What a lawn care estimate is for
Lawn care customers buy a season, not a visit, so the estimate needs to show what they get across the year: how many mows, how many treatments, when the cleanups happen. Laying it out line by line makes a seasonal price easy to understand, and lets the customer drop or add services without a long phone call.
What to put on a lawn care estimate
- Lawn size and how you measured it.
- Number of mows in the season.
- Each treatment round and what it is for.
- Aeration, overseeding and cleanups, with timing.
- How billing works through the season.
- What happens on rain days and skipped weeks.
A worked example
A quarter-acre suburban lawn measured from the satellite map. The customer wants weekly mowing in season, a full treatment program and a fall cleanup. Every line carries the calculator's typical price.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mowing, trimming and blowing * | 26 | each | $46.75 | $1,215.50 |
| Fertilizer applications * | 4 | each | $130.75 | $523.00 |
| Weed control applications * | 2 | each | $92.50 | $185.00 |
| Core aeration * | 1 | each | $166.50 | $166.50 |
| Spring or fall cleanup * | 1 | each | $339.00 | $339.00 |
| Total before tax | $2,429.00 |
The calculator works from lawn size and region, so change the quantities to the visits you will really make. The total shows what the season costs; billing it monthly makes it easier to say yes to.
* Typical price from our free lawn care cost calculator, which lists its sources. Your own costs and market come first.
Line items lawn care companies use
| Line item | Unit | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Mowing, trimming and blowing | visit | Per visit, priced by lawn size. |
| Fertilizer application | each | Per round; say the product type. |
| Weed control application | each | Pre-emergent or post-emergent. |
| Core aeration | each | Once a year, usually spring or fall. |
| Overseeding | sq ft | Often paired with aeration. |
| Spring or fall cleanup | each | Leaves, sticks and bed cleanout. |
| Leaf removal | visit | Say whether leaves are hauled or mulched. |
| Hedge trimming | hour | By the hour or by the hedge. |
| Edging beds and walks | ft | Hard edging along beds and paving. |
| Mulch, delivered and spread | cu yd | Type and depth. |
| Grub or insect control | each | Where licensed for the application. |
| Extra charge for overgrown first cut | each | When the first mow needs extra passes. |
Terms and deposit language for lawn care
- Deposit. Weekly mowing usually needs no deposit; many lawn care companies bill monthly or keep a card on file. Seasonal packages may be paid up front or in monthly installments.
- Payment. Billed monthly or per visit, with a card on file charged after each visit or at month end.
- Warranty. If a treatment does not take, many lawn care companies re-treat between visits at no charge. Say whether you do and the conditions.
- Rain days move mowing to the next dry day; say how you handle a skipped week.
- Customer keeps gates unlocked, pets in, and toys and hoses off the lawn on service days.
- Pesticide and fertilizer applications follow product labels and state licensing rules.
How to fill it in
- Put in your business details once; this browser keeps them for every template.
- Fill in the customer and the job.
- Change the line items to fit this job and add your prices.
- Set tax, the deposit and the good-until date.
- Print to PDF, download Word or CSV, or send it from Koira.
Free tools for lawn care
- Lawn care cost calculator
- Lawn square footage calculator
- Satellite measuring tool
- Landscaping business name generator
The same estimate for other trades: appliance repair, auto detailing, carpet cleaning, chimney, house cleaning, commercial cleaning, concrete, drywall, electrical, fence, flooring, garage door, general contractor, gutter, handyman, hvac, irrigation, junk removal, landscaping, locksmith, moving, painting, pest control, plumbing, pool service, pressure washing, remodeling, roofing, septic, snow removal, solar, tree service, waterproofing, window cleaning.