Does anyone else have trouble finding a gardener?

Nathaniel_Essex · 7 April 2018 at 9:19PM

I just have to rant. For almost 3 years I have been looking for a gardener. I have tried mobile apps, Facebook, RatedPeople and so on. The most recent attempt was an ad in a window and like the rest before them; responded in good time, arranged a meeting but failed to show up.
I have been in contact with no less then 10 people and it's always the same.

I am not even including those who I sent pictures to only to quote almost £100 to cut a small front garden and hedge.

lr1277 · 7 April 2018 at 10:12PM

When I rented a property, the letting agent recommended a very good and cheap gardener.
But as a landlord, I asked my letting agent for a recommendation for an electrician and I used them but they were expensive, compared to the alternatives who I knew myself, but were unavailable.
So you could ask nearby letting agents, who they use.

In terms of the £100, that may be reasonable. In terms of the hedge cuttings, are they going to put it on your compost heap or in your waste bin?
If not, they will remove the hedge stuff themselves and hopefully dispose of it at an authorised tip. These days this costs money for commercial outfits to dispose at the tip.

HTH

outofworksch · 8 April 2018 at 9:04AM

Try your local garden centre, they get to know their customers fairly well and should know who are professional gardeners and who aren't.

You could also ask if there is somewhere you could leave a card asking for help.

Savvy_Sue · 8 April 2018 at 9:13AM

Do you know anyone else who uses a gardener? I'd say personal recommendation is the way to go.

I found mine after asking several builders who were doing work for me if they knew anyone: they didn't. Then I needed a tree surgeon, and he said he might ... because his wife was a gardener, but he didn't know if she had capacity! Fortunately she likes to have plenty of clients, and she knew she was shortly losing one job (emigration), so she came to me. Now she does my neighbour too!

martinthebandit · 8 April 2018 at 9:16AM

One of the problems with gardeners is that any muppet can set themselves up as one and do a cheap job at a cheap price.

This tends to make good gardeners rare and expensive.

There are, of course, good and reasonably priced gardeners out there but they generally have more than enough work on to keep them happy.

Nathaniel_Essex · 8 April 2018 at 8:51PM

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Do you know anyone else who uses a gardener? I'd say personal recommendation is the way to go.

I found mine after asking several builders who were doing work for me if they knew anyone: they didn't. Then I needed a tree surgeon, and he said he might ... because his wife was a gardener, but he didn't know if she had capacity! Fortunately she likes to have plenty of clients, and she knew she was shortly losing one job (emigration), so she came to me. Now she does my neighbour too!

Our neighbor across had one. When I found out I waited for him to show up on the weekend but unfortunately the neighbor passed that week.

Thanks for the reply all. How much does a gardener usually charge? I am trying to find someone for no more than £20 an hour. The job initially should take no more than 1.5 hours and less than an hour for ongoing maintenance.

shortcrust · 8 April 2018 at 9:03PM

I don't think that's enough money. Anyone who's reasonably skilled deserves at least 50 quid for turning up and doing a job for you. We used to pay my gran's gardener 50 quid a visit. Sometimes he'd be an hour, sometimes two depending on what needed doing. That was back in 2011.

Savvy_Sue · 8 April 2018 at 10:04PM

Nathaniel_Essex wrote: »

Our neighbor across had one. When I found out I waited for him to show up on the weekend but unfortunately the neighbor passed that week.

Has the house sold since then? If not, I'd put a note through for whoever is dealing with the estate, just asking if they know who the gardener was. I know they might not, but if it's family dealing with it there's a fair chance.

Nathaniel_Essex wrote: »

Thanks for the reply all. How much does a gardener usually charge? I am trying to find someone for no more than £20 an hour. The job initially should take no more than 1.5 hours and less than an hour for ongoing maintenance.

I'd say it depends where you live, but definitely expect to pay for at least an hour a week even if the job takes less time than that.

shortcrust wrote: »

I don't think that's enough money. Anyone who's reasonably skilled deserves at least 50 quid for turning up and doing a job for you. We used to pay my gran's gardener 50 quid a visit. Sometimes he'd be an hour, sometimes two depending on what needed doing. That was back in 2011.

that seems a lot to me. Mine only charges £15 per hour, but when she said that I practically bit her hand off as I was expecting to pay more ...

OP is it skilled work or would a willing teenager be able to do it, under supervision? Do you have the tools? That would widen the pool, IMO, especially if you KNOW any teenagers ...

elsien · 8 April 2018 at 10:12PM

Parent struggled to find a proper gardener.
It's easy enough to find someone to mow a lawn and do a bit of strimming, or someone to come in and do one off garden clearance, but finding someone to come regularly and do the weeding, pruning, digging up and moving etc. was nigh on impossible. She eventually tracked down a retired person who had time on his hands and only a small garden of his own. She only pays £10 an hour (she would happily pay more) as the person enjoys doing her garden and won't accept any more than that.

Savvy_Sue · 8 April 2018 at 10:17PM

Just wondering, is a garden share a possibility? eg Lend and Tend?

davemorton · 8 April 2018 at 10:54PM

shortcrust wrote: »

I don't think that's enough money. Anyone who's reasonably skilled deserves at least 50 quid for turning up and doing a job for you. We used to pay my gran's gardener 50 quid a visit. Sometimes he'd be an hour, sometimes two depending on what needed doing. That was back in 2011.

I think that is utterly ridiculous. Even working 30 hours a week for only 9 months of the year, that puts them on just under £60k a year.

Does anyone else have trouble finding a gardener?

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