A guide to gardening and landscaping costs

How much does landscaping cost?

Landscaping refers to the activity involved in altering visible features of an area of land. It commonly includes modifying flora and fauna, and adding ornamental features.

Landscaping costs can vary significantly depending on the features you decide to include and the materials you use. Labour costs can range from $20 per hour for basic work to $300+ per hour for larger, more complex projects and depending on what type of service and design you’re after.

Firstly, you may want to consider landscape design costs before you pay for the physical work. It’s a good idea to get a couple of quotes from landscapers before you begin if the work is significant.

However, if you’re making simple updates to your garden or you’re on a budget, you may be able achieve a DIY landscaping or garden project. For example, you can do a lot of gardening work yourself without the help of a labourer. But if you plan on fencing, building a retaining wall, paving, decking or any other construction work, you’ll need to think about hiring one or more professionals.

Mark Burke from Century 21 Bayside Living says, “Landscaping adds value to a property. It makes the property look smart and tidy. Buyers in 2019 are looking for spa pools, rock pools and other modern water features. They’re also looking for trendy plants lots creating lots of privacy.” 

Here are some landscaping cost estimates:

*The above cost estimates are based on research at the time of publication and should be used as a a guide only.

How much does it cost to fence a garden?

Fencing is generally priced per metre, and the cost will depend entirely on the materials you use and the size of the project.

If you’re on a budget, you can pay as little as $75 per metre for a pine paling or hardwood paling fence. On the other end of the scale, you can pay up to $1,000 per metre for a sandstone or timber fence. If you’re aiming for a middle of the range  cost, you can pay between $400 and $600 per metre for iron, brick or frameless glass fencing.

How much does it cost to pave a garden?

Paving a garden or outdoor area can cost you between $50 and $100 per square metre, depending on the type of material you choose. Costs may also go up if you need to level out the ground underneath. Very often, you’ll need to lay down a concrete base underneath the paving, which can cost between $1,500 and $3,000 depending on the size of the area.

You can expect to pay the following for paving materials:

• $50 to $60 per square metre for concrete

• $40 to $70 per square metre for limestone

• $40 to $80 per square metre for quartz

• $70 to $90 per square metre for brick

How much does it cost to install grass?

If you’d like to lay out instant lawn, you can pay as little as $25 per square metre. However, at the end of the day, this approach ends up being much more expensive than purchasing grass seed and growing the grass seed yourself. You can establish a 100m2 lawn for just $150 using grass seed compared to $1000+ to hire someone to lay out grass using instant lawn. Laying lawn might be more suitable if you’re thinking about selling your house and need to pretty up your property within a short timeframe.

Garden shed installation costs

If you’d like to install a garden shed, you’ll need to consider the following costs:

1. $500+ for concrete footings (to support the base)

2. Approx. $85/m2 for a concrete base

3. Approx. $60/m2 for construction costs

4. Council fees (cost will depend on size and price of your shed)

Garden decking costs

Decking can cost anywhere between $200 and $1000 per square metre, depending on the type of timber you choose and the size of the deck.

If you need to add balustrade, you can expect to pay between $150 and $200 for timber and wiring, or approximately $400 per metre for glass.

You may need to get council approval depending on your location, the size of the deck and how high off the ground your deck sits.

Garden excavation costs

Excavation costs will vary significantly depending on the following factors.

1. The size of the area

2. The type of earth (e.g. soil, rocks)

3. The number of trees to be removed

4. Grading if required (levelling out the ground)

5. The level of access available

6. The machinery required to undertake the project

You can expect to pay $100 per hour for labour costs. You may also need to pay for additional equipment depending on what attachments are needed. For example, your labourer may need to use different parts of machinery to get the job done, which will increase the cost of excavation per day.

Landscaping ahead of selling

If you’re looking for a landscaper or gardener to help you prepare your home for sale, a good first step is to get in touch with a real estate agent. They’ll be able to tell you what garden trends buyers in your area are looking for in a garden and give you tips.

A good real estate agent can also put you in touch with local landscapers or gardeners to help you prepare your garden for sale.

*The costs in this article are based on research at the time of publication and should be used as a a guide only.