How much does landscaping cost?

How much does landscaping cost? In Australia, landscaping cost estimates range widely, depending on the scope of the job and whether there is existing landscaping. There are many different elements in landscaping to consider.

For a new home build or large projects, landscaping costs can range between $4,500 and $50,000, or more. Whereas, if you’re looking to refresh an existing garden, the overall landscaping cost might fall between $2,000 and $6,000.

Hiring a professional landscaper is easy, with plenty of great options in each region. But if you have ever wondered how much landscaping costs, we’ve done the hard work for you and gathered all the essential information.

In this guide, we explore:

• What is landscape design?
• Various landscaping costs
• How to create a budget for landscaping, and
• The process of hiring a landscaper.

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What is landscape design?

Different to gardening, landscaping involves organising an outdoor space with plants, trees, ornamental features, structures and retaining walls to improve the garden’s purpose and appearance.

Often used in residential homes or commercial areas, landscaping can involve a landscape architect or a landscape designer. These professionals often improve the overall property, office building or natural space.

Quality landscaping won’t just increase the attractiveness of your property, it comes with a range of other benefits that are good for the environment, including improving temperature control, reducing erosion and decreasing storm water runoff.

Creating a landscaping budget and planning your project

When you’re planning your landscaping project, it’s crucial to come up with a firm budget to suit your needs. Identify what you want to spend and speak directly with landscape professionals to ensure a smooth process and keep costs from blowing out.

One technique used to help create a budget for landscaping costs is to set aside five to ten per cent of the value of your home to cover the expenses. This is generally viewed as the average landscaping cost for Australian homes. With a solid landscape design, you can typically expect to increase the value of your property by about 15 per cent.

Before you flesh out your landscaping budget, take stock of what you already have in the garden. Being resourceful by utilising existing plants and hardscape materials, such as bricks or trellises, can go a long way in keeping costs down.

Other cost-saving tips are to purchase perennials and small plants that will grow quickly in your garden and are easy to maintain, rather than large plants that cost a lot more money and soak up a substantial portion of your budget.

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To avoid costly mistakes, it can pay to hire a professional landscape designer to create a master plan of your yard and how it will look once the job is complete. Not only will this help you understand the overall costs involved and how your money is spent, but you’ll also be able to get a good feel for the result and the steps to achieve it.

What determines landscaping cost?

We all like our gardens to look nice, but it’s not always easy to get all the hard work done so that your garden is flourishing in the spring and taken care of in the winter months.

For many, the easiest way to keep gardens and land in great condition is to call on the expertise of a professional landscaper to assist with a garden renovation, such as a water feature, retaining wall, garden bed design or just a spruce up of plants and general landscaping. All the different elements that you require will influence the cost of landscaping your backyard.

Here are some common factors that determine landscaping prices:

• Landscaping hourly rate
• The size of your garden and the scope of work you want done
• The condition of your yard, the soil, and how much prep work is needed
• The climate you live in and your location
• Softscaping (the variety and number of plants you want)
• Hardscaping (hard materials such as concrete, wood or stone for retaining walls, fences or driveways)

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Backyard landscaping cost

Whether you’re looking for ongoing garden maintenance or want to overhaul your existing landscaping to create a new space that takes advantage of your garden and property, a professional landscaper can come in and do the grunt work for you, so you can sit back and enjoy it in your downtime.

While a complete garden landscaping cost can sit anywhere between $4,500 and $50,000, with a typical landscaping hourly rate of about $50 per hour, here are some general expenses involved with landscaping your backyard:

• Garden maintenance, lawn mowing, pruning and hedging: $50 to $100
• Softscaping: $50 to $70 per hour
• Garden lighting and turf: $2,000 to $3,000
• Retaining wall and plants: $3,000 plus
• Landscape design: $850 to $6,000 plus
• Decking: $3,400 to $6,500
• General refresh of the backyard: $4,000 to $6,000
• Trees, shrubs, plants and lawn: $6,000 to $10,000
• Water features such as a pond or fountain: $10,000 to $25,000
• Hardscaping: 5 to 10 per cent of your property value

Landscape garden cost will come down to the size of your land, the area you need landscaped and whether the block is sloping. The average landscaping cost for new home builders is about $5,000 to $15,000.

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Various landscaping costs per m2

How much does landscaping cost per m2? While labour is typically charged per hour, here are some average landscaping prices per square metre:

• Patios and decks: $150 to $250 per m2+
• Retaining walls: $140 to $750 per m2
• Paving: $40 to $75 per m2
• Lawn: $10 to $100 per m2

How much do landscapers cost per hour?

Landscaping prices per hour will vary based on the project, where you live and the experience of the landscape professional you hire. Landscaper rates usually ranges between $55 and $100 per hour.

If you are searching for an estimate for your landscaping needs, be sure to ask your local landscaping provider for a detailed quote.

Keep in mind, if your landscaper isn’t including the cost of the plants or materials in your quote, you might need to do a little research to find out the costs associated with these items.

Who should I hire to landscape my garden?

When it comes to landscaping, you might require a landscape contractor, landscape designer or a landscape architect to help you achieve a new look for your garden.

But how much does landscaping cost per hour? For a landscape contractor expect to pay between $50 and $65 per hour. A landscape designer will charge between $55 and $150 per hour, depending on their experience, while landscape architects cost between $120 and $150 per hour.

With a focus on the plan and design, a landscape architect will usually work on larger landscaping projects, while a landscape designer has a similar role but help with smaller scale projects. A landscape contractor will do more of the regular grunt work in your garden.

The cost of landscape design plans ranges between $850 for a very basic concept to $2800 to $6,000 for an in-depth plan with 3D renderings.

Want to find a landscaping contractor in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth or Adelaide?

Common landscaping jobs

Your landscaper can carry out just about any task at your property, from creating a new garden bed through to ensuring the design of your garden works for your space and the position of your home.

Landscaping services include:

• Soil removal
• Garden preparation
• Levelling out a garden area or evening out sloping land
• Landscaping including planting new plants (trees, shrubs and flowers)
• Turf installation (artificial turf or natural)
• Driveway or walkway creation
• Fire pits, water features and garden structures
• Creating design plans
• Ordering plants and materials
• General garden maintenance services, including lawn mowing and hedge trimming
• Adding in garden beds and retaining walls
• Decks or outdoor spaces and seating areas, including around a swimming pool

Have a chat with your local garden design service to get a deeper understanding of the options for your property and what you can expect to pay.

How to get landscaping quotes

If you want to ensure you employ the services of a quality landscaping professional, always ask the contractor whether they are licenced and insured to carry out the work. You can also request references, photos of past work, and a full detailed breakdown of the inclusions for the service.

You don’t want any surprises during your landscaping job, so it’s also a great idea to request that should the project go beyond the budget, the landscaper will confirm any additional costs before proceeding with the work.

Whether you are looking for a landscaper on an hourly rate or want help on a larger project, a landscape designer can help with a wide range of renovation, home improvement and landscaping projects.

Landscaping costs will vary based on what you need done and the size of your land, so whether you pay $5,000 or $50,000, ensuring you use a licenced and insured contractor is essential for your peace of mind.

With Yellow Pages you can get free quotes from landscaping experts near you. It’s best to compare at least three different quotes but choosing proven experience over cheap labour will help you avoid any nasty surprises that could end up costing your more in the long run.

Want to find a landscaping contractor in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth or Adelaide?

*All landscaping costs and prices quoted were sourced at the time this cost guide was written and should only be used as an estimate.