Cost of Building a Raised Garden Bed

If you’re thinking of installing raised beds in your garden, you might be wondering how much the project will cost.

While the average cost to build a raised garden bed typically falls between £30 and £600, the final price depends on a number of factors. This includes the amount of prep involved, the size of the bed and the materials used to build it. Whether you attempt it as a DIY job or use a professional landscape gardener will also affect the cost.

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Need more help assessing raised garden bed costs? Let’s explore further!

How Much is Building a Raised Garden Bed?

Wondering exactly how much it costs to build a raised garden bed in the UK? You’ll typically pay somewhere between £30 and £600. As you can see, the average cost of a raised garden bed does vary. This is due to the following factors:

• The size and height of the raised bed: The bigger the bed, the more materials you’ll need to build it
• The type of materials used: Whether you go for a budget-friendly timber or metal kit or a solid construction made from stone, brick or concrete
• Filling materials: The amount of topsoil, compost and other materials you use to fill the bed
• Ground preparation: If the ground needs levelling or there’s a lot of vegetation to clear, this will increase labour costs
• Labour costs: Hiring a professional landscape gardener costs between £30 and £60 per hour or £110 and £180 per day, depending on where you live

If you’re working to a tight budget, it’s possible to build a small, raised garden bed as a DIY project. Simple timber and metal kits that require minimal construction and tools can be picked up fairly cheaply from garden centres and DIY stores. Kits can cost as little as £30 to £100, but don’t include soil or compost.

However, if you’re looking to grow larger plants and shrubs or want more decorative beds, perhaps shaped to fit around a curved lawn or patio area, a professional installation may be required.

Raised Garden Bed Prices

The materials you choose for your raised garden bed can determine costs and timescales. Let’s take a look at how this affects some common raised garden bed projects:

A raised garden bed typically costs between £30 and £300 per m². Raised garden beds built on a DIY basis, from metal and softwood timber, will sit at the lower end of this scale and those built from brick or stone by a professional landscaper at the higher end.

Supply Costs

To help you work out the costs involved in building a raised garden bed, let’s take a look at the supply costs for the different materials you might use:

• Timber boards or sleepers: £40 - £200
• Bricks: £60 - £140
• Concrete blocks: £30 - £100
• Mortar mix: £10 - £20
• Render mix: £15 - £60
• Masonry paint: £25 - £60
• Natural stone: £70 - £200
• Hardcore: £10 - £40
• Metal garden bed frames: £30 - £200
• Screws, nails, brackets and other fixings: £10 - £20
• Landscape fabric or liners: £10 - £30

The exact price of the materials for your project will depend on the size, height and number of raised beds you plan to build.

The exact materials you opt for will also affect costs. For instance, the quality and depth of the timber you use, or the type of stone, such as tumbled limestone or sandstone. The finish can also affect costs.

For instance, rendering and painting concrete blocks will give you a more contemporary and aesthetically pleasing finish, but will cost more to do.

Solid brick, concrete and stone walls also need a level base, usually constructed with hardcore, whereas timber and metal beds can be placed directly onto an existing bed or lawned area.

This is one of the reasons why timber and metal beds are usually cheaper than brick or stone beds. However, in terms of durability, brick and stone walls should last much longer.

Soil and Filling Costs

While you may be able to fill a small raised garden bed with soil from elsewhere in your garden or with compost from your heap, it’s most likely that you’ll need to factor in filling costs.

Raised beds are typically filled with a mix of soil and compost. Depending on drainage and what you wish to grow, you may need to factor in the following extra costs:

• Topsoil: £15 - £50
• Compost: £20 - £100
• Mulch or bark: £10 - £60
• Gravel (for drainage layers): £10 - £50
• Sharp sand or perlite (to improve soil drainage): £10 - £30

The larger and deeper the raised bed, the higher the filling costs will be. Ordering in bulk can reduce the price per litre, but you will need to factor in delivery costs.

