Read our comprehensive Guide on Landscaping Pricing to help you make an informed decision, and contact us today to request a free site survey, along with a no-obligation quote.
Landscaping Pricing: In Summary
Landscaping costs are driven up by the quality of materials, the size of your garden, and the complexity of the design, such as multi-tiered layouts or intricate paving. Whilst premium options like composite decking or porcelain tiles require a higher initial investment, they offer superior durability and lower long-term maintenance.
Factors that reduce costs include access to machinery, off-season discounts for materials, or bulk-buying plants. However, be wary of low-cost quotes that may mean no insurance, inexperienced staff, or cutting corners on preparation, such as subbases and footings.
At Jackson Landscaping, we provide fixed-price quotes and use high-quality materials, along with our own professional equipment, to ensure efficiency and quality. Investing in professional Landscaping not only creates a beautiful, usable space for your garden but also adds significant value and desirability to your home.
What Drives Up the Cost of Landscaping Services?
When it comes to Landscaping, there are many factors that affect the pricing. There’s more to it than just putting the time in, which drives up the costs. To name a few examples:
Quality of Materials
This is a big one – the higher the quality of materials used, the higher the costs for your Garden Landscaping project. However, there’s a good reason to pay for quality: it means it’s built to last.
Patios & Paving
For example, if you were considering installing a Patio or Paving, a high-quality option would be porcelain tiles or natural granite stone slabs, both of which offer exceptional durability. Additionally, we recommend opting for a non-porous, high-grade cement and resin hybrid grout to prevent the tiles from popping, rather than a subpar, cheaper alternative.
The quality of the foundation for a new patio is so important, as this provides the structure for your patio to sit on. This is why you should opt for a new quarried type 1 sub-base and never allow a recycled sub-base to be used as an alternative, as this will result in slow compaction over time, resulting in your patio failing. The quality of ratio of the sand and cement used on a new patio bed is extremely important as every patio tile/slab needs a different ratio relevant to the porosity of the material it is made from, for example, porcelain tiles should have a 4:1 sand: cement mix, slate slabs need a 5:1 sand: cement mix and sandstone needs a 6:1 sand: cement mix, to name just a few.
Decking
Alternatively, if you prefer Decking and your garden is north-facing or in a shaded area, we would highly recommend choosing Composite Decking instead of standard timber. Composite does come at a higher premium due to its plastic and wood fibre construction, but its durability is unmatched, lasting 25 to 30+ years. This way, you won’t have to worry about maintenance or rotting timber, especially if your garden lacks sunlight.
Whilst Wooden Decking is still a viable and high-quality option for a south-facing, sunny garden, make sure it has been treated appropriately.
The quality of framing materials is just as important as the choice of decking you put on top. The first material item that is installed for a new deck will be the posts. UC4 incised 100mm posts should be used, as well as Postsaver sleeves at each base, to provide protection for each post from soil contact and rot (Postsaver 20-year post rot guarantee is the best choice). All decking frames should be made from a minimum of 150mm x 47mm C24 tanalised timber joists for a strong, durable frame. Always ensure that every joist has no greater than 400mm spacing between each joist. At the end of every joist, there should always be a joist hanger fitted to prolong the life of your deck and help prevent decking failure. To help prevent the rain from rotting your joists as it goes through the boards of your decking, we highly recommend that DPC/manufacturer-designed tapes be installed along the top edge of all decking framing.
Fencing
Again, much like Decking, when it comes to Fencing, the quality of timber makes a difference to an increase in the cost, but means it will be built to last. Make sure to choose tanalised timber and UC4 incised posts to prolong its lifespan. The use of Postsavers at the base of every post ensures longevity of the crucial part of your new fence and provides you with a Postsaver 20-year rot protection guarantee – this is why we only install using this method, as a small investment can mean a much greater reward for years to come.
Artificial Grass
If you want to install Artificial Grass in your garden, quality matters. Choosing a high-grade, high-quality option means that it will stand the test of time. This way, you don’t need to worry about the colours fading, fibres becoming brittle, or blades degrading quickly. Costs on Artificial Grass can vary depending on the length of the blades also. For example, from our 15-year installation experience, a 38mm artificial grass option may be a more aesthetically pleasing choice due to its plush carpet-like feel; however, a 30mm artificial grass may be a better option due to slightly reduced cost and a good choice if you have a dog, as due to its less dense fibres, it is easier to keep clean.
