How much does garden landscaping cost?

A full garden makeover. Prices below are for: design and build.

We're still collecting real prices for garden landscaping. We only show figures once enough people near you have shared what they paid, so you can trust them. Had this done recently? Share your price anonymously.

Garden landscaping prices near you

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What the job involves

A full garden makeover, usually called design and build, means one contractor or firm plans the garden and then builds it. It is different from hiring a designer for drawings and then finding separate trades to carry them out. A typical project covers:

  • Design and survey. A site visit, measurements, a look at levels, drainage, sun and shade, and a conversation about how you use the space. This usually produces a layout plan and sometimes planting plans or visuals.
  • Clearance and groundwork. Removing old lawns, paving, sheds, shrubs and rubbish, then excavating, levelling and sorting out drainage. This is the dirtiest and heaviest part of the job, and it decides how well everything else lasts.
  • Hard landscaping. Patios, paths, steps, retaining walls, raised beds, decking, edging and driveways.
  • Boundaries and structures. Fencing, gates, pergolas, garden rooms bases, screening and seating areas.
  • Soft landscaping. Topsoil, turf or seed, borders, trees, shrubs, perennials and bulbs.
  • Services. Outdoor lighting, outside taps, irrigation and power for features such as hot tubs or garden offices.

Not every garden needs all of this. Many makeovers are a patio, a new lawn and some planting. The more of the list you include, the more trades are involved and the more the project looks like a small building job.

What affects the price

Two gardens of similar size can cost very different amounts. These are the things that move the price most:

  • Size and shape of the garden. More area means more materials and more labour. Awkward shapes and curves take longer to set out and cut than straight lines.
  • Access. If everything has to be carried through the house or down a narrow side passage, it takes longer and often needs smaller loads. A site where a digger and lorry can reach the back gate is cheaper to work on.
  • Amount of clearance and spoil. Heavy clay, old concrete, buried rubble and overgrown plots generate waste, and taking it away costs money, particularly if it is mixed or contaminated.
  • Levels and slopes. Sloping gardens need retaining walls, steps and extra drainage. Moving soil around is slow and often needs specialist skill.
  • Choice of hard surfacing. Natural stone, porcelain and quality block paving cost more than concrete slabs or gravel, and they usually take longer to lay. The sub-base underneath matters as much as the surface.
  • Structures. Decking, pergolas, outdoor kitchens, brick barbecues and garden room bases add materials, skilled labour and sometimes engineering or regulatory checks.
  • Planting scheme. Mature trees and large shrubs cost much more than small plants, though they give a finished look sooner. Dense planting beds need more soil improvement and more plants.
  • Electrics and water. Outdoor lighting, power supplies and irrigation need correct cabling, protection and often a qualified electrician. Some outdoor electrical work falls under Part P of the building regulations, so ask who is certifying it.
  • Design input. A detailed design with drawings and planting plans takes professional time. Some firms fold this into the overall price, and others charge it separately.
  • Season and demand. Good landscapers are busy in spring and summer, and winter work may be quieter, although ground conditions can slow progress.
  • Where you live. Labour rates, disposal costs and material delivery differ across the UK. This is why local prices matter more than national averages.

Ways to keep the cost down

  • Phase the work. Do groundwork, drainage, paving and boundaries first, and leave planting or a pergola for later. Hard landscaping is difficult to redo, while plants can be added over time.
  • Keep the layout simple. Straight edges, fewer level changes and fewer materials save labour. Using one paving material throughout is cheaper than combining several.
  • Work with the existing garden. Keeping a sound patio, healthy mature trees, good boundary walls or usable levels avoids clearance and rebuild costs.
  • Do some of the simple tasks yourself. Clearing shrubs, breaking up a small shed base or planting borders can be done by a willing homeowner. Leave the groundwork, drainage and electrics to the professionals.
  • Choose materials carefully. Spend on the parts that are hard to replace, such as foundations and the main patio, and save on things like fence panels or plant sizes.
  • Get like-for-like quotes. Give each landscaper the same brief and drawings so you can compare properly.
  • Be decisive. Changes once work has started mean wasted labour and materials. Settle the design before digging begins.

