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What changes the cost of hiring a landscape gardener?
A landscape gardener's price depends on whether they charge by the day or by the project, whether design is included, the materials and machinery needed, waste removal, and access to the garden. This guide prints no day rate, so compare how each quote is built as well as its total.
Last reviewed:What does a landscape gardener do?
A landscape gardener, often just called a landscaper, changes the layout and structure of a garden. Typical work includes:
- hard landscaping: patios, paths, steps, walls, raised beds, edging and driveways
- soft landscaping: new lawns, planting schemes, hedges and borders
- levels and drainage: terracing a slope, levelling a lawn, adding drainage
- structures: fences, pergolas, decking and garden buildings
- design: drawing up a plan before work begins
This is different from regular garden maintenance. Our gardeners page covers mowing, pruning and weeding. Our landscapers page covers the trade this guide is about.
This guide does not print a day rate or a project price. It explains the different ways landscapers price work and what drives each one, so you can compare quotes that are built in different ways.
QuoteZila starts in Cheshire, with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach first, and anyone in the UK can post a landscaping job.
How do landscape gardeners price their work?
Fixed project price. A single total for the agreed work, usually with a breakdown. Easier to budget, but check what happens if they find something unexpected, such as buried rubble or a broken drain.
Day rate plus materials. A rate per person per day, with materials charged on top. Can suit small or uncertain jobs, but the total depends on how long it takes. Ask for an estimate of days and how they will keep you informed.
Design fee, then build price. Common for larger projects. A designer surveys and draws the garden first, then the build is priced from the drawings.
Mixed. A fixed price for the main work, with a day rate for extras you might add later.
Citizens Advice says a quote is a fixed price, so you'll know what you're getting and how much it will cost, while an estimate is just a rough guess, so you might end up paying more [S3]. It says a quote should include a fixed total price, not a daily rate [S3]. If a landscaper prefers to work by the day, ask for a written estimate of the number of days and a cap you agree in advance.
What changes the cost of a landscaping job?
| Factor | Why it matters | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Size of the garden | More area means more labour and materials | What area is the quote based on? |
| Hard versus soft work | Paving, walls and steps take more time than planting | How is the price split? |
| Materials | Natural stone, porcelain and hardwood differ widely in price | Which products, by name and finish? |
| Levels | Slopes need digging, walls and steps | How much soil moves, and where to? |
| Ground conditions | Clay, rubble, roots or buried services slow work | What if they find something unexpected? |
| Access | Narrow side passages mean barrows instead of machines | How will materials and waste get in and out? |
| Machinery | Mini diggers, dumpers and compactors are hired in | Is hire included in the price? |
| Waste | Soil, turf and rubble need taking away | Skip, grab lorry or their own vehicle? |
| Design | Surveys, drawings and planting plans | Is design included or separate? |
| Season | Planting and turfing suit some months more than others | When will the work be done? |
| VAT | Some firms add VAT, some aren't registered | Is VAT included? |
How does waste change the price?
Landscaping produces a lot of waste: turf, soil, roots, old paving and rubble. Taking it away is a real part of the cost.
GOV.UK's waste code says that if a tradesperson carries out work on your property, they are responsible for the waste they produce, including its transport and disposal, and that the cost of its disposal should be included in what they charge [S1]. It names landscape gardeners as an example of a business that carries its own waste as a waste carrier [S1]. GOV.UK also says that if you hire a private company to move waste, you should check that it is registered as a waste carrier [S2].
Ask each landscaper:
- how much waste they expect and how they will remove it
- whether a skip or grab lorry is included, and where it will stand
- whether they are a registered waste carrier
Do planning rules affect landscaping?
Most garden work doesn't need planning permission, but some common features have limits.
Fences, walls and gates. The Planning Portal says you won't need planning permission for a fence, wall or gate if it is no more than 1 metre high next to a highway used by vehicles, or 2 metres high elsewhere, as long as other conditions are met, such as the house not being listed [S5]. In a conservation area, you might need permission to take one down [S5]. Our fencing cost guide explains the price side.
Decking and raised platforms. The Planning Portal says decking is permitted development if it is no more than 30cm above the ground, if together with other extensions and outbuildings it covers no more than 50 per cent of the garden, and if none of it is forward of the wall forming the principal elevation [S6]. Decking costs covers that job.
Front garden paving. Driveways and paved front gardens have their own drainage rules. Driveway resurfacing explains them.
Trees. If a tree is involved, check with your council first. Our tree surgeons page covers that trade.
What should a landscaping quote include?
- A description or drawing of the finished garden
- The area of each part: paving, lawn, planting, walls
- Named materials, including colour and finish
- Groundwork: digging, levelling, sub-base and drainage
- Plants: species, sizes and numbers, and who supplies them
- Machinery and skip hire
- Waste removal, and who does it
- Start date, length of the job and working hours
- Payment stages
- VAT. GOV.UK says a business must register for VAT if its taxable turnover for the last 12 months goes over £90,000 [S4].
- Any aftercare, such as watering new turf or replacing failed plants
How do you compare landscape gardener quotes?
