Gardener invoice template

How do gardeners usually invoice?

Gardeners charge by the hour for regular maintenance and invoice monthly in arrears, listing each visit date, while one-off jobs such as hedge cutting or a garden clearance are priced as a fixed sum. Green waste removal is charged per bag or per load because tipping fees are a real cost. Many gardeners take a standing order for regular customers and only invoice the extras.

Gardeners in this example give the customer 7 days to pay. Hourly rates run from £20 to £35. A full day is typically £160 to £260.

What should a gardener put on an invoice?

Beyond the legal basics, gardeners should:

• List visit dates and hours for maintenance customers; they are often out when you work.
• Charge green waste removal per bag or per load as a separate line.
• Price hedge cutting by length and height, and clearances by the day plus waste.
• State whether plants, compost or lawn treatments were supplied and at what cost.

Every UK invoice, whatever the trade, must also show:

• a unique, sequential invoice number
• your business name and address (and company number if you trade as a limited company)
• the client’s name and address
• the invoice date and, for VAT invoices, the date of supply if different
• a clear description of each item of work or goods
• the amount due and when it must be paid
• your VAT number, the VAT rate per line and the VAT total, if you are VAT registered

Do gardeners charge VAT?

You only charge VAT once registered, which is compulsory when taxable turnover passes £90,000 in any rolling 12 months. Below that, show no VAT line and no VAT number. Once registered, this work is standard rated at 20%.

On the Flat Rate Scheme the sector for gardeners is usually “Any other activity not listed elsewhere” at 12% of VAT-inclusive turnover, with a 1% discount in the first year of registration. If you spend little on goods you may be a limited cost trader and have to use 16.5% instead. The scheme suits businesses with few VAT-able costs; check it against the standard method with the VAT calculator before joining.