How much does it cost to hire someone to cut the grass? Lawn mowing prices explained

Frequently Asked Questions about lawn mowing prices

Who will come in and do mowing work?

All gardening companies will come in and do mowing work, it is one of their most popular spring and summer services. You don’t have to use a garden contractor, you can just use a sole gardener and if it is a relatively simple job – literally just the cutting – then a handyman or odd job man could do it.

If you are an elderly or disabled council tenant, find out more information on the government website on your local council's garden maintenance service.

Where can I find a gardener or gardening company?

Most people either go word of mouth or use a local advertiser, perhaps a magazine or a community group on social media. There are also internet platforms which will filter garden companies and gardeners for your specific purposes within a designated range of your postcode and based on the services that you are looking for.

I have a large lawn, how can I keep the lawn mowing costs down during the summer months?

Consider turning over some of the lawn to borders or pathways or just losing some for a hard-surfaced area like decking or a patio. You could also allow some of the lawn to run wild and keep it as an area to encourage wildflowers and insects or create a sports and play area for the children which will inevitably suffer but will leave you with a smaller area to keep pristine. Another option is to split the work with a gardener and do some of the cutting work yourself; this halfway house can work well as you are more likely to be able to fit around the weather but always coordinate what you are doing with the gardener so that you don’t cut across each other.

Is there such a thing as a fixed cost lawn mowing service?

If you want a handle on the costs then you can ask for a fixed price to cut your lawn which the gardener will base on the size and the initial condition of the lawn he is presented with. Some people prefer to do that than work at gardener hourly rate.

Will a gardener use my lawnmower?

This is up to you and the arrangement you have with the gardener or garden service company. Some gardeners prefer to use your equipment as it saves the wear and tear on their own, others who may charge more will prefer to use their own mowers which they are familiar with and which may be bigger, faster and offer a better cut. Discuss this with the gardener when he comes to price the work. There is no point offering him a mower with blunt blades which has seen better days as it will only take him longer to cut the grass and you won’t get such a good result.

If you are concerned about the potential noise implications in using a professional lawn mowing service, click here to find out more about government legislation on lawnmowers and noise emissions.

Will it reduce lawn mowing prices, in the long run, to hire a professional to look after my lawn?

Usually, it will save you money as lawns are very maintenance and care heavy and time-consuming and most people don’t keep proper control of them and so rather inevitably, it always ends up costing them more money in the long run to get the lawn back into shape.

What other care might my lawn need apart from mowing?

Cutting is one element of all-round, professional lawn care. To keep a lawn looking its best, it will require watering in prolonged dry periods, edging to provide that neat finish, weeding for unwanted plants and moss, scarifying and feeding with lawn food. To keep a lawn looking its best month in month out, there should be an annual programme of care and maintenance of which mowing is just one element.

My lawn is beyond hope, what can I do?

A lawn that is full of unwanted plants will take a long time to pull back round into something worth looking at so one option is to take the grass up and start again with fresh turf which will be well looked after and weed-free. This may also be a cheaper option if you compare it with the cost of hours of intensive lawn care and maintenance plus the outlay on weed treatments and lawn food.

How long does artificial turf last?

Well laid synthetic turf can last around seven to ten years if it is correctly looked after. The key to longevity is installation and you should be offered a guarantee on the turf but only if it has been laid by specialists.

What are the downsides to synthetic grass?

The drawbacks to artificial grass are the initial start-up costs and also the loss of that lovely scent of freshly mown grass in the summertime, plus you will lose biodiversity in your garden as real grass attracts numerous species of insects and birds. Fake grass is non-recyclable so as well as not supporting biodiversity whilst it is in place, it will also have to go to landfill when it reaches the end of its life.

Are the lawn care products the gardener uses organic and safe for the environment?

One of the main concerns for lawn treatment is that it is safe for pets and children to go on afterwards. There are organic treatments and you should check with your contractor about the safety of the products they use and if there is any recommended period that children and pets need to be kept off the grass after it has been treated.