Cost of Garden Design

Are you looking to design your garden?

In this guide, we will explore all the costs you should expect to pay for garden design. You'll spend about £1950 on garden design and to hire a garden designer - but this can be determined by the extent of the overall job.

Looking for a garden design quote? Take a scroll through our professional gardeners and garden designers, who will be happy to provide you with a quote.

If you'd like more or a price breakdown first - Why not have a read of our guide below?

How Much Does It Cost to Design a Garden?

The average cost of designing a garden is £30 to £150 per m². However, there are many ways that a garden could be designed or renovated. Let's take a look at some common garden design job costs.

So how much does a garden designer cost? To hire a garden designer to plan out, in detail, your new or renovated garden would cost roughly £600 to £4500.

Moving on to the specific design elements when put into practice, building a garden wall costs about £600 to £1500.

It would cost around £500 to £1000 to install fencing. You'd need a budget of £1000 to £1750 to lay a patio, £70 per m² to damp-proof walls or £200 to £300 to paint a garden wall.

What will the above cost depending on?

The garden design cost can vary depending on the type of job(s), ease of access, property location, and the size of the garden.

As for property location, this is relevant due to the variation in labour prices throughout different regions of the country.

Garden Design Prices

Supply Cost of Garden Design Work

Let's look at the supply costs for the jobs discussed in the previous section. This, of course, excludes the labour cost.

These costs are relevant if you intend to undertake landscaping/garden renovation work DIY:

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Additional Costs

As with any installation or renovation work, there are some added jobs you may choose to pay for. Here are the additional costs you may come across:

• Garden decking - £1600 to £3700
• Garden turf - 500 to £6500

Labour Costs and Timescales

Garden designers tend to charge £60 to £200 an hour, while the labour cost of having a garden redesigned will depend on the work involved.

The design process often takes around four weeks in total. This would give you sufficient time to discuss ideas with a professional designer before they work on said plans and likely receive your feedback and input along the way.

The labour cost and timescale can vary depending on ease of access, the size of the garden, the specific job(s), and the state of the garden. Work could also be slowed down due to poor weather conditions.

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Cost Factors of Garden Design

Note that the cost factors can also be influenced by broader construction industry trends. For a deeper dive into these trends, check out our Construction Statistics page.

There are a range of factors that can shape the overall cost of designing a garden. Let's take a look at some of those cost factors.

Type of Design

The more complex a garden design, the more expensive it is likely to be. This is because the design work may take longer, and more work and supplies will be needed to construct the garden itself.

Size of Garden

No doubt, the larger the garden, the more supplies will be needed to make it a reality. And, of course, the larger the garden, the more work will be needed. The labour cost is also likely to be higher, making for a two-fold increase in cost relative to a smaller garden.

Condition of Garden

The current state of the garden or the land that is it to be built on is also relevant. After all, the better the condition of the current garden/land, the easier it will be to build on, resulting in less waste removal.

Ease of Access

The easier the current garden/land can be accessed, the lower the labour costs, making the building process much easier.

Location

Where you live is also relevant since labour rates vary across the UK. For example, you'll likely find a lower labour price than the nationwide average in the north of England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, but higher rates in the southeast of England and London.

What's involved in Garden Design?

This section will look at the various steps involved in designing and building a garden.

To start the process, it's important that you find an experienced and talented professional designer.

You should not only ask for some references and take a look at the website of each designer you approach (assuming they have one), but it's also worth requesting several quotes before coming to a decision.

1. Design Process

Next, the designer will get to work on crafting a garden within certain parameters that you've already set based on your preferences.

When initially consulting the designer, it will be an opportunity to discuss how specific you'd like your design to be or how much input you'd like the designer to have on the project.

Either way, it's best to go through a reasonable variety of garden design ideas. It will probably take a few weeks until the design is finalised.

2. Hiring Contractors

Next, you'll need to hire someone to bring your design to life. Again, it's worth acquiring a few quotes and asking for some references before deciding on a contractor/company.

3. Construction of the Garden

The fourth step involves building the garden based on your design. This may involve installing water features, laying a patio, as well as adding and painting garden walls, among other tasks.

