Garden Maintenance Brief Template for Getting Quotes
A ready-to-use brief for describing your garden job so gardeners can quote accurately, with examples of what to include, photograph and exclude.
The quality of a quote reflects the quality of the information behind it. A brief that covers the essentials in a few minutes helps gardeners price accurately, saves back-and-forth messages and reduces the chance of a mismatch on the day.
Use the structure below, copy it into your request, and fill in the gaps.
The brief, section by section
1. The basics
- Postcode: needed for travel time and local rates.
- Garden type: front, back, side passage, terrace or communal.
- Approximate size: length and width, or a rough description such as "typical terrace" or "about a tennis court".
- Property: owned, rented, or a property you manage for someone else.
2. What you want done
Write each job as a short line, ideally in priority order:
- Mow the lawn and edge borders.
- Cut back the overgrown buddleia at the rear.
- Weed the front border and remove the dead heather.
- Trim the privet hedge, about 12m, to 1.5m height.
- Clear the leaves from the patio and gutters at ground level.
Notice the specifics: quantities, heights and locations let someone quote without guessing.
3. Frequency
Say whether this is a one-off, a repeated seasonal job, or a regular schedule such as every two weeks from April to October. If you are unsure, explain what you are hoping to achieve and let the gardener suggest a frequency. See regular gardener vs one-off tidy.
4. Condition
Describe honestly how overgrown things are. Terms like "lawn has been cut this year but not recently" or "brambles taller than me" help set expectations.
5. Access and facilities
- Gate width and whether it is locked.
- Steps, slopes or narrow side passages.
- Parking nearby, or permit zones.
- Outside tap and a power socket.
- Whether you will be at home.
6. Things to keep or avoid
Mark plants, features and areas you want left alone. Mention pets, children's play areas and any wildlife you are protecting, such as a hedgehog house. If you suspect nesting birds, say so.
7. Waste
Specify whether you want waste taken away, left in a corner, or bagged for the council green waste service. Details on the options are in our guide to garden waste disposal.
8. Timing and budget
Give your preferred dates or a window, and any deadlines such as a viewing, event or inspection. If you have a budget in mind, mention it. It helps gardeners propose the right scope rather than a package that does not fit.
Photographs to attach
Three to six photos are usually enough:
- A wide shot of the whole garden from the house.
- Close-ups of each problem area.
- The access route and gate.
- Any items to be removed, such as a shed or old furniture.
Take photos in daylight, and add a note if something is not visible, for example "bramble roots extend behind the shed".
A short example brief
Rear garden in a three-bed semi, around 12m by 8m. Lawn needs a cut and edge, borders weeded, laurel hedge (about 8m, 2m high) trimmed, and green waste removed. Side gate is 90cm wide and unlocked from the inside. Outside tap at rear. I will be at work but can message. Preferred dates: any weekday in the next two weeks.
After you send it
Review the replies for questions, which often show that the gardener has thought carefully about the job. On Compito, you send a request to providers you have shortlisted, and each can respond with an offer you accept and pay for online, with a message thread to clarify details. See how it works. Compare offers using the checks in how to hire a gardener.
Worked example: a brief turned into a better quote
Version one of a brief says, "Garden needs tidying, please quote." Three gardeners reply with wildly different figures, because each has guessed. Version two names the postcode, says the back garden is about 10m by 6m, lists mowing, edging, a 6m privet hedge to 1.5m and green waste removal, includes four photographs and mentions a side gate of 80cm. The quotes now cluster around a similar scope and the differences come down to approach and availability, which is much easier to compare.
Strong and weak phrases
| Weak | Stronger |
|---|---|
| Hedge needs cutting | 10m of beech hedge, about 2m high, front boundary |
| Lawn is messy | Lawn 8m by 6m, not cut since June, moss in shaded half |
| Borders overgrown | Two borders, each 4m by 1m, brambles at the back |
| Take away rubbish | Take away green waste; leave the old pots |
| Soon | Any weekday in the next three weeks |
Add a "must not" list
Short instructions prevent costly mistakes:
- Do not cut the climbing rose by the arch.
- Do not use weedkiller near the pond.
- Please avoid the vegetable bed on the left.
- Keep clear of the area marked with canes.
A seasonal variation
For spring, add feeding and edging. For summer, mention watering and deadheading. For autumn, include leaf clearing and bulb planting; see planting spring bulbs. For winter, think pruning, tidy-up and tool-free tasks such as path clearing.
Update the brief
After the first visit, edit the brief to reflect what worked. Keeping one standing version means you can reuse it, share it with a family member or hand it to a new gardener without starting again.
Questions the brief should answer
- What exactly needs doing?
- Where is it, and how big?
- How do we get in?
- What stays untouched?
- What do you do with waste?
- When is it needed?
Frequently asked questions
How much detail is too much?
It is rarely too much, provided it is organised. Short lists with specifics are easier to read than long paragraphs.
Should I include my budget?
It is helpful, as long as you are comfortable with it. A budget lets a gardener suggest what is realistic, rather than quoting for work you cannot afford.
What if I do not know the names of my plants?
Photos are enough. Describe where they are and what you want to do with them, such as cut back, remove or keep.