Figuring out if a lawn service is cheaper than owning and maintaining your own mower can feel like a puzzle, especially when you’re just starting out. There are a lot of little costs that add up, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. But don’t worry!
We’ll break it all down in a simple, step-by-step way to help you see what makes the most sense for your yard and your wallet. What comes next will make it crystal clear.
Key Takeaways
- You’ll learn about the hidden costs of owning a lawn mower.
- We’ll explain the various services a lawn care company offers.
- You’ll discover how to compare the actual expenses side-by-side.
- We’ll explore factors beyond just money, like your time and effort.
- You’ll get clear advice on making the best choice for your situation.
Understanding Lawn Mower Costs
When you’re thinking about mowing your own lawn, it’s easy to just picture the price of the mower itself. But that’s only the very beginning of the story. Owning a mower comes with a whole bunch of expenses that can sneak up on you.
These aren’t always obvious when you’re just browsing the garden center. It’s like buying a car; you don’t just think about the sticker price, right? There’s insurance, gas, and potential repairs to consider.
The same goes for your lawn mower. We’ll break down these costs so you know exactly what you’re getting into.
The Initial Purchase Price
The first hurdle is buying the mower. Prices can swing wildly depending on the type and brand. A basic push mower might cost you a couple hundred dollars.
A self-propelled model will be more, often in the $300 to $700 range. If you’re thinking about a riding mower for a larger yard, you could be looking at $1,500 to $4,000 or even more for a fancy zero-turn model. These are big upfront investments, and it’s important to match the mower to the size of your yard.
A tiny mower for a huge lawn will be frustrating, and a giant one for a postage-stamp yard is just silly.
Fuel and Oil Expenses
Most lawn mowers, especially gas-powered ones, need fuel and oil. Gas prices go up and down, and how much you spend depends on how often you mow and the size of your lawn. A typical push mower might use about half a gallon of gas per hour.
If you mow once a week for 30 weeks a year, that adds up. You also need to keep up with oil changes. This usually means buying a quart or two of lawn mower specific oil.
It’s not a huge expense per instance, but it’s a recurring cost you can’t forget.
For example, if gas is $4 a gallon and your mower uses 0.5 gallons per hour, and you mow for 1 hour a week, that’s $2 a week just for gas. Over 30 weeks, that’s $60 for fuel alone. Then add in a couple of oil changes per year at about $10-$15 each, and you’re looking at an extra $20-$30 annually.
This might seem small, but these are costs that a lawn service company already handles as part of their business.
Maintenance and Repairs
This is where the costs can really start to pile up and become unpredictable. All mowers need regular maintenance. This includes things like changing the oil, cleaning or replacing air filters, and sharpening the blade.
You might do some of this yourself, but if you don’t have the tools or the time, you’ll pay for it. Blade sharpening can cost $10-$20 each time. New air filters are usually $10-$15.
Spark plugs are cheap, maybe $5, but they need replacing too.
Then there are the repairs. Belts can break, engines can have problems, and wheels can get damaged. A simple repair could cost $50 to $100.
A more serious engine issue could run into hundreds of dollars, sometimes more than the mower is worth. If your mower is still under warranty, that’s great, but warranties don’t last forever. For many homeowners, these unexpected repair bills are the biggest surprise when it comes to owning a mower.
Storage and Other Accessories
Where will you store your mower? If you don’t have a garage or a shed, you might need to buy one or pay for off-site storage. This is an often-overlooked cost.
You’ll also likely need accessories like a fuel can, oil, a funnel, and maybe even a blade-sharpening tool if you plan to do it yourself. If you have a large yard, you might need to buy a mulching kit or a bagger attachment, which can add another $50 to $200 to your costs.
What Lawn Services Offer
When you hire a lawn service, you’re not just paying someone to push a mower. These companies offer a range of services that can help keep your yard looking great. They have the equipment and the experience to handle different types of lawns and different needs.
They can often do more than just mow. Think about things like trimming bushes, weeding garden beds, or even fertilizing your grass. Understanding these offerings helps you see the full picture of what you’re paying for.
Basic Mowing and Trimming
The most common service is regular lawn mowing. They’ll come out, usually on a weekly or bi-weekly schedule, and cut your grass to the right height. This includes mowing the main lawn areas.
They also typically trim around obstacles like trees, fences, and flower beds. This edge trimming makes a big difference in how neat your yard looks. They’ll also often blow the clippings off your sidewalks and driveway.
This basic package is what most people think of first when they consider a lawn service.
Seasonal Clean-Up and Care
Many lawn services offer more than just summer mowing. They can help with seasonal tasks too. This might include spring clean-up, where they remove leaves and debris that have accumulated over the winter.
