Hard and soft landscaping

Find a vetted landscaper

Whether it's a new patio, a fence line or a whole garden rebuild, the right landscaper saves you money twice: once on the price and again on the repairs. Here's what common jobs typically cost, when you need permission and how to choose a landscaper. We can also introduce you to one vetted landscaper who covers your property.

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Beatrice Vasey is a horticulturist, not a landscaping company. We introduce you to one vetted landscaper and are paid a referral fee by that business.

Common landscaping jobs and typical costs

Prices vary with materials, access and how much ground preparation is needed, so treat these as a guide and get a written quote.

Job	What it involves	Typical cost
Landscaper day rate	Labour for one person; most jobs need a team of two or more.	About £200 to £400 per person; £300 to £450 in London and the South East
Patio	Excavation, a sub-base and paving laid to fall, so rain runs off.	Materials about £40 to £100 per m², plus about £20 to £40 per m² to lay
Laying turf	Ground preparation, topsoil levelling and new turf.	About £11 to £15 per m²
Artificial grass	Excavation, a free-draining base and the grass fitted.	About £50 to £90 per m²; £65 to £110 in London and the South East
Fencing	Posts and panels supplied and fitted.	About £110 to £120 per metre, or £200 to £220 per panel
Driveway	Resin-bound or block paving on a new base; a dropped kerb is extra.	Resin about £60 to £120 per m²; block paving £115 to £175 per m²
Raised beds	Timber or brick beds, built and filled.	Timber 2 m × 1 m about £60 to £300; brick £250 to £500
Whole garden	A redesign and build, from a refresh to a full rebuild.	Small about £2,500 to £8,000; medium £8,000 to £25,000; large £25,000 to £45,000 or more

Typical prices from published cost guides (see sources below). Your landscaper quotes for your property.

Do you need planning permission?

Most garden work is permitted development, but there are limits, and they differ between England, Scotland and Wales.

Work	England	Scotland	Wales
Paving a front garden	No permission needed if it's permeable or drains to a lawn or border. Over 5 m² of impermeable paving needs permission.	Must be porous or drain to a porous area. Not permitted development in a conservation area or near a listed building.	New or replacement paving must be permeable or drain to a permeable area. Up to 5 m² of existing paving can be repaired as it is.
Fences, walls and gates	Up to 2 m, or 1 m next to a road used by vehicles or its footpath. The grounds of a listed building need permission.	Up to 2 m, or 1 m facing a road or in front of the house. Not permitted development in a conservation area or the grounds of a listed building.	Up to 2 m, or 1 m next to a road used by vehicles or its footpath. In a conservation area, taking one down can need consent.
Decking	Up to 30 cm high, not in front of the house, and with other buildings covering no more than half the garden.	Rear garden only; floor up to 0.5 m high and 2.5 m overall. No more than 4 m² in a conservation area or the grounds of a listed building.	Up to 30 cm high, not in front of the house, and with other buildings covering no more than half the garden.
New access onto a road	The council's permission for a dropped kerb, plus planning permission on a trunk or classified road.	The roads authority's permission for a dropped kerb.	The council's permission for a dropped kerb; check with the council whether planning permission is also needed.

In England, permitted development rights are narrower in conservation areas, National Parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty, and councils can remove them altogether with an Article 4 direction, so check with the council before work starts.

Permeable paving isn't just a planning rule. Around 4.6 million properties in England are at risk of surface water flooding, and the Environment Agency points out that permeable surfaces let rain soak in instead of running off.

A free-standing wall on the boundary, such as a garden wall, can count as a party fence wall under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, which has its own notice rules. Timber fences aren't covered.

How to choose a landscaper

Accreditation	BALI accredited contractors have traded for at least two years and are vetted with client references and site visits. APL members are assessed by industry experts, and APL is a TrustMark scheme provider.
Disputes	BALI offers customers of current members a free dispute resolution service through an independent ombudsman, whose decision the member must follow.
Insurance	Ask to see public liability insurance before work starts.
Recent work	Look at a portfolio and reviews of recent jobs, ideally similar to yours.
Written quote	Compare what each quote includes: materials, the scope of work and the timescale. Agree who checks whether the job needs planning permission or a dropped kerb licence.

If you're in County Durham and want the planting worked out before the landscaper starts, Beatrice can plan it with you on a garden consultation.

Your rights as a customer

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a landscaper must do the work with reasonable care and skill, within a reasonable time if no date was agreed, and for a reasonable price if no price was fixed.

If you agreed the job at home, you usually have 14 days to cancel, starting the day after you give the go-ahead. If you ask for work to start sooner, you pay for what's been done.

How the introduction works

Tell us about the job, using the form below.
We email you the name of one vetted landscaper who covers your property, then pass your enquiry to them. Your details go to one business only.
They quote you directly and do the work.

We are paid a referral fee by the landscaper, as set out in how our partner network works. If you'd only like advice, leave the consent box unticked and Beatrice will reply herself.

Landscapers by city

Each city page covers the local council's rules and services that matter for this work, plus typical costs.

Questions about landscaping

Do I need planning permission for a new patio?

Usually not in a back garden. The paving rules mainly affect front gardens, where the surface must be permeable or drain to a lawn or border. Listed buildings, conservation areas and Article 4 directions can change that, so check with the council if your home is affected.

How high can a garden fence be without planning permission?

Up to 2 m in most places, or 1 m next to a road used by vehicles. In Scotland the 1 m limit also applies in front of the house, and the rules are tighter in conservation areas and around listed buildings.

Do I need permission for a dropped kerb?

Yes. The council that looks after the road has to approve it, and many councils either build the crossing themselves or insist on an accredited contractor. In England, a trunk or classified road also needs planning permission.

What's the difference between a landscaper and a garden designer?

A garden designer plans the space and the planting; a landscaper builds it. Many landscapers offer design too, and Beatrice draws up planting schemes that any landscaper can plant from.

Is Beatrice Vasey a landscaper?

No. Beatrice is a horticulturist who designs planting and advises on gardens. For building work we introduce you to one vetted landscaper who covers your property, and we are paid a referral fee by that business.

Get a landscaping quote

Tell us about your garden and the job. Beatrice reads every enquiry.

Sources (24)