Oliver Hawkins

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Business / personal name

Viridian Gardens

Primary telephone number:

07779297638

About you and your business ( please complete)

I am a London-based Residential Landscape designer.

Business category

Residential Landscape Design

Where did you hear about Landscape Juice

Through a fellow designer

A. Latta posted a discussion

Driveway weedkiller recommendations

Hi all, does anyone have advice (product recommendations) on how to keep large parking areas (gravel and or block paving areas) free of weeds without spending a small fortune on 'path clear' and suchlike?Thank you in advance

Ben Carter replied to James's discussion What is average cost for mowing a garden?

"Hi lee.
As others have said price per job and hourly rate in your head. You have to bear in mind equipment loading, travelling and equipment servicing which clients don't see.
£25 is not unreasonable."

PRO

Dave Colton replied to Kris Baker's discussion Hedge trimmer harness

"I use the elephant trunk and it works fine even on very heavy hedge trimmers. Not cheap but worth the money if you have a long run of cutting to do."

Public Member

Kris Baker posted a discussion

Hedge trimmer harness

I would like advice on a harness please.Looking at past threads the Easy Lift seemed to be the favourite. Henchman used to sell it (Google still links to the Henchman page, but there isn't anything there any more)I can't find any other UK…

Lee Davis replied to James's discussion What is average cost for mowing a garden?

"Hmm thank you very much (and others who have commented). Clearly need to rethink how I do things. I suppose I was trying to be transparent, but now they all trust me and know that I do a good job it's a bit different to when I first started. "

Vic 575 replied to James's discussion What is average cost for mowing a garden?

"As stated above, price per job and definitely not an hourly rate. Any hourly rate is only kept in your own head [and never shared with the client] in order for you to calculate the price for the job.
Price per job is far better for the client. It…"

Peter sellers replied to James's discussion What is average cost for mowing a garden?

"All our work both domestic and commercial is price and has been since starting 40 years ago and is all regular maintenance
We work out the time needed per visit to do the work requested and then multiply by our charge eg one visit of one hour per…"

Peter sellers replied to Lee Davis's discussion New mower time!

"There"s 3 settings it was probably on lowest"

Vic 575 replied to Lee Davis's discussion New mower time!

"Just unleaded.
The v-twin 18hp engine on my Stiga Parks 740 Pwx has just 'gone'.
It is compressing into the sump and blowing oil out as white fog from the sump breather. I look like one of the red arrows or Wesley Pegden. Not good breathing it…"

Graham Taylor replied to Tim Wallach's discussion Gadgets that were surprisingly useful: catcher on hedge trimmer

"Bought one of those myself a year or so back for my HSA86 Really handy for doing tops and you can add/remove it in seconds..................... never bothered with the metal clips..... not sure why we even need them as it works fine without…"

Lee Davis replied to Lee Davis's discussion New mower time!

"Thank you that's very helpful. The only thing I didn't like with it was the handle seemed low down and I'm only 5' 8"."

Mjc replied to Lee Davis's discussion New mower time!

"Hi, I bought the honda hrx476 Hy this year. Very pleased with it. It's light weight and good balance makes it so comfortable to use. Seems to work well on the half mulch half collect setting. Cutting some fairly wet grass last week and the pick up…"

PRO

James replied to James's discussion What is average cost for mowing a garden?

"Price per visit.
Tell the customer it will be X amount per visit.
In you head charge £30ph or £35/£40 whatever it is worth and work out how long it will take you.
Half a day is half a days money.
View the garden. Take pictures. Tell the customer you…"

Lee Davis replied to James's discussion What is average cost for mowing a garden?

"How do you do price work for a weekly maintenance job though? Part of how these bigger clients justify knocking me down a bit is that they are 52 weeks a year, lawn jobs are only march - October really. "

Lee Davis replied to Lee Davis's discussion New mower time!

"Wow that's impressive, what fuel do you it in it? The engine that has failed on my Hayter is Honda, but that's because I hadn't checked the oil level."