We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Gardening work

Options
I am thinking of setting up a gardening business but what do I charge for an hourly rate?
«1

Comments

  • Rummer
    Rummer Posts: 6,550 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    It will depend greatly on the area that you are planning on working in. Why not contact local gardeners to find out their costs? Where we are the gardeners charge by job and not time although obviously they factor time into their quotes.


    Then think about your work outgoings:

    Van
    Tools
    Petrol
    Uniform and safety materials
    Disposal of material
    Chemicals (if required)

    This and your general living costs will help you to work out what you will need to charge to make it worthwhile.
    Taking responsibility one penny at a time!
  • forgotmyname
    forgotmyname Posts: 32,920 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    How much do you need to earn? How much do you want to earn and what are your overheads/costs?

    Dont forget tool costs, They wont last forever and will need servicing or replacing at some point.
    Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...

  • £10/hr outside of the M25 for 'tidying', lawn-mowing etc.
  • Ash_McCloud
    Ash_McCloud Posts: 21,412 Forumite
    Chutzpah Haggler
    I am thinking of setting up a gardening business but what do I charge for an hourly rate?

    It depends on your standard of work.
  • Ken68
    Ken68 Posts: 6,825 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Energy Saving Champion Home Insurance Hacker!
    A few years ago it was £10 hr in this area.
    Getting rid of the rubbish is expensive. I finished up doing just lawns and taking the mowing's down to the allotment.
    And a few business contracts are useful, tidying yards etc. keeps you going in the winter.
    Chain saw work needs two people, (one to call the ambulance lol)
  • Davesnave
    Davesnave Posts: 34,741 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    If this is a proper business, you can't afford to work for £10 an hour.

    I would say £15/hr minimum, to include the costs Rummer mentioned + insurance, which ought to be top of the list. That's insurance to cover you for c0ck-ups and insurance to cover you when you are too ill to work.

    If I employ someone to cut trees or do something I can't manage well myself, like stock fencing or tricky digger work, I expect to pay that much. If you are only skilled enough to do small jobs, you may have to compete with the semi-retired, who charge less.
  • Davesnave wrote: »
    If this is a proper business, you can't afford to work for £10 an hour.

    I would say £15/hr minimum, to include the costs Rummer mentioned + insurance, which ought to be top of the list. That's insurance to cover you for c0ck-ups and insurance to cover you when you are too ill to work.

    If I employ someone to cut trees or do something I can't manage well myself, like stock fencing or tricky digger work, I expect to pay that much. If you are only skilled enough to do small jobs, you may have to compete with the semi-retired, who charge less.

    Spot on you can't work for ten pounds a hour unless you are a Fireman etc who do it on the side and don't pay taxes etc.

    I charge £15 per hour but if you can try and price per job this works well on small gardens which only take 30 mins or so as you can charge the full £15 and double your money.
    Pure Dog Loving
  • wellused
    wellused Posts: 1,678 Forumite
    Wouldn't you be better charging per job and not by the hour? Run the mower over a small lawn and put the clippings in the bin £10 if they agree to let you do it once a week £8 a week, digging a boarder probably take a couple of hours £30, that sort of thing. I once knew a bloke who used to do a few gardening jobs after work and charged by the hour to cut a lawn and tidy up the thing was that if he got a spurt on and done the work in 45 minutes the lady used to quibble that he hadn't been there a full hour. Just a suggestion.
  • wellused wrote: »
    Wouldn't you be better charging per job and not by the hour? Run the mower over a small lawn and put the clippings in the bin £10 if they agree to let you do it once a week £8 a week, digging a boarder probably take a couple of hours £30, that sort of thing. I once knew a bloke who used to do a few gardening jobs after work and charged by the hour to cut a lawn and tidy up the thing was that if he got a spurt on and done the work in 45 minutes the lady used to quibble that he hadn't been there a full hour. Just a suggestion.

    You can price per job on the small gardens no problem, But the bigger gardens it better per hour as most will have some sort of hedge that would take up a load of time hence you can work an extra hour or 2 as and when it is needed.
    I use both hour rate and job rate they work well together depending on size and what is in the garden.
    Pure Dog Loving
  • £10/hr outside of the M25 for 'tidying', lawn-mowing etc.

    I think that is about right for basic maintenance - it is what is charged around our area.

    Rubbish removal etc, is an altogether different charging structure and can be very expensive around here
    With love, POSR <3
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.9K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.5K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.9K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.8K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.9K Life & Family
  • 257.2K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.