'Buy cheap, buy twice' goes the saying.
We all have to compromise on cost versus quality but it's often true that if you buy an inferior brand you'll be replacing it sooner than you would if you bought the leading brand.
The same can be said for services too; someone who charges their gardening services out at half the cost of a competitor does so for more than one reason - lack of experience, knowledge or expertise.
Landscape Juice Network member, Cesare Haradine, offers up his thoughts on why paying £20 an hour for a gardener might be cheaper than £8 in the longer term.
Why £20 Per Hour is Cheaper Than £8 Per Hour
Most professional gardeners do not charge by the hour. Instead they will discuss with you what you want from your garden and assess the maintenance requirements. You will then get an annual price, divided in to monthly instalments.
However, for the purposes of this discussion, let us assume that a professional gardener has a rate of £20 per hour in mind when quoting, and compare that with the odd jobber/handyman who charges £8 per hour.
1) The professional will supply all his/her own tools.
The odd- jobber will use your tools. You will have to supply them, service
them, make sure they are safe to use (you will be liable if an injury is sustained, because of a
faulty tool) and you will have to replace them if they break.
2) Professional tools are much more efficient and will do the job much quicker.
Your tools, though adequate for domestic gardens, are slow in comparison. Are you really
going to pay upwards of £600 for a mower that will only get used for an hour a week?
3) A professional will supply all the pesticides and fertilizers needed.
With an odd-jobber, you will have to supply and store any chemicals that are needed.
4) The professional will be qualified to use pesticides safely.
An odd-jobber, most likely, will not be qualified and it is illegal for an unqualified person to
use pesticides for hire or reward.
5) A professional will be able to take the waste away.
The odd-jobber will leave it for you to deal with.
6) A professional will have insurance.
An odd jobber may not. Who is going to pay if a stone goes through a £500 patio door, or
worst still, some body’s eye.
7) A professional will know what are weeds, what to prune, how to prune and when to prune.
An odd jobber may have some basic knowledge, but not enough to get the best out of your
garden.
When you add up the expense and aggravation of all these intangibles, £20 per hour starts to look quite reasonable indeed.
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