My friend and I are looking to earn some money this fall to save up for a good lawnmower for next summer. We're both teens and plan to use just a rake, a tarp, and maybe a leaf blower if we can save up enough. We live in a lower/middle class area, so we want to keep our prices reasonable. We're thinking about charging $20 for small lawns, $35 for medium, and $45 for large ones. Should we also add a fee for disposing of the leaves? Many people compost in our neighborhood, so I'm unsure if that's a normal charge. Maybe an extra $5 depending on lawn size? I'd love any advice you have!
3 Answers
Great to see you guys wanting to work! Just keep in mind that some small homes can have big trees, which means lots of leaves. If customers are okay with composting the leaves, that's a good way to go. But be careful—hauling leaves can get expensive! Make sure you value your time. Maybe check if you can find jobs at local lawn care places for something around $10 an hour. If your work takes too long, a regular job might be better.
Honestly, you might want to consider raising those prices. If you really want people to hire you, add at least a zero to those amounts you mentioned.
I'd totally pay you those rates! Raking leaves is the worst. It takes me forever, especially with a medium-sized lawn. If I hired you, I’d need you to haul them away too, though!
Thanks for the insight! I wasn't aware of the costs involved. Unfortunately, my friend and I can't work at a garden shop because of our busy schedules, so we're hoping this method gives us the flexibility we need.