In this video I talk about what I feel a UK self employed gardener can earn per year. This is only my opinion and views.
You may want to watch a previous video on marketing and how to obtain new customers quickly.
Another video that may help, is how to quot successfully for new work.
I hope you found this helpful, my theory is that I can help one person, it’s been worthwhile.
Thanks for watching and supporting the channel.
Please like and subscribe.👍🏻
Remember. When the green gold is growing, keep mowing.
20 Comments
Good advise here..dont set your prices too low, you'll make it difficult for yourself to increase them..subscriptions are essential for me…laying small lawns on new builds is very profitable, however hard graft…
Great food for thought, thanks for sharing Rob!
Been wanting to start my own for nearly 2 years now and finally bitting the bullet
These videos have been a massive help keep it up pal
Good vid, I'm currently at £175 per day ( south west uk ) for general gardening ( no hedges over 10m x 2m high ) and i dont cut any lawns for less than £35 per cut, so nearly there! – on the aches and pains i had this all the time till recently i started taking Seven Seas perfect man 7 vitamins…… honestly the best thing I've ever done, no more aches getting up in the morning and the energy levels are always right up there to push through and get the job done ( something i was terrible for not doing in one day ) , recommended 100% if you don't take anything!
Thank you for inspiring me to push forward with a dream I have to become my own boss, work with mother nature and stop playing small. I just started getting into horticulture but came in as a farmer on a measly £10ph. The farmer had me doing the gardening side of things and boy was it a lot of work and I was there for a couple months before I became despondent from feeling exploited – hedgecutting huge hedges and walking away with £80 max is exploitation, so thank you Maxwell, also thank you to all of the gardeners commenting, all of your feedback and comments are like market research, thank you all so much. Claire xx
I'm in a very lucky position to be able to get some top gear but I want to work small commercial as well as gardens. Could you advise me on how to go about getting the work.im in the process of getting advertising via leaflets and business cards sorted. Thanks and keep mowing.
That was a great video thankyou
Just being nosey, I was wondering how you getting on with this hot weather with the grass not growing much? Do you still go to your customers every 2 weeks or do they try ringing you up and extending the 2 weeks to 3 or 4 weeks when it hasnt grown?
Love your advice looking forward to watching more. Was the new side line cutting down trees ?
Hi Rob, just found your channel, really informative and just what I was looking for. Just a question regarding your working year if you don’t mind? You said 40 weeks for gardening, does that mean you have 12 weeks off? Or other work during the off season?
Don't quote on an hourly rate, people are more likely to accept a job rate than an hourly one, example, tell your customers you want £30 an hour, they think that's all yours, they don't think that's for fuel, time to get to the job, insurance, maintenance on the tools ect. Tell them the job will cost £30 every 2 weeks or whatever you agree and tell them you'll cut the grass, boarders ect each visit.
Get your pa1 and pa6 license, chainsaw license and also look into offering once a quarter a grass feed and weed to make the grass thicker and the stripes in the lawn with a roller mower a lot better.
Also on cost, when I was running a gardening business for someone I took the company from £150 a day to nearly £300 a day with 2 other lads, go commercial as much as you can, figure out how many times you'll visit the site for grass cuts, and then hedges, add the yearly figure up an divide by 12 to get an income every month year round
Definately needs to be spoken about just started working for a landscaping company thinking of setting up for myself on the side till i can afford to take on a couple of guys.
Wow! What a bloody good video!
Thanks rob! I’m just looking to start out, I’ve got two clients currently on the side of full time work
Been wanting to join somebody’s gardening business in the Sheffield area. Find that a lot of gardening positions employers ask for RHS levels or many years experience. How do i get my foot through the door
Hi Robbie
Firstly, thank you for taking the time to create these videos and for your sincere iand open honesty. It is so refreshing and eye opening
As I have said previously, I am just beginning my journey, and have bought some decent gear to carry out the jobs. I have two petrol mowers, a Honda CRX536 (I think), and a Hyundai. I bought a new Stihl blower, and second hand strummer and hedge cutter. All in about 2k spent. I also have all the hand tools spreaders etc etc.
I am carrying most of the marketing via Facebook and also commenting whenever I see people looking for a Gardner in the Facebook community posts. I have joined all of the local towns and villages groups and watching them all closely.
I am based in East Sussex down in the south of England. I’ve been doing a lot of homework to see how others around my area are charging and rates. The general opinion I am hearing is to charge £35ph for lawns and price hedges by the job. After getting a few enquiries, the locals around here seem to want to pay around £15ph, but I’m not prepared to work for this kind of money. Should I go low to get a foot in the door so to speak, or do I hold out for those willing to pay what I believe is the local rates? I have been offered work on a local farm that’s in a real mess that is all year round work for £15ph plus costs of fuel etc. I turned it down, but feel like I should go back and try to compromise. My gut feeling is that nobody else around here would get involved with this farm at these rates either.
As a newbie, what would you have done?
Hi rob,
Love the videos, really great stuff!!
I’m in a bit of a pickle and could do with your advice. I’ve been working for this garden company for 2 years now, 21K a year. Friends of mine who have there own company say I should go out on my own. But here’s the kicker. I want to move out and have my own house which Ive been saving up for the past couple of years. But if go on my own I’ll have to be self employed and would need to provide 3 years of bank statements in order to get a mortgage.
Sorry if this is long message. But don’t suppose you have any ideas or advice.
Keep up the good work!
Thanks 👍
Well im 16, i charge £20 an hour for my work and can earn £140 a day in no struggle which is massively more than my mates working at mcdonalds earaning £4.51 an hour . It was hard as some people struggle to trust someone with younger age however over time its got better. I have pulled off a £260 day before. It was a job i was charging £25 an hour and got a little tip aswell! Never again though, its really tiring!
Think of yourself always as is the client. Get less jobs and charge more especially the prices of fuel. Some jobs are £20 fuel there and back before you even start. If people want cheap then hire a junkie. Always know you worth. Great vid 👌 keep going and stay focused always 💪
you need a pressure washer im a landscaper and a pawer washer has made some do more so than lawns and hedges pawer washing drives and yards i wud charge 200 a day i was at 150 but i think i need to charge by job rather than by 200 a day becos if you got a young cub and give him 50 for doing the job wile you go of and do others i think i shud be charging way more altho tbh i have done pawer washing jobs for 200 and it only took 4 hours so not to bad
Great video bud. Everything you’ve said is exactly how it works. Do you not work a Saturday morning. I call it my weekend money!