Maximizing Efficiency: The Professional’s Guide to Lawnmowing Profit
When I start working with a lawn mowing business, I always ask them if they are timing their lawns. If they are, that’s great. This means that I have something to work with. If they are not timing their lawns, then that is where we start.
Before the timing begins, I ask my clients to do a simple exercise. (You can do this at home too, folks.)
- List your five highest-profit lawns.
- List your lowest-profit lawns.
After keeping track of their times for a month or so, we begin to evaluate the results. Strangely enough, some of the lawns they think are profitable are not, and vice versa.
Why is this?
The answer is simple. If you are not keeping track of your times, you are judging your lawns on emotions. You may like mowing a lawn, but the profit is low, and a lawn you hate is one of your most profitable lawns. Use a Google Sheet. Write your lawns in there and keep track of the times. Once you have this, you will know which jobs to increase the price of, which will be a great start.
Preparing Your Lawnmower for Maximum Efficiency
You have probably heard the saying, “A bad workman blames their tools.” Well, the opposite is true, too. You need to keep your equipment in good condition to do a high standard of work.
Keep your machines in good condition
We service all our machines every month. This is a list of what we do:
- First, we water blast the mowers and clean the catchers.
- Then we sharpen the blades.
- We replace any worn parts on the mower.
- Replace the oil.
- Check the air filters.
- Lube the cables.
- Replace the wheel bearings if needed.
One of the most important things to check is that your mower is cutting level. It will do a substandard job if it drops down on one side.
Invest in a Quality Mower
You want a mower that is easy to use and in good condition. Buy new if you can, and don’t buy second-hand unless you know how to work on the machine yourself.
Get a larger mower?
This is one of the things I hear a lot. Lawn mowing contractors tell me they could make more money if they had bigger machines. This may or may not work. It really depends on the lawns you have on your books. If you are mainly mowing larger lawns, it may help; it probably won’t make a difference if you are mowing smaller lawns.
Trimming and Edging Tips to Save Time
I see many contractions using a weed-eating technique I call the “hunt and peck” method. Comparing it to how a chicken looks for food, they go everywhere. Using this approach on a lawn takes longer and makes missing bits easy.
There is an easy, methodical way to operate a weed eater:
- Direction matters: Go in the opposite direction to the way the head is spinning. This will throw the grass onto the lawn instead of the paths, making cleanup with the blower easier.
- Stay on the line: When I weed-eat, I only cover the same area once. I go once around the property to the far end and work my way back. The only time I step off the line is if a tree in the lawn needs weed eating around it. I then step straight back to where I was.
Strategies for Cutting Lawns Neatly & Quickly
Utilize a Smart Mowing Pattern
Have a system for mowing the lawn. I usually go around the edges and work my way inwards. If you are working as a pair, one starts at the back and the other at the front. When you meet on a piece, start mowing up and down; don’t follow each other in circles. One line in the middle of the lawn is much better than every second stripe being a different height due to slightly different mower decks.
Work towards the dump spot
Always mow to the furthest point and work your way back to the dump spot. Try to avoid spending any time pushing your mower over areas that have already been mowed. You want to pass through each area only one time.
Limit conversation
It’s okay to talk to customers, as long as it is only some times you visit. However, when they start coming out for a chat every time you visit, you need to add that to the cut time and increase the price if necessary.
Use Internet banking
Don’t accept cash unless there is no other option. Apart from the fact that money can get lost, it will also slow you down if you have to knock on the door. We text the customers on the day their lawn is cut, and they pay via internet banking.
Educate your customers on mulching.
Let the customers know that mulching is usually better than catching for a healthy lawn:
- The lawn will be healthier and more drought-resistant.
- It will have fewer weeds.
- It is faster for you, and you don’t have to take grass away.
Maximizing Profit Through Effective Scheduling
Travel is one of the most significant time-wasting activities.
- Avoid preset times: Don’t arrange firm times. “Morning” or “afternoon” should be the only window. A 1 pm meeting in the middle of a workday will cost you at least an hour’s worth of time.
- Condense your round: Focus on getting jobs close to home. The smaller you can get your territory, the more profitable it will be.
- Plan your route: Plan your route in the opposite direction to the traffic. Use software like RouteXL to optimize your day fully.
- Keep communication open: Text reminders the night before can save you from arriving at a locked gate or a lawn covered in dog toys.
Be prepared
Always carry spares like spark plugs, weed eater caps, wheels, and bearings. When a mower breaks down, try replacing the spark plug first. Nine times out of ten, that will solve the issue. Always carry spares like spark plugs, weed eater caps, wheels, and bearings. When a mower breaks down, try replacing the spark plug first. Nine times out of ten will solve the issue.
