Groundworker day rates in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland · 2026
£165–£280
per day, ex VAT
£21–£35
per hour
-18%
vs UK average
A groundworker working in Northern Ireland typically charges £165–£280 a day (£21–£35 an hour), ex VAT — 18% below the UK average of £270 a day. The lowest labour rates in the UK — though materials often cost more once shipping is counted, so total job prices sit closer to the mainland than the labour figure suggests.
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
Northern Ireland 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 £225? 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 Northern Ireland
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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.