anyone do grass cutting?

[mikecotterill]

ive had a mate ring me and his parents own some properties and are looking for someone to keep the gardens something like, im just wondering on costs to charge. presuming that it generally just needs the grass cutting, im thinking 20 quid per property, reckoning itll be about two hours from leaving my garage to getting done. what do people reckon? its all well and good saying factor in costs etc, but if the average charge is a tenner im not gonna get the work. cheers in advance mike

[Kev Stephenson]

If you have the available time then £20 a time is OK, if it means passing up tree work which could earn you more then £20 isn't enough.

[dandkgroundcare]

i charge £35 per cut for a garden normally taking 2 hours from start to finish

[mikecotterill]

cheers guys least i know im not miles out. no tree work at the moment and the properties are within walking distance so time not too much of an issue, think i might go in at 25/30 cos ill know theyll barter! cheers agian

[ukminch]

For regular work I charge £15 an hour for hand mown gardens and £25 an hour for ride on work. Higher for one off cuts as you've got to work out when to do it etc. Won't make you rich but it keeps the bills paid and more often than not you draw in other work from the mowing.

 

R

 

R

[ukminch]

Oh and I try not to price by the hour as when you get it sorted with a routine you can be quite quick then they turn round and say, well it's only taken half an hour etc.

 

Stick to price per cut if you can, but also specify regularity for that price.

 

R

[dandkgroundcare]

  ukminch said:

Oh and I try not to price by the hour as when you get it sorted with a routine you can be quite quick then they turn round and say, well it's only taken half an hour etc.

 

Stick to price per cut if you can, but also specify regularity for that price.

 

R

 

good advice there rob forgot to mention i do mine on 3 week basis if they leave it longer cost goes up

[Dean Lofthouse]

I have a grass cutting contract which used to take me a really hard day for two men.

 

I invested in equipment and have now got it down to 3 solid hours each cut.

 

Price for the job not per hour

[ukminch]

  dandkgroundcare said:

good advice there rob forgot to mention i do mine on 3 week basis if they leave it longer cost goes up

 

 

3 week basis must be a killer sometimes. When I had the sites at locking I'd turn up after 6 weeks and it had grown 6-8inches in that time. Used to look awful sometimes after cutting. Mind you we were leaving the arisings which obviously helped to fertilise the ground making it grow more......

 

I'm the same Dean when I first started years ago a site would take me a long full day to finish if I was lucky. Now it's 2 hours from stopping van to starting van. Amazing what difference the right machinery makes to a job!

 

R

[mikecotterill]

ahh, that was something else i meant to ask. how people arrange when to go, so every three weeks seems about right. was thinking of so much per garden for the grass cutting as a set price, then anything else added as extra at the time. cheers again.