Cost guide
How much does grounds maintenance cost?
£800 to £8,000 a year covers most commercial grounds contracts, with the spread set by site type as much as by acreage. Small office plots run £800 to £1,800, schools reach £4,000 to £9,000 and healthcare sites £5,000 to £12,000. Ad hoc hourly work is £40 to £75.
Typical prices
Ranges, not quotes. A quote depends on your room.
| Work | Typical UK price |
|---|---|
| Office plot under half an acre, a year | £800 to £1,800 |
| Business park of 1 to 2 acres, a year | £3,500 to £7,500 |
| School or academy grounds, a year | £4,000 to £9,000 |
| Healthcare site, a year | £5,000 to £12,000 |
| Amenity grass, per hectare per cut | £28 to £55 |
| Hedge, per linear metre per cut | £0.45 to £1.20 |
A low tender usually hides the cycle count. Sixteen cuts and twenty cuts look identical on a monthly invoice yet differ by a quarter of the grass budget, so read the schedule rather than the headline annual figure.
What moves the price
- Cutting cycle count, since sixteen cuts against twenty changes the year by a quarter.
- Site type, where term time schools and live healthcare sites cost more than identical acreage of open lawn.
- Obstacle density, because strimming round bollards, signage and young trees is slower than open running.
- Hard surface weed control, which needs a certificated operator and its own visits at £60 to £120.
- Number of sites in one contract, with multi-site estates buying the rate down.
Who quotes for it
Questions about grounds maintenance
Is a contract cheaper than calling somebody out?
By 15 to 25 per cent against ad hoc hourly rates of £40 to £75. Planned rounds cut travel and let a contractor size machinery to the site. That saving disappears if the schedule is vague enough for extras to be added every month.
What documents should a contractor provide?
Public liability cover, usually £5 million or £10 million, risk assessments and method statements, PA1 and PA6 certificates for anyone spraying, and a waste carrier registration number. Ask for certificate numbers rather than accepting a logo on a quotation.