How Much Does Lawn Care Cost? [2024 Data]

Lawn Care Cost Breakdown

When figuring out how much your weekly, monthly, or annual lawn care will cost, you’ll need to consider several cost factors, such as the type of services, the size of your lawn, labor costs, prep, location, and grass type. 

Service Types

Lawn Mowing

You can expect to pay $50 to $205 for lawn mowing service. Your overall cost will depend on the size of your lawn—with most lawn care companies charging $0.01 to $0.06 per square foot or $50 to $200 per acre. Other cost factors include:

• Shape of your lawn

• Type of grass

• Condition of your lawn

• Accessibility

Landscaping

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You’ll pay anywhere from $1,260 to $6,020 in landscaping costs. Landscaping runs the gamut from flower bed installation to landscape lighting to a fountain installation. Your overall cost will depend on the scope of your project, yard size, the cost of materials, the type of landscaping, prep work, permits, and whether you’ll need to hire a professional landscape designer or architect. 

Aeration

You can expect to pay $75 to $200 for lawn aeration. This process allows vital nutrients, such as water and air, to nourish your lawn. A lawn aeration pro will poke hundreds of small holes in your yard to aerate your lawn, which helps it breathe. Your overall cost will depend on the size of your lawn and the type of aeration treatment you choose. 

Weed Removal

You’ll pay anywhere from $35 to $400 in weed removal service costs. Your total cost will depend on the size of your yard, the removal method, labor costs, accessibility, and lawn condition. 

Seeding

Seeding and reseeding your lawn can cost between $440 and $1,750. Seeding provides vital nutrients to help your lawn grow healthy, strong, and green. Your overall seeding cost will depend on the size of your lawn, the type of seeds, and the seeding method. 

Flower Bed Installation

You can expect to pay $800 to $3,000 for flower bed installation. For this lawn care service, a gardener will plant your favorite spring bulbs, pretty flowers, and native blooms. Pros know how to plant your flowers safely to survive the season.

Hydroseeding

You’ll pay $500 to $1,910 for lawn hydroseeding. Hydroseeding is spraying your lawn with grass seed, fertilizer, water, and mulch via a pressurized hose. This nutrient blast helps grow your lawn quickly in under a month. The amount you’ll pay depends on the size of your lawn. 

Fertilizing

Fertilizing your lawn will cost $70 to $380. Your overall lawn fertilization costs depend on the size of your yard, the type of fertilizer, and whether you add any additional lawn services. 

Dethatching

You can expect to pay $160 to $225 to dethatch your lawn. Thatch is a mixture of plant matter, sticks, roots, and crowns that accumulate on top of your lawn, making it difficult for oxygen, water, and fertilizer to reach the roots. The cost to dethatch your lawn will depend on the size of your yard, the type of dethatching method, and the thickness of the thatch.  

Sod Installation

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You’ll pay $1,070 to $3,000 for sod installation. Laying sod is much easier than planting seeds and waiting for the grass to grow. Your total cost will depend on your yard size, condition, and accessibility. 

Sprinkler System Installation

Installing a lawn sprinkler system will cost between $1,665 and $3,550. The overall cost will depend on the size of your lawn, the sprinkler system type, the number of sprinkler heads, and the number of zones.

Drip Irrigation System Installation

You’ll pay $200 to $850 to install a drip irrigation system. Drip irrigation systems slowly and evenly deliver water at ground level to keep your lawn looking healthy and new. Your total cost will depend on the size of your lawn and the type of system you choose to install. 

Lawn Winterization

You can expect to pay $100 to $400 to winterize your lawn. Lawn winterization involves adding a new, tough fertilizer to your grass so it can withstand the harshness of winter. Your total cost will depend on the types of treatment your lawn needs to withstand the cold months. 

Leaf Removal

You’ll pay $300 to $600 for leaf removal. Your total cost will depend on the size of your lawn, removal method, and the frequency of service needed. 

Tree Trimming

You can expect to pay between $270 and $1,800 for tree trimming. Tree trimming helps keep your lawn free of branches and leaves. Your total cost depends on the size of the tree, type, health, accessibility, and the number of trees in your yard. 

Shrub, Bush, and Hedge Trimming

Bush trimming costs $450 to $1,420. The total cost will depend on the shrub, bush, or hedge type, amount, size, location, and debris cleanup and hauling. 

