Glasgow's Business Property Screening Specialists Since 2005
Business Property Screening Solutions
✓ Trading since 2005✓ BS3998 planting✓ First-year guarantee✓ Free site quotes
Trading Locally Since 2005
BS3998-Compliant Planting
Fully Insured
First-Year Guarantee
Introduction
Business property screening isn't only about privacy - a boundary hedge also has to survive Glasgow's wind-driven rain, hold its shape without blocking sightlines a car park or delivery yard needs, and cope with whatever ground it's going into, from compacted car park subsoil to heavier industrial clay. If your site already carries an old or overgrown hedge, stump, or fence line that needs taking out first, that's normally handled as a separate visit rather than folded into the planting price - our stump grinding and site clearance pages cover how that's priced and scheduled. Once a new hedge is in the ground, it still needs shaping every year or two to stay dense and formal-looking rather than growing out into something that undoes the screening effect - our commercial hedge cutting service covers that ongoing side of the job.
Key Selling Points
- Trading locally since 2005
- Fully insured, BS3998-compliant planting
- First-year establishment guarantee on all new hedging
From Site Survey to Established Screen: What the Planting Price Covers
- A site survey covering soil condition, drainage, and access before any planting date or species is confirmed
- Supply of plants sized and spaced to the specification agreed at consultation
- Ground preparation and soil improvement where the survey shows it's needed
- Installation carried out to British Standard BS3998
- A first-year establishment guarantee covering replacement of plants that fail to take
- Site cleanup, surface reinstatement, and waste removal once planting is finished
Not Included / Costed Separately
- Removing an existing hedge, stump, or fence line ahead of new planting - priced and booked as a separate task, since root systems and ground condition vary too much to quote blind
- Ongoing pruning and shaping once the hedge is established - this is a separate maintenance arrangement, not part of the planting cost
- Out-of-hours or weekend installation to fit around business operations - available, but at a premium over standard daytime rates
- Any formal planning application fee itself, where a hedge's height or a lease genuinely requires one - we check and advise on this for free, but the application charge (if one applies) isn't ours to absorb
- Irrigation systems or automated watering equipment - watering during establishment is manual and guided by us, unless you take out a maintenance contract
How a Commercial Hedge Planting Job Runs, Start to Finish
- Enquiry and free site visit: You describe what the screening needs to achieve - privacy, boundary definition, wind or noise buffering - and we arrange a no-obligation visit to look at the site.
- Survey and specification: We check soil, drainage, and access, then confirm species, spacing, and planting date based on what the survey finds rather than a standard template.
- Removal, if there's an old hedge, stump or fence line in the way: Booked as a separate task using our own stump grinding equipment, then usually scheduled straight into the same overall project as the new planting.
- Ground preparation: Soil improvement is carried out where the survey shows it's needed, particularly on compacted or reclaimed ground common on business and retail sites.
- Planting to BS3998: Plants go in at the agreed spacing, depth, and staking specification, following the same British Standard that governs our wider tree work.
- Cleanup and first-year sign-off: Site surfaces are reinstated and waste removed, and you're given watering guidance for the first-year establishment period covered by the guarantee.
What a Commercial Screening Hedge Costs, and What Changes the Price
Per-metre costs vary mainly by installation type and how fast you need full coverage. Small business boundaries using young Laurel or Beech typically run £15-£25 per metre and take two to three years to close up; medium commercial installations for business parks or retail frontage run £25-£45 per metre; large-scale development boundaries needing more site preparation run £35-£60 per metre; and instant hedging using mature, root-balled plants for an immediate screen runs £80-£150 per metre. Ground condition, access for delivery vehicles, and whether an old hedge or stump needs removing first all move the final figure - a full, fixed quote follows the free site survey rather than a phone estimate.
