Garden landscaping is designing and building an outdoor space as a whole, combining hard landscaping such as patios, paths, walls and steps with soft landscaping such as lawns, planting and beds, plus drainage and lighting, so the garden works for how you live.
Whatever prompted you to look into garden landscaping, whether wear and tear, a growing family or plans to move, we can survey your Dundee home and give you a price in writing. Homes in Scotland typically come in at £5,800–£14,500, VAT included, for this kind of work. We also cover Carnoustie, St Andrews and Forfar, and the same steps apply wherever you are in Angus and Dundee.
- Guide price
- £5,800–£14,500 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 1–4 weeks on site, depending on scope
- Postcodes
- DD1, DD2, DD3, DD4 and DD5
- Planning rules
- Scotland
- Local area
- Dundee City
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for garden landscaping in Dundee?
Here is how the guide price for garden landscaping breaks down in Dundee. We start from national figures and adjust for Scotland, which comes out about 4% below the national guide. The resulting range, VAT included, is £5,800–£14,500, and a survey, at no cost to you, firms it up.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Dundee |
|---|---|---|
| Garden refresh | Clearance, new turf, edging, bark or gravel and some planting. | £1,450–£4,800 |
| Typical garden makeover | A new patio, lawn, borders, paths and planting in a typical rear garden. | £5,800–£14,500 |
| Full redesign | Levels, retaining walls, large patios, lighting and drainage for larger or sloping gardens. | £14,500–£33,500 |
The main things that change the figure:
- Garden size, access and the amount of clearance needed
- Ratio of hard landscaping to lawn and planting
- Drainage, soil quality and ground conditions
- Materials chosen for paving, walls and features
What does the job include in Dundee?
- Survey of size, levels, soil, drainage and access
- Layout plan agreed with you before work starts
- Groundworks, levelling and drainage
- Patios, paths, steps and edging laid on proper bases
- Raised beds, low walls or sleepers built to the agreed design
- Turf or artificial grass laid on a prepared base
Local housing and garden landscaping
Dundee has sandstone tenements and terraces, Victorian villas in Broughty Ferry and the West End, and extensive post-war housing. Angus towns such as Arbroath, Forfar, Montrose and Brechin use local red sandstone, and harled cottages and farmhouses are common in the countryside.
Tenement flats often need window replacement and internal refits, and houses commonly take extensions and loft conversions. Sandstone buildings need careful repointing and stone repairs, and harled cottages need breathable render.
That mix of housing shapes how we approach garden landscaping in Dundee: the age and construction of your home affect the materials, the method and, in the end, the price.
Planning and building rules in Dundee
Which rules apply depends on where you live. For Dundee, the answer is Scotland, and the points below reflect that; we verify them with the council before quoting.
Most garden landscaping in Scotland needs no planning permission; protected trees and trees in conservation areas need the council’s consent or notice.
A building warrant is rarely needed for landscaping.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
From survey to handover
A visit to your home
It starts with a survey at the property, free of charge. We check condition, access and services, ask how you want the finished result to look, and answer any questions you have about garden landscaping.
Quote in writing
After the survey we send a quote for garden landscaping that fixes the price for the scope we've agreed. If you want to change materials or scope, we revise it in writing before anything is booked.
Dates and permissions
Once you accept, we agree start dates, order materials and deal with any planning, building control or neighbour notices the job needs. You'll know who is coming and when before work begins.
Build and hand over
The work is carried out to the agreed specification, with floors and furniture protected and the site kept tidy. At the end we clean up, walk through the finished job with you and hand over any certificates.
How we work
Frequently asked questions
Do you cover Carnoustie, St Andrews and Forfar?
Yes. As well as Dundee, we cover Carnoustie, St Andrews and Forfar and the rest of Angus and Dundee. Our coverage is UK-wide, so the process is the same wherever you are: a free site survey, a quote in writing that fixes the price for the agreed scope, and one point of contact while the work is planned and carried out.
How can I make my garden low maintenance?
A low-maintenance garden reduces mowing, weeding and watering. Paving or porcelain patios, gravel areas on a weed membrane, artificial grass and raised beds with hardy, slow-growing plants all help. Mulching borders with bark suppresses weeds and holds moisture. Some planting keeps the space feeling green and supports wildlife. We balance hard and soft areas to suit the time you want to spend.
Do I need planning permission for landscaping?
Most garden landscaping does not need planning permission, but it depends on the work, your home's location, whether it is listed or in a conservation area, and which UK nation you are in. Raised decking or patios, high walls and front garden paving can need permission, as can work affecting protected trees. We check the rules for your garden before quoting.
What time of year suits garden landscaping?
Hard landscaping such as patios, paths and walls can be built most of the year, though frost and heavy rain cause delays. Planting is usually most successful in autumn and spring, when plants can establish roots before summer. Turf can be laid in most months if the ground is not frozen or waterlogged. We plan the order of work around the season.
Do I need planning permission in Dundee?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Dundee is in Scotland, so Scotland's rules apply. Many smaller jobs need no planning application, but some still need building control approval. We check what applies to your address before quoting.
Near Dundee
Our coverage in Dundee includes DD1, DD2, DD3 and DD4. We also travel to Carnoustie, St Andrews and Forfar, so neighbouring addresses are looked after on exactly the same terms as those in town.