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How much to charge for leaf removal and fall cleanup
Charge by the worker-hour, add disposal and set a minimum. MJR in Grand Rapids, Michigan, posts $110 per worker-hour plus $150 disposal with a $375 minimum; David’s Landscape Design in Farmington, Connecticut, starts fall cleanups at $250. If the customer rakes to the curb, MJR’s vacuum pickup starts at $134 for 15 minutes.
Calculate a price
Starting point: $110.00 per hour. Cleanup labor; Grand Rapids, MI: $110.00 per worker-hour. Published rate, rounded to cents. Yard-cleanup labor per worker; disposal charged separately. MJR Landscape: Grand Rapids leaf services, checked 2026-10-15.
Extras, travel and minimum
Choose a rate for the leaf depth and condition. Wet, packed leaves need a different allowance from a light dry cover. State whether this covers one visit or a later return after more leaves fall.
Enter labor-hours.
Leaf removal price list: published rates
| Job or unit | Published price | What the price covers | Source and date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall cleanup minimum; Farmington, CT | from $250 per job | Leaves, beds, hard surfaces, perennial cutback and final mowing; gutters excluded. | David’s Landscaping: fall cleanups in Farmington, Connecticut · Checked |
| Large or heavily wooded property; Farmington, CT | from $750+ per job | Large or wooded property with the same fall-cleanup scope; prices can exceed $750. | David’s Landscaping: fall cleanups in Farmington, Connecticut · Checked |
| Cleanup labor; Grand Rapids, MI | $110 per worker-hour | Yard-cleanup labor per worker; disposal charged separately. | MJR Landscape: Grand Rapids leaf services · Checked |
| Cleanup disposal; Grand Rapids, MI | $150 per job | Leaf disposal added to cleanup labor; $375 minimum total. | MJR Landscape: Grand Rapids leaf services · Checked |
| Curbside vacuum pickup; Grand Rapids, MI | $134 per first 15 minutes | Leaves already staged by the curb; leaves only, with no other debris. | MJR Landscape: Grand Rapids leaf services · Checked |
| Additional curbside vacuuming; Grand Rapids, MI | $25 per additional 5-minute block | Applies after the first 15 minutes; separate from whole-yard cleanup labor. | MJR Landscape: Grand Rapids leaf services · Checked |
Should you charge by the hour, the yard or the pile?
Use worker-hours when leaf depth and hidden beds make time uncertain. Use a fixed job price when you can inspect the whole area and define the finished result. Curbside pickup is a separate service: the customer has already done the gathering, and your crew is pricing loading or vacuuming plus disposal.
Count every worker. Two people working at the property use two paid hours in each elapsed hour, before travel and unloading. A per-worker rate and a whole-crew rate must have different labels on your price sheet. Keep the agreed bagging, curb staging or haul-away method beside the rate.
What makes a leaf cleanup take longer?
Walk the lawn, planting beds, fence lines and hard surfaces. Wet compacted leaves, deep pockets under shrubs, tight gates and a long carry to the truck add handling time. An open lawn with dry leaves can be a different job from a smaller property with dense beds and nowhere to stage the pile.
Ask whether leaves are still falling and whether the customer wants one final cleanup or repeated visits. Name the areas included and the condition you will leave. David’s broader fall-cleanup service includes perennial cutback and a final mow; those tasks need time even when the leaf volume is modest.
How do you charge for disposal or curbside pickup?
Price the actual destination and unloading method. Include bags, loading, the disposal trip and any receiving fee in your cost. MJR separates a $150 disposal charge from worker-hour cleanup, while its curbside service uses an initial vacuuming allowance and extra time blocks. Keep those two service structures separate.
For curbside collection, agree where the leaves will be staged and what material belongs in the pile. MJR’s pickup is for leaves only. Branches, trash, stones or a pile beyond the hose reach can change the work and the receiving facility. Confirm the revised scope before loading a mixed pile.
What minimum makes a short leaf job worthwhile?
Your minimum must cover the trip, setup, loading and disposal even when the yard is small. MJR’s posted cleanup minimum is $375, while David’s starts its broader fall cleanup at $250. Use your own route and equipment costs to decide which small jobs fit the day; a nearby stop can have a different travel cost from a stand-alone trip.
Start with paid crew time, including your own pay, then add equipment, disposal and business overhead. BLS reports May 2024 mean employee pay of $19.66 per hour for landscaping and groundskeeping workers. That wage comparison is one cost input. Divide the complete job cost by one minus your target margin to set a selling price.
Three worked prices
MJR’s worker-hour, disposal and curbside time-block prices are applied below. The cleanup minimum replaces a lower cleanup subtotal.
A short cleanup reaches the minimum. Two worker-hours plus disposal at MJR’s posted rates, subject to its $375 cleanup minimum.
Leaf cleanup labor: 2 worker-hours × $110 = $220.
Leaf disposal: 1 job × $150 = $150.
Apply the $375 minimum instead of $370. Example total: $375. Rate source: MJR Landscape: Grand Rapids leaf services, checked 2026-10-15.
A larger yard with six worker-hours. A crew uses six total worker-hours, with one disposal charge.
Leaf cleanup labor: 6 worker-hours × $110 = $660.
Leaf disposal: 1 job × $150 = $150.
Example total: $810. Rate source: MJR Landscape: Grand Rapids leaf services, checked 2026-10-15.
Twenty-five minutes of curbside vacuuming. MJR’s first 15 minutes plus two additional five-minute blocks. Leaves are already staged at the curb.
First 15 minutes of curbside pickup: 1 visit allowance × $134 = $134.
Additional five-minute blocks: 2 blocks × $25 = $50.
Example total: $184. Rate source: MJR Landscape: Grand Rapids leaf services, checked 2026-10-15.
Frequently asked questions
Should wet leaves cost more to remove?
Allow for the extra handling time, loading weight and disposal arrangement. Put the site condition in the scope rather than applying an unexplained seasonal surcharge. Check the pile again if rain changes it between the estimate and service.
Can I quote leaf removal from lawn square footage?
Use area to describe the property, then inspect leaf depth, tree cover, beds and access. Equal lawn areas can hold very different piles. Record expected worker-hours and hauling before converting that work to a fixed price.
Do I include the final mow in leaf cleanup?
Include it only when it is part of the quoted service. David’s published fall-cleanup scope does; a curbside vacuum pickup does not. Name mowing, bed work and perennial cutback so the customer can compare the complete job.
How do I charge when the customer bags the leaves?
Quote the bag pickup, loading and destination. Check bag type, count and access, and confirm the receiving facility accepts the material as packed. The customer’s gathering work can reduce labor without removing the trip or disposal cost.
Should I offer several visits while leaves are falling?
Define the areas and finish for each visit, with a separate final cleanup if needed. A recurring pass can prevent deep buildup, but it still uses travel and setup time. Price the schedule from that actual work.
Does a leaf-removal quote include gutters?
Name gutter cleaning separately. David’s fall-cleanup scope excludes it, and gutter access uses different equipment and time from lawn cleanup. A combined booking can share travel while keeping the two scopes clear.
Sources
- David’s Landscaping: fall cleanups in Farmington, Connecticut · Checked
- MJR Landscape: Grand Rapids leaf services · Checked
- BLS OEWS: May 2024 employee wages · Published · Checked