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Garden Design Cost

By Melissa

Last updated 28th March 2025 - Reading time: 15 mins

At a Glance

The average cost of garden design in the UK is around £1,950.
It'll take 1 to 4 weeks to complete a typical garden design.

In this garden design cost guide, you'll find:

A breakdown of pricing information for all garden designs.
How long garden designs take to complete and an overview of what the project entails.
Details about different types of garden design available.
How to find and hire a local garden designer.

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 £1,950 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?

Average Cost of Garden Design:

Depending on the complexity of the job, it usually takes: 1 – 4 weeks

£1,950

How Much Does a Garden Designer Cost?
- Garden Design Prices
Supply Cost of Garden Design Work
Additional Garden Design Costs
Labour Costs and Timescales
What Impacts Garden Design Costs?
What's Involved in Garden Design?
Can I Design a Garden Myself?
Building Regulations & Planning Permission for Garden Design
Types of Garden Design
Checklist: Hiring Contractors to Design a Garden
Sources

How Much Does a Garden Designer Cost?

Looking for garden renovation costs?

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.

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 £4,500.

Moving on to the specific design elements when put into practice, building a garden wall costs about £600 to £1,500.

It would cost around £500 to £1,000 to install fencing. You'd need a budget of £1,000 to £1,750 to lay a patio, £70 per m² to damp-proof walls or £200 to £300 to paint a garden wall.

What will these costs depend 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.

Are there any free and user-friendly apps to help design a garden?

"Pen and paper are best to sketch out ideas. You can also check Pinterest for new and fresh garden designs and ideas."

DGM Doncaster

Garden Design Prices

Job Description	Total Cost
Hiring a Garden Designer	£600 – £4,500
Garden Design in Practice	£30 – £150 per m²
Garden Wall	£600 – £1,500
Garden Fencing	£500 – £1,000
Lay a Patio	£1,000 – £1,750
Damp Proof Walls	£70 per m²
Paint a Garden Wall	£200 – £300

Want a custom price?

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Supply Cost of Garden Design Work

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

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

Job Description	Total Cost
Brick wall	£50 – £300 per m²
Concrete wall	£40 – £60 m²
Flint wall	£100 – £120 per m²
Natural stone wall	£60 – £130 per m²
Fences	£350 – £700
Laying a patio	£35 – £80 per m²
Damp proofing	£800 – £900
Outdoor painting	£3 – £8 per litre

Additional Garden Design Costs

It's a good idea to make the most of the gardeners at your property while you're having your garden designed. Here are some jobs you might want to consider:

Garden Turf Costs

A high-impact garden improvement is to lay new turf. The cost of new turf is £15 per m², totalling £120 to £1,250 to turf a small 50m² garden.

You'll want to keep on top of your lawn maintenance to ensure the new turf beds in properly. Treating your lawn costs £45, and can help to bring your lawn back to life if you've encountered problems with moisture absorption, improper drainage, or brown spots.

Garden Decking Costs

If you want to make the most of your outdoor space and create a space suitable for entertaining guests, installing decking can be a great idea. Garden decking costs on average £1,500, depending on the material you choose, the size of your decking, and your location in the UK.

Garden Fence Costs

To improve your garden's privacy, the cost of garden fences can be a small price to pay if you want to stop nosy neighbours from looking in. Costing around £185 per fence panel, you can either opt for a full fence replacement if your existing fence is particularly tired, or you can replace one or two panels if they've been damaged in adverse weather.

Garden Maintenance Costs

Keeping on top of your garden can be hard if you're not particularly green-fingered. Garden maintenance costs £200, and gardeners can take care of general jobs such as weeding, mowing the lawn, hedge trimming, pruning, and more.

What's the best percentage of hard and soft scaping to have in a medium-sized garden? I want it to be manageable, without feeling bare.

"30% plants. You will still have flowers and balance if you choose hardy perennials with low upkeep requirements. Look at what establishes well in your neighbour's garden, and perhaps use this as a guide to ensuring you have the best chance of plants surviving with minimal maintenance."

Cloverhills

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 the 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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What Impacts Garden Design Costs?

Let's take a look at several factors that can influence the cost of your garden design.

It’s also worth noting that trends within the wider construction industry can also impact how much you are quoted for a project.

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

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 condition of the land will determine how easy it is to build on, which can affect the overall cost of the garden renovation.

If the area requires a lot of work before getting started, additional costs such as waste removal need to be taken into consideration.

Ease of Access

Clear access to the garden makes delivering equipment and supplies much more straightforward, whereas any complications may add to extra labour costs.

Location in the UK

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.

I'm currently planning my garden design, and I want to brick over the current concrete paths so that new paths will all be uniform with the existing paths. How much height do I need for bricks on top of concrete? It needs to be wheelchair friendly.

"I recommend between 40mm to 50mm of sharp sand. Also, about all being a level base for your garden, if there are any differences in height, you can ramp up slightly or slope down to make the height differences still accessible for wheelchairs."

Danfordham

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. Garden 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.

How much it will cost for 5m² of decking, including materials and labour?

"There are many factors to calculate when pricing a job. E.g., removal of existing decking, the new decking's height, whether steps or railings are required, and also the type and style of boards. That said, for a basic install, I would say £700 to £1,200."

Creative Design

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 Design

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 Design

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

What's the easiest way to create a vertical garden on a brick wall?

"I did a small job for a customer who asked me to use old guttering. I drilled holes for drainage and fixed it with gutter brackets. They had various herbs and cascading plants, a few different-sized hanging baskets, and outdoor lighting. I painted the brickwork first - all in all, very cheap to do and looked great in the end."

Easyfix Property Services

Checklist: Hiring Contractors to Design a Garden

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

What Is the Best Design for a Small Garden?

In recent times, contemporary gardens have become one of the most popular choices for a new garden design among UK homeowners. However, it will simply depend on your preferences.

How to Design a Garden Layout?

In order to design a garden, you should consider what type of outdoor space you'd like, what garden designs inspire you, what look, style, and design you'd prefer, and then draw up your proposal on this basis.

Are There Any Garden Design Apps?

Yes, in recent years, garden design apps have risen in popularity. It's worth checking out a few and considering downloading one if you'd rather use an app to help you with the process.

In many ways, an app is a handy way to replace pen and paper for this sort of work.

Can I Renovate My Garden on a Budget?

No matter how much you have to spend, it's often possible to create modern small garden ideas without going over your budget. Consider whether it's a complete renovation you require or a landscape gardener to simply help get you started.

With garden designs available to cover all budgets, you may be surprised at how much you can get for your money.