How Much Does Garden Landscaping Cost in the UK? (2026 Prices)
If you are wondering about the average cost of garden landscaping in the UK, you are not alone. It is one of the most searched questions by homeowners planning a garden makeover. The answer depends on several factors: garden size, materials, your location, and the complexity of the work.
In 2026, landscaping prices range from around £2,000 for a basic garden tidy-up to £20,000+ for a full garden transformation. This comprehensive guide covers every major landscaping job with current UK price ranges per m², regional differences, day rates, and the factors that push costs up or down.
Landscaper day rates in the UK (2026)
Most landscapers price larger jobs by the day rather than hourly. Here are typical 2026 day rates:
| Crew Type | Day Rate | What's Included |
|---|---|---|
| Sole trader landscaper | £200–£350/day | Labour only, no materials |
| Landscaper + labourer | £380–£550/day | Two-person crew |
| Landscaping team (3 people) | £550–£900/day | Faster on large jobs |
| Specialist (landscape architect/designer) | £400–£700/day | Design + project management |
London and the South East typically add 20–35% to these rates. In Scotland, Wales, and the North, expect rates toward the lower end.
Hourly rates: If a landscaper quotes hourly, expect £25–£50/hr for a sole trader and £40–£75/hr for a two-person crew. Most prefer day rates for any job over 4 hours.
If you are a landscaper looking to send professional, itemised quotes from site, Jobnix lets you build and send branded PDF quotes in under 2 minutes from your phone. For current day rate benchmarks across all trades, see our UK tradesman day rates guide for 2026.
Patio and paving costs
Patio installation is one of the most-requested landscaping jobs. Prices are quoted per m² (supply and fit) and vary significantly by material:
| Patio Material | Price per m² (supply + fit) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete slabs (standard) | £55–£90 | Budget option, durable |
| Indian sandstone | £80–£130 | Popular, warm tones |
| Porcelain paving | £100–£160 | Low maintenance, premium look |
| Granite setts | £90–£140 | Very durable, traditional |
| Block paving | £70–£120 | Flexible design options |
| Limestone | £90–£150 | Premium, requires sealing |
| Slate | £100–£160 | Contemporary look |
Example costs for a 20m² patio:
- Budget (concrete slabs): £1,100–£1,800
- Mid-range (Indian sandstone): £1,600–£2,600
- Premium (porcelain): £2,000–£3,200
These prices include excavation to 150–200mm, sub-base compaction, sharp sand bed, laying, and pointing. Prices increase for complex patterns, curves, or difficult access.
What affects patio cost?
- Existing surface: Removing an old patio adds £300–£700 in labour and skip hire
- Ground conditions: Soft, uneven, or clay soil needs more sub-base and compaction
- Drainage: If the patio drains toward the house, a drainage channel adds £200–£500
- Access: No rear access = all material wheelbarrowed through the house (adds 15–25% to labour)
- Steps: Each step adds £150–£350 depending on material
Driveway costs
| Driveway Type | Price per m² | 50m² Driveway | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel (loose) | £25–£50 | £1,250–£2,500 | 5–10 years |
| Tarmac (macadam) | £50–£80 | £2,500–£4,000 | 20–30 years |
| Block paving | £70–£130 | £3,500–£6,500 | 25–40 years |
| Resin bound | £60–£100 | £3,000–£5,000 | 15–25 years |
| Pattern imprinted concrete | £65–£105 | £3,250–£5,250 | 20–30 years |
| Exposed aggregate concrete | £75–£120 | £3,750–£6,000 | 25–40 years |
Note: Driveways that drain to public highway may need a permeable surface or kerb drain under Permitted Development rules. Resin bound and gravel are naturally permeable.
Fencing costs
| Fence Type | Per panel (supply + fit) | Per metre run |
|---|---|---|
| Lap panel (standard) | £120–£180 | £65–£110 |
| Featherboard / closeboard | - | £80–£130 |
| Picket fence | - | £60–£100 |
| Trellis topper (on existing fence) | £40–£70 | - |
| Timber acoustic fence | - | £120–£200 |
| Metal railings | - | £150–£350 |
- Concrete posts: Add £15–£30 per post over timber posts (longer lifespan)
- Gravel boards: Add £20–£40 per panel (prevents rot at base)
- Gate (supply + fit): £180–£500 depending on size and material
A typical 20m fence run with lap panels and concrete posts: £1,400–£2,200.
