McHale GardensPrices and payment
How much do you charge?
£28 per person per hour, the same rate for every job, whether it's mowing, hedges, a clearance or a new lawn. When two of us work on a job, that's £56 an hour. Pressure washing adds £15 an hour for each machine. We're not VAT registered, so there's no VAT to add.
Is there a minimum booking?
Yes: bookings start at half a day (4 hours). That's £112 with one person, or £224 if two of us come. If your job is small, we'll combine it with something else, like a hedge trim or a tidy-up, so you get the most from the visit.
Will I know the cost before you start?
Yes. You'll get a free estimate before any work starts, with everything listed: the time and how many of us, any materials, and any tip runs. Materials such as seed, feed, turf and plants are charged at cost with no markup, and paid before the job. Estimates are valid for 30 days.
How do I pay?
By bank transfer or cash, within 7 days.
Do you have a referral scheme?
Yes. Recommend a friend or neighbour, and when they book their first job, you'll each get an hour of work free.
Booking and visits
How do I book or get a quote?
Call or text Andrew on 07732 772050, email andrew@mchalegardens.com, or use our enquiry form. Tell us what you need doing and roughly where you are, and we'll get back to you with a free estimate. We work Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm; messages outside those hours are answered the next working day.
Who will do the work?
Andrew McHale, who runs McHale Gardens, with his helper Tobin when a job needs two people. Your estimate says how many of us will be there.
Do I need to be at home?
No, as long as we can get into the garden (for example, the side gate is unlocked) and we've agreed beforehand what's being done. You're welcome to be there if you'd like to be.
What do I need to provide?
Access to the garden. For pressure washing we'll also need an outside tap we can connect to, and cars moved off the drive if we're cleaning it. We bring our own tools and equipment.
What if the weather's bad, or I need to cancel?
If the weather stops us, we'll rebook you at the next free slot, at no charge. If you need to cancel, there's no charge either: just let us know. If you agreed the job at home, by phone or online, you also have a legal right to cancel within 14 days (see our terms).
Garden waste
What happens to the garden waste?
We deal with it before we leave. Cuttings can be chipped with our small wood chipper as mulch for your borders, or bagged for your garden waste bin, which saves on tip runs. If you'd rather we take it away, tip runs are £20 each plus the disposal site's fees, charged at cost. We're a registered waste carrier (CBDL662169).
Can you take away other rubbish?
No. Our waste carrier registration covers the green waste from our own work only. We can't take away rubble, soil, household items, or piles of garden waste that were there before we arrived.
About the work
Can you cut hedges during bird nesting season?
Nesting season runs roughly from March to August. We check hedges for active nests before cutting, and any section with an active nest is left: it's an offence to damage or destroy a nest in use under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Autumn is the main hedge season, and winter is the best time for hard reductions. More on our hedge trimming page.
Do you do garden clearances?
Yes, including badly overgrown gardens: brambles, ivy, nettles, long grass and overgrown shrubs cut back and cleared. We take away the green waste from our own work, but not rubble, soil, household items or piles of waste that were already there. More on our garden clearance page.
Do you do landscaping?
Yes: new lawns laid with turf or sown from seed, and new beds and borders dug, improved and planted. Turf, soil and plants are charged at cost with no markup. We don't build patios, paths, fences or raised beds. More on our landscaping page.
What don't you do?
We don't do tree work or felling, stump grinding, building work such as patios, paths, fencing or raised beds, or rubbish and rubble removal. We stick to garden maintenance, lawns, hedges, clearances, turfing and planting, and pressure washing.
Are you insured?
We carry £5 million public liability insurance, and we're a registered waste carrier (CBDL662169).
Which areas do you cover?
We're based in Bramley and work across Guildford, Godalming, Farncombe, Shalford, Chilworth, Farley Green, Cranleigh, Merrow, Burpham, Compton, the Hog's Back and Wonersh. If you're nearby and your village isn't listed, just ask. See areas we cover.