Gardens & grounds / Garden pruning
Price a garden pruning job
Enter the shrubs and small trees you will prune. Add waste removal or access costs only if they apply.
Describe the job instead
Your estimate / USD
Garden pruning
Enter at least one shrub or small tree.
How it works
Put in your numbers
Use your own rates, times and measurements.
See your answer straight away
It works it out as you type.
Copy or print it
Send it on, or keep it with the job.
What it covers: Price shrubs and small trees at your rates, with optional waste and access costs.
Free to use. No sign-in needed.
How to price a garden pruning job
Pruning is simple to price per plant: a rate for each shrub and a rate for each small tree. You then adjust for heavier pruning and add waste removal, disposal and access as separate charges. Tall trees and specialist work need their own site assessment, so leave them out of this kind of quote.
- Count the shrubs and the small trees included in the job. Leave out large trees that need specialist equipment or skills.
- Enter your price per shrub and your price per small tree. The calculator multiplies each by its count. Leave a count at 0 if the job has none.
- Choose the pruning type: maintenance prune, heavy garden prune or other. It fills in a percentage adjustment on the shrub and tree prices for heavier work. Treat it as a starting point.
- Enter your minimum callout. If the shrub and tree charges come to less, the calculator adds the difference so small jobs still cover your time and travel.
- Add green waste removal, any separate disposal fee, difficult site access and a single travel charge, then add tax at the rate that applies to your business.
Tips and common mistakes
- Group plants by size when you count. If some shrubs are much larger than others, quote a higher price for those or use the adjustment.
- Hard pruning creates far more waste than a light maintenance prune. Check the waste charge matches the work.
- Be clear about what counts as a small tree. Anything that needs climbing, rigging or work near power lines belongs with a specialist.
- Agree on timing. Some plants are best pruned at certain times of year, so tell the client if waiting would give a better result.
Questions
How much should I charge for pruning shrubs?
Set a price per shrub and multiply it by the number of shrubs, then adjust for heavier pruning. Add waste removal, disposal and travel as separate lines, and set a minimum callout charge. Base your price on how long each shrub takes you and your hourly costs.
How do you quote for pruning small trees?
Count the small trees and multiply by your price per tree, adjusting for the type of pruning. Add waste and access charges where needed. Trees that need climbing or specialist equipment should be assessed separately.
What is the difference between a maintenance prune and a hard prune?
A maintenance prune is a light tidy to keep shape and remove dead or crossing growth. A hard prune cuts back much further to reduce size or renew the plant. Hard pruning takes longer and creates more waste, so it usually costs more.
Should I charge a minimum callout for pruning?
A minimum callout makes sure a job with only one or two plants still covers your travel, setup and clean-up. The calculator applies it when the shrub and tree charges come out lower than the minimum, before extras are added.
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