Additional Costs

There may be some additional elements you need to factor into your project, which will affect the overall raised garden bed cost. Here are some things to think about before you begin:

Ground Levelling

You may need to level the ground to create a sound base for concrete, stone and brick raised beds. If there’s only a small area to level off and no hard surfaces to break up, you may be able to do this yourself with a rake and tamper tool or wacker plate.

Wacker plate hire starts from around £40, and tamper tools cost between £25 and £50. For professional levelling, you’re looking at paying between £20 and £60 an hour, depending on whether you use a gardener, landscaper or handyperson.

Garden Waste Removal

Some garden waste removal might be involved if you need to clear vegetation and other items to make space for your raised beds. Depending on the amount of waste, this may cost between £15 and £200.

Delivery

If you need to get a bulk delivery of soil and compost to fill your beds, there could be a charge between £10 and £30 for this, depending on your supplier and where you live.

Garden Edging

Garden edging might be recommended to help tidy up the surrounding areas of your garden and tie your design together.

Irrigation

Raised beds can dry out more quickly than conventional garden beds, so it might be worth installing an irrigation system. DIY starter kits cost around £60 while professional installations can cost between £200 and £400, depending on the type and whether you’re planning to irrigate just a raised bed or connect the whole garden.

Extra Features

Integrating seating or a water feature into your raised bed could improve its practicality and add visual interest. Expect this to add £50 to £300 to the project.

Garden Maintenance

Where raised garden beds are butting up against a boundary, it’s wise to make sure you carry out fence repairs first, as this will be harder to fix later on. Wooden fences typically cost between £30 and £200 to patch.

The more landscaping that’s required, the more your costs are likely to increase. However, expanding your project to other areas of the garden should give you a more attractive and usable outside space. Plus, doing all the necessary jobs in one go will minimise further disruptions and simplify garden maintenance.

Labour Costs and Timescales

Unless you’re sticking with one small timber or metal raised bed, it’s likely you’ll be hiring a landscaper or gardener to install your raised garden bed. So, you’ll probably want to know what sort of labour costs and timescales are involved in building a raised garden bed.

Landscape gardeners typically charge between £30 and £60 per hour, while a gardener typically charges between £14 and £25 per hour. For bigger projects, you may be charged a day rate instead. For a landscaper, this will be somewhere between £110 and £180 and for a gardener, between £100 and £150.

The biggest factors affecting these costs are:

• The size of the raised bed: Large raised beds require more work and take longer to construct and fill than small ones.
• The materials used: Timber and metal garden beds are fairly quick to put together, whereas brick and stone beds take more planning, preparation and building.
• Amount of ground preparation required: If you need to clear a space and level the ground, this will add to the timescales and labour costs.
• Accessibility of the garden: Needing to carry materials and wheelbarrow soil into the garden will affect timescales and, therefore, labour costs.

The bigger the size of the bed, the longer it will take to complete. In general, you’re looking at the following timescales:

• Small raised beds: 2 to 3 hours
• Medium raised beds: 3 to 4 hours
• Large raised beds: up to a full day

However, concrete, stone and brick raised beds may take longer than this to complete, as there will be more ground preparation needed and depending on the height, you may need foundation building.

It’s also worth noting that regular bricks, blocks and stones are quicker and easier to lay than irregular-shaped stones. You’ll also need to factor in drying times for the mortar. If you’re planning to render and paint a concrete raised bed, you’ll have additional drying times to allow for.

Cost Factors for Building a Raised Garden Bed

As you will now be aware, multiple factors affect the cost of building a raised garden bed. Let’s take a closer look at some of those most likely to impact your budget:

Size and Height

Large raised beds will naturally use more materials and take longer to build than small ones, so the bigger your beds, the more your material and labour costs will be. Taller beds will also require more time and materials. However, you will end up with more space for growing and with beds that are easier to manage.

Materials

The type of materials you use will affect the final cost of your raised garden bed. Materials such as galvanised steel, aluminium and softwood timber are far cheaper to use than stone, concrete and brick. They’re also easier to put together.

