Hi JennyJ, On some we are probably talking month's work. She wanted me to start and finish digging over 700 sqm before she gets back in two weeks time (still in growing season for the veg), 6 days in total because it takes 2 days to mow and strim and this is done every week, takes longer if you miss a week because of bad weather, thanks.
If it's any help, you can tell them that I have a garden 7mx4 and I can't keep on top of it alone.
Maybe it's time to walk away and tell them where to shove their demands. This is not 1485 and we are not living in a feudal society (for the most part).
Is it worth putting an advert for your services in a local paper so that you can assess the demand? You might be a lot happier working for a few clients who appreciate your work and where you can see that you are making some impact. Perhaps @WonkyWomble could advise?
It was a 70 acre estate, with lakes, woodland Walled kitchen garden, large original greenhouse, orchards, citrus House, long herbaceous boarders, formal white garden, camelia walk, bowling green, tennis courts and on and on...... horrible people, owners and land manager, 3 of us worked all of it, got shouted at, working all weather's, rubbish pay and none of us stayed longer than a year and a half, went self employed and never looked back!! New money Americans, say no more!
Hi Buttercupdays, Thanks. I have done self employment before and they still think they own you and most want to pay the bare minimum. You may get some descent clients to keep but not enough for a weeks work. Probably time for a change in career as the horticultural sector seems to be getting worse especially where I'm from.
(If anyone fancies coming down to London and helping me out for a few days, I'll happily pay. Good food, quite house, big room, north London, free parking. I'm not entirely joking, though it is an aside to the thread subject. Anyone fancy a jolly?)
@Fire I would but I suffer from anxiety and crowds are a deal breaker for me so driving in London would give me a nervous breakdown! Not to mention I never get any time off to go anywhere! Sorry, would be nice to have the time but can't see it happening, always rushing around! 😀
@kscaballard I suppose it depends on how much you need to make, as to whether self employed works for you, we don't have a very costly existence so with my husbands work too, which is not well paid at all, we are what Teresa May called just about managing, especially as I was one of the newly self employed so missed out on first 3 grants, but we don't want much and we made the choice to be time rich and happy instead of cash rich and miserable 😀
Posts
On some we are probably talking month's work. She wanted me to start and finish digging over 700 sqm before she gets back in two weeks time (still in growing season for the veg), 6 days in total because it takes 2 days to mow and strim and this is done every week, takes longer if you miss a week because of bad weather, thanks.
You might be a lot happier working for a few clients who appreciate your work and where you can see that you are making some impact. Perhaps @WonkyWomble could advise?
New money Americans, say no more!
Thanks. I have done self employment before and they still think they own you and most want to pay the bare minimum. You may get some descent clients to keep but not enough for a weeks work.
Probably time for a change in career as the horticultural sector seems to be getting worse especially where I'm from.
I'm in Suffolk and charge £15 am hour. I also do ironing for one family which gets me through rainy days and winter
Based in West Berkshire.