How much does lawn mowing cost?

Imagine stepping out into your garden to find that it’s in pristine condition. An immaculate lawn is something many people dream of, but don’t have the time to achieve. The average cost of lawn mowing in Australia is between $45 to $85, but will vary according to the size of your garden.

Using a lawn mowing service, you can free up your spare time and reclaim it as your own. Long gone are the days when you would battle against the heat while curbing the size of your grass. If the thought of using a lawn mowing service appeals to you, it’s time to explore our price guide for lawn mowing.

A basic overview of lawn mowing prices

First, lawn mowing prices vary according to region. If you live in Perth, for example, you may find you’re paying less than those living in Sydney.

Second, a decent price guide for lawn mowing takes factors such as size and number into account. If you don’t have a front yard, you may find you’ll pay between $40 and $60. Depending on the time of year, this won’t amount to much at all.

Let’s say you’re using a lawn mowing service in the summer. You should mow your lawn every two weeks to maintain an even look. That means your lawn mowing costs will amount to $80 to $120 per month.

When autumn and winter roll around, your grass won’t grow quite so rapidly. You can reduce your mowing frequency to every four to five weeks. For the sake of simplicity, let’s say that means you’re paying around $40 to $60 per month.

That’s great news, right? But, what if your lawn is slightly bigger than average? And, how do you calculate the costs of hiring someone to cut your grass accordingly?

How much does it cost for lawn care?

So far, we’ve discussed using a grass cutting service for a small backyard only. As a rough guide, small means two car spaces.

If you own a yard that could fit four cars in it, it’s time to start looking at large garden prices. For a back yard only, this means you’ll pay $70 to $90. 

If you’re lucky enough to own a garden that could fit six or more cars in it, your lawn care costs will range between $100 and $120.

Does the size of the grass affect the price?

So far, all the prices we’ve presented represent normal sized grass. If you’ve let yours grow wild, for whatever reason, expect the costs to rise. As a rough estimate, here’s our lawn care costs table for people who love to let their gardens grow:

Although the prices rise inline with your garden’s size, you could see financial benefits in certain circumstances. For example, if you’re trying to sell your house, having a pristine lawn gives it greater kerb appeal.

Additionally, if you’re self-employed or you work from home, the hours you save when hiring someone to cut your grass go back into your business. Essentially, the cost of lawn care pays for itself in these circumstances.

Why do lawn mowing costs rise when the grass is long?

Even the best lawn mower won’t slash its way through grass effectively when it’s too long. If the person you hire attempts to do this, a couple of things could happen:

• They’ll damage the blades on their mower

• If they do damage the blades on their mower, they may not be able to complete the job

• You’ll experience uneven results, which nobody wants

To prepare long grass for a mower, the professional who comes to your home will need to engage in a little slashing. In other words, they’ll use different tools to chop the grass down to a cuttable size.

Other factors that could affect the cost of a grass cutting service

When you want to find the right professional for the job, expect that they’ll treat it as a business. Because of this, the cost of a grass cutting service may be affected by other factors:

Travel time

Travel is a major overhead when you’re cutting someone else’s lawns. In addition to the usual petrol or diesel costs, there’s business vehicle insurance. And, as they’re carrying a heavy piece of equipment around, they burn through more fuel than your everyday driver.

Travel time can also affect someone’s average per-hour rate. It may be the case that the person cutting your grass will raise their prices if they need to make a long journey that detracts from their usual business hours.

The size of the business

Solopreneurs may charge less than those running a large business. That’s because the following costs don’t mount up as much:

• Business insurance

• Vehicle maintenance

• Employee liability

• Advertising

• Employee uniforms

Hiring someone who works alone doesn’t mean you’ll get less for your money. However, they may not have backup resources. For example, employees to cover them if they’re sick. Or, additional machines if theirs breaks.

Where you live

It’s no hidden secret that living in an urban area increases living costs. As a result, the person who comes to your property to cut your lawn may set their prices in line with the cost of living for their area.

It’s also worth remembering that while you may not live far from a service provider, they make take traffic into account.