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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Garden maintenance cost blew my mind.

141 replies

Boleynforsoup · 14/05/2026 17:35

I had a gardener round to quote for trimming some hedges back from my back gate that overhang from the property behind, weeding the patio and jet washing it. Taking all garden waste with them He’s said half a days work for a couple of them max. He’s just emailed me the quote: £750!!! My flabber is truly gasted…. Is this really the going rate?! 5 years ago without the jet washing I paid someone £45!!!

OP posts:

PilatesAndLattes · 14/05/2026 19:01

Giraffeandthedog · 14/05/2026 18:58

He’s just priced it as a job he doesn’t want. It’s coming into peak season, so he can pick and choose his work.

If it’s not urgent, wait until October and get 3 quotes. They’ll probably be around the £200 mark.

This

Giraffeandthedog · 14/05/2026 18:58

He’s just priced it as a job he doesn’t want. It’s coming into peak season, so he can pick and choose his work.

If it’s not urgent, wait until October and get 3 quotes. They’ll probably be around the £200 mark.

PilatesAndLattes · 14/05/2026 18:58

Gardener DH said that would be about £300

WhitegreeNcandle · 14/05/2026 18:57

Wow, these prices!! Might send my farming son out hedging at weekends based on these rates!!

Pinkmoonshine · 14/05/2026 18:56

That is a stupid price. A qualified gardener is £25-30 an hour. That’s someone who has done courses on plants

WhereHasMyPlanetGone · 14/05/2026 18:55

Devondevs · 14/05/2026 17:37

Sounds about right. I got quoted £1300 just to trim a tree and remove the cuttings.

I’ve just paid £1600 to have 8 huge conifers entirely removed, including stumps dug out, and the waste all chipped and taken away. Yours seems steep!

BoarBrush · 14/05/2026 18:54

We've just moved into what appeared to be a junkyard of shite/forest of weeds. I've just paid 1700 for a complete strip out of both front and back, heavy weed treatment, new turf for both, 8 ton of topsoil to fill beds and for the turf, 1 ton of bark, removal of part of a concrete path, cut back of three trees, and collecting and relaying slabs. And the bloke took it upon himself to fix a bit of the fence as it was annoying him 😂

I would've felt better if I did it myself but it would've taken ages due to disability so it's money well spent.

SecretSweetStash · 14/05/2026 18:52

@Justmadesourkraut you can cut the link just before the /ref part, so this link below works.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cordless-Electric-Batteries-Telescopic-Extendable/dp/B07BS5HCTW

I would definitely shop around. We have a local magazine with lots of businesses advertising. I would post on your local facebook group or ask for a recommendation.

The quote is ridiculous. Definitely check that you have no nesting birds in that hedge. You can cut a hedge, it is the intentional destruction of a nest that falls foul of the legislation. If you can leave it until the end of summer I would. Patio cleaning wise, Wet and Forget is good, I used MMC Pro Hard Surface Cleaner (Amazon) because we had a hosepipe ban and the effect was visible and I think quicker than Wet and Forget.

If not a patio attachment for a Karcher or similar is a lot of fun and very satisfying.

Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cordless-Electric-Batteries-Telescopic-Extendable/dp/B07BS5HCTW?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-am-i-being-unreasonable-5529795-garden-maintenance-cost-blew-my-mind

MrFluffyDogIsMyBestFriend · 14/05/2026 18:43

Just find an odd job man. I think he charges about £200-250 for a day's work. So it should be about that and a bit extra to take the stuff away.

onetrickrockingpony · 14/05/2026 18:42

I’m in London with a full mature garden which hadn’t been looked after in a few years (probate house). My gardener charges £30 an hour. He leaves the brown waste with me though.

Kelta · 14/05/2026 18:36

People are quoting crazy prices for things atm. I was quoted £470 to clean my windows and jet wash my patio.

dazeydazey · 14/05/2026 18:35

do not pay that

FoulBlister · 14/05/2026 18:35

It's bird nesting season. Make sure whoever does it is very careful not to disturb nesting birds.

AuContrairePubicHair · 14/05/2026 18:34

Boleynforsoup · 14/05/2026 18:28

Hahaha I don’t suppose you happen to live in the south east?! It appears I’m still in the market for a reasonably priced gardener

Show quote history

Sorry, no, pretty much the opposite end of the country! But for reference DP's full day rate is £220 and he reckons he would do that work in half a day on his own.

Coloursingreydays · 14/05/2026 18:31

I paid that last year. I guess it depends where you live. Kent & Wales won't be the same cost.

DilettanteRedRagger · 14/05/2026 18:31

@Boleynforsoup Use a throwaway screen name and ask for gardener recommendations in your area, then compare the quotes?

Alex4646 · 14/05/2026 18:31

Half a day for two workers is one day of work. This means their daily rate is £750. I would challenge them as you should not be paying more than £250, plus tip trip with waste, even round here in very expensive Hertford.

Original poster

Boleynforsoup · 14/05/2026 18:30

I can’t trim back the hedge myself as it’s just too dense and high. I am so afraid of heights a ladder out of the question.

OP posts:

DilettanteRedRagger · 14/05/2026 18:29

This is the problem. It’s the enshittification of everything. When technical skills used to be more valued, you’d know someone who could help you with this and offer you mates’ rates, which is just a way of saying “I’m willing to remove some of the cost, to my own personal detriment, because you already respect my skills and are my friend.” Unfortunately, people may be three degrees removed from their gardener, so he’s definitely not going to do you a favour. 😂

You need to get a gardener recommendation from someone (if this WAS a recommendation, then the cost is the oil crisis and we’ll start to see it everywhere - it would hit small businesses who are less insulated first and will hit major retail and then supermarket level soon). If you have any professional skill, consider doing some of the bill as trade. It’s the only way society is going to start functioning again, is if we get logical about helping each other with costs none of us can afford to pay.

Original poster

Boleynforsoup · 14/05/2026 18:28

AuContrairePubicHair · 14/05/2026 17:57

DP is a gardener. I've just read him your post and he says "where the fuck is this gardener driving from, Mars?"

Hahaha I don’t suppose you happen to live in the south east?! It appears I’m still in the market for a reasonably priced gardener

OP posts:

Sooveritall · 14/05/2026 18:24

I'm waiting for a garden chap tonight to quote for a tidy up and plant.

OnionFishDiamond · 14/05/2026 18:23

£750 seems excessive we paid £350 to have three trees trimmed down to just stump, we’re south west and not cheap area

Laushe · 14/05/2026 18:21

Do you have a "library of things" near you? Just like borrowing books but for household equipment. Usually a small fee but you could do it yourself that way

DonTBeacunt · 14/05/2026 18:18

Do you think he maybe is pricing himself out of the market as he doesn’t want to do it?

Barrenfieldoffucks · 14/05/2026 18:17

It's free to dispose of garden waste in most councils, even as a business.

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