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  Nick @ NM Garden Services Ltd February 21, 2013 at 9:11pm

  If all the trade pay the same then you are on a level playing field.
  
  Are there alternatives?
  
  In the uk I have several options:
  
  Compost on site
  Use council household green waste collections
  Remove to the council tip (weighbridge)
  Remove to private tip (weighbridge)
  Remove to licensed farm for composting - billed per load no matter how much you squeeze on
  Ask the customer if they want to remove the waste themselves (cheapest but not necessarily the most cost effective option for them).
  
  Nick
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  English Sheep February 22, 2013 at 7:37am

  Good Morning Nick and thank you for your reply.

  You have certainly highlighted some options that I have had a brain freeze on.

  I think if any of you have complaining clients regarding garden waste disposal then just show them the picture for what I am being charged!

  The ideal solution is to get the client to compost. If I can get them to think like this, do any of you have any experience with these compost starter products? (products that are supposed to speed up the composting rate or is it marketing blurb?
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  Paul McNulty February 22, 2013 at 9:13am

  I've never liked compost heaps only for grass cuttings, it never seems to make anything other than a smelly mess. I also, as has been said before, don't like leaving the client's green bin rammed full, although we don't have them in any of the areas I cover now. One of my real gripes with all the different trades we've had whilst renovating our house is that some leave rubbish behind. Thousands of pounds on electrical work, and they leave me the empty cable drums, offcuts of wire, all the boxes the sockets came in? Not acceptable to me; you should leave the site clear.

  I build the regular cost of waste disposal in to my charges, and only add on a seperate fee for large loads such as hedge cuttings. I pay more than £16 to get rid of a M3 of grass cuttings here, but that would be a week's work for me. Don't forget it's your time as well as tipping costs, for each visit to the waste site.

  It's difficult, I think, to charge someone for, say, two dustbin bags of grass cuttings thrown in my van. What do I invoice them, 50p or something? That would be a bit of an own-goal I think as it would look pretty petty on top of my relatively high rates. Make sure your fees take account of all your costs and give the customer a fixed price, and explain in your terms and conditions that you include these things that cost you money. I reinforce this when I put my charges up each year, mentioning that the waste costs, fuel costs etc. have all risen above inflation again!
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  English Sheep February 22, 2013 at 9:59am

  Good Morning Paul.

  Compost heaps I love. Smelly grass cuttings are horrible.

  How true you are about gripes and leaving things at the clients location.

  Treat other people property the way you would treat your own. I too are never keen on the idea of stamping the very last grass cutting into the clients bin.

  Waste etc had been built into the cost. Yet yesterdays price hike, I nearly fell over.

  Luckily, the local tip is in the same area as I hop to be working in.

  I too are pushing relatively high rates right from the beginning.

  This sets the expectation management levels for both my clients and myself.
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  Dan Frazer Gardening February 22, 2013 at 10:33am

  How do they measure waste volume?
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  English Sheep February 22, 2013 at 11:15am

  Hi dan.
  
  There is a man on the front gate that inspects your vehicle and has a look inside / at your trailer. Imagine when you drive over to France and customs look inside your vehicle.
  
  Then the very nice chap gives you the price to pay. This is not an exact science I know as different people on the gate = different price.
  
  I have also found a crate of beer helps!
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  Colin Hunt February 22, 2013 at 5:02pm

  As usual the French seem to disregard EU rules and 'guess' weight/volume. We are such mugs and adhere to all the rules.
  
  English Sheep said:

  Hi dan.
  
  There is a man on the front gate that inspects your vehicle and has a look inside / at your trailer. Imagine when you drive over to France and customs look inside your vehicle.
  
  Then the very nice chap gives you the price to pay. This is not an exact science I know as different people on the gate = different price.
  
  I have also found a crate of beer helps!
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  English Sheep February 22, 2013 at 5:07pm

  Not french Ze Germans!
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  Colin Hunt February 23, 2013 at 6:53am

  Oh yes, so it is, that'll teach me not to bother to try and read a sign sideways and make assumptions about the poor French!
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  English Sheep February 23, 2013 at 7:11am

  Good Morning Colin.

  Teeheee!!!

  We are off shortly based on some suggestions from Nick to have a look at other facilities to dispose of.