How Much Does Garden Landscape Design Cost?
Private Garden, designed by Nilufer Danis Studio
Considering the benefits it brings, landscape design can be an investment that pays dividends for years to come. But how much does garden landscape design cost?
While the exact cost of a garden design project depends heavily on factors such as size, complexity, and materials used, the good news is that, with some careful planning, you can get great results without breaking the bank.
In this article, we'll look into what goes into the costs of hiring garden designers and why using a professional garden designer is a great idea to transform any garden space.
By the end, you'll have a better understanding of what it takes to turn a plain outdoor space into something special – and what it’s going to cost you.
Garden design and design basics
What is garden design?
The process of cultivating, designing, and perfecting your outdoor area is known as garden design.
Making a garden marks a location as unique. The most effective ones convey feeling through space. They may evoke any emotion, including calmness, melancholy, delight, wildness, joy, etc. Creating a space as a garden, regardless of your prior gardening knowledge, is a strong first move. One of the fun aspects of the planning process is being open to the shape that garden may take.
Garden design is an intricate process that spans administration, design, logistics, and implementation work in order to produce the desired results envisioned during the design stage.
This could entail completely redesigning the way your garden is laid out or just making minor aesthetic changes like laying new pavers or adding a pergola or other outdoor living features.
A garden design project requires a lot of thought and detail and is not something to be taken lightly as there are many things to consider. With thoughtful design, a garden can become an attractive and inviting destination regardless of the season.
To achieve this, everything from finding areas with optimal sun exposure to ensuring year-round visual interest must be taken into consideration - little details that work together to create something magical.
What does a garden designer do?
A garden designer will compile all of your ideas, including your favourite plants and the newest gardening trends, and help you in finding everything you need to finish the desired look, including assisting you in selecting the best garden furniture for your plan.
Designers will manage the project from inception to completion, relieving the customer of construction-related worries. Before drafting master plans and building details for landscapers to use, they come up with practical and visually pleasing solutions for the area.
In addition to managing the build, they will find plants and flowers, landscaping teams, and materials, which is what goes into determining the garden designer costs. Additionally, they will check the site frequently to make sure everything is proceeding as expected.
The process of working with a garden designer is collaborative – but the big decisions will always be run by you.
How much does garden or landscape design cost?
An experienced garden designer will plan out a design first and then get quotations from landscapers for installation works, supplying materials and labour etc. If the quotation is higher than expected, they will do something called ‘value engineering’ to achieve a client’s budget without reducing the quality of the original design too much.
When looking into landscape design costs, there are several factors that play into the final price tag. First and foremost is the size of your garden - larger projects naturally cost more due to increased labour and materials needed to complete them.
Additionally, the complexity of the project, the type of materials used, and the knowledge and creative skills of the designer are all factors that can influence the final cost. As is the way your designer or landscape architect charges for their services, which we will look at next.
Garden landscaping costs explained
Your project and budget will determine your garden design cost, and there are several methods of payment a garden designer or landscape architect might utilise. Here’s a quick guide to these costs:
1. Percentage of garden budget
The fees are determined as a % of the hard landscaping and soft landscaping contract cost. The amount of the relevant fee will determine the services offered.
These rates work best for straightforward budgets with a budget of at least £10,000.
The Society of Garden Designers has examples of percentage fees:
A design with a budget of £20,000, the client would expect to pay a design fee of 16%.
A design with a budget of £50,000, the client would expect to pay a design fee of 12.5%
A design with a budget of £100,000, the client would expect to pay a design fee of 10%.
2. By the hour
A garden designer typically costs between £60 and £200 per hour to hire. This can involve site visit, concept and master plans, detailed technical drawings, planting plans, and dealing with planners (planning permission or discharge planning conditions) or even project administration and site supervision work on request.
Prices may vary based on the particular project, as simple garden designs are less expensive than architectural plans and projects.
3. Garden survey
A garden survey or topographical survey is the detailed surveying/measuring and recording of a garden together with features and services performed by a topographical surveyor, according to the RHS.
It is important for a garden designer to get this information from the client to prepare the design accurately which will save money in construction. The landscape topographical survey includes boundary lines, existing trees, levels, paved areas etc, this will be suggested by the gardens designer but not included in their services. They should however be able to recommend someone to carry out the survey if one is required.
A topographical survey can cost up to £800 for bigger landscapes and £450 for an average-sized garden.
Why should you hire a garden designer or landscape architect?
A garden designer or landscape architect can skilfully assist you in transforming your garden space.
A garden designer will be able to envision your area and provide you with invaluable advice on how to make changes to improve your garden and give it a model, magazine-style appearance.
Being at one with the outdoors and nature is good for your mental well-being, having a beautiful outdoor space encourages you to spend more time outside and relax with your friends and family.
Your garden designer will create a conceptual plan that is accurately proportioned and includes every element of your ideal garden, down to the specific flowers and plants you want to use. This makes it easier for you to picture the finished product and make adjustments before you start the landscaping, thereby minimising any potential issues that may arise.
Most garden designers will have a sizable "black book" of specialist industry connections that can be used to bring your dream garden to life, including reputable landscape contractors, plant nurseries, and suppliers.
A designer is able to help you in enhancing the potential of your external area so that it works as both an addition to your house and a representation of your lifestyle..
As you will be investing a sizable sum of money and you will want to use it wisely, hiring an expert to walk you through the process is well worth it. This type of project is typically something you only achieve once, so you want to do it correctly the first time.
Whether they are in the front or the back, gardens are probably the first thing people seeking to view your property will notice. According to past research, a well-kept garden alone can add 20% to the value of your home, and about 70% of buyers would be willing to pay more for a home with an outdoor green area.
Looking for luxury and contemporary garden design?
Nilufer Danis is an multi-award winning garden designer and landscape architect with many contemporary and minimalist garden designs across Central London and beyond.
Strong structural components that provide definition and poise distinguish Nilufer's landscapes and gardens. In contrast to exciting planting with a sophisticated pallet of colours and textures, designs with clear lines are contemporary, slick and minimalistic.
We create gardens for all kinds of residences, including townhouses and larger, more rural locations. With our sustainable design philosophy, we actively seek out methods to foster harmony between our gardens and the natural world.
Get in touch with us to talk through your garden design project and take a look at some of our past projects for inspiration!
Landscape Garden Design Costs FAQs
Is it worth paying a garden designer?
While it may be favourable to redesign your garden without a pro's assistance, doing so may prove to be more trouble than it's worth. Your ideal garden can be created by a skilled landscape designer, who will also make sure that it is within your budget.
A garden designer or landscape architect will be able to see the potential in the garden that maybe you can’t, and will have undergone a significant amount of training and education to master the art and science of garden design. They will be able to identify and deal with problems in your garden with their experience and technical knowledge.
Each designers training is different for use of space, so you’ll be able to get a number of different visions and solutons for how your garden can be transformed.
How long does a garden design take?
The scope and particular design can affect how long the project takes overall. Every garden is different, so based on its size and complexity, an installation project might take anywhere from two to six months to complete, whereas a design project on average takes four to eight weeks. Of course, the bigger the project the higher the garden landscaping cost.