HOW TO HIRE · GARDEN & OUTDOOR · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a garden maintenance contractor in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A garden maintenance in Ireland costs €40–€120 per visit, typically around €70. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
TWO WAYS TO BUY THIS
Which do you need?
An individual, by the hour
You book a person for a set number of hours and they do what you ask. There is no scope and no quote: you are buying time. Best where the work is routine, you can say what you want done, and you would rather pay for two hours than for a job.
A company, for the job
You describe the job and they price it. There is a scope, a written quote, a team and somebody supervising it. Best where the work is one big push, where it needs equipment, or where you want one party answerable for the result.
What changes between them
The rate per hour against a price for the job; one person against a team; your own instructions against a written scope; and VAT, which an individual under the registration threshold does not charge at all.
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a garden maintenance contractor in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers garden maintenance contractor work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — hedge Trimming and Shaping — maintaining hedges involves regular trimming to keep them neat and healthy.
- How does size of the garden change the price?A larger property takes longer simply to move around. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does complexity of the tasks change the price?The more pieces involved, the more there is to go wrong. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does frequency of service change the price?The answer to this shapes the rest of the quote. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Garden maintenance generally does not cover major landscaping projects, tree removal, or pest control — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a garden maintenance contractor job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
By the hour
No register applies
NO REGISTER APPLIES TO GARDENERS. Anyone may trade as one. Two specific rules do bite, though, and neither is obvious: professional PESTICIDE and weedkiller use requires certification, and taking your green waste away makes them a waste carrier, which IS registered. A gardener who bags your clippings and drives off without a waste permit is the commonest unlicensed act in this whole family.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
Whether they take the green waste away — and if so, their waste permit or carrier registration, because the liability for fly-tipped waste follows YOU; Certification for any lawn treatment, moss killer or weedkiller applied professionally; Public liability — a mower throws stones and a hedge cutter reaches a window; Whether the price is per visit or per hour, and what a visit includes; Who disposes of the arisings on a one-off clearance, priced as a line item; For a regular contract, what happens in winter when there is less to do.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 13.5%, the reduced rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
Insurance
Expect public liability; ask the limit, because a stone through a window is the routine claim. You are booking an individual for a set number of hours, so ask whether the ID has been checked and what the rating is from people who booked the same way — there is no company behind them to carry either.
A company
No register applies
NO REGISTER APPLIES TO GARDENERS. Anyone may trade as one. Two specific rules do bite, though, and neither is obvious: professional PESTICIDE and weedkiller use requires certification, and taking your green waste away makes them a waste carrier, which IS registered. A gardener who bags your clippings and drives off without a waste permit is the commonest unlicensed act in this whole family.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
Whether they take the green waste away — and if so, their waste permit or carrier registration, because the liability for fly-tipped waste follows YOU; Certification for any lawn treatment, moss killer or weedkiller applied professionally; Public liability — a mower throws stones and a hedge cutter reaches a window; Whether the price is per visit or per hour, and what a visit includes; Who disposes of the arisings on a one-off clearance, priced as a line item; For a regular contract, what happens in winter when there is less to do.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 13.5%, the reduced rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
Insurance
Expect public liability; ask the limit, because a stone through a window is the routine claim. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
A good answer: No register covers garden maintenance contractor work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — hedge Trimming and Shaping — maintaining hedges involves regular trimming to keep them neat and healthy.
A good answer: A larger property takes longer simply to move around. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: The more pieces involved, the more there is to go wrong. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: The answer to this shapes the rest of the quote. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Garden maintenance generally does not cover major landscaping projects, tree removal, or pest control — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a garden maintenance contractor job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect public liability; ask the limit, because a stone through a window is the routine claim — weeding and Mulching — weeding is a crucial part of garden maintenance to prevent competition for nutrients.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the garden maintenance contractor starts, and an itemised invoice after — planting and Pruning — garden maintenance often includes planting seasonal flowers, shrubs, and trees, as well as pruning existing plants to encourage growth and maintain shape.
