Garden Maintenance Costs - How much?

Sulphur_Man

Hi, not sure if this is the right forum area, but bear with me....

Myself, wife and two children are moving out of our two-bed house as we've bought somewhere more spacious nearby. We're in the fortunate position of being able to hold onto our home and rent it out, to supplement the mortgage on the new place.

Our current house benefits from a larger than normal garden, which we've kept in good order, and I'd like to keep it that way. So I'm looking at hiring regular garden maintenance as part of the rental.

The first quote I've had is £25 an hour, for two guys, doing two hours a fortnight, which seems extorionate! (Our nanny, who's well qualified with many years experience, costs £9 an hour by comparison)

What's the typical hourly rate for garden maintenance?

BargainGalore

I assume you dont regard gardening as a trade. Many tradesman charge over £20 an hour for one person, a gardener is a trade of sort and may provide equipment van, lawn mower etc just like any other trade but they are charging much less

You might be better employing casual labour if your not happy with £25 for two people per hour

Vibrant

Hi,
I charge £12.00 for one hour, or £10.00 per hour, for more than one hour. But the rates do vary, depending on where you are in the country and how experienced the gardener is.

If you have a simple garden, with mainly grass and a few shrubs, you would be okay with someone who hasn't much of a clue what they are doing. But if you have a wide variety of plants, you would be better with an experienced gardener.

The best way to find a good gardener, is by recommendation. Although it is very late in the season, so most established gardeners will have full rounds. The only time I get a vacancy nowadays is when a customer dies.

Ken68

Hi Sulphur, It doesn't take two men to do a garden.
And as Vibrant says £10-12 an hour and a waiting list.
The main cost before I retired a few years ago was getting rid of the rubbish, so you need to make sure it is disposed of properly in a recognized site, under licence.
And if you run the rentals as a business you will be able to get it off your tax, but not allowed to charge more than you pay.

westiea

Not expensive -
- 3 years at college and or life time of experience.
- purchase and maintenance and transport of machines (Van, lawnmower, scarifiers etc)
- Insurance
- Disposal of waste

Depends what you want, you can advertise for a 16year old school leaver, pay them minimum wage and hope for the best, or pay a professional for a professional job, that is if you can find one - we are all booked up.

amcluesent

Take a walk around your local park and have a quiet word with the council gardeners. Most will work cash-in-hand evenings and weekends and will have access to council equipment etc.

annie123

I had a neighbour who paid a local company (I'm in London) £20 once a fortnight to mow, weed, tidy up etc.
Some weeks there for only 30 mins but when there were lots of leaves to rake, could take up to 2 hours. She found them via a local garden centre.
Garden always looked nice.

Letting agents often have gardening contacts too;)