I am a self employed gardener and have my own allotment. I hope you join me on my journey so you will be getting lots of GARDENING, JET WASHING, ALLOTMENTING & much much more!
My main goal is to help gardeners and growers from the basics to more the advanced including veg growing, poultry keeping and pricing commercial work.
So, if that sounds like its for you, hit subscribe and welcome to my channel :)
My online Store - www.amazon.co.uk/shop/thegreygardener (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)
If you would like to contact me, feel free to email on adzey1990@googlemail.com
Did you do landscaping/gardening originally befire you opened your business, or did you just start thinking it was something you wanted to so and learnt as you went?
Text them the day before your going reminding them that you need access, our window cleaner does. And if there is pet or kids toys tell them you need the garden clear of any. And dog 💩.
I think some customers try to get major work like hedging thrown into a maintenance schedule. It's hard to tell them that keeping a garden tidy is not the same as major hedging work or lawn renovations.
@911truthzone4 yeah. I've fallen fowl to that in my earlier days when I've taken on a garden Inc the hedge and given a maintenance price kind of thing. Nothing huge but still a hedge all the same.
@@TheGreyGardener1990 The way I get around it now if it's major hedging is ill tell them its worth getting it done all at once but that more expensive or I can include it as part of the maintenance, but that will take 3 to 5 months. So I'll allocate it as part of the maintenance but only give it a bit of progress. Most of the time the customer just wants it done fast. They'll either pay the correct amount or look for someone who doesn't know their own worth.
The biggest problem is that as “gardeners” we are totally undervalued. I’ve been doing this for 15 years and I still don’t understand why? I take the view if they don’t treat us with the respect we “deserve” kick them into touch. They will soon realise they made a big error, but their “ egos” won’t let them admit it I know you have just started on your journey,L as it were, but stick to your plan. A few years down the road you will have the business you want.and great customers. Got kiss a lot of frogs 😂😂 Michael The Really Useful Gardening Co Based in Essex
Im just about figuring out my sweetspot from making many bad pricing decisions, and as always, your videos are always food for thought. I totally agree with you. These nigly bits reflect the price of the job whereas before i would overlook them. As iv become more confident and value the work i do theres no beating around the bush anymore. My price is my price, quote " the grey gardener" and funnily enough im making more money 💰 👍
How do you charge for customers who want weekly grass cut & weekly maintenance for example a few shrubs to keep pruned and some beds / patio to weed? The company i currently work for do everything on an hourly rate so it would be like £60 per week for an hour a week, we cut the grass and then do as much of the weeding etc as we can... sometimes there's not enough time to make a good impact and sometimes we have too much time and not enough to do there. I'm just wondering as that works out £30 an hour really (2 people per job) so if I charged like that I'd maybe be cutting myself short on what I could get for the grass cut but weeding jobs seem easier to charge hourly for
@deansgreensuk I don't do any weeklys, they're all fortnightly but I just charge by the job rather than an hourly rate. Don't think I have a garden where there isn't enough time to get it all done though. I'll just charge accordingly and it takes as long as it takes kind of thing. Longest time at a garden is 1.5 hours I think
I’ve done a few “through the garage” jobs in the past. They always ended up being more trouble than they’re worth, especially when they are out of area or you’re very busy.
Your comments on no access through house is a surprise for me. I'm located in a big city and I would say that at least 40% of my customers are terraced houses with no garage or side access. Eventually I will be looking to cherry pick jobs with open side access, but I'm only in my second year, so can't be too choosy at the moment.
hello mate, you're bang on... if I have an awkward entrance/access it's automatically another £5 on top, I don't tell them this I just give them the price & then it's up to them
I use to have the 3 strikes your out attitude. If I had to rely on getting through a garage or gate to gain access but customer won't give a key, I would give them 3 strikes in a row. If they forget 3 times in a row then I wouldn't go back.
Great video. I totally agree about the price reflecting the access issues etc. I recall a few years ago when I took on a new customer. I visited the garden and gave a price. There were about 15 narrow steps down the side of the house with access via a keypad on the side gate. Initially, I thought it would be ok but as I started to do the garden, I realised what a pain it was having to arrange access, carry the equipment down the steps and then if that wasn’t enough I then had to drag a wheelie bin full of grass back up the steps!!! I really should have worked away but did it for one season and then the price went up for the following year and the customer decided not to continue - much to my relief!!!
I recently accepted a new job. Mid terrace house, can’t park outside . Steps down to front door and access only through the house. I felt sorry for the old lady living there and wanted to help. But you know I agree with you . I wish I never agreed as I can foresee the hassle. Never again. Haven’t started yet….
