How much would a Gardener cost?

ex_fox_now_a_dragon

I've got a couple of clients where I do weeding, pruning and general tidying up and I charge seven pounds an hour, reading the posts on here I think I'm seriously under charging!

moaninggit

ex_fox_now_a_dragon wrote: »

I've got a couple of clients where I do weeding, pruning and general tidying up and I charge seven pounds an hour, reading the posts on here I think I'm seriously under charging!

yes you are
http://www.landscapejuice.com/2008/04/what-does-a-gar.html

maypole

If the fees appear too high, don't forget it's not just the "hour" in the garden, the person has to travel by whatever means to get there, which might add to the cost.

Orange_King

Vibrant wrote: »

I garden for a living and charge £12 for one hour, or £10 per hour, for two, or more hours. Some customers specify the jobs they want completing, but most just let me use my own initiative and I do anything that needs doing.
I would agree with other posters, that once tidy, once a fortnight should be sufficient, unless you are very particular about the lawn.

It's not a bad way to make a living, however I am rather soft like Mayflower10cat and "waste" a lot of my own time on growing plants, because I like the gardens I look after to be nice.
Local magazines are good for finding a gardener and the Post Office often has advert cards.

Have you ever had any difficulty being paid by the customer once you have finished the work?

Vibrant

Orange_King wrote: »

Have you ever had any difficulty being paid by the customer once you have finished the work?

Generally speaking most people pay promptly, or at the arranged date, if they are away a lot.
A few people like to barter (mentioning no nationalities) and rich people tend to be reluctant to pay. I avoid working for both types.

lolly5648

In London it seems to be £20-25 per hour. I think this is exorbitant but haven't got the strength to dig out borders etc myself. The pampered teenagers in my area don't seem interested in earning extra money either

[Deleted User]

I pay £15 an hour which is good for London.

soon2bjobless

I have just paid off my "gardener" - he charged £15 an hour and allegedly did 6 1/2 hours - wasnt happy as he knew nothing about gardening at all so just used him to trim bushes, cut a hedge, mow the lawn. To be quite honest it was just laziness on our part but oh was shocked at how long it took him. Also, from the day I asked him to come to when it was "finished" was 3 weeks! And now the lawn needs cutting again but oh has decided to do it himself! as neither of us were around as we were at work I asked a neighbour to keep an eye out - at least the first 20-30 mins of each sessions involved him having a blether with various neighbours! If I ever get one again I will be taking up references!

danofessex

As maypole says it's the time to (cost of petrol too!) get to places to which is unproductive time where the person isn't earning.
then your got the usual costs(basic tools, advertising, tax etc) then a bit on top for their skills.
if someones too cheap they probably wont be able to carry on for long and your be looking for a new gardener.

higher prices could be because the company has to pay employees or perhaps the individual has more skills.

louise100_2

Don't forget gardening companies have to pay to get rid of waste at the dump too. Even though it's green stuff it's still classed as commercial waste!
I know someone with a gardening company and they charge £12 an hour in Northants and London based ones are £18 an hour.