How Much Does Garden Landscaping Cost? [2024]

It seems common among new homeowners to underestimate the cost to landscape a garden and create their dream outdoor space. 

Since the start of the COVID pandemic, and through the increase in hybrid working, garden makeovers have been rising in popularity as our homes become our offices too. With so many of us staying at home more than ever, having a nice outdoor space is a huge comfort. But what exactly is a good landscaping budget?

This article will help you figure out:

• How much does garden landscaping cost?
• What jobs can a professional landscaper do?
• Should you DIY or hire a landscaper?
• What is a good landscaping budget?
• What to look for when hiring a landscaper
• Does a landscaper need to be licensed?
• How to get quotes from local landscapers 

How much does landscaping cost?

For an idea of some ballpark costings, hipages caught up with award winning landscape designer Paal Grant, known for his innovative approach to his craft and his appearance on The Block. 

For landscaping work, expect to pay:

• $850 for garden designs (basic plans)
• $2750 to $6000 for 10 x A3 pages of design work which usually includes some 3D rendering
• $55 to $70 per hour labour for an experienced, qualified landscaper

For decking, expect to pay (for supply and install):

• From $200 per square metre for treated pine
• $280 to $320 per square metre for Merbau 
• $350 and above per square metre for composite decking

This is based on a 140mm wide board top fixed with screws, treated pine sub frame and concrete stumps & M class footings.

You can get cheaper quotes for around $200 a square metre for Merbau, however the finish will usually be nailed and timber stump footings just within regulations, instead of concrete and timber bearer sub floor spanning.

Paal believes it is always better to over-engineer everything you build so it lasts. According to him, “It is always better to over-engineer everything you build, so it will last.”

Find out more through our decking cost guide and decking cost calculator. 

For paving, expect to pay (supply and install):

• $50 to $70 a square metre for plain concrete paving
• $70 to $90 a square metre for brick paving
• $280 to $350 a square metre for Bluestone paving 
• $18 a metre to seal paving

This is on a 100mm concrete base with mortar gaps and steel reinforcement.

To find out how much a path costs, simply measure how long and wide it’ll be and multiply by the cost of the material you want.  

Find out more through our paving cost guide and paving cost calculator. 

For a feature, expect to pay:

• From $2,000 for a new deck
• From $5,000 for a conversation pit with paving and built in seating
• From $9,000 for a water feature
• Between $25,000 and $100,000 for a pool

For a driveway, expect to pay (supply and install):

• $65 to $85 per square metre for plain concrete 
• $75 to $95 per square metre for coloured concrete
• $100 to $150 per square metre for exposed aggregate 

Find out more about the cost of a new driveway here.

What jobs can a landscaper do?

Landscaping professionals can make a whole range of projects a reality, including:

• Landscape design: Before you start any work in your garden, you should speak to a professional to create a design. This will help you make the most of your space
• Horticulture: Not all plants grow well in Australia – and not all plants will thrive across the whole country. Planting seeds and trees that do well in your local climate will help your garden look its best
• Landscape construction: Once you have all your plans in place, it’s time to find a landscaper to turn them into reality. They’ll take care of all the removal, the planting and the installation of heavy features

Should I DIY or hire a landscaper?

With the rise of DIY stores and home renovation shows that make landscaping look like a breeze, you may be considering buying some mulch, a cheap water feature and giving it a go yourself. 

But be warned – attempting to create your own landscape is rarely a good idea. Doing a good job requires a lot of thought, careful planning, council approval (depending on where you live and what you plan to do), proper tools, the right equipment and a lot of hard work. Do you know which plants do well in your area? Have you installed water features before? And do you know the legal requirements for building a retaining wall?

Hiring a professional landscaper ensures your new garden is landscaped on budget, on time and to meet your personal preferences. They’ll also be able to suggest new ideas, show you innovative products and help you understand how to maintain your new garden.

What is a good landscaping budget? 

It’s recommended that you have a budget equal to 5% or 10% of your property value for a major landscaping project. 

It’s important that you’re upfront with your designer about how much you’re willing to spend at the start of the project so you can set expectations for yourself and your tradie. The difference between a 5% project and a 10% project is huge, so it’s important to be clear on what you want so you can get an accurate quote. 

Leaving out bits and pieces from a design will take away from the overall look as well. For example, if you try to go cheap, you might not get all the features you want and if you say you have more than you actually do, you’ll struggle to get the whole design created. 

For an average Aussie home, a 5% budget generally gets you a clean garden design with plant suggestions and labour. For 10%, you can have a more complex outcome that may include water features, cabanas or a fire pit with integrated seating.

Read more: Where to save and where to splurge on your landscaping project

 

While landscapers will often calculate your quote based on an hourly rate, it’s misleading to rely on this for your job. It really does depend on the size and scale of your project. 

The first thing to do is to get a landscape plan - this will help landscapers accurately quote your job. When you get quotes from landscapers, tell them as much as possible about the job and what you want to achieve. They’ll then be able to prepare an accurate quote – most likely after visiting your property and meeting with you to discuss your plans.

How do I hire a landscaper?

When it comes time to hiring a landscaper, it’s important to make sure they’re right for your job. Some questions to ask them during the quoting process include:

• Are you licensed to complete my job?
• Do you hold valid insurance?
• Can you provide a written quote?
• How long will my job take?
• Do you have references I can follow up on?

Does my landscaper need to be licensed?

Most states require landscapers to be licensed to carry out their work, whether this is ‘soft’ landscaping or more involved structural projects. Depending on where you live this may be a landscaping, structural landscaping or restricted builders licence.

For example, in NSW, a tradie requires a licence when they do any structural landscaping work that costs more than $5000 (including  GST). That includes work like:

• Decks, pergolas and other similar shelters
• Driveways and paths
• Fencing
• Ponds and water features
• Retaining walls

The full NSW guidelines can be found here.

Read more: Seven tell-tale signs that it's time to hire a landscaper

How do I get quotes from landscapers?

The best way of finding out the cost of your landscaping job is to get quotes from local landscapers. This will give you a sense of what market rates currently are.

hipages has some of the top landscapers in Australia ready to help you out. All you have to do is hit the get quotes button to get started, and receive up to 3 free quotes from qualified garden landscapers near you. 

* All the costs and prices quoted were sourced at the time this article was written. They are indicative, may vary locally, are subject to market forces and should only be used as a guide.

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