How much does remodelling your garden cost?
While some gardens might just need the lawn treated or hedge trimmed, others will require a complete clear-out and remodelling. If you’re getting stuck in and doing most of the work yourself, or leaving your garden to the professionals, paying a landscape gardener helps make the process a bit less daunting. Often, gardening work can be very labour intensive, so if you’re short on time, hiring a landscape gardener can help you achieve your ideal outdoor space quicker.
Depending on the size and scale of your garden transformation, you can expect to pay between £5,000 and £10,000. Often, the cost of hiring a landscape gardener will vary based on the size and scale of the project, as well as any features you’ll be adding, such as a patio or a pond or fountain.
There are factors that might increase the price of your garden remodel. For example, if your garden needs an extensive remodel, then you’ll need to factor in the cost of any chosen materials such as wooden fencing or turf, as well as labour costs if a team of landscape gardeners are brought in. Other factors that might affect cost include having a sloped or uneven garden. If this is the case, you may need to spend more, should you decide to create a terraced garden in your outdoor space. Special machinery may be required, and you’ll need to pay for the materials used to separate each area.
Cost of garden clearance
With the changing of the seasons, outdoor maintenance can quickly become daunting. Whether it’s a wildly overgrown lawn or shrubbery that’s got out of control, hiring a landscape gardener to clear your outdoor space can take the pressure off.
Landscape gardeners will usually charge by the hour, and the cost will depend on whether you’re hiring a team or just an individual. For a team of three, you can expect to pay around £68 per hour for garden clearance. If your garden is quite large, or needs an extensive clear out, you may need to hire a skip, which will add a cost of £265.
Cost of mowing and treating lawns
A freshly mowed lawn creates more space in your area to relax and unwind in the sun. By hiring a garden landscaper, you can also get your lawn treated, so that it maintains its health and colour for many summers to come.
The average price for mowing and lawn treatment is around £25 per hour, or £20 per 100m².
Cost of laying turf
If your lawn is in a state of disrepair, or you fancy adding a lawn space into your paved garden, laying turf can be a fantastic option to transform your outdoor space.
Turf is usually priced based on the size of your garden. So, for laying turf, you can expect to pay between £10 and £30 per m². Prices will also vary based on what type of turf you decide to lay, with differences in grass types and durability.
Laying artificial grass
Although having a freshly cut, brightly coloured lawn is a wonderful feature in your outdoor space, they often require a lot of work. By laying artificial grass, you can create the same effect as having a real lawn, without the high maintenance.
Artificial grass is highly durable and can instantly improve the look of your outdoor space, without having to nurture it to grow. However, it’s worth noting that artificial grass comes with some setbacks. For example, artificial grass retains heat, making it dangerous for pets or children during the summer. When planning changes to your outdoor space, do consider your options, and discuss with your garden landscaper what will work best for you and your garden.
Artificial grass is usually priced by the size and space of your garden. Most quotes for artificial grass will be around £30 to £60 per m².
Fitting a new patio
A patio is a great place for outdoor dining or to increase your garden’s usability. There are many different processes that go into a patio, such as digging out and levelling the area, laying a membrane, filling it with sand, laying slabs and finishing with mortar. With all these processes in mind, you can expect to pay £45 to £75 per m².
Depending on the area you live in, prices can increase based on availability of materials, as well as labour costs. In London and other major cities, landscape gardener costs are likely to be higher than in smaller towns.
Installing a new decking
Much like a patio, decking provides greater usability in your outdoor space, while also giving a soft and natural feel. Decking can include a variety of features including stairs, railings and elevation from the ground level. All these features can increase its costs, but on average, you can expect to pay £150 to £200 per m².
Wooden decking needs to be properly treated though, so that it can remain durable throughout the changing seasons. This may involve extra costs but could save you from rotting wood in the long run, so be sure to ask your garden landscaper what they recommend.