Size of Your Garden
The size of your garden is another factor in the impact of Landscaping pricing. The larger your garden, the more work is likely required. This will then affect the amount of time and effort required to complete your Garden Landscaping project, which then drives up the cost. For example, soil disposal cost in the Plymouth area is an extremely high cost now for disposal during landscaping projects, before any installation works begin.
Complexity of Your Garden Design
The complexity of your garden’s design certainly increases the costs of Landscaping. If you require full-scale Garden Landscaping, including everything from new Turf, Raised Beds, Borders, Paving, Structured Walling, Pathways, Planting, Decking, a Patio, or even a Shed, this would significantly increase the costs. Basically, the more Landscaping work needed, the higher the costs.
The style of the finish can also increase the pricing for your Landscaping project, as the more complex it is, the longer the time and the more labour and skill required to get it just right. For example, if there are multiple tiers to your garden, a lot of work will need to be dedicated to each level, making sure that it flows and remains structurally stable.
Additionally, if you are completely redesigning your garden and changing the layout, this will add to its complexity, which in turn increases costs.
Preparation
If you’re starting with a blank canvas, your garden likely won’t require much preparation. However, if you need comprehensive Garden Clearance first before the installation even begins, along with levelling the ground, changing the soil if the clay content is too high, and preparing the subbase, this will add to the costs of your Landscaping project.
Planning and preparation in the early stages of your project will help provide solid foundations for your garden, ensuring it remains durable and visually pleasing.
| Factor | Examples/Recommendations |
| Quality of Materials | Built to last; higher grade materials results in a durable landscaping |
| Patios & Paving | Full bed of cement, paving primer, porcelain tiles, non-porous cement and resin hybrid grout recommended |
| Decking | Composite lasts 25 to 30+ years, ideal for north-facing/shaded gardens; Wooden Decking for sunny gardens if treated |
| Fencing | Choose tanalised timber, UC4 incised, PostSaver at base to prevent rotting |
| Artificial Grass | High-quality stands test of time, prevents fading, brittle fibres, degrading blades; 38mm for comfort or 30mm for dog owners |
| Size of Garden | More materials, labour, skills, waste removal required |
| Complexity of Design | Full-scale landscaping, multiple tiers, redesigning layout, style of finish |
| Preparation | Garden clearance, levelling ground, changing soil, preparing subbase |
What Drives Costs Down for Landscaping Services?
Whilst the costs for Landscaping Services can rise due to higher quality materials, the size and complexity of your garden’s design, and the amount of preparation required, there are a few factors that can help reduce the costs. Just because the costs are lower, doesn’t mean it’s the lesser option – there are a few smart ways to keep them down.
Choice of Materials
Your choice of materials is something that you need to be careful about when deciding on your options. Whilst higher-quality materials increase the price, you can find off-season discounts at times, which will help to minimise costs.
A word to the wise, you shouldn’t immediately go for the cheapest materials, as there will likely be a reason why these are so cheap. Unfortunately, the cheaper materials come with all sorts of issues, especially when it comes to durability.
For example, if your Decking is untreated or of poor-quality timber, this can lead to sagging, rotting, or even collapsing over time, which will quickly need replacing. Similarly, low-quality and untreated fence posts will lead to rotting, as well as a structure that falls over in strong winds if it isn’t sturdy enough.
For your patio, if you want to keep costs down, you can always opt for aggregate instead of tiles.
Bulk Buy Plants
Whilst we appreciate that you might prefer a diverse variety of plants, shrubs, and flowers in your garden, a good way to keep your costs down could be to bulk-buy your plants at the garden centre. Opting for popular options such as marigolds, petunias, pansies, and impatiens, which are often sold in trays or multipacks, can help you achieve an affordable yet vibrant look. Hardy perennials like lavender, hostas, or daylilies are also commonly available in bulk.
This might be a smaller variety, but every little helps if you’re trying to reduce your costs. Don’t worry, these can still provide a stunning range of colours for you to enjoy and are effective at brightening up your outdoor space.
