To think £50 is a bit steep for an hours gardening work?

[FlamingGalar]

Ok, so there was two of them so £25 per man hour - but this still seems a bit over the top cost wise to me. I am quite prepared to be told I am being unreasonable though as I really have no idea what the going rate for a gardener is!

I have always wanted to have a lovely well maintained garden and really tried to keep on top of it myself. It's been a difficult few years and working on the garden has been low on my priority list. This year I thought, sod it, I'm going to treat myself (and the family) to a bit of help in the garden, despite having to make cut backs to afford it.

We agreed on a price of £50 per visit to maintain the garden every two weeks for the next few months. It's a fairly large garden so I thought fair enough, it's probably going to take them a while to get through everything - loads of mature shrubs, bushes etc. However, they arrived for the first time this morning at around 8 am and they were gone by the time I got back from the school run at 9. I was a bit put out if I'm honest because for £50 quid I was expecting a good couple of hours at least. I wouldn't mind so much if the whole garden had been sorted, but only the left side was tended to.

WIBU to send the guy an email saying I'm not happy about the cost or is £25 per hour not unreasonable for a gardener in the London suburbs? I'm also very aware that we did agree on a price for the job and not a by the hour tariff (silly me!). I can't work out if I'm being a total skinflint or not. They don't have any formal qualifications as far as I know BTW

I must admit, Grendels, I haven't asked about qualifications. The owner didn't know the name of some shrubs (not sure how good an indicator that is!) but that may just be that he doesn't know the name in english as it's not his first language.

I've sent him an email so I'll see what he says.

Sorry for the drip feed but they came to do an initial garden clearance two weeks ago, as it was pretty overgrown. We agreed on a price which seemed reasonable but he then took in upon himself to tidy the front garden too and asked for an extra £20 on top of the agreed price. I couldn't even tell that he had done any work on the front apart from mowing the lawn.

We pay that for 2 man hours a fortnight in North Surrey; very well qualified, very friendly gardeners who do a great job and are always chatty, and happy to suggest things that would improve the garden (or move heavy things I can't lift!) So I think it's worth it.

Flaming I LOVE your nickname

I'd be looking for people with RHS qualifcations or equivalent Diplomas from a reputable horticultural institution - RHS Level 2 Cert as a minimum, really.

It depends on what you want and where you are - you might potentially be able to find a very well qualified person just graduated from a diploma course or equivalent who is looking round for something while they build up a business or get a full time job as a gardener for a private or public garden.

I asked my £15 man where he'd worked before. He said that he'd been a groundsman at our local university. I rang them up to ask about him and he'd left 20 years ago.

For transport, he used a bicycle with a little trailer for his tools. He used our tools if he needed something he didn't have.

£12 in these parts too. Weather makes it a pretty awful job.

So he has form for taking the piss ? I would email and ask if there were any issues as he finished early

That seems very steep, I paid professional gardners (2 men) £60 to clean up 4 years of over growth in our large garden. They stayed for 2.5 hours and did a wonderful job. I will get them in again before the winter, it will be probably 1/2 hours at £15 per hour for both men altogether.

W4 was £27 per hour last summer from a company with a name on the van. £22 per hour for someone under the VAT threshold.

I don't know what the going rate is now, we don't have a gardener.

Oh and I had a Gardner quote me £200 fir tge same work these guys done . £60 well spent as my garden looks ace now. The first picture before Gardner, the last 2 after. Oh we had our patio done

Wow, £25 is very steep. I charge £15 an hour, have been working as a gardener for 10 years, am qualified to RHS Level 3 (and HNC in garden design but not designing anymore). I don't think I could charge more!! I don't take any waste away and my main clients have huge gardens so it's never a problem. They also do their own grass cutting.

I've just had a quote for £150 a day. I'm in the East Midlands and around here £20 an hour is about right, particularly if they're bringing all the equipment and have specialist plant knowledge rather than just being a bloke with a lawnmower.

My quote by the way is from the local council. It might be worth trying yours.

So they're very experienced, you like them a lot, this was the rate to clear a very overgrown garden that's taking several sessions over months, and they take waste away? And you're comparing this to people who just mow the lawn and give things a quick trim and don't take waste and thinking you're ripped off because you're paying twice as much - you're getting twice as much or more though.

You expected them to work for £12.50 an hour or less yet you're expecting a lot more than others are getting for £12.50 an hour or less.

You didn't like handing over £50 (well no-one would) but you're not being fair when you say it was 'an hour's work' and you know it, you even admit it.

It is clearly two hours' work not one since there were two of them.

I do understand though. I nearly fell off my chair when I got our £300 a day quote (two men again).

Rina, tgey had done a clear up of op garden the week before, so there should not have been much left to do

Op £50 for every 2 weeks, is really steep

Considering there won't be much to do

Thing is - they were already gone when OP got back at 9 - to my mind, that means they haven't even done 1 hour each - I suspect they thought she'd gone out for the morning and were hoping she wouldn't know they'd done such little time.

Mrs CP - that is why Molly Maid no longer clean for me - same issue - short changing on time. Also South East - Bromley?

OP - sounds a lot for South east - price here are £10 - £20 ph depending on VAT status.

Back - just seen your post. I totally agree with you.

Trouble is you've sort of agreed to pay $300 for them to sort the garden out over the summer.
They've probably been a bit skillful in arranging the discussion to end up at that point.

Just pay them the $50, cancel the contract, and start again.

I would cancel it, they sound like they are taking the piss

Thanks Aero - your garden looks fantastic BTW.

Yes it is two hours work but I still think £25 per hour is on the high side, rina.

My main gripe is that we agreed on a price for the job of maintaining the whole back garden every two weeks for £50 and they stayed for an hour and only did one half of the back garden.

I feel like they only allocated an hour to do all the work but refused to price it up on an hourly basis - probably because they know very few people would agree to £25 per hour!

Anyway I've sent him an email outlining why I'm not happy with this agreement and that I'd like him to do the whole garden for £50 as discussed. I haven't had a reply yet.

Thanks for all your replies and perspectives.

My dad is a fully degree trained landscape gardener and he charges £10 per hour

£25 per hour is far too expensive. Even £20 would be a lot.