How much does Lawn maintenance cost?

Maintaining a lush, green lawn can require a variety of services, from regular mowing to edge trimming, aeration, and fertilization. Many homeowners choose to hire a professional lawn care company to maintain their yard, either all year long or throughout the peak summer growing season. 

Lawn maintenance expenses depend on a variety of factors, including the size of your lawn, location, and which services you need. This guide explains the cost of hiring a professional landscaping or lawn care service to keep your lawn looking its best. Pricing data is based on real quotes provided to Yelp users by professionals, along with industry research. Learn more in the methodology section at the end of the guide.

The typical cost for routine lawn maintenance, which includes mowing, lawn edging, and cleanup, is $101 per visit, with a range of $64–176 nationwide, according to Yelp data. However, lawn maintenance costs could exceed that range based on your location, lawn size, and yard topography. 

In addition, your total costs will depend on the extra services you choose (explained below):

Lawn maintenance companies have different methods of determining costs for their services. 

Large companies may use data analytics and satellite mapping of residences to determine pricing structures, and may ask for photos of your yard to gauge lawn and shrub growth before providing a quote. Smaller companies may just quote a flat rate or hourly fee. In either case, your total costs for landscape services are affected by route density, lawn size, additional services performed, and other factors discussed below.

Some lawn care providers charge by the time it takes to do the job. The national average cost to hire a landscaper or gardener for lawn maintenance is $68 per hour, but costs can range from $25–118 per hour, according to Yelp data. Your specific rate may depend on whether the work is done by 1 person or a crew of 2 or more. You may pay double the hourly rate for a 2-person team than for 1 person, but can expect them to get the work done much more quickly.

If you hire a lawn care company on a weekly basis, the typical recurring cost is $101, but can range from $64–176, according to Yelp data. Rates for lawn care services can vary greatly by landscaping company—smaller companies or a 1-person crew have less overhead and may offer more competitive costs. 

In some cases, you’ll pay on a bi-weekly or monthly basis for weekly lawn care. The national average for monthly lawn care is $404, but costs range from $256–704. Labor costs for bi-weekly lawn care services typically cost $202, with a range of $128–352.  

If you contract for a year of lawn care services, a landscaper will usually only visit when needed, especially during the main summer growth period. In many regions, this comes to about 28 visits per season, or 6 to 7 months of routine landscaping maintenance. In that case, the total cost for annual lawn maintenance is $2,828, with a national range of $1,792–4,928. 

In areas with warm winters, the service period is usually longer, or even year-round. With weekly service, the typical cost would add up to $5,252, with a range of $3,328–9,152.

Many homeowners opt for full-service lawn care and yard maintenance plans. These are sometimes referred to as “softscaping” services (as opposed to hardscaping services, which include patios, walkways, and driveways). They can include:

Costs for these services can vary greatly depending on the size of the back and front yards, amount of work required, and other factors. They’re typically based on hourly rates of $25–118, or a combination of specific services (listed below) and other landscape maintenance services.

Lawn maintenance can include a wide variety of services. Here’s what each one will cost if priced separately.

The typical cost for aeration services is $145, but could run from $89–246, depending on lawn size, according to Yelp data. Lawn aeration involves punching holes in the turf with an aeration machine to improve air flow, nutrient uptake,and water saturation.  

Brush clearing and removal typically costs $183, but can range from $99–327. If you have overgrown brush, shrubs, or small trees that need to be removed, some lawn-care companies will provide this service. Specific costs depend on the size of the area and amount of debris.

Landscape clearing typically costs $183, but can range from $99–327. If you have overgrown brush, shrubs, or small trees that need to be removed, some lawn-care companies will provide this service. Specific costs depend on the size of the area and amount of debris.

Lawn edging typically costs $96, but edging service ranges in price from $58–141, according to Yelp data. Edging gives lawns a nice sharp edge and clearly delineates landscape boundaries. Costs are higher if a homeowner hasn’t had their lawn edged before and the grass has overgrown onto sidewalks and hardscaping.

The typical cost for a fertilizer application is $133, but can range between $78–207.

Fertilizer replenishes important nutrients and helps stimulate new lawn growth. Annual costs for lawn fertilization depend on how many times fertilizer is applied—four times a year is a common recommendation—as well as type of fertilizer used.

The typical cost of lawn mowing is $96 per service, with a low of $58 and a high of $127, according to Yelp data. Landscape maintenance companies use size, accessibility, and distance from other customers to determine specific lawn mowing costs.

The typical cost of mulching service is $143, but can range from $74–$318, based on the size of area to receive this treatment. Mulching is the process of covering grass with bark, wood chips, or grass clippings to add nutrients and help stop weed growth. Costs for mulch itself depend on the type used—10 cubic yards of bark may cost an additional $650.

Pest-control treatment typically costs $105 per application, with a national average cost range of $58–165, according to Yelp data. Landscape maintenance companies often use a liquid spray to repel or get rid of common lawn pests, such as grubs, armyworms, crane flies, lawn moths, and chinch bugs.

Lawn overseeding—adding grass seed to an existing lawn to improve the quality or fill in sparse areas—typically costs $207, but can range from $115–375 for a relatively small lawn area (about 2,500 square feet), according to Yelp data. Lawns can become thin for a number of reasons, and seeding is usually a less expensive remedy than laying new sod. Costs depend on how much and what type of grass seed is required, and whether related services, such as aeration, are also needed.