Mulching

You’ll pay $30 to $150 per cubic yard for mulch delivery and installation. Your total cost will depend on the materials used, the delivery method, labor, and the size of your garden beds. 

Yard Cleanup 

Your yard cleanup cost could run between $190 and $1,000. Your total cost depends on the size of your yard, the type of services needed, the frequency of cleanups, and the season, with fall cleanup typically costing more than spring cleanup. 

Size

The size of your lawn plays a significant role in your total lawn care cost. The average lawn size is between ¼ and ⅕ of an acre or between 8,712 and 10,890 square feet. Here’s what you can expect to pay per month for lawn care:

Labor

Depending on the type of lawn care service you need, labor costs can range between $35 and $190 per hour, with the average ranging from $35 to $70 per hour. However, many lawn care professionals also structure their prices around the type of service provided. Be sure to ask your lawn care company about pricing per hour and per service.

Prep

A lawn care professional may need to do some prep work before caring for your lawn. For example, tree stump removal will cost $175 to $500. If a stump is blocking your yard and making lawn care difficult, you will likely need to remove it before a pro agrees to do yard work. Also, if your lawn is in poor condition, a pro will need to perform a lot of pre-maintenance before starting lawn care, so you’ll pay extra for that, too. 

Location

Your location plays a role in lawn care costs. Here are the average prices for lawn care in your area:

Grass Type

Depending on where you live, the grass might grow faster than in other locations. If that’s the case, you might need mowing more frequently, and you can expect your total cost to increase. On the flip side, some grasses grow slower and require less mowing.

Lawn Care Ongoing Expenses

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Maintenance 

Most commonly, lawn care professionals charge a monthly fee for ongoing services or an hourly or per service charge for one-time visits. However, depending on the work needed, you can create a weekly, bi-weekly, seasonal, or yearly maintenance plan with a pro. However, your costs will be lower if you pay monthly or weekly rather than for a one-time service. 

Repairs

Regular lawn care also means you’ll need to budget for repairs. For example, the cost to repair your sprinkler system runs between $130 and $410, and gutter repairs cost $200 to $650. 

If you had a harsh winter, you might need to have a lawn care pro seal and clean your pavers, and you can expect to pay $300 to $550 for this service.    

DIY Lawn Care vs. Hiring a Pro

Lawn care runs the gamut from mowing to sprinkler system installations. So, if you’re handy and enjoy getting your hands in the dirt, you can DIY several aspects of lawn care. You’ll save on monthly professional costs—$100 to $500. However, you’ll need to purchase your own equipment, which could be costly. You’ll need:

• Lawn mower: $80–$3,200

• String trimmer: $50–$400

• Leaf blower: $50–$600

• Weed control: $15–$40 per quart

• Shed: $1,800–$18,000

• Hedge clippers: $25–$50

Yet, lawn care is time-consuming. If you enjoy your free time and want your lawn to look immaculate, we recommend hiring a lawn care service near you. You can rest easy knowing that the lawn care pros have the knowledge, experience, and proper equipment to ensure your lawn looks fresh and healthy. 

Cost of Common Lawn Care Add-Ons

In addition to your regular lawn care schedule, you may want to add on extra services, including: 

• Watering plants: $35–$65 per hour

• Tree planting: $150–$350

• Pest control: $110–$260

• Composting: $75–$225 per cubic yard

• Gutter cleaning: $120–$230

• Sprinkler system winterization: $60–$130

• Snow removal: $40–$450

• Soil testing: $680–$2,155

How to Save on Lawn Care Costs

Although you can’t change the average costs of individual lawn care services, there are ways you can save, including:

• Bundle your lawn care services in a weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or yearly contract instead of paying one-time fees for each service.

• Ask for a discount if you’re paying upfront for an annual contract.

• Get quotes from at least three lawn care companies in your area before committing to a yearly contract.

• Choose native plants that require less caretaking and watering.

• Plant perennials instead of annuals, so you don’t need to plant new flowers each season. 

• Try to handle more manageable lawn care tasks yourself, such as mowing and watering, and leave the difficult projects to the pros. 

• Perform maintenance throughout the year so you won’t be stuck with a hefty bill for one-time cleaning and maintenance services.