which will include travel costs, equipment considerations and actual labor.

When hiring a lawn pro who charges by the hour, make sure you communicate and set clear expectations about the anticipated scope of work and estimated total for the work you want done.

Will you need weekly or monthly mowing?

What grass does best is grow, which means you need to keep your lawn regularly mowed. Knowing this, lawn care service providers typically offer customers tiered pricing based on how often you want them to mow your lawn. The more often they mow, the lower the cost. Some companies even offer more competitive rates if you commit to a contract for six months or a year of service.

Here is an example of how frequency can affect lawn mowing and trimming costs for a property.

When setting up a weekly or monthly contract, keep in mind seasonal variations in lawn growth. Depending on the climate and the type of grass you have, you'll need more frequent mowing at different times of the year. Cool-season grasses grow more during early spring and fall, while warm-season grasses grow faster during late spring and summer. You may want to schedule weekly mows during your heavy growth season, and bi-monthly mows during the dormant season.

Do you live within the company's service range?

Because lawn service professionals have to come to you, the cost to arrive at your location is built into their pricing to a certain degree. However, if you live outside of the company's defined service range, there may be an additional travel charge to account for the time spent traveling to a job site as well as gas and other vehicle expenses.

A company should inform you if they have a flat rate travel fee (such as $10) or if they charge a certain amount per mile (such as 50 cents) for each mile beyond their service range.

What kind of business model does your lawn care professional have?

Lawn care companies that have newer equipment, company trucks, employee uniforms and formalized business practices, such as insurance and liability coverage, may charge higher rates than less formalized service providers.

You will often pay lower rates for independent workers who are not affiliated with a larger organization, but they may have fewer resources, such as backup workers if someone is out sick.

Does your company use a gas mower?

Fluctuating gas prices will have an affect on the cost of your lawn mowing and trimming services if your service provider uses a gas mower. Some companies will reflect those prices in their cost per service each time, while other companies may update their pricing yearly. For example, a company may increase prices by $5-$10 after a year if gas prices have continued to climb, but they won't change their prices on a week-by-week basis.

Some companies use only electrical mowers and trimmers, so fluctuations in gas prices don't affect them. Their equipment runs from pre-charged batteries or through extension cords plugged into your electrical outlets.

What type of grass do you have?

There are two main categories of lawn grass: cool-season, which typically grow during early spring and fall, and warm-season, which flourish during late spring and summer. Popular cool-season grasses include rye, Kentucky bluegrass and fescues. Two examples of warm-season grasses include Bermuda and zoysia grass.

Each of these different types of grass require different lawn care regimens. For example, lawn care pros will typically cut Kentucky bluegrass shorter during warm weather than Bermuda grass. The different types of grasses also have different sun and shade needs, different needs for fertilization and watering, and even different needs for how often to cut during cool or warm months.

All these factors are compounded by your geographic region and local climate. By working with a lawn care professional you can be sure your grass will get the proper attention and treatment to allow it to flourish.

A lawn care professional will help you navigate the nuances of seasonal lawn care, and keep your lawn healthy and thriving. But, there are some seasonal tasks you can tackle between visits from your pro to maintain your best possible lawn:

Year-round lawn care

Keep your mower blades sharp. Sharp blades cleanly cut through grass tops, leaving the stem and root undisturbed. A dull mower blade will tear or rip the grass, potentially damaging the remaining stem or tugging the root out entirely. This can lead to an unhealthy and patchy-looking lawn.

You should also alternate lawn mowing patterns each time you mow. This keeps the soil from becoming compacted by your mower wheels and the grass from being "pushed" down over time in one direction.

Summer lawn care

Let your lawn grow a bit longer. This allows the grass roots to dig in deeper, absorb water better and fend off summer weeds. Horticulturists at Iowa State University recommend not cutting more than 1/3 of the lawn length at any one time. Depending on the type of grass you have, set your mower blade from 3 to 4 inches in height. Cut back the use of herbicides and fertilizers in the month before truly hot temperatures arrive. Water late in the evening or early in the morning, when the temperatures are coolest, to allow for the greatest possible water absorption.

Spring lawn care

Be gentle with a lawn after it thaws out from winter. Avoid trampling tender grasses and lawns waterlogged with rain. Spring is when weeds really take root, so plan for your herbicides during this season. Create a mowing plan based on your grass type, and read our best spring lawn care tips.

Winter lawn care

Cut your grass low and take the time to fertilize your lawn before winter sets in. Over the course of the winter, keep your lawn clear of debris, fallen branches, toys and anything else that can stunt the grass underneath. This will help ensure your lawn emerges healthy when the spring begins.

Almost nothing is as gratifying as a well-maintained lawn. Fortunately, a lush and beautiful yard no longer requires endless hours of mowing and trimming by the entire family. The best lawn care professionals can help take care of your home, office, rental or commercial properties and they're beneficial in many ways.

For one, lawn care professionals have their own lawn mowers and trimming equipment, so you don't need to spend money on a mower of your own. Hiring a professional gives you back the space you would have used to store bulky lawn equipment in the garage or shed. You also won't have to worry about keeping gas in the tank or a charge in the battery, or finding an extension cord long enough to let you weed-whack your entire yard.

They can also take care of your lawn beyond just a simple mow and trim with add-on services like laying down fertilizer or coming up with a mowing plan to keep your yard growing healthily year-round. Or, if your lawn has been neglected for awhile, they can revive it. No matter how poorly maintained your lawn has been in the past, the pros can bring a dried-up lawn back to life or tame an overgrown mess.

If you love the idea of professional lawn care but not the added household expense, think strategically about signing on for the long term with a lawn company. "Lawn mowing is a competitive business," says one lawn care pro. As a result, many companies will negotiate discounts and deals based on frequency of visits.

If you are planning to become a regular customer, ask about package rates and bundling lawn mowing and trimming with other lawn care services such as landscaping and fertilization. Lawn care pros benefit by providing you with multiple services, your pocketbook benefits from the discounts, and your lawn benefits from the holistic care.