Things to look out for when hiring a gardener

dibuzz

Some of my elderly neighbours use the same gardener. He charges £10 an hour and is so busy he can only offer each customer 1 hour a week.

Sambucus_Nigra

Ken68 wrote: »

A working gardener would be self employed. He would know what to do. The same on every garden. Mow, edge, hoe, weedkill, bug kill, plant , dig up, prune at the right time and so on. The variables are access, distance from base, and the customer etc.
Little point in travelling half an hour to a garden then half an hour back, lost time.
When I did gardening I had a waiting list.

He....or she

Ken68

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

He....or she

Yes Sam...and them in between as well.

cyclonebri1

sobie wrote: »

May I ask why you say that? what is your experience? Do you live in the same area as me?

No, but I'm here as a money saving expert devotee, bearing that in mind, maybe now you see why I find £20 per hr for a gardener hilarious?

As I said earlier, the head gardener at Chatsworth won't get that.

£41,600 per annum for a jobbing gardener?, I sorry but :rotfl:

sdavis7501

Thanks for all the posts guys even though there does seem to be some conflicting views regarding pricing.

But I suppose when you think of the overheads (fuel, dumping costs etc) I think ill be lucky to get someone under £12 per hour. I suppose the best way to find out is to get a few quotes.

Would be great to hear from more people who have had actual experience of hiring a gardener and to find out what has been good/bad about the actual service provided.

Vibrant

I charge £12 per hour (although I was thinking of upping that to £12.50 this year) and most of the gardeners I know charge £12 to £14 per hour. But it does depend on your area, posh areas are dearer.

If there is a lot of waste, I charge extra, but for the normal one bag, I absorb the cost.

An hour a week is no problem, in fact I like the steady little jobs, although a lot of people prefer a couple of hours every fortnight.

Try to get someone who has been gardening for a few years, so they don't damage anything. Qualifications aren't that important, it's not rocket science.

Be very clear about what you expect to be done and complain if it isn't. Some gardeners are good and take pride in the gardens they keep, others are useless and will do the minimum possible, just as in everything else.

cyclonebri1

sdavis7501 wrote: »

Thanks for all the posts guys even though there does seem to be some conflicting views regarding pricing.

But I suppose when you think of the overheads (fuel, dumping costs etc) I think ill be lucky to get someone under £12 per hour. I suppose the best way to find out is to get a few quotes.

Would be great to hear from more people who have had actual experience of hiring a gardener and to find out what has been good/bad about the actual service provided.

I stood back from posting this as the last time I did I was castigated for supporting the black economy. So;

Cast your net locally, ads in local shop widows for an OAP to do a few hrs gardening a week.

I'll be amazed if you don't get several old timers that aren't bothered about an hourly rate, and will simply do it for whatever seems fair.

It will benefit your pocket and some old guy gets to have a reason to get out of bed.:A:A:A

Leif

Where I live it is hard to get a gardener. A neighbour asked me if I was a gardener, as she has been looking for a while. My mum also had trouble finding someone worth using. She had people who put bindweed on a compost heap, and cut down gooseberries close to ground level. Some even stole her good plants and left weeds. I regret that I did not call the police. They advertised in a local paper as well.

I do think cyclonebri1 comes across as mean, people have to earn a living, and there are overheads such as tools and transport. I'm surprised he does not consider a cup of tea and a biscuit as just payment.

cyclonebri1

Leif wrote: »

Where I live it is hard to get a gardener. A neighbour asked me if I was a gardener, as she has been looking for a while. My mum also had trouble finding someone worth using. She had people who put bindweed on a compost heap, and cut down gooseberries close to ground level. Some even stole her good plants and left weeds. I regret that I did not call the police. They advertised in a local paper as well.

I do think cyclonebri1 comes across as mean, people have to earn a living, and there are overheads such as tools and transport. I'm surprised he does not consider a cup of tea and a biscuit as just payment.

Screw mean and live else where. You don't have to be fleeced to get your garden done.

Your bit I have emblazoned in bold is exactly what a few good men I know would find totally acceptable, I'd love to hear from a few realists north of london, £20 an hour for a gardener, !!!!!!, get real.

Ok anyone paid £20 for a gardener??

£20 is a days wage for an OAP, not an hrs labour

Leif

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Screw mean and live else where. You don't have to be fleeced to get your garden done.

Your bit I have emblazoned in bold is exactly what a few good men I know would find totally acceptable, I'd love to hear from a few realists north of london, £20 an hour for a gardener, !!!!!!, get real.

Ok anyone paid £20 for a gardener??

I wasn't commenting on the £20 part, but on the other aspects of your posts. Do you actually employ a good gardener for your rates, or know someone who does? And I stress the 'good' part. A bad one is worse then none, unless they do no more than cut grass, spread compost, rake up leaves, that sort of thing.