Getting the quote right, or booking by the hour
By the hour
- The rate per hour, and whether it changes in the evening or at a weekend
- The minimum booking, and what happens if the job finishes early
- What they bring and what you supply
- Whether the ID has been checked, and the rating from people who booked the same way
- Insurance, where the work can damage something or somebody
- The hours and the list of what is to be done, agreed before the first one
- Size of the garden — a larger property takes longer simply to move around.
- Complexity of the tasks — the more pieces involved, the more there is to go wrong.
- Materials used — the best materials are rarely the ones in stock locally.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
A company
- Size of the garden — a larger property takes longer simply to move around.
- Complexity of the tasks — the more pieces involved, the more there is to go wrong.
- Frequency of service — the answer to this shapes the rest of the quote.
- Materials used — the best materials are rarely the ones in stock locally.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: size of the garden — a larger property takes longer simply to move around
- They will not talk about it: complexity of the tasks — the more pieces involved, the more there is to go wrong
- They will not talk about it: frequency of service — the answer to this shapes the rest of the quote
- A price for the garden maintenance contractor before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the garden maintenance contractor has begun
What a garden maintenance contractor costs: €40–€120 per visit
The figures are for the job, per visit, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Lawn care and Hedge trimming each carry their own band. Garden Maintenance price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Garden maintenance contractors near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
- Look firstSize of the garden — a larger property takes longer simply to move around — that is what the garden maintenance contractor is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneComplexity of the tasks — the more pieces involved, the more there is to go wrong — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfFrequency of service — the answer to this shapes the rest of the quote — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherMaterials used — the best materials are rarely the ones in stock locally — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the garden maintenance contractor is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, look for professionals with horticultural qualifications or relevant experience.
- Lawn Care
- Regular mowing, edging, and fertilising are essential for a healthy lawn.
- Planting and Pruning
- Garden maintenance often includes planting seasonal flowers, shrubs, and trees, as well as pruning existing plants to encourage growth and maintain shape.
- Weeding and Mulching
- Weeding is a crucial part of garden maintenance to prevent competition for nutrients.
- Hedge Trimming and Shaping
- Maintaining hedges involves regular trimming to keep them neat and healthy.
- Weeding
- Removal of unwanted plants to prevent them from competing with your garden plants for nutrients and space.
- Garden Cleanup
- Removing debris, leaves, and dead plants to prepare your garden for the new season.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a garden maintenance contractor: questions people ask
The cost of garden maintenance can vary based on the size of the garden, the complexity of the tasks, and the frequency of service. Additional factors include the expertise of the gardener and any special equipment required for specific jobs.
A typical garden maintenance session can last anywhere from one to three hours, depending on the tasks at hand. Larger gardens or more complex jobs may require longer sessions to complete effectively.
Some garden maintenance providers offer emergency or same-day services, particularly for urgent tasks like storm damage clean-up. Availability may vary, so it's best to check with local providers.
Yes, many garden maintenance companies allow you to book multiple services in one visit. This can often result in cost savings and a more comprehensive approach to garden care.
Garden maintenance generally does not cover major landscaping projects, tree removal, or pest control. These services usually require separate arrangements with specialised providers.
NO REGISTER APPLIES TO GARDENERS. Anyone may trade as one. Two specific rules do bite, though, and neither is obvious: professional PESTICIDE and weedkiller use requires certification, and taking your green waste away makes them a waste carrier, which IS registered. A gardener who bags your clippings and drives off without a waste permit is the commonest unlicensed act in this whole family.
MORE GUIDES
More hiring guides in garden & outdoor
Garden maintenance contractors near you
Sources — checked October 2026
- National Waste Collection Permit Office — facility register
- CCPC — your rights when you buy a service
- Consumer Rights Act 2022
- Courts Service — small claims
- Revenue — LANDSCAPING (Private dwellings) — Reduced rate
- Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
- Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only