There is a point at which a hedge stops being straightforward and starts being a proper job, and it is not where most people expect. It is not length, and it is not species. It is the height at which the work stops being done from the ground.
The step in the price
| Hedge height | How it is cut | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Below shoulder | From the ground, straightforward | Lowest |
| Up to head height | From the ground, still easy | Low |
| Step ladder height | Ladder work; slower and more careful | Moderate |
| Beyond a step ladder | Platform required | Steps up |
| Substantially taller | Platform plus rigging the arisings down | Highest |
Why the line is where it is
Not squeamishness. A powered hedge trimmer needs both hands and a ladder needs one, and that combination is behind most serious domestic hedge-cutting injuries. Professional work above step-ladder height is done from a platform for that reason.
It also affects the result. A long top line cut from a platform comes out straight in a single pass. The same line cut in sections from a ladder, moving and repositioning every couple of metres, almost never does — you can see where the ladder was.
The other factors
- Length. The obvious one, though less decisive than height.
- Width, and whether both faces are done. Roughly three times the work of topping alone, and the half that stops the hedge creeping.
- Species. Soft growth cuts fast; dense conifer and old woody stems do not.
- Time since the last cut. The biggest variable on a neglected hedge.
- Access and disposal. Whether a chipper reaches it or the arisings go out by hand.
Getting an accurate quote
Four rough answers give you a number that will not change on the day. You do not need to identify the species or measure anything precisely.
- How long, counted in fence panels if that is easier than metres.
- How tall, against something — "above the shed", "level with the bedroom window".
- When it was last properly done, honestly, including "never".
- How we would get to it, and where the cuttings would go.
A photograph covers most of it in one go and settles the species question without you having to know anything.
Where the savings are
- Booking annually rather than rescuing it every few years — the big one.
- All the hedges done in one visit rather than one at a time.
- Combining hedge work with tree work or clearance.
- Keeping the chip if you have a use for it.
- Clearing the ground along the base beforehand.
- Being flexible outside the late-summer rush.
One thing that is not a cost factor
Height, in the legal sense. There is no maximum lawful height for a hedge in England — two metres is the threshold at which a neighbour may complain to Wychavon District Council about an evergreen hedge blocking light or access, not a limit you must keep to. Even then the council cannot order it below two metres or order it removed.
(Wychavon District Council remains the authority for that until 1 April 2028, when it is replaced by South Worcestershire Council.)
Want a free quote on your hedge in Pershore?
Tell us roughly how long it is, how tall, and what it's made of if you know. We'll arrange a free quotation based on the actual work required.
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