HOW TO HIRE · GARDEN & OUTDOOR · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a gardener in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A gardening in Ireland costs €25–€60 per hour, typically around €40. 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 gardener in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers gardener work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — garden Design and Landscaping — creating a beautiful garden may require design and landscaping services.
- How does size of your garden change the price?The job grows in hours faster than it grows in metres. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does complexity of the work change the price?An intricate finish is slower to apply and slower to correct. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does type of plants involved change the price?The tools decide what is possible as much as the skill does. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Weeding and Pest Control — professional gardeners can help manage weeds and pests that may harm your plants — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a gardener 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 gardener work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — garden Design and Landscaping — creating a beautiful garden may require design and landscaping services.
A good answer: The job grows in hours faster than it grows in metres. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: An intricate finish is slower to apply and slower to correct. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: The tools decide what is possible as much as the skill does. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Weeding and Pest Control — professional gardeners can help manage weeds and pests that may harm your plants — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a gardener 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 — planting and Pruning — gardening services often involve planting new flowers, shrubs, or trees, as well as pruning existing plants to encourage growth and maintain shape.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the gardener starts, and an itemised invoice after — lawn Care — this includes mowing, edging, and fertilising your lawn to keep it healthy and vibrant.
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 your garden — the job grows in hours faster than it grows in metres.
- Complexity of the work — an intricate finish is slower to apply and slower to correct.
- Type of plants involved — the tools decide what is possible as much as the skill does.
- Materials needed — the supplier's price is passed on as it stands.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
A company
- Size of your garden — the job grows in hours faster than it grows in metres.
- Complexity of the work — an intricate finish is slower to apply and slower to correct.
- Type of plants involved — the tools decide what is possible as much as the skill does.
- Materials needed — the supplier's price is passed on as it stands.
- 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 your garden — the job grows in hours faster than it grows in metres
- They will not talk about it: complexity of the work — an intricate finish is slower to apply and slower to correct
- They will not talk about it: type of plants involved — the tools decide what is possible as much as the skill does
- A price for the gardener 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 gardener has begun
What a gardener costs: €25–€60 per hour
Most gardeners quote the job rather than the hour; the hourly rate is what the small jobs are priced from. Lawn care and Planting and landscaping each carry their own band. Gardening 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
Gardeners 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, or book by the hour.
- Look firstSize of your garden — the job grows in hours faster than it grows in metres — that is what the gardener is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneComplexity of the work — an intricate finish is slower to apply and slower to correct — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfType of plants involved — the tools decide what is possible as much as the skill does — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherMaterials needed — the supplier's price is passed on as it stands — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the gardener is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, complexity of the tasks involved — fine work is checked more often, and checking takes time.
- Lawn Care
- This includes mowing, edging, and fertilising your lawn to keep it healthy and vibrant.
- Planting and Pruning
- Gardening services often involve planting new flowers, shrubs, or trees, as well as pruning existing plants to encourage growth and maintain shape.
- Weeding and Pest Control
- Professional gardeners can help manage weeds and pests that may harm your plants.
- Garden Design and Landscaping
- Creating a beautiful garden may require design and landscaping services.
- Planting and Landscaping
- Includes selecting, planting, and arranging flowers, shrubs, and trees to enhance your garden's aesthetics.
- Garden Maintenance
- Covers regular upkeep tasks like weeding, pruning, and mulching to keep the garden tidy and healthy.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a gardener: questions people ask
The cost of gardening services can depend on the size of your garden, the complexity of the work, and the type of plants involved. Additional services like landscaping or design will generally increase the overall price.
The duration of a gardening job can vary widely based on the tasks involved. Simple tasks like mowing can take an hour, while more complex jobs such as landscaping may take several hours or even days.
Same-day gardening services may be available, but they often depend on the gardener's schedule and location. It's best to call ahead and check availability for urgent requests.
Yes, booking several related gardening jobs can be convenient and may result in a discount. Discuss your needs with the gardener to create a comprehensive plan for your garden.
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.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and put right if it is not. Say what is wrong in writing first.
MORE GUIDES
More hiring guides in garden & outdoor
Gardeners 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