Break-Even Calculator for Landscaping Business
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Landscaping Break-Even: What to Enter
- Fixed costs — truck payment, insurance, equipment depreciation, website, admin.
- Selling price — average job value (weekly mow, monthly maintenance contract).
- Variable cost — fuel, fertilizer, blade wear, subcontractor cut per job.
Landscaping businesses often have 60–70% gross margins on labor. With $4,000/month in fixed costs and $120 net per lawn visit, you need 34 visits to break even — achievable with 8–10 recurring clients.
Last reviewed: July 25, 2026. Benchmarks sourced from NALP industry reports.
How to use the landscaping break-even calculator
- Add monthly fixed costs — truck payments, equipment loans, insurance, storage yard, office/admin salaries, software.
- Enter average revenue per job — total monthly revenue ÷ number of jobs. Mowing routes: use revenue per visit.
- Enter variable cost per job — crew wages for the hours on that job, fuel, materials, dump fees.
- Set your target profit — what the business should clear after everything.
- Read jobs per day — with a 5-day crew week, divide the monthly figure by ~22 working days instead of 30.
How many jobs does a landscaping business need to break even?
A solo-plus-crew operation carrying $6,500 in monthly fixed costs (truck, trailer, insurance, storage) with a $320 average job and $140 in per-job costs breaks even around 36 jobs a month. Above that, each job banks $180. Enter your own numbers to see where your operation stands — the answer changes fast with average ticket size.
The landscaping cost structure
Landscaping is equipment-heavy: trucks, trailers, mowers, and insurance run whether you cut one lawn or a hundred. That's your fixed base. Per-job costs are crew labor hours, fuel, materials (mulch, plants, fertilizer), and disposal fees. The trap most operators fall into is quoting from gut feel without knowing their per-job contribution margin — then wondering why a busy season ends with an empty account.
Crew labor: fixed or variable?
If your crew is hourly and only works when jobs are booked, their wages are variable — put them in cost per job. If you keep crew on payroll through slow weeks to avoid losing them, treat that guaranteed base as fixed. Many businesses split it: base hours fixed, overtime variable.
Seasonality changes the math
Your fixed costs run 12 months but revenue may concentrate in 7–8. For an honest picture, either enter annual fixed costs ÷ active months (e.g., $78,000 ÷ 8 = $9,750) in the fixed cost field, or verify your in-season margin covers the off-season burn.
Related tools
The service business break-even calculator covers recurring-contract models like maintenance retainers. Bidding hardscape projects? Estimate materials with the construction cost estimator, and bill customers with the free invoice generator. Formula details are on the main break-even calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's a good profit margin for a landscaping business?
Established operations target 10–20% net margin. Contribution margin per job should be 45–60% — if the calculator shows less, your pricing is too low or your per-job costs are bloated.
Should I count my own labor as a cost?
Yes — pay yourself a market wage in the numbers. If you're on the crew, put your hours in variable cost per job; if you manage, put your salary in fixed costs. Profit should be what's left after paying yourself.
How do I calculate average revenue per job with mixed services?
Last season's total revenue ÷ total jobs completed. If installs ($3,000) and mowing visits ($60) both matter, consider running the calculator separately per service line — their margins differ enormously.
How does equipment financing fit in?
Monthly payments on trucks, trailers, and mowers go in fixed costs. Fuel and maintenance that scale with usage go in per-job variable costs.
How many mowing visits per day is realistic per crew?
A two-person crew typically completes 8–12 residential visits a day with a tight route. If your break-even demands more, raise prices or trim fixed overhead.