Grounds ToolkitEquipment and Ownership
What Does Equipment Ownership Add to Per-Acre Cost?
Enter mower type, deck width, terrain, and purchase details. This combines ownership cost with production rate into a cost-per-acre figure.
How this is calculated
Cost per hour comes from Equipment Hourly Cost (depreciation plus fuel and maintenance). Acres per hour comes from Mowing Acres per Hour. Cost per acre is cost per hour divided by acres per hour.
Worked example
A 42-inch riding mower ($4,000, $800 resale) costs about $7.28 per hour to own and run, and covers about 1.22 acres per hour on open lawn, for roughly $5.96 in equipment cost per acre.
Frequently asked questions
Does this include labor cost?
No, this is equipment ownership cost only, depreciation, fuel, and maintenance. Combine it with Job Labor Cost for the full per-acre cost including labor.
Why does a wider deck usually lower cost per acre?
A wider deck typically covers more ground per hour without a proportionally higher ownership cost, spreading the same hourly cost over more acres.
How is this different from Mower Productivity Comparison?
That calculator compares two mowers side by side. This one gives the number for a single mower, useful for building a per-acre cost estimate without needing a comparison.
Does terrain affect equipment cost per acre?
Yes, indirectly. Obstructed terrain lowers the production rate (acres per hour), which raises cost per acre even though the mower's hourly ownership cost does not change.