A well-maintained garden will add value to your home as long as you are not paying too much. Hourly rates vary depending on where you live and what kind of gardener you are hiring. The average cost per hour for a gardener in the UK is £27 per hour but can range from a £12 to £59 hourly rate. Large landscaping companies and local gardeners will vary in price so you need to know what you are looking for. If you are supplying the tools the rate should be lower.
See our gardener rates table for more hourly rates, alternatively post a job with HaMuch and get a free quote
For larger projects getting the gardeners daily rate will help you understand better how much your project will cost. The average daily rate for a gardener is £196 per day but we have rates ranging from £77 to £400 per day. Landscaping projects normally require more than one gardener and heavy machinery supplied by them costs more. So for projects like laying patios, decking and fencing get a written quote that will have a breakdown of materials and rates.
Check out our rates table for more regional day rates or post a job and get your local rates.
When choosing a Gardener or Landscaper try to get 3 comparison quotes so you have a feel for the value of service. When receiving a quote, discuss if the quote includes the gardener bringing their own tools, such as a lawn mower, rake and spade, or if they intend on using tools that you will provide. While working in the garden, garden waste will be generated, so remember to discuss before the job commences whose responsibility it will be to remove the garden waste. If your gardener is coming to do a once off job, (e.g. cut the hedges back and remove some shrubs) they may include in the quote a trip to the local tip to clear the waste. If it is a regular lawn mowing, edging and tidying while removing weeds, the gardener may ask you to arrange a regular garden collection from your local council.
Ask for references from previous clients and investigate whether the gardener has been reliable showing up on said days as well as finding out how tidy they are in the garden. If it is for a landscaping job, e.g. a pond construction or placing paving in an area, ask for ‘before and after’ photos of similar projects carried out recently.
Tip: When the gardener arrives at your home to quote the job, be clear about what jobs you need doing. The upkeep of lawns, hedges, weeding and tidying flower beds requires little imagination on your part but envisaging a whole new garden requires a bit more thought.If you have a clear idea about what you want, the gardener will find it easier to cost the job based on the materials you want to use and scale of the project. In some cases you may want them to give you inspiration but be careful not to go over budget!
Gardening beds create a happy space filled with colourful planting flowers. If you want your garden formed with raised or flat beds let the gardener know an idea of how you envision your garden to look. For example;
A simple levelling of some garden space creating flower beds and a path can cost approximately £400 and take a day or so depending on the hands.
If you are having a gardener lay lawn for you, discuss the different types of grass available and which grass would best suit your needs. Dwarf Ryegrass is popular for its thick growth and ability to take quickly, but is not to keen on the shade, where as Red Fescue loves the shade but is not keen on hot weather. Alternatively you could choose an artificial surface if you don’t fancy mowing the lawn. Clearing a garden to lay grass will cost around £20 per sq metre.
For wood structures that you might want help with (i.e. fencing, shed, gate, pergola or gazebo) make sure the gardener will have access to the area in your garden where you would like the structure repaired or erected. Ask for advice on types of products available e.g. if discussing fencing, ask about feather edge, picket fencing, overlap panels vs closeboard panels. Replacing a wooden garden fence costs around £500.
We have compiled a list of jobs that a gardener does with an estimated price. We also have a table which shows the gardener rates around the UK. At HaMuch we are trying to help you keep your costs down so search wisely and good luck.
| Job details | Estimate |
| Once off clearance - removal of ivy & weeds, hedge trimming | £80 |
| General garden maintenance, based on 2 hours of tidying | £50 |
| High pressure jet cleaning paths, drive, gutters, walls, patio | £110 |
| Levelling some of the garden, creating flower beds & a pathway | £400 |
| Clearing a garden to lay grass | £20 per sqr metre |
| Levelling out a section and laying slabs to create a pathway | £300 |
| Digging out & levelling the area, laying slabs to create a patio | £300 |
| Dig a section of the garden and create a pond | £400 |
| Cutting down a small tree and removing the trunk as well as digging out some of the roots | £300 |
| Clearing a garden and laying artificial turf down | £60 per sqr metre |
| Replacing an old wooden fence for a new fence | £500 |
| Erecting a wooden shed on an existing base | £200 |