Hedges are becoming increasingly popular as boundary and design elements in the garden, because they have many advantages over walls and fences. However, they require regular maintenance.
Hedge trimmers are therefore part of the basic equipment in more and more gardens. However, over time, even the best hedge trimmer becomes dull, so the blade needs to be sharpened for the tool to perform at its best.
To get sharp blades, you can either sharpen them yourself or have the hedge trimmer professionally sharpened. We have already explained elsewhere how to re-sharpen dull blades yourself. This guide is about the cost of a professional service.
What does blade sharpening cost?
This question can not be determined in a blanket way, because the price of the service depends on many factors. The professional will look at the equipment and make an individual estimate based on his experience.
The following factors play a role in the price:
- Location of the service. You can drop off the hedge trimmer at a specialty store or local repair shop, or send it in for grinding. In the latter case, shipping costs will be added to the price.
- Scope of work. Should it be just a matter of sharpening the blade or should professional maintenance be performed at the same time?
- Size and type of blade. Of course, it costs more to sharpen a large blade than a small one. In addition, whether or not the blade can be disassembled also plays a role. If the blade can not be detached from housing, the amount of work increases, and with it the price.
- Condition of the blade. If the knife is already very corroded and has numerous nicks, it may not be possible to sharpen it at all. In any case, if the condition of the blade is poor, the amount of work increases, and therefore the cost.
How much it will cost depends on whether you want to have it completely serviced right away or if you just want to get the blade sharp again.
Just sharpening the blade is done in a specialty store from about 12 euros. A complete service in a specialist workshop currently costs around 50 euros.
The advantages of the service
If you entrust the task to a professional, you can be sure that the work will be done professionally in the best quality. Reputable craftsmen even give a guarantee on the work they do.
You can count on the fact that the blade will be sharpened at the original angle, and after that you will be able to trim the hedges again as if the tool was new. Moreover, regular and professional maintenance will prolong the life of the tool.
The disadvantages of the service
The biggest disadvantage is the high cost that is charged for the service. This is mainly due to the high hourly rate that craftsmen charge in this country. Due to the current trend, the prices are even expected to increase in the near future.
Another factor is time. Only in the rarest of cases will a workshop or craftsman complete your job immediately. The waiting time is usually several days, if not weeks.
In addition, you must first bring the tool to the workshop or send it in. This not only costs time, but may incur additional transportation costs.
Who should have their hedge trimmer sharpened by a professional?
If you don’t have a lot of manual experience, it is better to entrust the work to an experienced craftsman. Untrained laymen can ruin the blade if they try to do it on their own.
The danger is especially great when an angle grinder is used for work. As a rule, it is also better to entrust the task to a craftsman, if you do not need the hedge trimmer often.
In this case, you can combine the sharpening of the blade with a complete service. The best time for this is the winter. Then the device will be ready for use at the beginning of the gardening season.
