Landscapers price guide

How much does landscaping cost?

Most landscapers in Australia charge around $50–$100 an hour, but bigger jobs are quoted as a fixed price. New turf typically costs $10–$25 per m², paving $60–$120 per m² and retaining walls $250–$700 per m². A small backyard makeover usually lands around $3,000–$10,000, and a full design-and-build job $10,000–$50,000.

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Typical hourly rate $50–$100 Landscapers and landscape gardeners. Machine work and designers cost more, and most build jobs are quoted as a fixed price.

Landscape design plan $1,500–$6,000 Concept and planting plan for a typical suburban yard. Detailed drawings for big projects cost more.

What common landscaper jobs cost

Job	Typical price	Notes
Lay new turf (per m²)	$10–$25	Supply and lay on prepared soil; removing old lawn is extra
Lay synthetic turf (per m²)	$60–$120	Supplied and laid on a compacted base
Lay paving (per m²)	$60–$120	Concrete pavers on a compacted base; natural stone costs more
Build a retaining wall (per m² of wall)	$250–$700	Timber sleepers at the low end, block and engineered walls at the top
Landscaper day rate	$400–$800	One landscaper for a full day, plus materials and tip fees
Small backyard makeover	$3,000–$10,000	Turf, garden beds, edging and planting
Full backyard design and build	$10,000–$50,000	Paving, walls, planting and lighting; pools and big structures cost more

Indicative prices for typical Australian homes, including GST. A guide, not a quote. Last reviewed 3 October 2026.

What drives the price

Landscaping quotes are mostly about what happens below the surface, before anything pretty goes in.

Site prep and access. Digging out old lawn, levelling the ground and carting away soil and rock can take longer than the finished work. If a small excavator can’t get down the side of the house, everything moves by wheelbarrow, and that’s slow and expensive.

Hard versus soft landscaping. Turf, plants and mulch are cheap per square metre. Paving, retaining walls, steps and drainage are where costs climb, because they need a proper base, heavier materials and more skill.

Materials. Treated pine sleepers or concrete block, concrete pavers or natural stone, tube stock or established plants: the same design can swing a long way on what you choose.

Drainage and levels. Water has to go somewhere. Sloping blocks, clay soil and paving that falls toward the house all need drainage, and it’s money well spent compared with fixing a soggy yard or a damp wall later.

Getting a fair quote

A good landscaping quote separates labour, materials and disposal, and says what’s being dug out, what’s going in and how the base will be prepared. If a design is part of the deal, ask whether you own the plan if someone else ends up building it.

Retaining walls deserve extra care. Taller walls, and walls close to boundaries or buildings, may need an engineer and council approval, and structural landscaping is licensed work in some states once it passes a dollar threshold. Where a licence applies, check it on our licence checks page.

One proper written quote from a vetted landscaper, compared with the ranges on this page, tells you most of what you need. That’s what needatradie does: we match you with one local landscaper whose licence, insurance, ABN and reviews we’ve already checked.

Landscaper or someone else?

Landscapers handle turf, gardens, paving and smaller walls, but parts of a backyard project belong to other trades. A concrete driveway or a big slab is usually a job for a concreter, and a new boundary fence for a fencer. Garden lighting and powered water features need a licensed electrician for the wiring, and a deck is often better built by a carpenter. On bigger projects, many landscapers will line those trades up for you.

Landscapers prices by city

City	What to expect
Sydney	Top of the national range, and sloping blocks on the North Shore and Northern Beaches often add retaining walls, drainage and steps to the job.
Melbourne	Close to Sydney on price; reactive clay soils in many suburbs mean drainage and a properly compacted base matter for paving and walls.
Brisbane	Mid-range, with year-round growth; hilly blocks and heavy summer rain make drainage and retaining walls a common part of the brief.
Perth	Mid-range. Sandy soil drains fast, so soil improvement, reticulation and waterwise planting are standard parts of a Perth landscape.
Adelaide	Usually a little under the east coast, and long, dry summers make waterwise planting and synthetic turf common requests.
Gold Coast	Similar to Brisbane, with lots of work around pools, alfresco areas and subtropical planting.
Newcastle	Often a touch under Sydney rates, with steady work finishing yards on new homes in the growth areas west of the city.
Canberra	At the higher end, similar to Sydney; frosty winters limit what you can plant and when new turf can go down.

Landscapers costs: common questions

How much does a landscaper charge per hour?

Most landscapers and landscape gardeners charge around $50 to $100 an hour, and some specialists charge more. Gardeners doing regular maintenance usually sit at the lower end. For anything bigger than a day or two, expect a fixed quote that splits labour and materials, which is easier to compare and protects you if the job runs long.

What should I include in a $5,000 landscaping budget?

$5,000 goes a fair way on a small to medium yard if you keep it simple. It might cover new turf over 80 to 100 m² with soil prep, plus a few garden beds with edging, mulch and plants. Or it could pay for a small paved entertaining area on its own. Retaining walls, paving and turf together usually need a bigger budget.

What is the cheapest way to landscape a backyard?

Work with the levels you have, because moving soil and building walls is where budgets blow out. Turf, mulched garden beds and hardy local plants are the cheapest way to a tidy yard, and you can save more by doing the demolition and clean-up yourself. Spend the professional money on the parts that need skill, like drainage, paving bases and walls.

Does landscaping add value to a house?

A tidy, usable yard makes a home easier to sell and nicer to live in, and buyers do notice street appeal. Just don't expect every dollar back. Simple, low-maintenance work like fresh turf, clean garden beds and a well-built paved area usually pays its way better than expensive features that suit one owner's taste.

When is the best time of year for landscaping?

Autumn and spring are the sweet spots for planting and laying turf, because the soil is warm and the weather isn't too harsh. Paving and walls can be built most of the year, though heavy rain slows things down. Landscapers get busy in spring, so booking in late winter often gets you in sooner.

Do I need a licence or council approval for landscaping?

Planting, turf and garden beds don't need either. Structural work is different: taller retaining walls may need council approval and an engineer, and in some states landscaping above a dollar value is licensed work. In NSW, for example, structural landscaping worth more than $5,000 needs a licensed contractor. Check the rules for your state and council before you sign.

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