Groundworker day rates in London
Greater London · 2026
£270–£460
per day, ex VAT
£34–£58
per hour
+35%
vs UK average
A groundworker working in London typically charges £270–£460 a day (£34–£58 an hour), ex VAT — 35% above the UK average of £270 a day. London rates run 30–40% above the national picture. Higher living costs, congestion charging, ULEZ and parking all get passed into quotes, and competition from commercial and high-end residential work pulls experienced trades away from small domestic jobs.
Groundworks pricing is dominated by what sits around the labour: plant hire, muck-away and aggregates often cost more than the person in the trench. Day rates apply mainly to labour-only support on domestic jobs.
What moves a groundworker's rate
- 01Plant hire — digger and dumper days sit on top of labour
- 02Drainage work requiring build-over agreements or council sign-off
- 03Muck-away and aggregate haulage costs, which vary sharply by region
- 04Groundworks gangs pricing as a unit on larger jobs
London vs everywhere else
| London | £270–£460 |
| South East | £230–£390 |
| East of England | £210–£355 |
| South West | £200–£340 |
| Scotland | £195–£330 |
| West Midlands | £190–£325 |
| North West | £190–£320 |
| East Midlands | £185–£315 |
| Yorkshire | £180–£305 |
| Wales | £180–£305 |
| North East | £170–£290 |
| Northern Ireland | £165–£280 |
Charging £365? Prove it's enough.
The market range is the market's number. Yours depends on your overheads, your tax pot and how many days you actually bill. Run it through the calculator, then send the quote while the number's fresh.
Other trades in London
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Indicative ranges compiled from public cost guides, reviewed July 2026. Ex VAT. A guide, not a quote, and not financial advice.