4. Remove Waste and Wrap Up

Lastly, any waste that needs to be disposed of can be removed from the site. The labourer(s) will tidy up the area, and your brand new garden will be ready to use.

Can I Design a Garden Myself?

You may wish to design a garden DIY, but there are many advantages to hiring a professional.

For example, a garden designer will have plenty of experience and will likely have a wider array of ideas to discuss. But, if you feel confident about it, you can always come up with your own plan.

The same applies to building the garden. If building regulations approval is needed to construct your garden, you'll need a professional sign-off on it.

As with any DIY construction work, there are hazards/dangers that need to be considered.

Firstly, there's always the risk of construction going poorly, in which case, you'd need to hire a professional anyway to fix your errors in building the garden.

Of course, there are more serious risks to take into account, such as straining your back if carrying a heavy load or using sharp/heavy tools or/and equipment. So, it's important to take the necessary safety precautions when building a garden.

Building Regulations & Planning Permission for Garden Design

Unless you are installing an outbuilding, it's unlikely that specific approval will be required.

More information on building regulations and planning permission can be found via the Planning Portal.

This site primarily applies to England and Wales, so rules may differ in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

On average, it costs between £300 and £500 for a building regulations application and inspection, while submitting an application for planning permission tends to cost around £200 to £500.

So, as you can see, these applications are not especially cheap. You're likely to wait around two months before receiving a response.

Types of Garden Design

There are many categories of garden design worth considering. In this section, we'll look at some prominent examples.

Formal Garden

With a distinct floor plan and a focus on symmetry, a formal garden can be achieved. This would involve mixing soft and hard landscaping along with a key feature such as a fountain or statue.

Although these garden designs traditionally were reserved for the aristocracy, nowadays, anyone can have this type of garden design installed.

Pros

• ✔ Provides an aura of sophistication
• ✔ Well-suited for those who like order and simplicity

Cons

• ✖ May be a little dull for some people
• ✖ It can still be a bit challenging to pull off if a garden is especially small

Welcoming In Wildlife

Some homeowners like to encourage nature into their garden, and some more than others.

For a garden that is especially wildlife-friendly, installing structures like water features, hedgehog boxes, log piles, and bee hotels, can quickly turn your garden into a mini jungle.

Obviously, there are ways to prevent its appearance from becoming overwhelming, such as setting aside tidier areas for your own utility or/and installing plant pots throughout to add dashes of order.

Also, by attracting bees, you can encourage the pollination of flowers in your garden. This can make for a low maintenance garden design.

Pros

• ✔ Eco-friendly
• ✔ Can create a vibrant mini-ecosystem in your backyard
• ✔ Encourages pollination

Cons

• ✖ It can look fairly messy
• ✖ May render much of the garden unusable

Mediterranean Garden

Whether formal or informal, a Mediterranean garden can provide a wonderful and enchanting aesthetic to a property by replicating the warm tranquillity of Spain, Italy, or the south of France.

Mediterranean gardens often feature a swimming pool, suitable plants (e.g. vines, olive trees, lavender, and rosemary), and a visual blend of bright colours like blue and orange.

Pros

• ✔ Beautiful aesthetics
• ✔ Ideal for summer use
• ✔ Suitable for small garden design ideas

Cons

• ✖ May feel/look out of place during the winter

Contemporary Garden

One option that has become increasingly popular in the UK in recent years is a contemporary garden.

This typically includes water features, hard landscaping materials (e.g. hardwood, stone, rendered walls, etc.), small grass plots, and subtle LED lighting.

Pros

• ✔ Modern look
• ✔ Aesthetic value

Cons

• ✖ It lacks a traditional aesthetic

Hiring Contractors to Design a Garden Checklist

When hiring a garden designer, there are a few points you should consider. For instance, you should consider what experience they have, take a look at their previous work, and check out any accreditation they have. It's also worth asking for some references.

You may wish to inquire about qualifications, although a garden designer doesn't need to have any. But, it could be seen as a bonus, for sure. Some designers, for example, may have a garden design certificate or even a Higher National Diploma.

FAQs

Sources

https://www.idealhome.co.uk/garden/garden-advice/garden-landscaping-21287
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/design/garden-themes