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Landscaping Cost

Free Landscaping Cost calculator with clear step-by-step results.

About Landscaping Cost

Garden cost is dominated by the split between hard and soft landscaping, because paving typically costs three to four times as much per square metre as planting. Splitting the area by that ratio, adding clearance as a lump sum and applying contingency gives a budget that responds to the design decision that actually matters.

Formulas

Area split

Hard area = total area x hard share; soft area = total area - hard area

Total cost

Total = (hard area x hard rate + soft area x soft rate + clearance) x (1 + contingency)

Worked example

With the default values below, Landscaping Cost returns Total landscaping cost of $9,139.20. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Area to landscapeminimum 0.5 m2
120 m2
Share as paving or deckingaccepts 0–100 %
30 %
Hard landscaping rateminimum 0 $/m2
120 $/m2
Planting and lawn rateminimum 0 $/m2
35 $/m2
Site clearance and disposalminimum 0 $
900 $
Contingencyaccepts 0–50 %
12 %

Results

Total landscaping cost
$9,139.20
Paving and decking cost
$4,320.00
Planting and lawn cost
$2,940.00
Blended cost per square metre
$76.16

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Area split
  3. 3Total cost
  4. 4Total landscaping cost= $9,139.20
  5. 5Paving and decking cost= $4,320.00
  6. 6Planting and lawn cost= $2,940.00
  7. 7Blended cost per square metre= $76.16/m2

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 6 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 2 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is paving so much more expensive?

It needs excavation, a compacted sub-base, bedding, the paving itself and disposal of the spoil. Planting needs soil improvement and the plants.

Where can I save the most?

Reducing the paved proportion. Shifting ten percent of the area from paving to planting on a typical garden saves more than negotiating either rate.

Related Calculators

Landscaping Cost – Calculate Total landscaping cost