They can also do fall clean-up, which involves raking leaves and getting your lawn ready for colder weather. Some services even offer aeration and overseeding to help your grass grow thicker and healthier. These are tasks that can be time-consuming and physically demanding if you do them yourself.
Advanced Lawn Treatments
For those who want a truly pristine lawn, many companies offer advanced treatments. This can include fertilizing your grass at the right times of the year to promote growth and color. They might also offer weed control, both in the lawn and in your garden beds.
Pest control for common lawn insects is another service. Some companies also offer soil testing to figure out exactly what nutrients your lawn needs. These services require specialized knowledge and products that most homeowners don’t have readily available.
Comparing the Costs: A Closer Look
Now, let’s get down to the numbers. To really answer Is a lawn service cheaper than owning and maintaining my own mower, we need to put all the costs side-by-side. This isn’t just about the price tag on the mower versus the price of a service plan.
We have to factor in everything we talked about: the mower, fuel, maintenance, repairs, and even your time. When you look at it all together, the picture becomes much clearer.
Estimating Your Mower Ownership Costs
Let’s make some educated guesses for a medium-sized yard that needs mowing about 30 times a year. Mower Purchase: Let’s say you buy a good push mower for $400. If you expect it to last 7 years, that’s about $57 per year, spread out.
Fuel and Oil: We estimated $60-$90 per year. Maintenance: $30-$50 for annual tune-ups, blade sharpening, etc. Repairs: This is the tricky one.
Let’s budget $100-$200 per year, knowing it could be more or less. * Accessories and Storage: Let’s add another $50 per year for gas cans, oil, and a small storage solution. So, for owning and maintaining your own mower, you might be looking at roughly $297 to $397 per year.
This doesn’t even count your time!
Understanding Lawn Service Pricing
Lawn service prices vary a lot by location, the size of your yard, and what services you want. For a standard mowing service on a medium-sized yard, you might pay anywhere from $30 to $75 per visit. If they come weekly, that’s $120 to $300 per month.
Over a 30-week mowing season, this could be $900 to $2,250 per year for just mowing and trimming. If you add in seasonal clean-ups or treatments, the price goes up further.
Here’s a simple comparison table for a year:
| Cost Area | Owning a Mower (Estimated Annual) | Lawn Service (Estimated Annual for Mowing Only) |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment/Service Cost | $57 (mower depreciation) | $900 – $2,250 |
| Fuel/Supplies | $60 – $90 | $0 |
| Maintenance/Repairs | $130 – $250 | $0 |
| Accessories/Storage | $50 | $0 |
| Total Estimated Annual Cost | $297 – $447 | $900 – $2,250 |
The Value of Your Time
This is a huge factor that often gets left out. How much is your time worth? Mowing a lawn can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours, depending on the yard size and mower type.
If you spend 2 hours a week mowing, that’s 60 hours over a 30-week season. If you value your time at $20 an hour, that’s $1,200 a year just in labor. This cost is invisible when you own the mower, but it’s very real.
Let’s add that to the ownership cost: $447 (high end) + $1,200 (time value) = $1,647. Suddenly, the lawn service doesn’t seem so expensive, especially if you value your free time. Many people would rather use that time for hobbies, family, or just relaxing.
When Owning Might Still Make Sense
While for many, a lawn service is more cost-effective, there are situations where owning your own mower might be the better choice. It often comes down to your specific needs, your yard’s characteristics, and your personal preferences. It’s not always about the cheapest option; sometimes it’s about the right option for you.
We’ll look at some of these scenarios so you can decide what fits best.
Small Yards and Simple Needs
If you have a very small lawn, like a quarter-acre or less, the costs of owning a mower are much lower. You won’t need a powerful or expensive mower. A small push mower can handle it easily.
The time spent mowing will also be minimal, perhaps 30 minutes a week. In this case, the upfront cost of the mower, plus a few years of basic maintenance, might indeed be less than hiring a service for the same period. You also have the mower ready whenever you need it, without scheduling.
DIY Enthusiasm and Skill
Some people genuinely enjoy working on their own equipment and taking care of their yard. If you’re handy with tools, like fixing things, and find satisfaction in maintaining your mower, then owning might be a good fit. You can save money by doing your own maintenance and repairs.
It also gives you complete control over when and how your lawn is mowed. This hands-on approach can be a rewarding hobby for some.
Infrequent Mowing Needs
If you live in an area with a very short growing season, or if your yard is mostly ground cover or rock, you might only need to mow a couple of times a year. In such cases, the cost of hiring a service for just a few visits might seem disproportionately high compared to buying a basic mower and using it very rarely. You might even be able to borrow a mower from a neighbor or friend for those infrequent needs, further reducing your expense.