Cost of installing a water feature
A water feature can add calm and tranquillity to your garden, helping you to relax in your outdoor space. The average cost to install a water feature is around £450. However, as water features can vary hugely in size, you may have added costs associated with clearing out your space, excavating the area (for a pond or ground feature) or adding a water supply, depending on which feature you choose.
Below, we’ve created a table to summarise potential costs associated with a water feature:
| Water feature installation | Average cost |
|---|---|
| Clearing garden space for installation | £25 per m² |
| Excavation | £150 per m³ |
| Paving (if desired) | £65 per m² |
| Water installation | £150 per installation |
| Electrical supply | £10 per m² |
| Electrical installation and test | £150 per installation |
Cost of installing raised flower beds
Raised beds are a wonderful way to add fresh plants, flowers and vegetation into your garden. Raised beds can be made from cedar, brick or limestone. Below, we’ve outlined the costs you can expect depending on what material you use:
| Type of raised bed | Average cost |
|---|---|
| Cedar wood raised bed | £200 to £300 |
| Brick raised bed | £300 to £500 |
| Limestone raised bed | £500 to £600 |
Cost of planting pots and hanging baskets
Potted plants and hanging baskets can add a vibrancy to your outdoor space, which helps keep your garden looking beautiful year-round. Usually, landscape gardeners will charge per hour for planting and sowing seeds, so you will usually pay around £30 per hour.
Cost of building fencing
Fencing is an essential part of any outdoor space and provides a stylish border for your garden. The average cost to install fencing is between £1,450 and £1,850. However, costs can vary based on the size of your garden and the type of materials you’re using. Below, we’ve included expected costs for different materials:
| Types of fencing | Average cost |
|---|---|
| Feather board/close board fencing | £30 to £60 per panel |
| Post and rail fencing | £50 to £70 per panel |
| Concrete/timber fence posts | £15 to £36 per post |
Cost of installing garden steps
If you have a sloped garden, or just want to add dimension, garden steps can be a great way to move about your outdoor space. The average cost of installing garden steps in the UK is £150 to £200. However, this cost will change depending on the size of your garden and the materials that you choose to use.
FAQ
Which landscaping gardening tasks can I do myself?
If you’re looking to transform your garden on a budget, doing a few tasks yourself can be a great way to save money. But it’s worth noting that there are some jobs and projects that are best handled by professionals. These tasks are usually referred to as hard landscaping. This tends to include installing fences, ponds, patios and any other garden structures. To make sure that these structures are installed carefully and are structurally sound, these tasks will usually require someone with professional know-how.
If you’re going to complete any landscape gardening tasks yourself, it’s best to complete tasks considered soft landscaping. This includes potting plants, clearing weeds and sowing seeds for vegetation. For bigger, more complex projects, it’s best to leave this to reliable tradespeople who have previous experience.
What’s the best time of year to undertake landscape gardening work?
The best time of year to under landscape gardening work depends on what you have in mind. If you’re adding new vegetation or shrubbery, the best time to do this is autumn, as plants will have time to acclimatise and create a productive growing season in spring.
For decking, patios and fencing, most of this work can be done through all seasons. However, if you’re keen to leave local wildlife undisturbed, taking on a sizeable garden transformation in winter is best, as this is when you are least likely to affect animal habitats or routines.
How do you create a low maintenance garden?
Maintaining a neatly trimmed lawn or tending to plants can be time consuming, and it can be difficult to keep up throughout the year. But there are ways to have a beautiful garden without the high maintenance.
One of the ways you can do this is through planting shrubbery and evergreen plants that will last throughout all seasons. This will save you time on replanting each season.
Another way to create a low maintenance garden is through installing raised beds. Raised beds look neat, reduce weed growth and create a natural drainage system, which makes growing plants easier.
If a neatly mowed lawn is too much hassle, you can encourage wildflowers and other vegetation to grow instead, so that your lawn can be repurposed as a self-sustaining habitat for insects and wildlife.
