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£15 an hour! I think not..

Done a quote last weekend for a potential new client, regular fortnightly maintenance with lawns to be sorted and generally improvements all round, new borders and plants, veg patch, shrubs removed etc.

Nice job, only they thought my rates were a bit high, any how, explained I run a full time business with all the associated running costs, professional tools, tax, insurance etc plus of course my knowledge in to the bargain. They said they understood and appeared quite keen, they had a few other people coming to give quotes but i felt i had a good chance of winning the work.

Had a call today and he explained that although i appeared to be the most knowledgeable person, and that having discussed with other tradesmen, the going rate was closer to £15 an hour but they would be happy to pay a little more and was i able to drop my price. Now i had already explained initially that my price was per visit not a set hourly rate and also included spot treatment of weeds as necessary. But as with most people they had calculated the rate from my quoted 1.5 hr approx price per visit.

After explaining i have plenty of clients happy to pay my rates and that i didnt need to drop my price just to secure his work, he decided to go elsewhere.

This was a nice big house, new car, fairly large garden and i got the impression he ran his own business, but they were definately of the opinion that although they wanted the garden to look great 'its only gardening' and is therefore low value! AArrrggghhhhh so do it your bloody self! I had told him during the initial visit, that you get what you pay for and i hope they do!!..

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  • I wouldnt worry Anthony. You win some you loose some.

    Sounds like they are the sort of clients we all like to avoid! Most likely would be late payers and would nit pick at everything you did!
    Well shot mate.

  • PRO

    I have seen recently on the internet, on business websites, £8.50 /hr and grass cutting for £5.

    And, please note, planting plans for £40, as they are a bit time-consuming.

    You see, on the one hand you have got educate the customers, and on the other, all the rest of the other gardening businesses.

  • They said it - "he explained that although i appeared to be the most knowledgeable person" he knew you offered the best service but wanted to pay the same as the no tax and insurance brigade who also quoted.... If you got quotes from 3 plumbers, 1 pro, 1 average and 1 cowboy.... would you ring the pro back and say "I got a quote for a cowboy for £x, will you match it", no you wouldn't.

    Same story.

  • Probably better off without them by the sounds off it bud.

    Glad you have many clients at the moment and you do not ‘need' the work if that’s the correct term?!

    Perhaps in 6 months’ time, swing by and see the condition of the garden. Then smirk if it’s in a bad state with the facial expression... I told you so! haha!

    Who knows, maybe the new guy will be alright.

    Unlucky for not securing the work though. Plenty more potential clients out there....

  • Amen to that,

    not worried about losing the work, just frustrating that people want kew gardens staff but only want to pay £10-£15 an hour for the privilege!

    Steve Sonic Grounds Maintenance said:

    I wouldnt worry Anthony. You win some you loose some.

    Sounds like they are the sort of clients we all like to avoid! Most likely would be late payers and would nit pick at everything you did!
    Well shot mate.

  • you pay for what you get in life if you want a have your garden looking at it best you have to pay the money!!!! so when they call up in 6 months time asking you to go at and have a look at there garden because they are not happy with the people that are doing it. you can then say it will cost you £20 per hour...

  • Anyone can take on shed loads of unprofitable or marginal business and run round like a blue rsed fly trying to make ends meet.

    Better to stick out for your price and let those fool enough to undercut you do that. If you get spare time, lavish some free attention on your good clients and touch them for a recc or a reference occasionally.

  • they probably have a £200,000 mortgage still      :(



  • Anthony @ JDC Maintenance said:

    Amen to that,

    not worried about losing the work, just frustrating that people want kew gardens staff but only want to pay £10-£15 an hour for the privilege!

    Steve Sonic Grounds Maintenance said:

    I wouldnt worry Anthony. You win some you loose some.

    Sounds like they are the sort of clients we all like to avoid! Most likely would be late payers and would nit pick at everything you did!
    Well shot mate.

    My Wife works at Kew..........for nothing! Shes a volunteer there. But those who do work there get paid very little. Theyre expected to get their payback when they move somewhere else

  • Im fortunate in that i have almost a full quota of regular clients, all of which are staying for this year. But i had several smaller clients with awkward access and a couple of nice but dim, late payers, so they are now out and so I have a couple of slots to fill.

    Im in no rush, business is good, there loss ;-)

    Mark Bain said:

    Probably better off without them by the sounds off it bud.

    Glad you have many clients at the moment and you do not ‘need' the work if that’s the correct term?!

    Perhaps in 6 months’ time, swing by and see the condition of the garden. Then smirk if it’s in a bad state with the facial expression... I told you so! haha!

    Who knows, maybe the new guy will be alright.

    Unlucky for not securing the work though. Plenty more potential clients out there....

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