Turfing and lawn costs
| Job | Price per m² | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Turf supply + lay | £15–£25 | Includes ground preparation |
| Lawn seeding | £5–£10 | Cheaper but takes longer to establish |
| Artificial grass (basic) | £55–£80 | Includes membrane and infill |
| Artificial grass (premium) | £80–£120 | Thicker pile, better appearance |
| Lawn scarification + overseeding | £3–£6 | Renovation, not replacement |
| Lawn levelling | £8–£15 | Topsoil + levelling labour |
Turf prices include removing the old surface, rotovating, levelling, laying, and an initial water. It does not include post-installation watering. New turf needs daily watering for 2 to 3 weeks.
Decking costs
| Decking Type | Price per m² | 20m² Deck |
|---|---|---|
| Treated softwood (pressure treated) | £80–£130 | £1,600–£2,600 |
| Hardwood (hardwood boards, e.g. Balau) | £120–£180 | £2,400–£3,600 |
| Composite (mid-range) | £130–£180 | £2,600–£3,600 |
| Composite (premium, e.g. Trex, Millboard) | £180–£280 | £3,600–£5,600 |
- Raised deck: Add £500–£1,500 depending on height (extra structural posts and joists)
- Balustrade/railing: £100–£250 per linear metre
- Steps: £200–£500 per flight
- Built-in seating/planters: £300–£800 each
Tree surgery prices
Tree work requires a qualified arborist. Prices vary considerably by tree size, species, and access:
| Job | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Crown reduction (small tree) | £150–£350 |
| Crown reduction (large tree) | £400–£1,200 |
| Tree removal (small, up to 5m) | £200–£500 |
| Tree removal (medium, 5–10m) | £500–£1,200 |
| Tree removal (large, 10m+) | £1,200–£3,500 |
| Stump grinding | £100–£400 |
| Hedge trimming (per metre run) | £8–£20 |
| Hedge removal (per metre run) | £20–£60 |
Always check whether a tree has a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) before quoting removal. Work on TPO trees without permission carries a fine of up to £20,000.
Garden clearance and waste removal
| Job | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Small garden clearance (up to 25m²) | £150–£400 |
| Medium garden clearance (25–50m²) | £350–£700 |
| Large garden clearance (50m²+) | £600–£1,500+ |
| Skip hire (6-yard) | £250–£400 |
| Man + van waste removal (per load) | £150–£300 |
Other landscaping job costs
- Garden wall (brick, per m²): £150–£300
- Raised beds (railway sleepers, each): £250–£600
- Pergola (supply + fit): £1,500–£5,000
- Outdoor lighting: £500–£2,500 (depends on number of points)
- Irrigation system: £1,000–£4,000 for a typical garden
- Water feature (pre-made): £500–£2,000 installed
- Pond installation: £2,000–£8,000+ depending on size
- Garden room / shed base: £600–£1,500
- Rotovating (per hour): £60–£100
- Topsoil (per tonne, delivered): £60–£120
Full garden transformation costs
A complete garden redesign combining hard landscaping, planting, decking or patio, fencing, and lighting is a significant project. Here's what to expect for different garden sizes:
| Garden Size | Budget Redesign | Mid-Range | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (up to 30m²) | £3,000–£6,000 | £6,000–£12,000 | £12,000–£25,000 |
| Medium (30–80m²) | £6,000–£12,000 | £12,000–£25,000 | £25,000–£60,000 |
| Large (80m²+) | £12,000–£25,000 | £25,000–£60,000 | £60,000+ |
Regional price differences
Location has a significant impact on landscaping costs in the UK:
- London: 25–40% above national average. High labour costs and congestion charges for vans.
