How much do gardeners charge?

[spod]

I am just starting my own gardening business and am finding it difficult deciding how much to charge.... am trying to offer fixed rate rather than hourly charges... for general mainenance and mowing etc... what do you think?

[hindesbass12]

Hi Spod,

Are you still following this link?
I'm in a similar position to you, looking to start up my own business in the new season.
Any advice based on your experience over the years. I've read your charging questions. How does your pricing structure work now?

[keluma]

Chap has done a few hours for me. Charged £7 an hour. Now put it up to £10. Doesn't have his own tools and doesn't remove rubbish from the job as he cycles everywhere. Am I being ripped off?

[CER1945]

Hi

I am looking for someone to help clear my garden - mostly pruning and moving dead wood to clear end of garden of branches. I cannt do this myself.

I am in the Camberley area.

[Mugwumps36]

Hi we are a gardening couple and have been gardening for about 3 or 4 years. We are in a nice part of the Cotswolds Oxfordshire and charge £18 an hour each. We have more than enough demand at this level. I would not want to charge any less. If you start to think what has to come out of that rate ie. Travel costs, tool purchase and maintenance, winter downtime, wet weather, sickness, holiday, tax, accountancy time and charges, gloves and protective gear, sun protection, training and membership of the rhs, gardeners guild etc etc. plus all the hassle of emails, phone calls, texts outside working hours, moving your place of work every couple of hours and planning your time... I could go on! It's not easy hence why there aren't too many gardeners around. So you don't get rich and you have to love it which fortunately we do most of the time. I work far harder than I did in an office job and earn far less and the winter is terrible. I would recommend more as a sideline than a full time occupation however you do experience more life and become stronger than staring at four walls in an office longing for 5pm! As time goes by you definitely get more selective over what you do and want to focus on larger varied gardens which make better use of your time as there is such a lot of wasted time going from job to job, having a chat with the owners and putting your tools away. Would not go back though I would say go for it if considering giving gardening a go just be honest with your level of skill and experience. It does build confidence if you do an rhs course or work with someone experienced. A stint in a garden centre is also worthwhile to learn your plants.

[Kr1stina]

The thread was started 11 years ago, which might explain why prices have changed

[BlackGnome77]

am a gardener in stepney green east london & have just started a gardening round.the services i provide are hedgecutting weeding pruning ,general garden tidy ups.looking for work in around stepney green local areas.i only use hand tools no pesticides or chemicals.If a customer needs any grass cutting i ask them if they have thier own mower.My rates are £8.50 which i think is reasonable

[Damo1989]

How I am thinking of starting my own thing and was wondering roughly how much people would charge for mowing strimming hedge cutting and weeding

[BlackGnome77]

still need a gardener

[BlackGnome77]

Anyone need a gardener

[Explorerme]

Hi , Please advise your rates

[funkadella1975]

I'm a female gardener in Cambridge and I charge between £12 to £15 an hour depending on the job. It's a very physical job with back pain, and risk of injuries, so you do need to charge a bit extra for this and then petrol money, insurance, tax, equipment ect....

[justwhatineeded]

I work in Dulwich south London and my rates vary depending on the job. I am shocked at people charging £12 an hour as it is way too low. For an hourly rate job I would start at £20 an hour. If it is a bigger charge then I will price a day rate and give a discount.

As funkadella says it is a very physical job and there are a lot of costs that customers don't realise.

[TWGS]

what would you say i would charge for a small start up? I have a customer phoning me, she sounds very posh. I was thinking of £10 per hour but she wants things dumped too.

[Florin84]

I am in the same situation now. Am going to an RHS course to get my diploma, am in the Buckinghamshire area and have been working independently for other gardeners. I don't know how much they got paid, I only got 8£/hour and I always had a good relationship with the owners. I've seen the 'professional' gardeners do jobs in a hurry and bad, just so they can get paid. I know I'm serious about this work but don't want to scare people away with high prices. Can any of the more experienced gardeners on this thread share some advice? When do you ask for payment? Should I go for a credit card machine - not into it since it takes a % out of my earnings, but people don't hold cash these days. Do you wait to be paid? How do you prove you've worked there - I was thinking about having them sign an estimate before proceeding. Would that be a good idea or scare people away?

[A1rosie]

Hi, I live in the North West & run a successful gardening business, I charge £20 per hour for maintainance and for garden tidies £70 per half day or £140 per full day. I also charge a minimum amount of £30. As for payment, it's either cash, bank transfer or I invoice my regular 3 day a week job! Hope this helps!