Professional garden clearance costs about £100-£350 per project, depending on the type and quantity of the waste. Gardeners usually charge around £40-£60 per hour or £60-£350 per load for this type of work. However, they may also agree to a flat price for the entire project. So, if you get the chance, choose the most cost-efficient pricing system.
However, if you want the best value for your money, you can’t rely on these estimates alone. So give us a few minutes to cover everything you need to know about hiring garden clearance services.
Read on as we discuss what you will get for your money, the factors that influence price, money-saving and hiring tips, and why you would even need a professional garden clearance service in the first place.
Why would you need a garden clearance service?
The best way to answer this question is to first answer two others. So bear with us.
Question 1: Why do you need garden clearance?
You need garden clearance to remove unwanted elements, aka waste, from your garden.
Question 2: What are these so-called garden wastes?
All garden wastes fit into two categories.
- Organic waste: This includes grass cuttings, removed weeds, trimmings, fallen leaves, tree debris, spent crops, unwanted soil and other unwanted plants.
- Inorganic waste: This includes unwanted, damaged and old furniture, sheds, flower pots, sculptures, gutter waste, and construction waste (such as glass, tiles, plasterboards, timber, metal, decking boards, etc). All unwanted inorganic materials currently occupying your garden fall into this category.
The waste problem could be minor (maybe you recently trimmed your flowers or built a new decking) or major (maybe the garden has been ignored for so long that it is practically a junkyard). It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you want those unwanted elements removed; usually for aesthetic reasons or to create space for a new feature or total garden redesign.
Now that we are clear on what garden clearance and garden wastes mean, it is time to answer the main question. You need a garden clearance service, because garden clearance is a labour-intensive and time-consuming task. In some cases, it may even involve specialist equipment and licences. Above all, a garden clearance service will save you the stress of handling the job yourself, while also probably doing a faster and better job.
What are the factors that influence the cost of garden clearance?
There are 5 factors that you need to know.
Type of waste
Let’s start with the two main categories of garden waste. Compared to inorganic wastes, organic wastes are cheaper to clear because they are easier to remove and dispose of. However, clearance costs can still vary within the same waste types.
Let’s use flower trimmings and tree debris as examples. Tree debris like trunks and branches are larger. Therefore, they are more difficult to clear. Your gardener(s) may even decide to hire a wood chipper to reduce the size of branches to make removal easier.
Finally, there is the issue of toxic and controlled garden wastes like asbestos and Japanese knotweed. They require special licences and often a fee for the disposal site.
Quantity of the waste
This is usually directly proportional to the condition and size of the garden. A larger or neglected garden will cost more to clear. It will take more labour and time to complete the job. As you already know, garden clearance services often charge per hour or load. In both cases, the waste quantity will affect cost.
Duration
This is similar to the last factor. The higher the quantity of waste, the longer the job will take. Therefore, the more expensive it will be. Do note that gardeners prefer hourly rates to the pricing options.
Ease of access
Gardeners often charge higher rates if there are accessibility issues. By this, we mean when they encounter problems accessing or moving their equipment to the site.
Your location
By location, we mean the standard of living in your area and the distance from a disposal site or qualified gardener. Big cities like London have a higher standard of living, so expect higher rates in such areas. For the latter two factors, your project may also cost more if the disposal site or gardener is a long distance away for you.
What will you get when paying for garden clearance?
Whoever you hire (gardener or otherwise) will probably want to inspect your garden before quoting a price. During the inspection, they may also decide how and what they need for the job. Then on D-day, they will come in with their equipment, gather the waste and remove it to a disposal site.
However, the process may differ slightly depending on the type of waste involved. For example, they may need wood chippers to cut large branches into smaller, easy-to-move sizes. They may also need other specialist equipment, licences and disposal sites for controlled and toxic waste.
What are the hidden charges to watch out for when hiring a garden clearance service?
Lots of services in almost every industry have hidden charges. That is why you should always get a written quote that states exactly what you are getting for your money. Either way, watch out for the following hidden costs.
- Skip hire: It costs about £75-£200 per day. Find out if the company will provide this or if you will have to pay separately for it.
- Wood chipper: It costs about £50-£300 per day. They may need this when dealing with large tree branches and trunks. Find out if the cost is already included in the original quote.
- Electricity bill: Your gardener(s) may need to connect their electric-powered tools to your power supply.
How to find a reliable service garden clearance service
We recommend hiring a professional gardener, but you can hire anyone you want, because garden clearance is not a skilled task. Find the person or company by asking people you trust (friends, family members, neighbours and colleagues) for recommendations or checking local listings and the internet.
Focus on candidates with the following.
- Good references and reviews
- Certificates, experience and licences, especially if you need specialist waste disposal
- Public liability insurance
Get quotes from the top 3-5 candidates. Then choose the right fit.
How to save money when hiring a garden clearance service
The easiest and most effective way to save money is to handle the job yourself. You don’t need any special skill set. Just time and some tools. However, if you want to hire someone, here are some ways to save money.
- Do part of the job yourself: You can gather the garden waste yourself and let the gardener handle disposal, or vice versa.
- Use organic waste for mulch or manure: Then you will save on the disposal fee.
Conclusion
Fair warning – our figures are estimates. So expect slight variations. But use the information in this article to stop unscrupulous gardeners from taking advantage of you.
Whatever the cost, garden clearance is an important maintenance activity. We recommend doing it at least once every year. This way, garden waste won’t get enough time to build up.
As a result, the job will be easier and cheaper, whether you hire someone or handle it yourself. Plus, you can also hire the same gardener for regular service, improving your chances of getting better rates.
FAQs
How much will a professional gardener charge for garden clearance?
The average gardener charges £40-£60 per hour or £100-£150 per day.
How much does it cost to remove soil?
It costs about £75-£80 per 500kg.
How should you clear a garden?
Do this once every year, in spring or late winter. Gardens generally have more waste in spring. It is also a great way to prepare for the growing season.