- South East (Surrey, Kent, Herts, Essex): 15–25% above average
- South West, East Anglia: Broadly at national average
- Midlands, Yorkshire: 5–10% below average
- North West, North East: 10–15% below average
- Scotland: Variable. Cities (Glasgow, Edinburgh) near national average, rural areas can be higher due to travel
- Wales: 10–20% below national average
What affects landscaping costs?
Beyond the job itself, several factors consistently push prices up or down:
- Access: No rear access means everything is wheelbarrowed through the house or over the property. Expect to add 15–25% on labour for poor-access jobs.
- Ground conditions: Clay soil, rock, or waterlogged ground adds excavation time and cost. Hard fill or rock may require a breaker, adding £200–£600/day for plant hire.
- Drainage: Poor drainage needs resolving before hard landscaping goes down. French drain systems cost £800–£2,500 depending on size.
- Slope: Terracing a sloped garden adds significant structural work (retaining walls, steps). A moderate slope can double the cost versus a flat site.
- Existing surfaces: Removing concrete, old tarmac, or a previous patio adds skip hire, breaking, and disposal costs.
- Time of year: Landscapers are busiest April–September. Booking out of season can save 10–15%, and ground conditions are often better for laying patios in dry weather.
- Materials specification: Porcelain costs roughly double concrete slabs. Composite decking can cost 2x softwood. Material choice is often the biggest cost lever.
- VAT: Most landscaping work attracts standard rate VAT (20%). Check whether your contractor is VAT-registered. Non-VAT-registered sole traders may quote lower as a result.
Whether you are comparing quotes as a homeowner or building them as a landscaper, having a clear cost breakdown makes everything easier. Jobnix helps landscapers create detailed, itemised quotes with phased pricing that customers can accept with a single tap.
How to quote landscaping jobs (for tradespeople)
Getting your pricing right means winning jobs at a margin that works for your business, not undercutting yourself or losing to cheaper quotes:
Quoting principles transfer well across trades. Our guide on how to quote a roofing job covers many of the same cost components: access, scaffolding, materials, disposal, and contingency.
- Always do a site visit. Photos and descriptions miss the details that blow up a quote: ground conditions, access, drainage, existing tree roots. Never quote sight unseen.
- Break costs into clear sections. Groundwork, hard landscaping, soft landscaping, plant hire, skip hire, materials, labour. Itemised quotes build trust and reduce scope creep arguments.
- Offer a good/better/best choice. Give the customer an Indian sandstone option and a porcelain option side-by-side. Most will upgrade when they can see the difference clearly.
- Include all plant hire as line items. Mini digger, dumper, compactor, water bowser. Clients often don't realise these are pass-through costs. Hiding them in day rate creates confusion.
- Build in contingency. 10–15% is standard on hard landscaping. If the job comes in under, it's a win for your relationship with the client. If the ground is worse than expected, you're covered.
- Require a deposit. 20–30% on acceptance is standard, particularly when ordering materials. Never order materials from your own pocket on a customer deposit of zero.
- Put it in writing. A WhatsApp message is not a contract. A written quote with scope, payment terms, and a start date protects both you and the customer.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to landscape a garden in the UK?
A basic garden tidy with new turf and planted borders starts from £1,500–£4,000. A full redesign with new patio, fencing, decking, and planting typically costs £8,000–£30,000+ depending on size and specification.
How much does a landscaper charge per day in the UK?
A sole trader landscaper charges £200–£350/day. A two-person crew is £380–£550/day. London and the South East add 20–35% to these rates.
Is it worth getting a landscaper?
For major work (patios, driveways, retaining walls, tree surgery), yes. Mistakes are expensive and dangerous to fix. For simpler soft landscaping, an experienced gardener is often sufficient and cheaper.
How long does garden landscaping take?
A patio installation typically takes 2–5 days. A full garden transformation can take 2–6 weeks depending on the scope and size.
Do I need planning permission for landscaping?
Most garden landscaping is permitted development and doesn't require planning permission. Exceptions include: driveways over 5m² with non-permeable surfacing (needs planning), listed buildings, conservation areas, and work affecting TPO trees.
Ready to win more landscaping jobs with professional quotes? Jobnix lets you build itemised quotes on-site, send PDFs instantly, and track jobs from first enquiry to final invoice - all from your phone.