Machine Access
Believe it or not, if your Landscape Gardener has access to machinery, such as a digger or ride-on lawnmower, this can actually reduce the costs of Landscaping services. In comparison to manual labour, they can get the work done a lot quicker, so you can benefit from time and cost savings.
What could take a week with manual labour might only take a few days.
Doing It Yourself
Of course, you are always welcome to attempt your Landscaping project yourself. However, this is definitely not something that we would recommend, especially if you are making structural changes to your garden.
Common DIY pitfalls include poor drainage, unstable walls or decks, incorrect materials for the soil type, or failing to level the ground properly. These mistakes can result in flooding, collapsed structures, or ongoing maintenance headaches.
Whilst this might keep your initial costs down, in the long run, you will likely be paying more to fix your mistakes, or even completely rebuild your installation.
| Factor | Examples |
| Choice of Materials | Cheap materials may lack durability, untreated timber can sag, rot, collapse. Untreated fence posts rot and fall over. Off-season discounts, choosing aggregate for patio instead of tiles. |
| Machine Access | Machinery like diggers or ride-on lawnmowers reduces manual labour time |
| Bulk Buy Plants | Buying plants in trays or multipacks at garden centre |
| Doing It Yourself | Poor drainage, unstable walls/decks, incorrect materials, failing to level ground, flooding, collapsed structures, ongoing maintenance headaches |
Why Are Some Landscapers So Expensive?
If you receive multiple quotes from different Landscapers, an expensive quote normally means they are installing higher-grade quality of materials, deliver a higher quality of precision finish and have all relevant public liability insurance, licences and accreditations.
Larger Teams
Whilst larger teams have higher overhead costs, it also means a quicker turnaround, ensuring less disruption to your garden. This can potentially mean cost savings if the work is completed more quickly. However, you can still find large teams that are inefficient in their work and don’t communicate and work as a team – which can cause delays and increased costs to your project. This is why it is so important to read Google Reviews and ask relevant questions when obtaining a quote.
Lack of Equipment
If they don’t have their own professional equipment and machinery, your Landscaping project will take significantly longer to complete, adding to the time and costs. Additionally, if they don’t own their own equipment but still need it, this can result in hire costs, which they may pass on to you.
Hourly Rates
You may find that some Landscapers charge hourly rates, which might seem appealing at first and appear to be lower in cost. However, if they aren’t a reputable company, they could potentially drag the job out unnecessarily due to inefficiencies and a lack of motivation.
No matter which you choose, make sure to read their reviews to see real-life feedback from their previous clients, to get a feel for their quality of work and customer service.
Professional Expertise
Some Landscapers might be on the higher end of the pricing spectrum because they genuinely know what they are doing, and you can trust in the quality that they can provide.
If your quote is higher than expected, make sure to look out for social proof, such as reviews on Google or Facebook, examples of their work on their website, such as a gallery or case studies, and accreditations, such as the Association of Professional Landscapers, Horticultural Trades Association, Trustmark, or ThreeBestRated.
| Factor | Potential Impact |
| Larger Teams | Less disruption, quicker turnaround |
| Lack of Equipment | Longer completion time, added hire costs passed to client |
| Hourly Rates | Job could be dragged out, inefficiencies, lack of motivation |
| Professional Expertise | Trust in quality provided through social proof, reviews, accreditations (for example, Association of Professional Landscapers) |
Why Are Some Landscapers So Cheap?
Unfortunately, sometimes you get what you pay for with Landscaping Pricing, so lower quotes aren’t necessarily the best option to go for either. If not done properly, you may even find that you pay more in the long run for ongoing maintenance and fixing issues that might arise. The cheapest option doesn’t necessarily mean that they are better value. In fact, they might just lack experience as to the correct Landscaping methods of installation or not be providing the correct foundation for the landscaping project and even using subpar materials; for example, the thickness or width of the concrete footings for retaining walls must be calculated (height, width and purpose).
Smaller Team
With smaller teams, or even potentially freelancers on their own, their overhead costs may be lower. However, this can also mean more disruption to your garden as your Landscaping project may take longer than expected.
