Coprolite Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 Can anyone tell me why people who offer 'property services' are so much cheaper than professional gardeners?I have recently recieved several quotes from enterprises for the care of our garden and those from the former are around 10-20euros per hour whilst those from actual gardening firms are 26-36euros per hour.Is there some kind of tax benefit in being a gite owner that allows them to work for so much less or is it that the gardeners have invested in so much more in specialised equipment?It was interesting to note that all the cheap hourly rates also quoted 2-4 times more hours than the actual gardeners! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tresco Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 In an established garden, with, you know, plants and things, a professional gardener will know what needs doing and when, rather than just mowing the grass. 2 years ago my garden could have been cared for at the minimum rate, (and indeed it had been before we moved over) because it was just a field. If we were not here full time now, that level of service would not be enough. I think the expression would be 'you get what you pay for'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Trollope Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 [quote]Can anyone tell me why people who offer 'property services' are so much cheaper than professional gardeners? I have recently recieved several quotes from enterprises for the care of our garden and th...[/quote]Because, the chances are, those charging 10€/hr are doing so "on the black".Nuff said... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coprolite Posted November 14, 2005 Author Share Posted November 14, 2005 Good evening, I have checked out the two lowest quotes. They are both registered, one as a 'Paysagist' and one as 'Property services'If the social charges plus business costs are as high as this forum suggests then they are on a hiding to nothing... or they simply don't actually work the hours they quote.I am a keen amateur gardener here in the U.K and know that just cutting the grass is only a small part of gardening.I think that in my case a real gardener rather than 'property services' is called for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bannon Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 Those charges ten euros an hour would HAVE to be working on the black! There must be an hourly rate below which it would not be possible to work legally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 According to Val2, who has run a business in France for some years '...we charge 30€/hour for a skilled artisan and 22-25€/hour for a labourer,semi-skilled person. These are the minimum rates that a small business must charge to survive the ever increasing social charges and are confirmed by CAPEB and ABG the largest gestion accountancy here for the building trades.'.I can't imagine that gardening work could be much cheaper to carry out. As expensive, durable tools and equipment are required even for grass cutting it may justify higher hourly rates.The topic from which I extracted that quote can be found here http://forums.livingfrance.com/shwmessage.aspx?ForumID=343&MessageID=230657 and contains a lot of useful information on charges (between the usual arguments). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coprolite Posted November 16, 2005 Author Share Posted November 16, 2005 Any-one get the new Brit-mag Nov-Dec...? There is a mugshot of Nick Trollope that makes him look like Bilbo Baggins! He is a property services fellow too! Do you do gardening as well Nick? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony F Dordogne Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 And is this another wind-up? Seem to recall this is another of Ty Korrigan's pet subjects.TK disappears, coprolite appears and he even knows Nick Trollope - not bad after so little time here and just a few posts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 Read the post - "Any-one get the new Brit-mag Nov-Dec...? There is a mugshot of Nick Trollope that makes him look like Bilbo Baggins!"Where does it say the poster knows Nick Trollope, he is in a mag !Has any one ever told you that you have a very suspicious mind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Trollope Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 [quote]Any-one get the new Brit-mag Nov-Dec...? There is a mugshot of Nick Trollope that makes him look like Bilbo Baggins! He is a property services fellow too! Do you do gardening as well Nick?[/quote]No, I don't, but I do look like Bilbo Baggins at the best of times.I am (supposed to be) a Maitre d'Oeuvre - but read the article!Nor do I hide behind a pseudonym! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coprolite Posted November 17, 2005 Author Share Posted November 17, 2005 Hello, Coprolite was my University name and wind up? I don't see one here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeb Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 Doesn't that translate to "dung heap" or sommat similar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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