Fullerton Unfiltered: Episode 933
How Do You Accurately Price A Lawn?
Host: Brian Fullerton
Date: February 27, 2026
Duration: ~44 minutes (core content: ~35 min)
Episode Overview
In this straight-talking solo episode, Brian Fullerton addresses one of the core challenges for anyone in the lawn care and landscaping industry: how to accurately price your services, especially lawn mowing. Brian breaks down the concept of "knowing your numbers," emphasizes the importance of having a real system for determining man hour rates, and provides a step-by-step, actionable framework. The episode offers clarity for both newcomers and industry veterans who want to scale their businesses responsibly, avoid guesswork, and boost profitability.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Importance of Knowing Your Numbers
[00:38 - 03:00]
- Brian sets the stage by acknowledging that pricing is a confusing topic for many business owners, especially those just starting out or stuck at lower revenue tiers.
- He stresses that regardless of how sophisticated your software is or what CRM you use, everyone needs a reliable method to price jobs that moves beyond guesswork.
“There shouldn’t be any variability about how we're coming up with our pricing. We all should be following some type of lockstep formula, system, or process…” – Brian Fullerton [04:40]
2. Tools and Systems for Pricing
[03:00 - 10:00]
- Brian addresses concerns from both beginners and experienced business owners about investing in pricey software such as LMN, pointing out that it’s okay not to spend $300/month if your business isn’t ready for it.
- Emphatically supports using simpler tools (Yardbook, Jobber) for certain business sizes and stages.
- Introduces his own “Know Your Numbers” calculator (available at launchpreneuracademy.com), which he claims radically simplifies the entire process of determining rates, overhead, and profitability.
“If you can’t afford the $99, email me and I’d be more than happy to gift it. That’s me giving, that’s me sowing. It’s the character and integrity thing... Don’t be a taker for what I’m doing. I’m a small business owner just like you.” – Brian Fullerton [05:50]
3. Why Most Contractors (Big & Small) Get Pricing Wrong
[10:00 - 12:30]
- Claims that even large companies—“guys doing five, ten million”—often lack truly dialed-in pricing systems.
- Emphasizes that perceived complexity shouldn’t stop owners from getting this right, asserting that dialing in your man hour rate is “everything” for growth and profitability.
- Encourages listeners not to be intimidated: “80% of it’s head trash that you’re telling yourself…” [11:31]
4. The Four Pillars of Pricing a Lawn
[12:40 - 16:00 | Most Detailed Explanation]
Brian gives a clear, repeatable breakdown for calculating a proper man hour rate:
1. Labor Rate
- Start with what you pay (e.g., $25/hr), but adjust for true cost: add burden (taxes, insurance, downtime, overtime).
- Real cost may be $30–$35/hr.
2. Equipment Rate
- Add up all major equipment costs (e.g., $50,000 for mower, truck, trailer).
- Divide by total expected billable hours over equipment life. For example: $50,000 ÷ 5,000 hrs = $10/hr.
3. Overhead Rate
- Calculate annual overhead (office, insurance, rent, admin, etc.).
- Divide by billable hours (e.g., $40,000 overhead ÷ 1,680 hrs = ~$24/hr).
4. Net Profit
- Decide on target profit margin (e.g., 10%, 15%, 20%).
- Add this to the hourly rate.
Example Calculation:
- Labor: $30/hr
- Equipment: $10/hr
- Overhead: $24/hr
- Profit (15%): $7/hr
- Total Man Hour Rate: $71/hr
“Labor, equipment, overhead, net profit. Let’s say it again: Labor, equipment, overhead, net profit.” – Brian Fullerton [16:21]
5. From Rate to Job Price
[16:00 - 21:00]
- Explains how to take man hour rate and apply it to job estimates based on measurement and production rates.
- Importance of knowing how many square feet or acres your crew can handle per hour (and skepticism at manufacturers’ idealized specs):
“It’s not the rates they put in the fricking catalog. You will mow one real life acre per hour unless you have a five acre park. Real world application stuff.” [41:51]
- If a site takes 2 man hours at $71/hr: Price is $142.
