does anyone have a cleaner or gardener?

[janeyo]

if so how much do you pay? If I can be so nosy.

I am thinking I will need either/ or soon, as now have 6 bed 3 bath house, plus 150 foot garden, plus front garden, plus veg plot at nannas, pus 2 messy children one of which doesn't nap anymore in the day, plus chooks.... there are not enough hours to get it all done.

OH hates doing anything in the garden, even mowing the lawns, and he's not very good at spotting the chores that need doing inside either.

So I've told him I will need one or the other. But which to go for and how do you get one?

[jackie j]

I clean for a couple but not every week and that works for me. Minimum wage is what you should pay, I get £6.50p an hour. I only clean, and as yet I havent been asked to do the ironing lol. I knocked on her door for something else and she asked me if I knew a cleaner course I said yes I would do it lol. Advertise in your local paper or ask friends and family if they know anyone that would be willing. Get someone to do the housework rather than the garden except the heavy stuff.

[bubblewrap]

I do/help with a friends parents garden in summer & they pay me £6 an hour.(4-5 hours a week)
This is in reality for "beer money" and not a "wage" as such.
John & Jill are both in their mid 70s so find it quite difficult to keep up.

[binley100]

I do both . I don't get paid though . Perhaps I'll give him a bill. Minimum wage would be great.

[Seahorse]

I would definitely go for a cleaner over a gardener. Even if the garden is quite 'new' and there are big things to do, I'd consider paying someone for one off tasks, rather than a regular wage. Gardening is mainly fun but housework...ugh

When I last had a cleaner, I paid her £20 for about 3 hours a week (it was a little fluid, as sometimes we did things together, or had a cup of tea and cake etc! ). I was very lucky in that she was already a mate doing the job and I knew she was happy to get a few extra hours.

[binley100]

Did you go round tidying up first?

[weekendwellies]

Which are you most possessive about Janeyo?

If you would rather be spending your time outdoors doing the garden stuff then get the cleaner.

If you prefer being indoors, go for the gardner.

Unless you are fortunate enough to be able to afford both ...

If you are going for someone to just give you a hand whilst you are still doing most of it yourself then make it clear from the beginning that is the case.

Set out exactly what you would like them to do and when.

If you like to do the planting and harvesting, then you may want the gardener to mow the lawn and trim the bushes, plus some weeding.

The housework is more personal. You may want to 'tidy up' before the cleaner arrives and have them clean the windows, vacuuming and cleaning the bathroom, whilst you take care of cleaning the kitchen and dust the niknaks.

It all depends how much time you want them to spend, how much you are willing to pay, and how protective you are of your things.

[FionaH]

Cleaners around here get paid about a tenner and hour!

[binley100]

Gis a Job.

[zazen999]

I did have a cleaner [not a tidyer-upper!] until i was MR. I paid her £12 an hour.

She did 2 hours every fortnight; and I wasn't going to waste her time putting stuff away - and i would come back to a lovely smelling tidy house and it was fab.

Whilst she was doing that, I'd usually be at work in the office [in the garden room] or at the lottie.

Sigh - I do miss it!!!

[Snadger]

At these rates ..................I'm in the wrong job!

[sewer rat]

I now work as a gardener for three local estates / farms and charge £10 per hour, but I know of one gardener who charges £15 per hour. Bear in mind that you want a gardener and not a "landscape gardening" type company - in my experience they know very little about plants and horticulture but are very good at grass-cutting, laying patios and installing decking.
If I were you I'd go for the cleaner - much more useful - frees up more time for you to busy yourself looking after the garden, as opposed to freeing up more time from the garden for you to do housework!

[Alison]

I'd hate both, I'm too private to have anybody in my house when we're not there and however trust worthy they were then I'd feel invaded and my garden / plot are my precious places for me to do what I want.

[northepaul]

Cleaners around here get paid about a tenner and hour!

I did have a cleaner [not a tidyer-upper!] until i was MR. I paid her £12 an hour.

Gis a Job.

Me too! I'd clean your house for that much an hour

Round here its around min wage, some of them try and get away with paying LESS...mind you it's the same for most jobs!

[Jeanied]

Business opportunity folks! I, too, have a cleaner - £20 a week and not sure how long that takes.