Quick Answer
A Hingham leaf-removal route pencils when stops are within 0.5 miles of each other, average revenue per stop runs $180–$280, dump cost stays under 12% of route revenue, and a 3-person crew completes 8–12 stops per day. Routes with stops more than 0.75 miles apart, or with under $150 average ticket, lose money on drive time and dump fees regardless of stop count.
Why Hingham Routes Are Different
South Shore towns mix dense village neighborhoods (Hingham Center, Crow Point) with spread-out rural lots near Wompatuck and the harbor. The route math depends on which neighborhoods you're stitching together. Get the density right and a 3-person crew clears $1,800–$2,800/day gross. Get it wrong and the same crew clears $1,000.
For the homeowner-side discussion of leaf strategy, see 5 Ways to Shred Leaves in an Arlington Yard. For the contractor crew schedule sister article, see Last-Window Crew Schedule for Norfolk County Hardscape Builds.
The Five-Line Bid Worksheet
For each leaf route, calculate:
- Stops per day: Realistic target = 8–12 with a 3-person crew, October peak.
- Average ticket: Hingham average $180–$280 per stop (depends on lot size and tree mix).
- Drive time: Total round-trip miles × 4 minutes/mile (loaded). Aim for under 25% of work time.
- Dump cost: $20–$40/cubic yard dumped at municipal or private yard waste site.
- Crew labor: $35–$55/hour fully loaded × 3 crew × work hours.
If lines 4 + 5 exceed 75% of (line 1 × line 2), the route doesn't pencil.
Density Math: 0.5 Miles Apart Wins
A 10-stop route with stops 0.3 miles apart averages 5–7 minutes drive between. A 10-stop route with stops 1.0 mile apart averages 15–18 minutes drive. Over a 10-stop day, that's 90+ minutes of pure drive time — almost 2 stops' worth of revenue lost to windshield time.
The fix: cluster stops. Sell a Hingham Center route as a single neighborhood package. Sell a Crow Point route as a separate package. Don't bid jobs that bridge the two unless you're charging for the drive.
Dump Cost Discipline
South Shore yard-waste dump fees average $25/cubic yard at private operators. Municipal sites are cheaper or free for residents but slower (lines, time-of-day restrictions). A typical Hingham leaf job generates 2–4 cubic yards of debris. Dump cost per stop: $50–$100.
That's why mulch-mow billing matters. Offer customers a discount (10–15%) to mulch-mow leaves into their lawn instead of bagging and hauling. The crew saves an hour, the dump cost goes to zero, and the customer gets cheaper service. Win-win-win — when the customer's lot is suited for it (most are).
The case for mulch-mow with customers: see Should I Bag or Mulch Leaves in a Melrose Yard?. The UMass Extension Landscape program backs the practice.
Crew Sizing: 3 People Is the Sweet Spot
- 2 people: Too slow. 5–7 stops per day. Drive time and labor cost ratios both go bad.
- 3 people: Optimal. 8–12 stops per day. One on blower, one on mower, one on tarp/bag.
- 4 people: Adds capacity but the fourth person often runs out of work mid-stop. Only worth it for routes with consistently large lots (1+ acre).
For larger Hingham lots near Wompatuck, 4 makes sense. For Hingham Center triple-deckers and small lots, 3 is the answer.
The Add-On That Pays the Dump Bill
Sell pre-winter mulch top-up as a leaf-cleanup add-on. Customer is already getting service; offer 1/2 yard of mulch at the same visit for $80–$120 installed. Materials cost is $25–$40 (the mulch collection covers per-yard rates), labor is 20 minutes for the crew already on site.
That add-on, attached to 50% of leaf jobs, generates an extra $200–$300/day in pure margin — roughly the dump cost line erased.
For the broader pre-winter contractor sell, see Selling Pre-Winter Mulch Add-Ons in Suffolk County.
What This Means for Your Crew
Build dense routes (0.5 mi between stops), bid average tickets at $180–$280, run a 3-person crew, sell mulch-mow when customers will accept it, and attach the mulch top-up add-on at 50%. Bulk mulch and materials for the add-on come from Hingham landscape supply and the full Ottr catalog.