Furthermore, if you’re building a solid enclosure from stone, concrete or brick, you’ll need to factor in other materials such as mortar and hardcore. The finish you’re after could also affect material costs. For instance, if you decide to render and paint the bed, you’ll have extra materials to budget for.

Soil and Compost

The bigger the raised bed, the more soil and compost you’ll need to buy. But the type of filling material you use can also affect costs. Some specialist composts cost more per litre than a cheap, multi-purpose compost. So, for instance, if you’re planning to create raised flower beds using mature plants or seeds, you may need a loam-based or nutrient-rich compost and a greater ratio of compost to topsoil.

If you need to improve drainage, you may need to add some sharp sand or perlite and a layer of gravel at the bottom, increasing your filling costs further. For plants that aren’t drought-tolerant, it’s also wise to think about adding a layer of mulch to help retain moisture.

Ground preparations and positioning

For brick, concrete and stone raised garden beds, you’ll probably need to start with a bed of hardcore, flattened down with a tamper tool or wacker plate. This will add to the costs. There may also be some clearing and levelling work to do first./p>

In most cases, a timber or metal raised bed can be placed directly onto a bed or lawn, allowing for natural drainage. However, if you’re positioning a raised bed on a hard surface, such as a patio, you’ll need to factor in a drainage solution.

Accessibility

A garden that’s hard to access will make it trickier to bring in tools, materials and equipment and to take away garden waste. So, the job could take longer to complete.

Labour Rates

Where you live in the UK does have an impact on labour costs. Regional variations mean that homeowners in London and Liverpool will pay more for a landscaper than those in Leeds or Birmingham.

Additional Features

Should you opt for extras such as an irrigation system or integrated seating, or choose to landscape and tidy up other areas of your garden at the same time, this will obviously add to your costs.

Building Regulations for Raised Garden Beds

In most cases, you shouldn’t need to worry about building regulations for raised garden beds. However, certain regulations and restrictions may apply in some situations, including:

• If you’re planning to undertake major landscaping work that involves creating large, permanent structures or making noticeable changes to the level of your garden
• Creating raised garden beds along your property boundary that are to be used to grow a row of evergreen trees or bushes
• Where a property is listed or in a Conservation Area

Low garden walls, such as those built for raised beds, don’t usually need building regulations approval. However, they must still be built to a safe standard to avoid becoming a garden hazard.

Types of Raised Garden Beds

Not sure what type of raised garden bed to go for? Let’s weigh up the pros and cons of each type, including the cost, durability and maintenance:

Timber Raised Garden Beds

If you want your raised beds to have a natural or rustic appearance, then timber is a good choice. They’re one of the most popular options as they’re cost-effective and easy to put together. However, softwood and untreated timbers aren’t particularly durable, and most wooden raised garden beds will need replacing at some point.

Brick Raised Garden Beds

Brick raised garden beds are very durable, so with the right care, they should last for decades. They have a timeless quality and fit in well with most landscape designs. Their strength means you can build them to a good height, which is ideal for growing deep-rooted plants and shrubs. However, brick raised beds do take longer to install and cost more than timber and metal beds.

Stone Raised Garden Beds

Stone raised garden beds have both natural appeal and strength and durability, so they bring a lot of benefits. There are plenty of colour and design options too. However, stone raised beds are one of the most expensive options, due to the materials and labour involved.

Concrete Raised Garden Beds

Concrete blocks aren’t particularly attractive to use for raised beds, but they can be rendered and painted to create a contemporary finish. Concrete is also a strong and durable option. However, they can require more maintenance than stone and brick options, and once you factor in the costs for rendering and painting, they can work out to be expensive.

Metal Raised Garden Beds

Aluminium and steel raised garden beds can be bought cheaply as kits. They fix together with just a few bolts and can be placed directly onto soil, grass or gravel, making them quick to install as a DIY project. They’re also long-lasting and resistant to rot. However, you may need to add a liner and maintain the weatherproof coating to protect them from corrosion and rust.