The cost of laying sod is typically $783, but can range from $239–1,798, depending upon the size of the project, according to Yelp data. Having a professional install sod will cost $0.90–2.00 per square foot. In most cases, the landscaper will use sod to patch bare spots in the lawn. But to be economical, the area should be fairly large. Sod is sold on pallets that can hold 400–600 square feet of sod depending whether the sod is shipped as slabs or in rolls. Because sod is very heavy and bulky, you may also pay a delivery fee of $75–125.

For DIYers, sod plugs are available for some types of grass, usually a warm-season variety. A 16-pack of plugs will cover about 36 square feet and costs about $45–50 for the plugs alone. If you want help, a landscaper or gardener will handle it for $25–118 per hour. Be sure to get watering directions to make sure the new sod becomes established.

If you want to replant sod, having the old sod removed typically costs $283, with a range of $113–762. Your specific cost will depend on the total square footage of sod to be extricated, with a typical range of $1–3 per square foot.

Weed control services typically cost $122, with a range of $73–221 nationwide. Lawn weeding costs may be lower if growth is controlled by weed-specific herbicides. A lawn that’s overrun with weeds will increase costs. 

As a rule, the larger the yard the higher the cost of lawn maintenance. Simple yards without any hardscaping or landscape curbing may be slightly less expensive to maintain than more ornate yards with detailed landscape design and multiple flower beds since working around these obstacles increases the total time required to complete the work.

Average lawn care costs can vary greatly depending on where you live. Prices tend to be higher in large metropolitan areas with a high cost of living, and slightly lower in colder areas with a shorter growing season. A lawn in sunny San Diego, California, requires more weekly lawn care service than a lawn in Denver, Colorado, where frigid fall weather prevents lawn growth much earlier in the year. 

Other issues that affect lawn and landscaping maintenance costs include the following.

Any obstructions or difficulties accessing the lawn with mowing equipment adds time to the job, and higher prices. Mowing around gazebos, play structures, above-ground swimming pools, and other yard obstacles will also increase the time it takes to complete routine lawn mowing. 

A lawn that’s properly maintained is much easier to mow than a lawn with several months of overgrowth. You’ll typically pay more, especially for the first visit or two.

“The initial job will be higher,” says Brett Gard of Tailored Lawn Care. “But once the property is caught up and back in shape, the price goes down considerably.”

Off-season pricing may be more favorable that peak-season pricing, especially for services such as lawn aeration, mulching, and landscape design.

“If we see a break in our schedule where it’s a little bit slower, like toward the end of the season, we will give price breaks during those times,” Gard says. “A really good time to get anything done is between December and February; we likely will give you a price break during those months.”

Lawn maintenance services companies typically make more money when customers are clustered together because it optimizes employees’ time in the field. If they need to travel farther to reach your home, the cost may be higher.

Some landscape companies include disposal of old sod, shrub trimmings, and leaf removal in their quotes, while others may add a surcharge for exceptionally large loads of debris. Ask about possible disposal charges when gathering quotes for services.

Here are some tips for reducing lawn maintenance costs.

Homeowners who opt for regular lawn maintenance may be able to negotiate more favorable pricing.

Route density is crucial for lawn care companies. Having multiple clients in a given area allows crews to service a higher volume of customers per day and offer reduced rates to those in close proximity.

“If you see lawn service on your street, approach the company and ask for service for your house,” Brett Gard advises. “They’ll do their best to earn more business on a street they’re already servicing.”

A yard full of doggy bombs takes longer to maintain, and will increase lawn care costs if it’s a persistent problem.

“It takes a lot more time to get through a yard when we have to dodge a bunch of pet waste,” Gard notes.

Lawn maintenance companies may charge very different rates for the same services. Get quotes from high-quality lawn care providers in your area so you can compare prices.

Lawn maintenance is a chore that some homeowners take on proudly, while others lack the time, patience, or knowhow to DIY. Maintaining a healthy lawn can also require a significant financial investment in equipment—mowers, trimmers, edgers, and fertilizer spreaders—which can easily cost several thousand dollars. Gas-powered lawn care equipment also requires regular maintenance.

By hiring a professional for lawn care service, you can help ensure that your lawn is healthy and vibrant all year long, and that any problems are easily diagnosed and remedied.

How much do most lawn care companies charge?

You’ll typically pay $64–176 for lawn maintenance, depending on your location, the services you request, and the size of your lawn, according to Yelp data. The cost of lawn care may be higher or lower depending on the total size of your lawn, number of obstacles to mow around, and if the pro services additional clients nearby.

How often should I mow my lawn?

During peak growing season (which varies by climate), weekly mowing service is important to maintain optimal lawn health. A dry lawn may grow more slowly, so it needs cutting less frequently. You’ll typically pay $58–127 to have your lawn mowed by a professional lawn care service, according to Yelp data.

How often should I have my lawn fertilized?

Experts recommend fertilizing the lawn twice a year, which gives it enough nitrogen for healthy grass. The best times are usually late summer and early fall, but that depends on your lawn conditions and local climate. Professional fertilization costs an average of $133 per application, according to Yelp data.

Find a lawn care professional in your area.

Cost data in this guide is based on project quote estimates provided to Yelp users by licensed professionals and businesses on Yelp (as well as analysis of industry data). Actual project costs may vary depending on location or complexity of the project. Cost data has been reviewed by our industry expert, Don Vandervort, a nationally known home improvement author. Don is the founder of the website HomeTips.com and has written or produced more than 30 home improvement books.