I'm wincing reading it 🤣 in fairness, it's difficult in those situations. Some people are just really nice and I've done similar things when you try and go above and beyond
Two of my favourite RU-vid gardeners in the dame comme ts section. Cheers for the recommendation, Adam. I did checkout the tattooed gardener and ended up subscribing. love the content you guys put out. It's been a great help in my journey. Currently, third season in. 👍✌️
My Dad always told me to write ‘errors and omissions excluded’ on all my written quotes. This safeguard’s against overlooked, unforeseen or unexpected costs.
I've had surgery on my spine and got bulging discs, I've got disc probllems bottom of my back from lifting lawn mowers for the last 15 years. I've got lower back pain as I'm writing this so be careful
They taxed my parents and their generation was pretty bloody good, one bread-winner, big sections, clean streets, no crime, no cheap chinese goods - these days we are taxed 10 fold and generally speaking both the mother/father work leaving their child in the hands of the state, live in tiny apartments, in dirty crime infested cities eating and consuming cheap crap. You go ahead and keep paying that tax brother but don't dog those who take cash - not all of us blindly obey.
hi Im a little confused about timing... so the first bin is things you piled in for about one year.... then when you turned it into the second bin you will leave that sitting for another year?
@aeastman59 I do personally as I'm in no great rush for it. Some people have a third bin so you fill, tip, leave, tip again and it should be ready quicker but it all depends on the contents and weather it's got enough moisture etc. Fine art to compost making 🤣
In most of my mow, blow, and go gardens, clients often request edging as a standard service. While traditional edging shears make the edges look much nicer than using the FSA 57 PolyCut 2-2 strimmer, it is time-consuming. If you dislike doing the edges, it might be worth considering swapping clients for more per hour.
Hi mate, thanks for the video, one issue I have is I have multiple ideas and I feel I'm wasting time by trying to cost, and prepare what I need for my gardening business start up (but I'm also looking at an opportunity for a wedding venue idea) How did you make your decision and commit to it when you have lots of ideas in your head? My biggest flaw in life is I think of millions of different ideas but never sure which to pursue first.
@Zeridium yeah that's a big problem mate and you could end up giving it to shortly after starting. I've grown veg since I was 15 and love working/messing around in allotments and gardens so I knew I was going to stick at it. If you're in two minds now I'd honestly say don't go for it. It's a hard trade
@@TheGreyGardener1990 Hi, yeah I see what you mean. Mainly my motivation is I'm just tired of working for others. I've done property management/housing most my life (getting rentals ready) and it's not the labour I'm bothered about, more to do with freedom to do my own thing and not worry about someone else's business morals but my own and my hard work. I look around my neighbourhood and so many people who need some TLC on the lawn/grass alone and thinking of just going strimmer/mower and maybe an edger to start off. And then knock on some doors with leaflets/maybe get some business cards after.
Good stuff mate, id say £60 is bang on specially with you getting the garden back on your Rounds 👍 If you had gone in £100 they might of backed off, you know they all want everything for nowt these days 100%
What height did you leave it at . if its really bad like a field do well to get over in top setting on mower after a strim . or 40 50 mm on an easier lawn after strim and going over on top setting
Lets be honest though, cutting grass is a minimum wage level job. Its easy. Add on a few more £ to cover buying and maintaining equipment and fuel and insurance.
For someone who is considering going self employed. Been hard landscaping for 3 years patios etc, doing maintenance on the weekends but want to work for myself. Starting out with just maintence to begin with. Would you say in your opinion the self employment is worth it? I sick of working for someone else being under payed under appreciated. If I’m going to put in the work it might as well be for myself.
I'd say so but if I didn't have my partner for the first year I'd have struggled. Well worth it now but something to obviously consider. Depends on your circumstances, if you have kids etc etc
@@TheGreyGardener1990 no kids I’m 22 good savings built up I feel fairly confident about it. Thanks for the reply. And super interesting how much the comments are varying on your price 😂 I’d say 60 if it’s going to be regular sounds pretty fair
@jamiehopkins4353 I'd say go for it then if you can at worst case plod your way through the first year. I know yeah it's always interesting reading through the prices
I did one very similar last week and charged £50 but probably should have charged a bit more as it was a one off. Which Strimmer do you use? I’m looking at getting a new one very soon, also going to get your Sthil mower but the rear roller version 👍🏼
@@mattrogan4142 pricing is so tricky and I kind of make a rod for my own back when I do these videos because it obviously divides opinion which I understand and although it's really interesting to get people's thoughts, you always get one or two who think you're a dick and love to rip people off 😅 It's the stihl kombi 94 rc or something like that. Game changer for me really
@@TheGreyGardener1990 yeah I know what you mean, someone always disagrees with you, you’ve just got to go with what you think is best, I think £60 is spot on seeming that your taking it on for maintenance. 👍🏼 I’ll have a look at that Strimmer.
I think thats a fair price mate, i would've been at the higher end for a "one-off" but considering you're taking it back on thats definitely a fair price
