So, how much (roughly) ) is "a drink"?

Do you know what he likes to drink Phoenix? Maybe get him a bottle or a few cans. It doesn't sound like he wants money. Maybe he meant a cup of tea - only joking but I would try to find out what he normally drinks and give that.

I would find out what he does drink and buy whatever it is for him, rather than offer money.

Bottles of nice wine, a bottle of whisky or other spirit or some bottles of local ale?

He will have all the wood too, which will keep him going for quite a while over the winter.

If firewood is involved it’s a fairly large hedge, the lower he cuts it the more firewood he gets, so make sure it’s cut to the height you want eg -3ft.
As for a drink, a bottle of scotch if he clears it up and leaves it tidy

Pre Covid days, 'Just buy me a drink,' would have meant a couple of beers in the local pub but now I think it would mean a bottle of whisky (or similar favourite tipple)

phoenix rather than waste money- eg he may not like spirits and maybe a wine drinker only or vice versa. Why not ask him and then you will not be wasting your money.

A lot depends also on how long it takes him to do it because if it is a fair amount of time that may necessitate two bottles.

Thank you for the responses, appreciated.

In this instance, a "drink" definitely means money! Just need to know how much!

When he came to have a look at the job, "a drink" were his words, wish I'd asked him how much that meant!

It could be one of those awkward conversations.

How about going for the middle..£25, seems reasonable to me.

I was going to suggest £20

A dozen pack of beers.

‘A drink’ around these parts is £20 .

Yes. £20 unless it's more than two hours work.

Friend of ours fitted new ceiling light, put 5 pints in down local for him, he drove over, so between £20-£25.

I’d have thought £20 plus the wood.

Probably been easier if he’d simply said “I’ll do it for £? and the wood”.

Yes, it would have been better Calendargirl as a ‘drink’ is confusing.I would have said £15 is enough ( how many drinks does he want?) Some people would have given him a bottle of wine or a few beers.If I were you Phoenix I would ask him again when he starts the work.

Thank you to all who replied, I appreciate it.

I'm going to get him round again, and pin him down, iykwim!

Around here if someone says that what they mean is they really don’t want anything, but they know that you wouldn’t want to give them nothing so you say “just buy me a drink” to show that there’s no real expectation of payment and a token thank you will be fine. In this case I’d get him whatever bottle of malt whiskey was on special at the supermarket.

A drink is £20.

Just asked my DH and he said £20 max as he is getting the wood. DH does this sort of thing sometimes and is happy to accept a bottle of wine or a few bottles of local beer instead.

I’d say a tenner would buy him a couple of pints in a pub. But I’d pass him £20.
?

Whilst trimming his own side of the hedge, my neighbour offered to do my side too. I offered him £20 and a bottle of wine. He refused the £20 but accepted the wine. So £20 would seem a reasonable offer, as others have suggested.

Just get chatting a bit and say "You said you'd be happy to do this for a drink - so, what is it that you like to drink?" Nothing awkward about that. Then either buy him what he drinks, a bottle, or a pack of cans. Or give him in cash the equivalent to buy what he wants himself.

I was also going to say £20, if it’s a sizeable job.

A small job ... then £10.

I'd say £30 if its tidy.
You would spend that on a middling whisky. We have someone who does our hedging once a year who's a professional but not on the expensive end of things (quotes from some others have been horrendous!). He would want £20 an hour working alone.

Actually Chewbacca that's a good point, I've had that happen with a neighbour too...