Alternative Garden Bed Options

Despite their benefits, raised garden beds aren’t for everyone. So, it’s worth considering these alternatives:

Container Gardening

Container gardening is a great alternative, especially for those with compact gardens. You’re looking at an average cost between £10 and £80 per planter, depending on the size and materials, and another £10 to £70 for compost, depending on how much you need.

Pros

• ✔ Easy to set up
• ✔ Low maintenance
• ✔ Versatile
• ✔ Enables you to match the soil type to the plants

Cons

• ✖ Compost can dry out quickly
• ✖ Plants may be more susceptible to frosts
• ✖ Can limit what you can grow

Traditional Garden bBeds

Ground-level flower beds have remained popular as they’re easy to install and enable you to grow a wide range of flowers, shrubs and edibles.

Costs vary between £40 and £200, depending on the amount of topsoil and compost you need. You may also need to factor in costs for garden clearance and soil improvers.

Pros

• ✔ Budget-friendly
• ✔ Suitable for deep-rooted plants
• ✔ Retain moisture well, reducing the need for watering

Cons

• ✖ It can be more maintenance to control weeds and pests
• ✖ Not the best option for those with poor soils, like heavy clay
• ✖ Soil can become compacted

Vertical Gardening

Vertical gardens use fences and walls for growing. You can buy a kit or simply hang up rows of pots and planters.

Modular kits cost between £50 and £400, depending on the size and type.

Pros

• ✔ Brighten up compact spaces
• ✔ Hide ugly walls and fences
• ✔ Low-maintenance gardening
• ✔ Ideal for growing trailing plants

Cons

• ✖ Only suitable for smaller plants
• ✖ More watering is needed during the summer months
• ✖ Larger vertical gardens may need an irrigation system installed

Grow Bags

Fabric grow bags come in a range of sizes and can be filled with soil or compost. Plastic grow bags are ready to use; you simply cut a hole where you wish to plant or sow.

Costs £5 to £20 per bag, depending on the size.

Pros

• ✔ Cheap and simple to set up
• ✔ Easy to move around
• ✔ Drain well

Cons

• ✖ Not very durable or sustainable
• ✖ Not as attractive as raised beds and containers

Growing Tables

Growing tables are essentially legged planters, and like raised beds, they reduce the need for bending.

Costs £5 to £20 per bag, depending on the size.

Pros

• ✔ Low-maintenance gardening
• ✔ Compact
• ✔ Reduces pests
• ✔ Some come with irrigation and covers, increasing versatility

Cons

• ✖ Some cheap tables aren’t very durable
• ✖ Not as sturdy as planters and raised beds

Hiring Contractors Checklist for Building a Raised Garden Bed

Ready to hire a contractor to build you a raised garden bed? Use this checklist to help ensure you hire someone reliable:

• Weigh up your options first – Try to get at least three quotes from local contractors for comparison before making your decision. Using MyJobQuote is a quick and easy way to do this.
• Assess their suitability for the job – Check whether they have relevant qualifications and experience, for instance, in landscaping or bricklaying.
• Do they have a good reputation? – Ask around, check reviews and ask to see examples of their work and for customer testimonials
• Check they have the right paperwork – Are they insured? If they’re removing garden waste for you, do they have a waste carrier's license?

Removing or Replacing a Raised Garden Bed

If you’re undergoing a garden makeover or making some improvements to your growing areas, you may wish to remove or replace an existing raised bed with something more durable. In this case, you’ll also need to factor in removal costs.

If there’s only a small amount of waste material to dispose of, such as a few pieces of rotten timber, you may be able to dismantle the bed yourself and take it to your local recycling centre. However, large raised beds made from brick or stone can be quite difficult to dismantle safely, so you’re best off asking for professional help with this. The combined labour and removal costs could set you back between £30 and £400, depending on:

• Size of the raised bed and the material
• Accessibility of the garden
• The type and amount of waste removed

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