Comparing the Screening Options by Cost and Timescale
| Installation type | Typical cost per metre | Time to full screening | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small business screening | £15-£25 | 2-3 years (Laurel or Beech) | Office boundaries, small car parks |
| Medium commercial installation | £25-£45 | 2-3 years, denser from year one | Business parks, retail premises |
| Large-scale development | £35-£60 | 2-3 years, with specialist site prep | Industrial sites, major developments |
| Instant hedging | £80-£150 | Immediate | Urgent security, privacy, or event deadlines |
Why Removal and Planting Don't Need Two Separate Contractors
Where an old hedge or stump has to come out before a new screen goes in, that removal is carried out by the same insured team using our own stump grinding equipment, rather than a separate contractor brought in for the day - which is why clearance and planting can usually be scheduled as one job rather than two handovers. Planting depth, staking, and first-year aftercare then follow British Standard BS3998, the same standard that governs our wider tree work, rather than a general landscaping approach. All planting is backed by full insurance cover and the first-year establishment guarantee. Glasgow Trees has been carrying out this work under that standard since 2005, and the business remains registered at Clyde Offices, 2nd Floor, 48 West George Street, Glasgow G2 1BP.
Ground and Weather Conditions From Hillington to the Firth of Clyde
Site conditions for hedge planting vary more across the west of Scotland than the distance between locations suggests. Business parks such as Hillington and retail sites like Westway are often built on reclaimed or compacted fill rather than natural topsoil, which is why our survey checks ground condition before quoting rather than after. Further down the Clyde toward Greenock and Port Glasgow in Inverclyde, boundary hedges take more wind-driven rain off the Firth than sites further inland, which is one reason Beech and Laurel get specified more often than softer species on an exposed perimeter. Industrial and business premises around Cambuslang and East Kilbride in South Lanarkshire tend to sit on heavier clay, which changes drainage and planting depth rather than species choice. This work is carried out across Glasgow City and the surrounding council areas along the M8, M74, M77, M80 and A82 corridors - Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, East and West Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde, South Lanarkshire, Stirling and Falkirk (Bo'ness).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you remove an old hedge or stump before planting a new screen?
Yes, but it's priced separately from the planting itself. Grubbing out an established hedge line, or grinding out stumps left behind, is priced on site since root systems and ground condition vary considerably from one boundary to the next. Combining clearance and new planting into one visit is usually more efficient than booking them apart.
Can hedges be planted through a Scottish winter, or do we have to wait?
Bare-root planting of species like Beech and native hedging mixes is actually best done through the dormant season, roughly November to March, provided the ground isn't frozen or waterlogged. Evergreens such as Laurel, and instant hedging using containerised or root-balled plants, can go in at most times of year with the right aftercare. We'll advise on the best planting window for your chosen species at the site visit rather than fitting the job to a fixed date.
What happens if part of the new hedge fails to establish?
The first-year guarantee covers replacement of plants that fail to establish, provided the agreed watering and aftercare guidance has been followed. Losses are more common at the ends of a run or in compacted, poorly-drained ground, which is exactly the kind of condition our survey is there to catch before planting rather than after.
Do you get involved before a new commercial development is built, or only once it's finished?
Both. We're regularly brought in at the landscaping design stage of new-build commercial sites to advise on species and boundary treatment before construction finishes, as well as afterwards once the site is ready for planting. Early input avoids problems like hedges specified too close to service runs or planned lighting.
Is the site survey chargeable if we decide not to go ahead?
No, the initial site visit and quotation are free and no-obligation. You'll get a written breakdown of species, spacing, ground preparation, and cost before committing to anything.
Do you handle grant applications for native hedgerow planting?
We can advise on whether a native species mix is likely to qualify for schemes such as Countryside Stewardship, and we'll plant to the specification those schemes require, but the application itself is between you and the relevant body - we're not a claims agent for that process.
How quickly can you respond to an urgent screening request?
For urgent security or privacy needs we can usually get a survey booked within a few working days, and instant hedging using mature, root-balled plants can often be installed on a similar timeframe once species and quantities are confirmed. Response depends on current workload, so it's worth calling as soon as you know a deadline.
Get a Free Site Survey Before Your Next Growing Season
Bare-root planting works best through the dormant season from November to March, so a site survey booked now gives time to confirm species, ground preparation, and planting dates before that window closes. If screening is needed sooner, instant hedging can still go in at most times of year. Get in touch for a free, no-obligation site visit.
0141-483-7485
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