6. Don’t Undercharge—And Don’t Guess
[21:00 - 26:30]
- Brian warns against “rounding prices to the nearest zero or five”—a common sign that someone is guessing, not calculating.
- “You can hustle your way to a better margin in the beginning… But it doesn’t work when you have to start running a business that has these actual costs.” [26:14]
- Undervaluing overhead and trying to save money by avoiding proper systems is a trap.
7. Results Of Dialing In Pricing
[26:30 - 31:00]
- With better systems, business owners can improve net profit dramatically—e.g., from 5% to 20% net on $500,000 revenue (“Same work, same hair pulling, same stress—you actually made some money with your business.”).
- Cites industry peers whose profits soared after fixing their estimates.
“You are NOT saving $3,000 on LMN by cheaping out… because you not knowing your numbers is costing you $36,000 a year at a quarter million-dollar business. Fact.” [29:15]
8. The Mindset Shift: From Hustler to Business Owner
[31:00 - 39:30]
- Growth means adopting real systems, tracking true costs, pricing professionally, and investing in industry-standard tools.
- Brian offers to keep supporting those prepared to put in the work: “If you want to fix your business like I have been, then bro, let's lock arms and let's do this thing.” [38:23]
9. Final Thoughts & Calls to Action
[39:30 - 42:50]
- Learning and applying this pricing framework is hard but worth it—and once you build it, it’s a foundation you don’t need to constantly repeat.
- Brian is passionate and generous about sharing resources (calculator, 1:1 advice, bidding training) but is also clear: personal responsibility is the deciding factor in business success.
“No one’s going to solve the pricing part of your business for you. If you don’t master revenue, pricing, and profit, really, there’s nothing else to build your business on.” [40:16]
Notable Quotes & Moments
- “If you send out an invoice and you click send with anything that ends in a 0 or a 5, the ghost of Brian is haunting you.” [32:09]
- “Labor, equipment, overhead, net profit. That’s how you price a lawn. That's how you estimate anything.” [16:21]
- “Not everybody is broke… There’s a lot of people running $2 million businesses at 15% and taking home $300,000 and an $80,000 owner salary. That’s a good business.” [36:07]
- “Once you learn it, you know it… It’s not an arduous process. Now I’m a psychopath and enjoy getting lost in the weeds…” [36:55]
Practical Steps & Takeaways
- Use a formula or tool (calculator, spreadsheet, or software) to price EVERY job.
- Break down every estimate into the four pillars: labor, equipment, overhead, and net profit.
- Make time to actually do the math; don’t rely on outdated habits, mental shortcuts, or industry anecdotes.
- Take personal responsibility for learning and implementing business systems.
- Don’t be afraid to invest in the tools or training you need (and if money’s tight, ask for resources—Brian’s willing to help).
Timestamps for Key Segments
- [00:38] – Introduction & why pricing matters
- [03:00] – Tools, software, and the “Know Your Numbers” calculator
- [10:00] – Why most businesses (big and small) get pricing wrong
- [12:40] – Four-part framework for accurate pricing
- [16:00] – Connecting man hour rate to job/site pricing
- [21:00] – The dangers of guessing and undercharging
- [26:30] – What improved pricing unlocks: profit, growth, options
- [31:00] – Mindset shift: operator to owner, taking responsibility
- [39:30] – Final advice, calls to action, and resources
Tone & Style
Brian is candid, energetic, and sometimes blunt—a mix of tough love and genuine encouragement. The advice is practical, actionable, and colored by personal anecdotes and industry observations. Humor and analogies (Aladdin’s ruby-eyed Abu, Dave Ramsey’s “tide goes out and you see who’s skinny dipping”) help reinforce the message and keep listeners engaged.
Summary
This episode is a must-listen for anyone in lawn care or landscaping who wants to charge confidently, build profitably, and stop guessing at pricing. Whether you're just starting out or trying to break through a revenue plateau, Brian Fullerton’s framework offers a detailed, actionable blueprint for pricing your work so you can grow—not just survive—in this industry.
Resource Reminder:
- “Know Your Numbers Calculator”: Available at launchpreneuracademy.com (or by email if funds are tight)
- Brian is open to emails and DMs for specific questions about pricing, estimates, and process troubleshooting.