How Much Does Landscaping Cost?

Whether it be a few flower boxes or a well-manicured lawn, many homeowners choose to invest in a beautiful yard or garden with landscaping costs adding to property value and enjoyment. It’s great to have an outdoor space to retreat to after a long, tiring day, the greenery is relaxing to look at, and it makes a great first impression when you have people come over.

What is Landscaping?

Landscaping is the process of making land more attractive by altering the design of the land, adding ornamental features, and planting trees and shrubs. Landscaping is a task that combines science and art, armed with horticultural knowledge as well as a familiarity with the elements and principles of landscaping design. A landscape professional helps you transform your property into something new. If you’re thinking of having some home improvement done or including landscape work for your new home, expect the average landscaping cost (for a home with no landscaping) to range from $4,800 to $50,000, depending on the size, scale, and work involved.

What Do Landscaping Services Include?

Landscaping contractors can help with both landscape installation and landscape maintenance jobs. Let’s take a closer look at the services provided under the umbrella of ‘landscape,’ so you can make an informed decision when hiring your next landscaping designer.

1. Earthworks

The first step in any landscaping project is earthwork. Earthworks are typically performed to improve the existing topography of a site, or to create new landscaping features more suitable to your project requirements. Landscaping professionals can help with earthworks across several different project types, including:

• Land reclamation
• Land grading
• Land drainage
• Land clearing
• Basin filling
• Below ground engineering

2. Waterproofing

Another important step in landscaping is the installation of waterproofing systems. There are two basic types of waterproofing that are commonly used during landscaping – geotextile systems and membrane systems. Geotextile systems involve the installation of a synthetic fabric layer that is placed between the surrounding soil and the surface being waterproofed. A membrane system, on the other hand, involves the installation of a watertight layer of material above the surface being waterproofed.

3. Turfing

Turfing is the practice of laying sod, which is a grass grown in a controlled environment (such as a greenhouse), instead of natural grasses typically found in the outdoors. Turfing is often employed on flat areas of land that are difficult to fence off, and is also used to prevent soil erosion and reduce maintenance costs.

4. Hardscaping and Softscaping

Hardscaping refers to the installation of permanent landscape features, such as retaining walls, driveways, and pathways. As the name suggests, softscaping refers to the installation of anything that grows in the ground, such as trees and shrubs. Once the earthworks and waterproofing are complete, soft and hard landscaping can be carried out. Softscaping is typically performed by horticulturalists, while hardscaping is usually carried out by other construction professionals. Softscaping typically involves the use of native plant species and is ideal for projects that help protect the local ecology. Hardscaping can include the use of non-native plants, which can help to enhance the aesthetic appeal of a project.

Landscaper Cost?

Professional landscapers design, plan and maintain your yard or garden. They ensure the plants are healthy, hedges are in good shape, weeds are kept under control, and the lawn is maintained. Landscapers also draw out plans for outdoor spaces, source the materials and plants, and install features like a fountain, pond, a sprinkler system or a retaining wall. If you have any landscaping ideas or garden design in mind, share this with your landscaper so they can determine if it’s a feasible style. How much landscaping costs per hour will depend on your location.

Location	Landscaping Cost Per Hour
Australian Capital Territory	$60
New South Wales	$60
Queensland	$55
South Australia	$55
Victoria	$60
Western Australia	$60

Backyard Landscaping Cost

How much backyard landscaping costs vary, based on the size of your backyard, the type of materials you will use, the prep work involved, and labour. Your total landscaping cost also depends on the features you want to install and your personal design preference. Labour cost per hour is based on your location. You’re looking at an average landscaping cost of $4,800 to $50,000, with labour per hour typically from $40 to $50.

Garden Landscaping Cost?

The cost of landsc0aping a garden is determined according to the garden size, the features you want to include, and your location. You can expect a garden design service to cost you between $2,000 and $5,000, depending on the size of the work required. The extent of your softscaping (the types and number of plants) and hardscaping (the man-made features made of hard materials such as retainer walls, paving, or fences) will also affect how much you will spend. Labour costs range from $20 per hour for simple gardening jobs and can go as high as $350+ per hour for more complex projects.

Patio Landscaping Costs

This varies tremendously depending on how detailed you want your patio to be. If you want the entire yard to have an outdoor theme, it may also include steps, walks, retaining walls, and other features that raise the price. The minimum cost for a simple stone or concrete patio is around $2000. However, this can vary greatly based on other considerations such as drainage needs and extra design components.

Landscaping Costs per m2

This can differ depending on the sort of landscaping you want done. This involves determining if you want asphalt, pavement, or gravel work, as well as edging and planting alternatives. The average cost per square metre for this type of work is between $5 and $20, with prices increasing per square metre depending on its scarcity/availability in your area.

Fencing Landscaping Cost

Fencing is typically charged per metre, with the cost largely depending on the materials used and the project size. A pine paling or hardwood paling fence can be purchased for as cheap as $75 per metre if you are on a tight budget. A sandstone or timber fence, on the other hand, might cost up to $1,000 per metre. If you want to stay in the centre of the price range, iron, brick, or frameless glass fence might cost between $400 and $600 per metre.

Other Factors that Affect the Cost of Landscaping Job

Other factors that can affect the cost of a landscaping job include the site, climate, and personal preferences. 1.  Site Your total landscaping cost will depend on how big or small the size of your yard or garden is. A bigger area can accommodate more features and a grander plan, and a small space can limit the design. 2. Climate Not all types of plants can thrive in certain climates, so your landscaper needs to plan out any landscaping design. 3. Personal choices A more detailed and custom landscape design will come out more expensive than basic landscaping, so expect a higher cost. 4. Landscaping features Depending on the area, the overall landscaping costs determined by the features or elements you opt to include such as:

• Dig a swimming pool
• Paving
• Deck building

Finding the Right Contractor

Landscaping professionals can make all the difference in your next landscaping project, but it’s important to determine which landscaping professional can meet all your needs. As such, it’s important to do some research so that the project can be carried out to the highest standards possible. Here are the essential contractors you may need to make your backyard ideas come to life.

1. Landscape Architects

Landscape architects are specifically trained in the design of landscapes, and they have the knowledge of the structure and visual elements suited to a given project. Landscape architects can help you in the following ways:

• Develop functional and sustainable landscape designs
• Generate landscape designs that meet your functional requirements and your aesthetic expectations
• Ensure the designs blend into your current landscape

2. Garden Designers

Garden designers are similar to landscape architects. However, they typically focus on smaller projects, such as gardens and patios. Garden designers can help you in the following ways:

• Carry out garden designs to meet your functional requirements and your aesthetic expectations
• Draft designs that blend with your existing landscape.

3. Landscapers

A landscaper is a generalist contractor who can carry out a wide range of landscaping tasks, including earthworks, turfing, lawn installations, and so on. Landscapers can help you in the following ways:

• Carry out landscaping tasks to meet your functional requirements and your aesthetic expectations
• Locate and manage subcontractors, if necessary

4. Other Contractors

If you require other contractors, such as those for plumbing, electrical, heating, and so on, you can also get them from your landscaping service provider. However, you should always check their credentials and check for any reviews that might exist about them.

Where to Hire a Landscaping Contractor?

Looking to hire a professional landscaper? You can search for and discover your landscape contractor through HIREtrades. With an Australia-wide network of tradies available, you don’t have to search multiple sites to compare contractor rates and view client feedback. Get up to three quotes for free when you post a job today.