Initially, this is a good income as a side business, but with time and reinvestment, your profit is smart. With 30 years in this industry, I have seen almost everything on the subject of the profitability of a residential lawn mowing business. While I mowed predominantly in Auckland (most of it within a lawnmowing franchise system), I have also mowed grass in many cities in New Zealand and a couple in Australia. I have bought and sold hundreds of private lawn mowing companies and franchises and have advised many lawn mower owners how to improve their businesses.
These are the key habits and tricks to make better money than your competitors. Most of these tips are good tips for improving operational efficiency or habits that need to be formed to improve profitability. They say it takes 21 days to form a habit. In my experience, it's not practicing these simple habits that prevents franchisees and operators who work hard mowing lawns from realizing the true potential of their businesses.
Check the weather every night, and unless it's a flood or the grass is too soft to walk, then commit to mowing the lawn in the rain. It's more about work ethic and motivation than anything else. But lawnmowing contractors who are unstoppable make more money. Customers like to know that no matter what happens, you'll donate 100% to their lawn despite the weather.
How to Start a Lawn Mowing Business in 12 Easy Steps Don't hold on to old equipment, as it's a fake economy. The team, like anything else, has life. Depending on your maintenance and care, equipment will often need to be replaced every 18 to 24 months. Easy ways to prepare your equipment include cleaning the equipment and filling up the mower and string cutter with gasoline.
This is especially important for running a lawn mowing business in major urban centers to avoid traffic. I have worked 7 years in the industry with a large franchise, mowing lawns, gardening, weeding, pruning, cutting trees, cleaning gutters, watering, landscaping and many other odd jobs for clients. If you're not sure what to charge your customers, check out what other lawn mowing companies in the area charge. If all you have to do is get in your vehicle, watch the first lawn job and start mowing your lawn, this will mean that your day will flow much better.
This may seem like basic advice, but lawn mower operators who make more money always walk fast. This is free money and for a residential lawn mower operator, this can amount to a large amount of money. This is why most lawn care companies are willing to waste money on maintenance to get fertilization, weed control, and additional fall cleaning sales. Not only will they do it faster, but they will also avoid any risk of injury from cutting the foot or cutting it with the grass.
Don't let the general lawn care community's beliefs about small lawns cloud your judgment—you can make a lot of money working on small lawns. In a residential lawn mowing business, often two people in the same vehicle don't make double the money, since you have to pay them as you travel from grass to lawn.
