Chartered Financial Analyst specializing in small business operations and service industry finance.
Find out how many grooming appointments your salon needs to be profitable. Enter any three variables—Monthly Fixed Costs, Avg. Price per Groom, Avg. Cost per Groom, or Breakeven Grooms—to solve for the fourth.
Pet Grooming Breakeven Calculator
Pet Grooming Breakeven Formula
The breakeven formula for a pet grooming salon finds the number of grooming sessions (Q) required for your revenue to cover all monthly fixed and variable costs.
Q = F / (P – V)
Solve for Monthly Fixed Costs (F):
F = Q * (P – V)
Solve for Avg. Price per Groom (P):
P = (F / Q) + V
Solve for Avg. Cost per Groom (V):
V = P – (F / Q)
Variables Explained
- Monthly Fixed Costs (F): Your total, recurring monthly overhead (e.g., salon rent, staff salaries, utilities, insurance, booking software).
- Avg. Price per Groom (P): The average price you charge for a grooming session.
- Avg. Cost per Groom (V): The average cost of supplies for one groom (e.g., shampoo, conditioner, bows, ear cleaner, blades).
- Breakeven Grooms (Q): The total number of grooming sessions you need to perform each month to reach $0 in profit.
Related Calculators
- Service Business Breakeven Calculator
- Salon Breakeven Calculator
- Startup Breakeven Calculator
- Freelancer Breakeven Calculator
What is a Pet Grooming Breakeven Point?
A **Pet Grooming Breakeven Point** is the exact number of grooming appointments (Q) your salon must complete each month to cover all operating costs. It is the minimum number of pets you need to service to avoid losing money. This calculation is vital for pricing your services and managing your appointment book.
**Fixed Costs (F)** are your consistent monthly expenses, whether you groom one dog or one hundred. This includes your salon rent or mortgage, full-time employee salaries, utilities, insurance, and monthly software fees for booking or payments.
**Variable Costs (V)** are the costs that increase *directly* with each pet you groom. This primarily includes consumable supplies like shampoo, conditioner, ear cleaning solution, brushes, bows, and blade wear-and-tear. It can also include payment processing fees.
The **Contribution Margin** (P – V) is the profit from a single grooming session that goes toward paying off your fixed costs. If you charge $75 (P) for a groom and use $15 in supplies (V), your contribution margin is $60. This calculator finds how many $60 “profit chunks” you need to cover your total fixed costs.
How to Calculate Pet Grooming Breakeven (Example)
Let’s calculate the breakeven point for a new pet grooming salon.
-
Identify Monthly Fixed Costs (F):
Your salon rent is $2,000, groomer salaries are $4,000, and utilities/insurance are $1,000. Your (F) is $7,000.
-
Identify Avg. Price per Groom (P):
You groom small and large dogs, and your average price per session is $80.
-
Identify Avg. Cost per Groom (V):
The shampoo, supplies, and other variable items cost an average of $10 per pet.
-
Apply the Formula: Q = F / (P – V)
First, calculate the contribution margin per groom: $80 (P) – $10 (V) = $70.
Next, divide the fixed costs by this margin:
Q = $7,000 / $70 = 100 -
Conclusion:
You must complete 100 grooming sessions each month to cover all your costs. Every appointment after the 100th generates profit.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
If you pay your groomers a fixed salary, it’s a **Fixed Cost (F)**. If you pay them a commission (e.g., 50% of the groom price), it is a **Variable Cost (V)**. If you pay salary *plus* commission, the salary is (F) and the commission is (V).
You should use a weighted average for your **Avg. Price (P)**. If 70% of your grooms are $70 (small dogs) and 30% are $100 (large dogs), your average (P) is `(0.7 * 70) + (0.3 * 100) = $49 + $30 = $79`. Do the same for your variable costs.
Yes. Since these fees (e.g., 3%) are directly tied to each sale, they are a **Variable Cost (V)**. You should add this percentage to your other variable costs. An $80 groom (P) with a 3% fee adds `$80 * 0.03 = $2.40` to your (V).
Enter your (F) (e.g., $7,000), (V) (e.g., $10), and your target number of grooms (Q) (e.g., 120 per month). Solve for (P): `P = ($7,000 / 120) + $10 = $58.33 + $10 = $68.33`. You must charge an average price of at least $68.33 to break even at 120 grooms.