Topic: HOW MUCH DO I CHARGE?

[betula]

Well I finish my NCH next month and have decided to go for a few gardening jobs.I have one job and am off to see a lady about mowing her lawn int he hope of securing job number 2.

She wants someone three hours every two weeks to cut the grass on her ride on mower.She says it takes about three hours.Not sure what to quote for this,what about edging the lawn and what about maintaining the lawn EG scarifying.Very new to this but want to do a proper job as they say.

[daileg]

i have been thinking of doing the same thing try to phone a couple of companys in your area and ask for a rough quote to mow three hours so on worked for me when i wanted to find out average prices ( some times it helps to tell little white lies )

[Sinbad7]

I think it depends what area you are in to what is charged.  My area they charge £12 an hour.

Sinbad

[Hyacinth]

..you charge what the market will bear ;D Go for a fixed price you're happy with, and not an hourly rate. Sure thing that if a client says "about" 3 hours it's going to be 'about' more than that. Talk about edging, obviously, before giving the final quote. Talk about scarifying etc ( to show YOU know what you're talking about, even if she perhaps hasn't a clue?) & once she's happy with your work you can come up with a figure as and when. Remember ACE's accident (tho with different equipment I think) and be aware of her insurance liability. It's a different ball-game from you providing your own mower..Daileg has the right idea about finding out the going rate.

Good luck!

[cleo]

It depends on the market and what you offer.  For `jobbing` gardening-ie weeding,digging,mowing etc we pay £15 an hour(well I have been laid up recently)

But if it were a matter of advice,planning and `creating` a garden then you could expect to be paid a lot more

[Ishard]

Betula you need to sort out boundaries for your work.

Actually discuss the jobs with the people then work out how long you think it will take and charge according to the jobs difficulty.

That customer who wants 3 hours every 2 weeks, have you discussed what she expects? and have you told her that in between visits her grass will be knee high?

Also look in the local paper and see what UNSKILLED people charge then charge more!

Round here its 50 quid for a day, unskilled.

[tim]

Locally, at least £8.50 for grass. At least £12.50 for intelligent stuff! Plus extra for your own equipment. And watch the price of fuel if you're travelling any distance.

[Froglegs]

At least £12.50 for intelligent stuff!

You have such a way with words Tim. ;D ;D ;D ;D

[glosterwomble]

Can I just say CONGRATULATIONS on getting some paid jobs! It's really great that you will be a paid expert! I agree with others, I would phone around and check the market. Also I would say be bold and in charge, it may be scary as you are only just going into it but tell them what you can do and what you service you can offer and then let them decide what they want to have done.

[betula]

Thank you for all your advice.

Yes I got the job and have arranged with my customer to go every week.
You were right ,we did talk about everything that will be needed as she wanted beds maintained as well .I priced what I thought it was worth,held my breath and she agreed.My first customer has got me a bit cheap but at least she has all plantings and no grass. :)

The only thing I am not happy about is this ride on mower.Although she has a lot of grass she has a great many obstacles and I do not feel the machine is appropriate.IT is a huge thing ,goodness knows what she was thinking when she bought it.I feel the job will be better done and safer with the petrol mower.

Got to find a few more jobs now.Wish me luck with my little business :)

[glosterwomble]

brilliant! Good luck with finding more business Betula!  :)

[Mrs Ava]

I have been a jobbing gardener now for 3 years and I now charge £15 an hour.  I have insurance and all of my own tools.  I do travel a bit to a couple of my jobs, but they are fab gardens and not only do I get my wages, I also get lots of plants from them as they are both keen gardeners and are always digging up lumps of this and bits of that for me.  I have only recently started cutting grass for people - do figure in the cost of the fuel.  There are several companies in our group of villages and I am probably the cheapeast - story of my life - the highest one I have found charges £35 an hour!! 

Just to add, I love my job, I am getting paid for my hobby, but I do it 12 months of the year, come rain and snow, it is great and I would never work in an office again, but it is also exhausting as well as satisfying.

[cazy]

What is scarifying? I'll never be a miwyonair! 

[glosterwomble]

I have been a jobbing gardener now for 3 years and I now charge £15 an hour.  I have insurance and all of my own tools.  I do travel a bit to a couple of my jobs, but they are fab gardens and not only do I get my wages, I also get lots of plants from them as they are both keen gardeners and are always digging up lumps of this and bits of that for me.  I have only recently started cutting grass for people - do figure in the cost of the fuel.  There are several companies in our group of villages and I am probably the cheapeast - story of my life - the highest one I have found charges £35 an hour!! 

Just to add, I love my job, I am getting paid for my hobby, but I do it 12 months of the year, come rain and snow, it is great and I would never work in an office again, but it is also exhausting as well as satisfying.

Emma-Jane, can I be rude and ask a couple of questions? Did you train or are you self taught and do you make a decent living at it?? Cheeky question sorry but I often wonder about doing this myself only I'm not trained and I NEED to make enough to pay the mortgage etc!!  ;D

[tim]

Whichever, a great Girl!!

And Emma, you ought to be in a very good position to recommend basic equipment for the likes of us?

[Mr Smith]

I would of thought with all the folk out there doing this grassing cutting and gardening that there would be an association for people to join if they so wished to give them an idea of what rates to charge :)

[star]

Betula........you remind me of me. Doing everything I did. The very best of luck in your new venture hunny ;D ;D ;D.

EJ.....It is a great job, I hope everyone doing this for a living enjoys many years of happy work ;D ;D ;D

[Ishard]

Another thing you may not have thought of Betula.

As the customer has supplied the ride on mower if you hurt yourself because of it you can sue. Sounds awfull and you are probably saying "I wouldnt do that" but just think if you broke your arm because of it who would then pay your wages?

Ps Ladies if your window cleaner asks to use your ladder cos he forgot his, dont do it! If he falls YOU are liable

[tonybloke]

good luck to you in your venture!  ;D ;D ;D ;)

[betula]

Thanks Tony and everybody,It is  a bit nerve racking working in someone Else's garden.Where as normally I pull the weeds without a second thought yesterday I was inspecting everything three times to make sure It was a weed I was pulling. lady Iwork for knows more about plants than I will ever know.Beautiful garden without a blade of grass in sight. : :)