"Kate Morgan" wrote in message
...
There are two sorts of people in the trade, it seems to me. Young
people with a family who will work hard and quickly, efficiently, and
to a plan. They will need the sort of figure you are quoting, maybe
up to £35 per hour, to deal with the plant investment and replacement,
training (seen the chainsaw regulations?), insurance, rubbish
regulations, time off and non-productive time. Then there are the
old sods who like pottering round in other people's gardens and who
charge up to £10 an hour, where they get bugger all done in that time,
and tend to do what they want not what you want. It's the difference
in trimming a hedge in 3 hours or 3 days, and whether the clippings
get taken away.

Which is best?

but its only cutting a bit of grass which would go on the compost heap and
a few twigs that would burn, not doing a big job.

kate
If its that simple do it yourself if u want a proper job done then pay a
professional . Im sure u wouldnt object paying that amount for a
roofer,brickie,chippie,plumber etc etc a gardener is just as skilled and has
the same overheads .
What would be left after tax ni transport fuel etc etc .
Its ok for the odd jobbers who top up their pensions and just doddle about
but for the self employed who need to make a living out of it u need to
charge the going rate.
I wouldnt take anything on that was less than 5k per year.
And I find people like u quite insulting to the trade.