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Hi Eleanor
Traditionally, there has always been a split amongst members on the right, or best, way to charge oneself out.
As you will find, some members will only work on a priced basis whilst others will set their rates and charge by the hour: some will use a combination of both methods.
Personally I think you have to do what suits you.
Have a look through the forum by using the search bar at the top. Here are a few topics on charging by the hour.
People are always saying this and there are endless discussions on it. I always charge per visit however I invariably make the visit an hour... sometimes a little bit longer.... so I guess it really is an hourly rate. I feel that you have to have some sort of allocated time in your head in order to schedule your days work..... I also find that there's always more work that you can find to do in the garden, even if its a quite minor item, and you need to know when to stop and move on.
I use a combination of both.
Hedges, tree work & mowing are all priced as a job, meaning I look at the job and price it how I see fit.
Garden maintenance like pruning, weeding and general tidying is an hourly rate with time taken to get there priced into it also.
If they want me for a whole day, I quote my day rate and do anything (except tree and hedge work)
Ashley M
The discussion about hourly rate/fixed price isn't normally around one-off work: it's about how you charge for regular work.
Obviously you'd have to take the discussion to a private area to talk costs, but just to put some random numbers on to make the point.
Say I charge £50 to cut a lawn. I might cut it 30 times a year on average, so that's £1500. I could charge £50 per visit, or £125 over 12 months. It's the same cost to the client, the same income to me, but it's much easier to live on twelve regular payments and easier for the client to have a standing order set up. No need for invoices, cheques, no delay in payments, it's better for everyone.
The other thing is to understand that the incentive is on me to work faster, more efficiently, invest in the better equipment etc., if I'm going to increase my earnings proportionally. If you want to pay me by the hour, I'll buy a cheap, slow mower, not a £1200 one. I'll use a broom, not a blower, that sort of thing. If I can buy the best, and cut down the time I need for each garden, then I can fit more work in, and pay for the investment: again, better for everyone.
I have a few people on an hourly basis, as the amount I do is very variable. With most of them it's a simple, monthly charge to include everything over a year.