Inexperienced & Uninsured
Some Landscaper Gardeners might be on the cheaper side because they aren’t insured – which could be a risk to you, especially if something goes wrong.
Additionally, they might simply lack experience, which means their costs will be lower. However, it also means they don’t have the necessary expertise to provide you with the right recommendations or advice to suit your garden, such as a poor choice of paving tiles or grout.
Cutting Corners
When it comes to Garden Landscaping, cutting corners is an absolute no-no. The headaches aren’t worth the risk! However, some Landscapers do cut corners, either out of pure laziness or because they lack the knowledge to do it correctly.
For example:
Patios
For your patio, they might not put a full bed of cement under tiles or they may not apply glue/primer to the tiles – instead, they may just dot and dab, which can cause the joints to pop out over time and the patio to drop.
Turf Laying
During Turf Laying, they might use a poor-quality topsoil with a high clay content, which can affect drainage. The quality of turf used may also be a factor, as different types of turfs must be used in the correct areas.
Fencing
They could install the fence with poor quality materials, such as thin posts, posts which do not have UC4 incised treatment, etc. They may also cut corners during the installation process of the fence such as; not using enough postcrete/concrete, not putting draining underneath the posts, no rot protection sleeves used, posts too far apart – all of which will contribute to a shorter lifetime of the fence.
Retaining Walls
For your retaining walls, they might use decorative stone to save costs, but this can result in wall failure. The footings installed beneath the retaining walls may not be sized correctly, as the strength of all retaining walls is not just in the wall itself, but in the size of the footings the wall is installed upon.
… the list goes on! We could be here all day if we told you about all the issues we’ve had to fix over the years, but let’s just leave it at that!
Lack of Preparation
Following on from cutting corners, another aspect of Landscapers’ lower cost is their lack of preparation and planning.
For example, not preparing the site or not digging out enough subbase for patios, or not pouring deep enough concrete for footings for retaining walls. Both of these examples will lead to failures and the need for costly replacements in time.
| Reason for Low Cost | Potential Issue | Example |
| Smaller Team | More disruption, longer project duration | Freelancers, lower overhead costs |
| Inexperienced & Uninsured | Risk if something goes wrong, lack of expertise | Poor choice of plants, not insured |
| Cutting Corners | Headaches, risk of failure | Patio: not full bed of cement, dot and dab tiles; Turf Laying: poor-quality topsoil, high clay content; Fencing: posts lack of postcrete, too far apart; Retaining Walls: insufficient footings, decorative stone |
| Lack of Preparation | Failures, costly replacements | Not preparing site, not enough subbase for patios, not pouring deep enough concrete for footings |
Where Does Our Own Landscaping Pricing Fall?
At Jackson Landscaping, we must admit we are not the cheapest, but that’s because we use high-quality materials and don’t cut corners during the installation process. This ensures that when we finish your garden, we don’t need to come back due to patio or retaining wall issues, or any other failures.
To help keep your costs down, we use our own equipment instead of hiring out machinery. Additionally, thanks to our larger team, we can complete the job more quickly. For your peace of mind, our Landscapers are fully trained, highly skilled, with nearly a decade of experience, and fully insured up to £5 million.
Rest assured, we don’t charge hourly rates. Instead, we will visit your home or commercial property to complete a free site survey and provide you with a complimentary, no-obligation quote.
As a member of the Association of Professional Landscapers and Horticultural Trades Association, Trustmark Government-Endorsed, a Postsaver Trusted Installer, one of the Three Best Rated Landscaper Gardeners in Plymouth and a proud collection of five-star Google reviews left by our previous customers, you can be confident that your garden is in safe hands.
What Can You Expect to Pay for a Landscaping Job?
As a general guideline, complete garden redesigns start from around £8,000 for small gardens up to £200,000 for larger, high-end bespoke gardens.
For one-off jobs or ongoing maintenance tasks, the costs can vary significantly, depending on your garden’s size and requirements. Whilst some Landscapers may charge hourly rates, we provide fixed prices to safeguard the customer, so you know exactly what you’ll pay.
Simply contact us to request a free site survey and no-obligation quote.
