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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think £40 ph is alot for a gardener?

84 replies

allinadaystwerk · 15/04/2022 08:23

Just that really. Had a quote to give garden a good tidy, clear leaves, neaten low hanging tree branches shape the edges of the lawn, weeding.. just getting it to look half decent after winter.
Quote is £240 for each day worked 10am till 3.30/4pm.
Grass area is app 6x6m and similar patio area so not a big garden.
Am I just deluded and need to pay the bloke or is he having a laugh...

OP posts:
DressingPafe · 15/04/2022 09:45

I have to apply the rule that if it's going to cost more than I earn per hour then I'll have to do it myself

This is the rule I live by. Although it does mean I then do all gardening/DIY/decorating etc as they all charge more than I earn p/h. The only time I get someone in is if it’s something that just isn’t possible to do myself.

No way would I be paying that price for some garden maintenance. The way I do mine is cup of coffee (or sometimes an evening wine), kindle, and I potter. Bit of tidying up, little sit down and so on. It always gets done far quicker than I expect too.

Scianel · 15/04/2022 09:47

I'm actually shocked at how little people are expecting to pay a self-employed person, I'm not sure how they expect them to live?

GrunkleStan · 15/04/2022 09:58

I'm in the NW, rhs trained, fully insured etc and I charge £16 per hour. I dont do "one off" jobs particularly, but I do think you can charge more for these.

It does sound like a lot of money to me, but maybe it's because I'm in the North. I don't think I could get away with charging much more.

Poppitt58 · 15/04/2022 09:59

He gets people phoning him for garden maintenance which he just isn't interested in as it doesn't pay enough so he tells them his daily rate to put them off.

This is what my husband would do too.

Check what the bulk of this ‘gardeners’ work is.
If you’ve requested a quote from a fully qualified landscaper, then you’re being given their day rate. They’re not going to cut their price to do your job when they could be elsewhere.

You may need to find a maintenance gardener or odd job man if that’s all you’re wanting.

I have to apply the rule that if it's going to cost more than I earn per hour then I'll have to do it myself

That’s all fine if you can do the work. Raking leaves is one thing, but I don’t have the ability to design and landscape a large garden. I’m also crap at tiling.

Handyweatherstation · 15/04/2022 10:01

@Scianel

I'm actually shocked at how little people are expecting to pay a self-employed person, I'm not sure how they expect them to live?
I agree. I'm a gardener and I'm a qualified professional with a huge amount of knowledge and experience. It isn't just about grass cutting and pruning, a good gardener knows the plant's biology and its needs; they also have knowledge of mycology, chemistry, soil biology, entomology, geology and so on. If you aren't willing to pay me what you'd pay to get your hair cut then by all means look elsewhere.
MatildaTheCat · 15/04/2022 10:03

Regular gardeners will charge much less that big one offs. At this time of year there are any number of people who have completely neglected their garden for months and ‘just want it tidied up’. AKA a total PITA.

So yes, you will pay more. I’d want a decent job done and all waste removed though.

Poppitt58 · 15/04/2022 10:07

I'm in the NW, rhs trained, fully insured etc and I charge £16 per hour.

Even for maintenance in the North, you’re cheap. Our odd job man is £25 an hour.

Original poster
allinadaystwerk · 15/04/2022 10:20

Wow! Thanks for the input! I'm not in a pricy area at all. I'm really sick of being quoted so high for jobs in and around the house. My friend thinks its because I'm a female which, if true, really p's me off.

I'm going to get another quote but I was thinking it's a days work up to 6hrs at £25 -30 mark

OP posts:
HoboSexualOnslow · 15/04/2022 10:40

That seems a lot. My very experienced joiner DH doesn't earn that much!

Planesmistakenforstars · 15/04/2022 10:45

I have a gardening business. That is about what I charge (but I never give hourly rates, just a quote for the whole job.) I'm in the South East. I mostly do commercial work though and would definitely charge the high end for a one-off private job, because they are so much more bother. If he is very busy, then he can probably charge a high price. I am turning work away every day at the moment, even with those prices.

Original poster
allinadaystwerk · 15/04/2022 10:47

@Planesmistakenforstars thanks for adding that perspective. May a little negotiation then..

OP posts:
SpiderinaWingMirror · 15/04/2022 10:52

If its a one off, just get a quote for the actual work you want done.
I think 25 per hour is probably right for a regular customer.

3peassuit · 15/04/2022 10:52

£20 the going rate round here. I think he has a 3 hours minimum. ( South east)

BungleandGeorge · 15/04/2022 10:58

Gardeners are expensive, they’re in demand in many areas. Hourly rate isn’t a good comparison though because some are much slower than others and some charge a fortune for disposal of rubbish. Can you get a fixed quote?

Questiontellme · 15/04/2022 10:59

That does seem steep, ours who we use for that kind of job is 12 ph where we are now, previously where we used to live we had one who was £24 ph, although she was doing the same kind of thing she was more qualified than who we use currently. She was a plants woman though this chap is more of a handyman.

I'd have a look at their qualifications/experience. You don't really need a plantsman for that kind of job.

This was in the north though.

Planesmistakenforstars · 15/04/2022 11:01

@allinadaystwerk It's that time of year. Everyone wants their garden looking nice as the sun starts to come out, and we get flooded with these kind of jobs for the next 2 months. Honestly though, I wouldn't pay someone like me with my rates to do this kind of job, I would find someone cheaper.

worriedatthistime · 15/04/2022 11:27

They charged you a price though not a per hour
You decided to break it down in to hrs
Did you not get a quote first

worriedatthistime · 15/04/2022 11:28

I mean he would also be disposing of the stuff I would guess , that isn't free and the day is taken up at yours he can't work elsewhere
He may be using some weed killer and stuff too

Mischance · 15/04/2022 11:28

Just say thank you for your quote - it is very high so I will get some others.

worriedatthistime · 15/04/2022 11:33

Many tradesmen do not do hourly rates , when my dh was self employed we quoted for the job, per hr is no good to anyone and people often do this , £200 oh thats £30 an hr , forgetting its not that simple
A £200 job is £200 straight in your pocket
People also don't like paying more than they earn even if its for a skill they don't have
Especially those who earn well we found
But its a quote you accept it or not
And you mention trimming trees etc

worriedatthistime · 15/04/2022 11:35

Looks like you had the work done, reading your thread again
So did you get a quote first?
If so and you accepted it and all the work is done , then you pay , what hrs he worked are irrelevant

DebtheSander · 15/04/2022 11:40

I live in an expensive town in the SE. We have a gardener who comes in a couple of times a year to deal with big hedges. Daily rate £130 then an extra £50 to remove and dispose of all clippings. Reasonable for this area but not the cheapest.

amnm · 15/04/2022 11:41

Who have you hired to do this? If it's a professional gardening or landscaping firm, they will probably charge quite high rates even if the job you want done is quite simple as that's their daily rate. Assuming it genuinely is quite basic tasks that you want done, perhaps see if you can get someone less 'professional' to do it (e.g. via TaskRabbit or a sign in the local supermarket etc.).

breakdown19 · 15/04/2022 11:58

I pay £40 for two, so it needs less time

ZenNudist · 15/04/2022 12:01

That's too much but everyone takes the piss nowadays.

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