What should be included in a quote

A proper design and build quote should be written and itemised. Look for:

  • [ ] Your name, the site address and the contractor's full business details
  • [ ] A clear description of the scope, with a plan or drawing attached
  • [ ] Design fees and what you receive for them
  • [ ] Site clearance, excavation and the removal and disposal of waste
  • [ ] Materials listed by type and specification, including sub-base and edging
  • [ ] Drainage, levels and any retaining work
  • [ ] Fencing, gates and other structures, with sizes and finish
  • [ ] Soil, turf or seed, and planting details with plant sizes and numbers
  • [ ] Electrics, lighting and water, and who is certifying them
  • [ ] Any permissions the contractor will handle or expects you to arrange
  • [ ] Start date, estimated duration and a payment schedule linked to stages
  • [ ] How variations and extra work will be agreed and priced
  • [ ] Insurance details, including public liability
  • [ ] Guarantee terms for hard landscaping and for plants
  • [ ] Whether VAT is included

Questions to ask a landscaper

  • Can I see completed gardens similar to mine, and speak to past customers?
  • Who will be on site day to day, and are they your own staff or subcontractors?
  • Do you do the design yourselves, and can I change it before work starts?
  • How will you deal with drainage and the ground levels in my garden?
  • What is under the paving: what depth and type of sub-base?
  • Do any parts of the project need planning permission, building regulations approval, or checks for trees in a conservation area or with a protection order?
  • Who is responsible for outdoor electrics, and will I get a certificate?
  • What happens if you find something unexpected, such as rubble, a buried pipe or poor soil?
  • How are payments staged, and what is the deposit for?
  • What aftercare do you recommend for the lawn and plants, and are plants guaranteed?

How long it takes and what to expect

A small garden with a patio and simple planting may take a couple of weeks. A full redesign with level changes, structures and lighting can run for several weeks or longer. Weather matters. Heavy rain stops groundwork, and cold or very dry conditions affect turf, planting and some concrete work.

Expect the early stages to look worse before they look better. Clearance and excavation leave a muddy site, and skips and material deliveries take up space. Access through the house may be needed, so protect floors and plan for noise. Hard landscaping normally goes in before planting, and turf and plants go in last so they are not damaged.

After handover, lawns need watering and care while they establish, and new plants may look sparse in the first year. Ask for a snagging walk-round before paying the final instalment.

Signs a quote is too cheap or too expensive

Possible signs of a quote that is too cheap:

  • A vague one-line description with no breakdown or drawings
  • No mention of waste disposal, sub-base or drainage
  • A large deposit requested up front, or cash-only payment
  • No insurance, no address and no examples of past work
  • A price well below the others, with no explanation
  • Pressure to start immediately or agree on the spot

Corners are usually cut where you cannot see them: thin foundations, poor drainage, weak edging and untreated timber. These problems show up a year or two later.

Possible signs of a quote that is too expensive:

  • A high price with little detail to justify it
  • Premium materials listed that you did not ask for
  • Generous allowances for waste, labour or contingency with no explanation
  • Design fees that seem out of step with what you receive
  • A price much higher than comparable quotes for the same scope

If one quote is far from the rest, ask why. A good contractor can explain the difference line by line. Compare what you are offered with the prices on this page to see what similar gardens have cost locally.

Questions about garden landscaping costs

Do I need planning permission for a garden makeover?

Most ordinary garden work, such as laying a patio, turf and planting, does not need it. Taller structures, large raised platforms, some front garden surfacing and work in conservation areas or near protected trees can have rules, so check with your local council before you start.

Is it cheaper to hire a designer and a separate builder?

Not necessarily. Design and build keeps one firm responsible from plan to finish, which can reduce mistakes and delays. Separate trades can work if you are organised and want to compare prices for each stage, but you will be managing the project.

When is the best time of year to have a garden landscaped?

Spring to early autumn suits most work, and it is also the busiest time for landscapers, so book early. Hard landscaping can go ahead in drier parts of winter, and autumn is a good time for planting trees and shrubs.

How much should I pay up front?

A modest deposit to cover early materials or design work is common, but you should not pay for the whole job in advance. Agree stage payments in writing that match progress on site, and keep the final payment until you are happy with the finished work.

Will a new garden add value to my home?

A tidy, well-designed garden can make a home more appealing to buyers, especially if it is easy to maintain and gives usable outdoor space. The effect varies with the property and the area, so build the garden mainly for how you will use it.

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Prices are what people reported paying in the last 3 years, shown rounded. They're a guide, not a quote. How our prices work

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