Lifetime Cost vs Initial Price of Landscaping
If you go for a cheaper landscaping option, you will more than likely have to pay for ongoing upkeep and maintenance, or have it completely stripped and redone. Whilst the initial price in this situation is lower, the lifetime cost would be significantly more than if you had your Landscaping project completed right the first time round.
On the other hand, when you invest in a professional Landscaper who can get it right the first time – it’s well worth the investment, saving you money in the long run. You may require a Gardener for ongoing Garden Maintenance, which will contribute to lifetime costs; however, we love to continue working with our clients to help maintain their gardens.
Is the Landscaping Price Worth It?
Absolutely, yes! At Jackson Landscaping, we build our landscapes to last, following our tried-and-tested methods and using premium-quality materials. What’s more, when done well, Garden Landscaping can increase the value of your home, its saleability and desirability, and even make maintenance easier, reducing ongoing costs. With modern designs, your garden can become part of your home, creating a seamless experience and making it a usable and enjoyable setting for the whole family.
FAQs About Landscaping Pricing
How Much Does Landscaping a Garden Cost?
The cost of Garden Landscaping depends entirely on the amount of work required and the size of your garden. We hope that our Landscaping Pricing Guide has helped to provide more clarity on this topic.
Do You Have a Price List for Your Garden Maintenance Work?
Because every garden is unique, we don’t offer a standard price list for our Garden Maintenance services. We would need to visit your property to evaluate your outdoor space, assess the extent of work required, and discuss your needs. Once we have evaluated what needs to be done, we will provide you with a free, no-obligation quote.
No hard feelings – it’s up to you whether you want to proceed. We can always tailor our work to fit your budget if you want us to focus on your priority areas first.
How Much Will It Cost to Lay New Turf in My Garden?
As every garden is different, there are no set prices for our Turf Laying services. If you are interested in having turf laid in your garden, we recommend contacting us to arrange for us to visit and assess your garden to give you a free, no-obligation quote (as costs depend on how much topsoil is needed and whether your garden requires clearing or levelling).
Is the Cost of Gates Included in the Meterage Quote for Fencing?
No, Gates are not included in the meterage charge for Fencing. If you would like us to provide you with a quote to construct a gate, please let us know.
How Much Does It Cost to Have a Shed or Garden Building Built?
For our custom-made outbuildings and sheds, we don’t have set prices. Instead, we offer free, no-obligation quotes and a comprehensive consultation process where we can discuss your budget and design preferences. Then, we establish what materials, windows, doors and roofing options are possible within your budget and give you a fixed price quote.
However, if you would like an instant price for our standard-designed Sheds or Garden Buildings and Installations, head over to our Online Shop at our sister company’s website, Plymouth Sheds. There, you can pay for your Garden Building online, as well as the installation process, if required.
Do You Offer Free Site Surveys & Quotes?
Yes, we do! We’ll visit you to find out more about your garden, your requirements and how you plan to use your garden. This will allow us to recommend the best Turf, Fencing, Gardening and/or Landscaping options for your outdoor space. Then, we’ll survey the site and take some measurements. Once we’ve done this, we’ll then provide you with a free, no-obligation quote for our Gardening & Landscaping services.
If you’d like to speak with us about our Gardening, Landscaping, Fencing, or Turf Services, give us a call on 07399 092364 or send us a message via our contact form.
Want to Learn More About Our Landscaping Pricing?
At Jackson Landscaping, our Landscapers provide a comprehensive range of Turf, Gardening & Landscaping Services in Plymouth, South Devon, and East Cornwall, including Patios, Paving, Decking, Garden Clearance, full-scale Garden Landscaping, Garden Maintenance, Turf Laying, Artificial Grass, Lawn Care, and Fencing, such as Feather Edge, Picket & Commercial Fencing and Gates.
Our sister company, Plymouth Sheds, also supplies and installs Wooden Sheds, Log Cabins, Summer Houses, Garden Storage, Pet Houses, and Outdoor Living Accessories across the South West, with free delivery available throughout the UK.
If you want to learn more about our Landscaping pricing or have any questions about our services, please feel free to take a look at our FAQs, give us a call on 07399 092364, or complete the contact form on our website.