Give each landscaper the same details: photos, rough measurements, what you want to keep, what you want to change, and how you will use the garden. A rough sketch helps, even if it is not to scale.
Citizens Advice suggests getting written quotes from at least 3 different traders, and says some traders charge for quotes, so ask about this first [S3]. It says to be cautious if a price is a lot lower than the others, because the trader might not be quoting for exactly the same work [S3]. It says that if a deposit can't be avoided, push it down as much as possible and don't agree to more than 25% [S3].
Ask about insurance. Citizens Advice says professional indemnity insurance covers a trader who does faulty design work or gives bad advice, and public liability insurance covers if someone is hurt or property is damaged [S8]. That matters if the landscaper is designing as well as building.
If the work is poor, Citizens Advice says the Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires services to be provided with reasonable care and skill [S7].
Can you phase a landscaping project?
Yes, and many people do. A common order is:
- Design and groundwork first: levels, drainage and any walls.
- Hard landscaping next: patios, paths and edging.
- Soft landscaping last: lawn and planting, timed for the right season.
Phasing spreads the cost, but each new start can add set-up time. Ask the landscaper to price the phases separately so you can see the difference. Garden renovation costs explains how to plan a bigger makeover in stages, and patio costs and turf costs cover two common parts of the work.
What should happen after the work is finished?
Ask the landscaper to walk round the finished garden with you before the final payment. Check levels and falls on paving after rain if you can, look at edges and joints, and agree any snagging in writing. Ask for the names of the paving and plants used, and any care instructions for new turf, hedges and planting.
Jobs you might post
These are examples, not taken from real job posts.
- "Rear garden mostly lawn and old slabs. Looking for a landscape gardener to design and build a patio, path and new borders."
- "Sloping back garden. Want two levels with a retaining wall and steps. Please include waste removal."
- "Need a landscaper to price a planting scheme for the front garden only. Happy to pay for a simple design."
Posting a landscaping job
Photos of the whole garden, rough measurements, and a note of what you want to keep are the most useful things to add. Your job goes to up to five matched local businesses [QZ2]. QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1].
Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.
Posting a job is not open yet
Questions about landscape gardener costs
How much do landscape gardeners charge?
This guide does not print a day rate or a project price. Some landscapers quote a fixed price for the whole job, some charge a day rate plus materials, and some charge separately for design. Ask each one to explain how their price is made up, so you can compare like with like.
What is the difference between a gardener and a landscape gardener?
A gardener usually looks after an existing garden: mowing, weeding, pruning and planting. A landscape gardener, or landscaper, changes the garden itself: patios, paths, walls, levels, lawns and new planting schemes. Some businesses do both.
Do landscape gardeners charge for design?
Some include simple design in the quote. Others charge a separate fee for a measured survey, drawings and planting plans, which may or may not come off the build price. Ask before any design work starts.
Should the landscaper be a registered waste carrier?
GOV.UK's waste code names landscape gardeners as an example of a business that carries its own waste. GOV.UK also says that if you hire a private company to move waste, you should check that it is registered as a waste carrier.
Do I need planning permission for landscaping?
Many garden jobs don't need it, but some do. The Planning Portal sets height limits for fences, walls and gates, and conditions for raised decking. A front garden driveway has its own rules about drainage. Ask your landscaper, and check with your council if unsure.
Should I pay a deposit?
Citizens Advice says that if a deposit can't be avoided, push it down as much as possible and don't agree to more than 25%. Materials can be a large part of a landscaping job, so ask what any deposit pays for.
Does QuoteZila check landscape gardeners?
No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.
This page is general information, not professional or legal advice. QuoteZila does not check Gas Safe, WaterSafe, NFRC, NICEIC or other registrations against the register on your behalf: look them up yourself.
Part of Cost guides. All services
Related trades
Cost guides
Related pages
- Levelling a Garden: What Changes the Cost. How to level a garden in Cheshire and what changes the cost: the slope, cut and fill, moving soil out, access for machines, drainage and the finish on top.
- Patio Cost: What Changes the Price of a New Patio. What changes the cost of a patio in Cheshire: size and shape, porcelain, stone or concrete slabs, digging out and sub-base, levels, drainage and steps.
Sources
- QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila home and FAQ copy.
- QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila FAQ How does getting quotes work.
- S1: Waste duty of care: code of practice, GOV.UK (Defra). Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/waste-duty-of-care-code-of-practice/waste-duty-of-care-code-of-practice
- S2: Reporting fly-tipping, large-scale dumping or other waste crimes, GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.gov.uk/report-flytipping
- S3: Before you get building work done, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/
- S4: Register for VAT, GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.gov.uk/register-for-vat
- S5: Fences, gates and garden walls: planning permission, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/fences-gates-and-garden-walls/planning-permission/
- S6: Decking: planning permission, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/decking/
- S7: If you're unhappy about poor service, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/somethings-gone-wrong-with-a-purchase/complain-about-a-service/
- S8: Before you get building work done (insurance), Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/