How to accurately price landscaping jobs: a complete guide to profit

1.) Calculate labor costs

Estimate the number of hours per task, then multiply by your fully loaded labor rate. Typical billable ranges:

• Residential crews: $45 to $65 per labor hour
• Commercial landscaping: $45 to $95 per labor hour
• Include drive time, site setup, breaks, clean up, and disposal.

Formula:

Total labor cost = number of hours × billable hourly rate

2.) Price materials with markup

List every item: mulch, plants, sod, pavers, gravel, edging, polymeric sand, irrigation system parts, disposal fees.

• Typical material markup: 20 to 50% to cover sourcing, handling, and warranty risk.
• Add 10% waste for pavers, gravel, mulch, and sod as a baseline.

Formula:

Material price = material costs × (1 + markup%)

3.) Add equipment and operating costs

Fuel, wear, repairs, and rentals.

• Skid steer internal equipment rate example: $50 per hour
• Plate compactor rental: $45 to $85 per day
• Truck and trailer mileage: use a standard internal per-mile rate

Formula:

Equipment cost = internal equipment hours × equipment rate + rentals + fuel

4.) Apply overhead costs

Overhead keeps the lights on: insurance, licensing, admin, software, marketing, yard rent, small tools, and your owner salary.

• Target allocation: 10 to 20% of total cost or a per-labor-hour add as calculated above.

5.) Add profit margin

Healthy landscaping companies target consistent profit across the portfolio.

• Newer companies: 10 to 20%
• Established operators with tight job costing: 20 to 40%

6.) Set a minimum price

The minimum price will help ensure that every job that you take on is profitable. To determine your minimum price, consider how much you need to cover your costs of servicing a job: whether it is travel, gas or something else. Typical minimums could be $50 for a residential mowing job, or $250 a month for a commercial property clean up.

Final price formula:

Final price = (labor + materials + equipment + overhead + contingency) × (1 + profit margin%)

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Here are easy-to-follow national averages you can use as a starting point when you price landscaping jobs. Your final price may be higher or lower based on local labor rates, materials, and job size.

Lawn mowing

$40 to $100 per visit

Most small residential yards fall on the lower end. Larger properties or mowing that includes edging, trimming, or bagging usually cost more.

Mulch installation

$45 to $75 per cubic yard installed

This usually includes delivery, spreading, light bed prep, and cleanup. Premium mulch types or deep beds push the price higher.

Sod installation

$1.50 to $3.00 per square foot

This range includes sod, soil prep, leveling, and rolling. Removing old grass or adding topsoil increases the total price.

Paver patio installation

$12 to $25 per square foot

This covers standard pavers, base prep, and polymeric sand. Decorative patterns or premium materials can exceed $30+ per square foot.

Bush and hedge trimming

$50 to $100 per visit

Pricing depends on the number of shrubs, their size, and how overgrown they are. Hauling debris may cost extra.

Price per bush averages around $10.

Plant installation

$5 to $45 per plant installed

Small flowers cost a few dollars each, while larger shrubs, perennials, or small trees fall toward the upper end.

Landscape design

$300 to $1,500+ flat fee

Simple front-yard designs sit near the bottom of the range. Full-property designs, renderings, or 3D plans can go well over $2,000.

Irrigation system repair

$85 to $150 per hour plus parts

Replacing broken heads, fixing leaks, troubleshooting valves, or updating controllers requires specialized skills.

Retaining wall install

$25 to $60+ per face foot

Face foot is a square foot of the wall if you looked at it from the side. This price depends heavily on wall height, block type, drainage, and site conditions. Structural walls cost the most. 

Time is one of the biggest drivers of total cost. These quick planning ranges will help you estimate labor hours more accurately.

Lawn mowing

20 to 45 minutes for a standard 5,000 to 8,000 sq ft yard

Larger yards or jobs with edging and trimming take longer. 

Mulch installation

1 to 2 hours per cubic yard

This includes spreading, shaping beds, and basic cleanup.

Planting shrubs

5 to 10 minutes per plant

Using an auger speeds things up. Larger plants or tough soil add time.

Sod installation

1 to 2 hours per pallet with a two-person crew

Includes laying sod, cutting edges, watering, and cleanup.

Paver installation

1 to 2 days for a 200 sq ft patio

This includes excavation, base prep, leveling, laying pavers, sanding, and compacting.

• Hourly pricing for open-ended tasks and maintenance
• Fixed price or per-job pricing for defined scopes
• Per-square-foot for sod, mulch, pavers, and grading
• Tiered service packages for lawn care and landscaping maintenance
• Value-based pricing for design, complex hardscaping, and high-impact installs

Use market research to stay within competitive prices, but price to your value and reliability.

The quickest way to prevent underpricing is to use production rates. Production rates convert work into hours or days, giving you consistent, repeatable estimates.

Examples:

• 1 cubic yard of mulch = 1 to 2 labor hours
• 1 pallet of sod = 1 to 2 hours
• 200 sq ft of pavers = 1 to 2 days

Once you know the hours, multiply them by your billable hourly rate to calculate total labor cost.

Tracking margin is essential for a profitable landscaping business.

Markup

How much you add to your cost to get your selling price.

Example: buy river rock at $100 per ton, sell at $200 per ton → 100% markup.

Gross margin

(Gross profit ÷ total revenue)

In the example above, the gross margin is 50%.

Most landscaping jobs should target around 50% gross margin to remain healthy.

• Materials, wages, and demand change by market. Urban jobs often carry higher rates.
• Build winter revenue with a snow removal business, indoor maintenance, holiday lighting, and offseason cleanup packages.
• In warm states, leverage subscription plans for year-round landscaping services.

A 690 sq ft front-yard mulch, 2” deep installation.

• Labor: 3 hours × $60 billable = $180
• Materials: 4.7 cu yd mulch × $60 = $282, plus 10% waste and 50% markup → $465
• Travel: $15
• Subtotal with contingency: $180 + $465 + $15 = $660
• Overhead and profit: 20%
• Total: $792

• Build templates for repeatable services and pricing per square foot
• Auto-calculate labor hours from area and crew productivity
• Store local material costs and supplier quotes
• Track job cost actuals vs estimates to improve pricing
• Convert approved estimates to invoices in one click

Duranta helps landscaping businesses create consistent estimates, schedule crews, track time, and see job profitability in real time so your final price matches your target margin.

How much should I charge per hour for landscaping work?

Most crews bill between $45 and $65 per labor hour for residential and as high as $95 per labor hour for commercial landscaping, depending on market, insurance, and skill.

What profit margin should a landscaping company aim for?

A healthy target is 10 to 30% on the total price, with seasoned operators pushing 30 to 40% on complex work where they add more value.

Is per-hour or per-job pricing better?

Maintenance favors hourly or flat rate packages. Installations and hardscaping are usually quoted as a fixed price tied to a defined scope.

How do I build accurate estimates if I’m new?

Track the number of hours per task on every landscaping project, save supplier quotes, and use an estimating template. Adjust your labor rate and markup as your actuals come in. Use job costing platforms like Duranta to make your process consistent.