Garden landscaping in the UK has surged in popularity this year as more homeowners turn to their gardens for a peaceful escape.
There’s a noticeable trend of wanting to transform these spaces into vibrant, practical, and visually pleasing sanctuaries. However, one common question continues to arise: how much does garden landscaping cost?
In this article, we’ll examine the real costs of landscaping in 2024. Read on below if you’re interested in finding out what it could cost you to revamp your outdoor spaces.
What Is Landscaping?
Landscaping involves the purposeful design and modification of outdoor areas using plants, structures, and terrain features. It creates functional, aesthetically pleasing spaces that complement natural surroundings and cater to everyday needs. From gardens to patios and everything in between, landscaping transforms spaces to enhance your experience in these outdoor areas.
Average Costs of Landscaping A Garden
In 2024, landscaping a garden in the UK costs around £5,000-£10,000 on average according to checkatrade.com, but this cost varies greatly depending on the size of the garden and the landscaping work required.
Unsurprisingly, the size of your garden plays a fundamental role in determining landscaping costs. The bigger the garden, the more resources it demands, and the higher the cost of landscaping per square metre.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
Small Gardens
Small gardens typically require less landscaping work and materials, so on average, expect to pay around £5,000 to £8,000 minimum for your landscaping work, including labour and materials, depending on the complexity of your project.
Medium Gardens
For a medium-sized garden, you can expect to pay a little more for landscaping services. On average, you can expect to pay around £8,000 to £15,000 minimum, depending on the level of work required for your design.
Large Gardens
The cost of landscaping a larger, more expansive garden will be higher, as increased labour and materials are required. Expect to pay upwards of £15,000 to £20,000 minimum for modest landscaping work, while very complex projects can cost up to £50,000+.
Landscape Gardening Cost Breakdown
If you require specific landscaping work, here is a more detailed breakdown of the costs of each service by sq metre.
Softwood decking – £150/m
Hardwood decking – £200/m
Sandstone paving – £200/m
Turf laying – £50/m
Fence installation – £250/panel
Brickwork – £500/m
Lime pointing – £170/m
Rendering – £400/m
Planting – £80/m
Victorian tiling – £650/m
These prices are guide prices only (and cannot be guaranteed by us), but they should give you an indication of what you can expect to pay.
Please reach out to us for a free, comprehensive quote.
If your’re working to a tight budget, then check out our article Budget-Friendly Ways to Improve Your Garden.
Factors Influencing Garden Landscaping Costs
The price tag for professional garden landscaping can vary widely depending on several important factors.
Garden Size & Complexity
The size and intricacy of the garden design play a major role in determining the overall landscaping costs. Larger gardens naturally require more materials, labour and time to complete, driving up expenses.
However, the complexity of the landscaping features is an equally significant factor. Gardens that incorporate intricate elements will mean higher costs. For example, including:
- A water feature, like a pond or fountain
- Retaining walls to manage slopes or level changes
- Mature trees that require careful integration into the design
For these extensive and multifaceted projects, homeowners should expect to budget £40,000 to £80,000 or even higher, depending on the specific scope and ambition of the desired landscaping.
Materials Used
Choosing to incorporate premium materials can easily push landscaping costs up. For example, using:
- Natural stone paving
- High-end composite decking
- Custom features such as pergolas or water features
These materials carry a higher price tag and may also require specialist installation techniques, further contributing to the total costs.
On the other hand, opting for more basic and readily available materials can help keep costs lower. For example:
- Poured concrete surfaces
- Grass lawns
- Standard fencing options
While these more economical choices may not offer the same level of visual appeal or durability as their premium counterparts, they can be an excellent solution for homeowners working with tighter budgets.
Labour and Contractor Expertise
As is the case with any trade or professional service, “you get what you pay for” holds true when it comes to landscaper rates. Highly experienced contractors who have specialised skills in areas such as masonry, water feature installation, horticulture, and other niche aspects of landscaping will typically command higher labour rates.
Their extensive knowledge, honed over years of hands-on experience, allows them to tackle intricate and complex projects with a level of expertise that often justifies the premium pricing.
While the upfront costs associated with these highly skilled professionals may be higher, their expertise can ultimately pay dividends in the form of exceptional quality results and long-term durability.
By entrusting the project to seasoned contractors, homeowners can have greater confidence that the landscaping will not only look stunning upon completion but will also stand the test of time, minimising the need for costly repairs or replacements down the line.
Site Access and Location
If your garden has limited or difficult access, requiring the use of specialised equipment or machinery to transport materials and personnel, this can drive up expenses related to labour and equipment hire.
Similarly, properties situated in remote or hard-to-reach locations may incur additional costs associated with the transportation and delivery of landscaping materials and travel expenses for contractors.
Challenging terrain features such as steep slopes or undulating surfaces can also contribute to increased costs, as they often require more extensive groundwork, retaining walls, or specialist landscaping techniques. Navigating these challenges typically demands more labour hours and expertise, both of which can add to the overall project budget.
Extra Features
Incorporating elements like outdoor lighting systems and irrigation networks can significantly improve the overall functionality of the space, but these extras also contribute to an increased total price tag.
Custom pieces like bespoke outdoor furniture, cooking areas, or entertainment spaces can also take the budget higher. These touches demand craftsmanship and materials and also require meticulous integration into the overall landscape design, often requiring a higher level of expertise and labour from the contractors involved.
Additional Costs to Consider
Every garden project, no matter how well-planned, can throw up some surprises. Here are some costs that often slip through the cracks:
Garden Furniture
A beautifully landscaped garden is ideal for outdoor relaxation. This might mean new patio furniture, a hammock, or even a fire pit. These additions will need to be factored into your budget.
Lighting
The right lighting can elevate the evening and nighttime appeal of your garden. Whether it’s path lights, accent lighting for features, or lights for the patio, these expenses should be factored in.
Maintenance Equipment
A revamped garden might require new maintenance tools, such as a new lawnmower for a newly laid lawn or pruning tools for newly added plants. It’s always good to budget for these upfront.
Budgeting Tips for a Landscape Project
For those eager to strike the right balance between their dream garden and budget constraints, here are some comprehensive tips to guide you:
- Compare multiple quotes: Shop around and compare estimates from different landscaping companies to find the best value for your budget.
- Prioritise your wishlist: Identify the must-have features and elements that are most important to you, and focus your budget on those first. Separate the “must-haves” from the “nice-to-haves”.
- Consider your financing options: If you don’t have the budget upfront, you could look into financing solutions like loans or payment plans to help spread out the costs of your landscaping project. This can make a more ambitious design more feasible. However, it’s not wise to overstretch yourself financially.
- Repurpose existing elements: Take stock of what you already have in your garden that can be reused or repurposed, like plants, slabs or structures. This can help reduce new material costs.
- Focus on high-impact areas: Allocate more of your budget to the key focal points and high-traffic areas of your garden rather than spreading it evenly across the entire space.
- Plan for long-term maintenance: When budgeting, consider the ongoing upkeep costs, not just the initial installation. This can help you make more informed decisions.
- Leave room for contingencies: Build a buffer into your budget to account for any unexpected costs or changes that may arise during the project. 10% of your budget is the rule of thumb for contingencies.
Ready to transform your garden?
With 15 years of experience, the team at Green Team Landscaping are specialists in garden design and landscaping. They design exquisite dream gardens across North London and have a keen eye for long-lasting construction. From installing decking and water features to garden paths and lawn turfing, they deliver an impeccable garden finish.
