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[Help] Gardeners Question Time.



Jack Straw

I look nothing like him!
Jul 7, 2003
6,919
Brighton. NOT KEMPTOWN!
Thanks for the reply. Since posting I’ve had a gardener round who said exactly the same thing and will make a start in a week or so. He charges £540 a day for a two person team, which doesn’t sound too bad to me, bearing in mind what a horrible job it is. What do you think?
It's a little expensive, but if they're grafters, do a proper job and take all the rubbish away, it's acceptable. I would explain that you want all the roots out, and check on their progress little and often. Can you get another couple of quotes?
 




The Antikythera Mechanism

The oldest known computer
NSC Patron
Aug 7, 2003
7,857
It's a little expensive, but if they're grafters, do a proper job and take all the rubbish away, it's acceptable. I would explain that you want all the roots out, and check on their progress little and often. Can you get another couple of quotes?
I went through Checkatrade and the other companies weren’t really interested in weeding let alone bramble removal.
 






Weststander

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Aug 25, 2011
64,988
Withdean area
I went through Checkatrade and the other companies weren’t really interested in weeding let alone bramble removal.

Isn’t it a gardeners thing? £15 per hour is often mentioned, but add some for the graft of the task.

The blokes quoting you are £38 per hour, more than the highly skilled carpenters etc I know.
 




Green Cross Code Man

Wunt be druv
Mar 30, 2006
19,910
Eastbourne
Isn’t it a gardeners thing? £15 per hour is often mentioned, but add some for the graft of the task.

The blokes quoting you are £38 per hour, more than the highly skilled carpenters etc I know.
Crikey, I used to do some gardening and design in Liverpool back in the 00's and charge £17 per hour. Maybe I was expensive?
 


The Antikythera Mechanism

The oldest known computer
NSC Patron
Aug 7, 2003
7,857
Isn’t it a gardeners thing? £15 per hour is often mentioned, but add some for the graft of the task.

The blokes quoting you are £38 per hour, more than the highly skilled carpenters etc I know.
The problem is that no one else wants to do it. On your hands a knees crawling through bushes digging out bramble roots and the removing the bramble growth that in my case reaches up to 5m isn’t something I’d wish on anyone.
 
















Green Cross Code Man

Wunt be druv
Mar 30, 2006
19,910
Eastbourne
£17.50ph the going rate here now, whilst skilled woodsmen/tree surgeons have upped their rate to £31ph.

Did you have well off clients who valued your design skill too!
I only worked a few hours a week. I wasn't qualified but had an eye for design. The thing that made people like me was that unlike most gardeners around, I knew the plants and didn't simply slash and burn to tidy up. I always had enough work and had to turn people away. I suppose I did work for some wealthy folks thinking about it: landlords, breast surgeon, retired Headmistress, retired Headmaster etc...
 


Weststander

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Aug 25, 2011
64,988
Withdean area
I only worked a few hours a week. I wasn't qualified but had an eye for design. The thing that made people like me was that unlike most gardeners around, I knew the plants and didn't simply slash and burn to tidy up. I always had enough work and had to turn people away. I suppose I did work for some wealthy folks thinking about it: landlords, breast surgeon, retired Headmistress, retired Headmaster etc...

A totally different skillset.

Weeding, mowing, tidying lawn edges, heavy pruning, grubbing out roots.
vs
That plus a knowledge of plants, when to prune different types of shrub, etc.
 




The Grockle

Formally Croydon Seagull
Sep 26, 2008
5,709
Dorset
I find it hard to put a fair price on general gardening jobs but I know if I spend 8 hours in the garden grafting I'm absolutely knackered.

I only have the skills I've picked up over the years but I'm not sure I'd undertake a day of weeding and clearing for less than £150 as a job and that doesn't even begin to take into account, other overheads.
 




Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
73,888
West west west Sussex
I only worked a few hours a week. I wasn't qualified but had an eye for design. The thing that made people like me was that unlike most gardeners around, I knew the plants and didn't simply slash and burn to tidy up. I always had enough work and had to turn people away. I suppose I did work for some wealthy folks thinking about it: landlords, breast surgeon, retired Headmistress, retired Headmaster etc...
😂 😂 😂 😂

He said "breast".

😂 😂 😂 😂
 


Wardy's twin

Well-known member
Oct 21, 2014
8,522
A totally different skillset.

Weeding, mowing, tidying lawn edges, heavy pruning, grubbing out roots.
vs
That plus a knowledge of plants, when to prune different types of shrub, etc.
Have to agree, £37 ph is very expensive for what is essentially a labouring job. I did a bit of paid gardening about 4 years ago and charged £15 ph. One task was to clear a big stretch of brambles and bind weed. I told the lady I can do this in 4 hours , i can do an in-depth job in 8 but given the nature of these plants it impossible to guarantee proper clearance. She went for the 4 hours, that was an area 1 metre by 10 meters , all done by hand as the area had a lot of slow worms in it.
 




Weststander

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Aug 25, 2011
64,988
Withdean area
Have to agree, £37 ph is very expensive for what is essentially a labouring job. I did a bit of paid gardening about 4 years ago and charged £15 ph. One task was to clear a big stretch of brambles and bind weed. I told the lady I can do this in 4 hours , i can do an in-depth job in 8 but given the nature of these plants it impossible to guarantee proper clearance. She went for the 4 hours, that was an area 1 metre by 10 meters , all done by hand as the area had a lot of slow worms in it.

I’ve done identical work to that many a time, not just in our gardens, but on other land. Definitely hard thirsty work, I learnt the lesson of giant thorns, wearing layers of old clothes and thick gauntlets (not chainmail :lolol: ). Grafting, not a skill.

I must be a fusspot like you. I try never to hurt any fauna, I remove all litter, glass and metals for recycling. A highlight was a Robin resting on my foot.
 


Wardy's twin

Well-known member
Oct 21, 2014
8,522
I’ve done identical work to that many a time, not just in our gardens, but on other land. Definitely hard thirsty work, I learnt the lesson of giant thorns, wearing layers of old clothes and thick gauntlets (not chainmail :lolol: ). Grafting, not a skill.

I must be a fusspot like you. I try never to hurt any fauna, I remove all litter, glass and metals for recycling. A highlight was a Robin resting on my foot.

I’ve done identical work to that many a time, not just in our gardens, but on other land. Definitely hard thirsty work, I learnt the lesson of giant thorns, wearing layers of old clothes and thick gauntlets (not chainmail :lolol: ). Grafting, not a skill.

I must be a fusspot like you. I try never to hurt any fauna, I remove all litter, glass and metals for recycling. A highlight was a Robin resting on my foot.
Definitely hard work made tricky by not being able to grab a handful of bind weed as it inevitably concealed a bramble. As you know I like my creatures and in particular slowworms take me back to being a 7 year old when I first encounter one.
 


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