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  Paul McNulty July 17, 2014 at 10:06pm

  Did I read this right? 30 pence to prune shubs or clear beds, per m2?

  I'd stay home for that rate...
• PRO

  Robert Yates July 17, 2014 at 10:13pm

  Yeah i agree with Paul, that rate does seem very low. I couldn't imagine to think what the margins on such jobs would be after waste removal, fuel, labour etc.
  Maybe send them a quotation back instead of following their pricing? I've had contractors do that to me to try and get me to work for a lower rate instead of what i normally charge.
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  Neil Petrie BSc Landscape Mgt July 17, 2014 at 10:18pm

  Forget it! Waste of time.
• PRO

  Gary RK July 17, 2014 at 10:20pm

  You'll struggle to deliver a "quality job", meaning Prime Contractor could hold back monies, yet still get an even 'cheaper & cheerful' job done at your expense.
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  B F July 17, 2014 at 10:24pm

  I did laugh out loud when I read it as it's nowhere near where if be if I worked back on my hourly or day rates for existing hedge works.
  
  I forgot to mention, that includes removal of waste.
  
  Out of interest as a rough guide where should it be on that scale of works? Assuming it's all hand held equipment from ground level.
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  Lee July 17, 2014 at 10:29pm

  I'd work at mac donalds first. Ridiculous
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  matt evans July 17, 2014 at 10:30pm

  I subcontract to 3 companies and that is the rate for prune work, i get 0.33p per meter. Some beds are easier than others, even some beds have no shrubs in them!! A hard working operative can cover 700 sqm a day, so depends on efficient your men are, you can make money out it. I Just completed a contract for the NHS, 4000sqm at 0.33p oer meter, completed in two days with 3 men - not bad I dont think
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  Jordan Graham July 17, 2014 at 11:26pm

  When you say 0.30p/0.33p per meter for pruning work would that be just the sides of the hedges? If your cutting the top surely it would depend on the width and height of the hedge. Not sure how that works?
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  David Benson July 17, 2014 at 11:33pm

  hi Matt dos that include clearing up and disposal of rubbish. 700 M2 a day is 1.5 M2 per minute but if you have to clear up after your self and in beds is pushing it a bit
  also depends whether there is ladder work or all on the ground how wide the hedges are you know how difficult it is to clear the top of a wide hedge, i would think the contractor will be charging about £1 per M2
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  matt evans July 18, 2014 at 6:16am

  All of the work priced at 0.33p is ground work, anything out the reach of the pole hedge cutter and i tell them to get a tree surgeon in and dont take the piss!!
  It is the whole shrub bed, top and sides and clear up. Ive found that two cutting and one clearing is best.

  Ive found various tips on saving on the bulk - as you are cutting the tops, cut the growth down by 2" at a time, most of the clippings will then trickle through and fall in to the middle - virtually nothing to collect from the top. The same can be done at the side, take it in 2" at a time and sometimes but not always can be blown.
  Remember it is commercial work so it can be abit rougher and usualy is.
  I have a flail which i run over the clippings to reduce the bulk.

  Last winter i won a contract for a housing assoc, 15,000sqm at 0.33p. Worked out as £5000. Took me 20 days on my own! During the winter prune you need to turn/grub up the soil around the sides of the bed and edge any lawn.

  anything else fire away