Maximize Your Landscaping Profits by Tracking Revenue and Costs per Service and Property
- claytonblackshear2
- Dec 16, 2025
- 3 min read
Running a landscaping or outdoor services business means juggling many moving parts. You offer mowing, landscaping, snow removal, and more. But do you know which services bring in the most profit? Many landscaping owners focus on total revenue but miss the bigger picture: tracking profit by service and by property. Without this insight, rising costs quietly chip away at your margins.
Tracking revenue and expenses by service type and property is essential to understand where your business truly makes money. This post explains why detailed bookkeeping matters and how it can help you make smarter decisions to grow your landscaping business.
Why Tracking Profit by Service and Property Matters job cost tracking
Landscaping businesses face unique challenges:
Multiple service types like mowing, landscaping, snow removal, and mulch installation
Seasonal demand shifts, for example, summer mowing and winter snow removal
Equipment depreciation and maintenance costs
Labor expenses including crew wages and benefits
Material costs such as mulch, plants, fertilizer, and salt
Vehicle and fuel expenses
Customer retention and repeat business
Weather-related delays and cancellations
Most landscaping owners track overall revenue but don’t break down profit by service or property. This leaves them guessing which services are most profitable. For example, mowing might seem like the biggest money-maker because it’s busy, but when you factor in equipment wear, fuel, and labor, snow removal could have higher margins.
Tracking profit by service and property helps you:
Identify your most and least profitable services
Adjust pricing based on actual costs
Allocate resources efficiently
Spot cost overruns early
Improve customer retention by focusing on high-value properties
Image caption: Landscaping crew mowing a residential lawn, highlighting equipment and labor involved in outdoor services.
What Your Bookkeeping Should Track
To get a clear picture of profitability, your bookkeeping must capture detailed data for each service and property. Here’s what to track:
Revenue by Service Type
Record income separately for mowing, landscaping, snow removal, mulch installation, and any other services. This shows which services bring in the most money.
Labor Cost by Service
Track wages, benefits, and overtime for crews working on each service. Labor is often the largest expense and varies by service.
Equipment and Fuel Cost by Service
Assign depreciation, maintenance, and fuel costs to the services that use the equipment. For example, snow plows have different costs than lawn mowers.
Material Cost by Service
Record costs for mulch, plants, fertilizer, salt, and other materials used per service. This helps identify services with high material expenses.
Profitability by Service
Subtract all costs from revenue to see the true profit margin for each service. This reveals which services are worth expanding or scaling back.
Profitability by Property
Track revenue and costs for each property you service. Some properties may be more profitable due to size, location, or service mix.
Seasonal Revenue Tracking
Monitor how revenue and costs change by season. This helps plan for busy and slow periods and manage cash flow.
Real-World Example: Mowing vs. Snow Removal
Imagine you run a landscaping business offering mowing, landscaping, and snow removal. Mowing is your busiest service, so you assume it’s the most profitable. But after tracking costs carefully, you find:
Mowing revenue: $50,000
Mowing labor, equipment, and fuel costs: $40,000
Mowing profit: $10,000
Snow removal revenue: $30,000
Snow removal labor, equipment, and fuel costs: $15,000
Snow removal profit: $15,000
Snow removal has a higher profit margin despite lower revenue. This insight allows you to adjust pricing, focus marketing on snow removal, and invest in better snow removal equipment.
How to Set Up Your Books for Service and Property Tracking
Setting up bookkeeping to track profit by service and property requires planning and the right tools:
Use accounting software that supports job costing or project tracking
Create separate income and expense accounts for each service
Assign labor hours and costs to specific services and properties
Track equipment usage and allocate depreciation and fuel costs accordingly
Record material purchases by service type
Generate reports showing profit by service and property regularly
If this sounds complex, consider working with a bookkeeping specialist who understands landscaping and outdoor services. They can set up your books to give you clear, actionable insights.
Benefits of Detailed Bookkeeping for Landscaping Businesses
Tracking profit by service and property leads to better decisions and stronger profits:
Clear visibility into which services drive your business
Better pricing based on actual costs and margins
Improved resource allocation to focus on high-margin services
Reduced waste by identifying costly services or properties
Stronger cash flow management through seasonal tracking
Increased customer retention by focusing on profitable properties
Tracking profit by service and property is not just bookkeeping. It’s a powerful tool to grow your landscaping business with confidence. Knowing exactly where your money comes from and where it goes lets you make smarter choices every day.
Comments