Specialized Mowing Requirements
There might be niche situations where a standard lawn service doesn’t quite fit. For instance, if you have a very steep hill that requires a specialized mower for safety, or if you need to maintain a specific type of grass that requires unique mowing techniques, you might find it easier and more cost-effective to own your equipment. This ensures the job is done exactly to your specifications, without having to explain complex needs to a hired professional.
Making the Decision for Your Home
Deciding whether to hire a lawn service or mow yourself involves looking at the whole picture. It’s not just about dollars and cents. Consider your budget, how much time you have, and what you want for your yard.
Think about what you enjoy doing and what you’d rather pay someone else to handle. Ultimately, the best choice is the one that makes you happiest and gives you the lawn you desire without causing undue stress.
Step 1: Assess Your Yard
Measure your lawn’s square footage. Note any slopes, obstacles like many trees or flower beds, and any areas that are hard to reach. A large, flat, open lawn is much easier and cheaper to mow than a small yard packed with features.
This will affect both how long it takes you and how much a service might charge. A company will typically base their quote on yard size and complexity.
Step 2: Calculate Your Personal Costs
Use the figures we discussed to estimate your annual costs for owning a mower. Don’t forget to add a realistic value for your time. Write it all down.
This creates a baseline for comparison. If you already own a mower, your upfront cost is zero, but you still have ongoing expenses and time investment.
Step 3: Get Quotes from Lawn Services
Contact a few local lawn care companies. Ask for quotes for basic mowing and trimming for your specific yard size. Inquire about their schedule and what exactly is included.
Ask if there are any extra charges for things like trimming around obstacles or blowing clippings. Get prices for any additional services you might be interested in, like seasonal clean-ups.
Step 4: Compare and Consider
Now, put it all together. Compare your estimated ownership costs (including your time) with the quotes from the lawn services. Look beyond just the lowest price.
Think about the convenience. Do you want the freedom to mow on your schedule, or do you prefer to hand off the task? Consider the reliability of the service and the quality of their work.
A slightly more expensive service that is reliable might be worth it.
Here’s a sample scenario to help you visualize:
- Scenario A: Owning Your Mower
- Yard size: 5,000 sq ft (medium)
- Mowing time: 1.5 hours per week
- Mowing weeks: 30
- Annual mower cost (depreciation, fuel, oil, maintenance, repairs): $400
- Value of your time (1.5 hours/week 30 weeks $25/hour): $1,125
- Total Annual Cost (Scenario A): $1,525
- Scenario B: Hiring a Lawn Service
- Yard size: 5,000 sq ft (medium)
- Weekly mowing service cost: $50
- Mowing weeks: 30
- Annual cost for mowing: $50/week * 30 weeks = $1,500
- Total Annual Cost (Scenario B): $1,500
In this scenario, hiring a service is actually slightly cheaper when you factor in the value of your time. If you don’t value your time as highly, or if your mower is older and has minimal depreciation, owning might seem cheaper initially. However, the convenience and potential for less hassle with a service often tip the scales.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: How much does a lawn service typically cost per month?
Answer: The monthly cost for a lawn service can range from $100 to $400 or more, depending on your location, yard size, and the services included. Basic mowing might be on the lower end, while services like fertilization, weeding, and seasonal clean-ups will increase the price.
Question: Is it cheaper to own a mower for a very small yard?
Answer: For very small yards, owning a basic, inexpensive push mower can be cheaper than hiring a service. The initial cost of the mower is low, and maintenance is minimal. The time spent mowing is also very short, making the “time cost” negligible.
Question: What are the hidden costs of owning a lawn mower?
Answer: Hidden costs include fuel, oil, regular maintenance (like blade sharpening and filter changes), unexpected repairs, storage, and the value of your time spent mowing and maintaining the mower.
Question: Can a lawn service save me time?
Answer: Yes, hiring a lawn service can save you a significant amount of time. Instead of spending hours each week mowing, you can use that time for other activities you enjoy or for tasks that are more important to you.
Question: When is it definitely better to hire a lawn service?
Answer: It is often better to hire a lawn service if you have a large yard, physical limitations, limited time, or if you prefer to have a consistently well-maintained lawn without the personal effort and expense of ownership and maintenance.
Wrap Up
Deciding if a lawn service is cheaper than owning your mower involves looking at all the costs. This includes buying, fueling, fixing, and the value of your own time. For most people with average-sized yards, a service often wins when time and unexpected repair bills are factored in.
It offers convenience and peace of mind. Consider your yard and your lifestyle to make the choice that feels right for you.
