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.
Homeowners in Newtownabbey usually consider garden landscaping for one of a few reasons: something has worn out, the house no longer suits the way they live, or they are getting it ready to sell. We visit, agree a specification and put a fixed price in writing. Most jobs like this take 1–4 weeks on site, depending on scope, and we work across County Antrim, including Belfast, Carrickfergus and Castlereagh.
- Guide price
- £5,200–£13,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 1–4 weeks on site, depending on scope
- Postcodes
- BT36 and BT37
- Planning rules
- Northern Ireland
- Local area
- County Antrim
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Garden landscaping prices in Newtownabbey
In Newtownabbey, guide figures for garden landscaping sit at £5,200–£13,000, VAT included. We set them using rates for Northern Ireland, currently about 14% below the national guide. The table shows what pushes a project towards either end of the range; your own price is set after a free survey.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Newtownabbey |
|---|---|---|
| Garden refresh | Clearance, new turf, edging, bark or gravel and some planting. | £1,300–£4,300 |
| Typical garden makeover | A new patio, lawn, borders, paths and planting in a typical rear garden. | £5,200–£13,000 |
| Full redesign | Levels, retaining walls, large patios, lighting and drainage for larger or sloping gardens. | £13,000–£30,000 |
Your price depends mostly on:
- Garden size, access and the amount of clearance needed
- Ratio of hard landscaping to lawn and planting
- Levels, slopes, retaining walls and steps
- Materials chosen for paving, walls and features
What does the job include in Newtownabbey?
- Layout plan agreed with you before work starts
- Site clearance and removal of old features and waste
- Groundworks, levelling and drainage
- Raised beds, low walls or sleepers built to the agreed design
- Turf or artificial grass laid on a prepared base
- Planting, bark or gravel finishing and outdoor lighting where included
Homes in County Antrim
Belfast has long rows of red-brick Victorian terraces, Edwardian villas in the north and south of the city and large post-war estates, while towns such as Ballymena, Antrim, Larne and Carrickfergus mix terraces, semis and newer developments. Dark basalt appears in older rural buildings, and pebbledash or roughcast is a very common finish.
Terraces suit loft conversions and rear extensions, and many need window and roof renewal. Pebbledashed homes commonly need re-rendering, and detached rural houses often take extensions, porches and driveways.
Knowing the typical building types in County Antrim helps, but a survey of your own home in Newtownabbey is what decides the right approach to garden landscaping.
Planning and building rules in Newtownabbey
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each handle planning a little differently. Newtownabbey comes under Northern Ireland, covered below, and we raise any questions with the council before your quote is finalised.
Most garden landscaping in Northern Ireland needs no planning permission; protected trees and conservation areas need the council’s consent.
Building control approval 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.
What happens after you get in touch?
We look at the job
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.
Price and scope agreed
The quote arrives in writing, not over the phone. It covers the full scope, the finishes you've chosen, any exclusions and the payment schedule, with a fixed price tied to that specification.
Plan and prepare
Next comes planning the work itself. We set a start date that suits you, line up the right trades, and make sure any approvals for garden landscaping are in place before the first day on site.
Finish and handover
The job proceeds in the order set out in the programme, with dust and debris kept under control. Finally we tidy away, inspect the work together and pass the finished project over to you with its paperwork.
Working with SK Home Improvements
Common questions
How long does a garden makeover take?
A typical garden makeover takes around one to four weeks on site, depending on size and scope. Clearance and groundworks come first, then drainage, patios, paths and walls, followed by turf and planting. Larger or sloping gardens with retaining walls take longer. Weather can affect timings, especially for groundworks and laying turf. We give you a programme with your quote.
Do I need a garden designer?
You do not always need a separate garden designer. For many gardens, a clear layout plan agreed at the survey is enough to build from, covering patio size, paths, lawn and beds. Larger, sloping or complex gardens benefit from more detailed design, including levels and planting plans. We can work from an existing design or put together a practical layout with you.
How much does garden landscaping cost?
Landscaping a typical 50–60m² rear garden with a patio, lawn, borders and planting costs £5,200–£13,000. As a guide, allow roughly £90–£220 per square metre of garden plus fixed costs for clearance and set-up, with gardens that are mostly lawn and planting at the lower end and those with large patios, walls and lighting at the top. Slopes and poor access add cost. We confirm a fixed price after the survey.
Do you cover Belfast, Carrickfergus and Castlereagh?
Yes. As well as Newtownabbey, we cover Belfast, Carrickfergus and Castlereagh and the rest of County Antrim. 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.
What happens at the survey?
We visit your home at a time that suits you, look at the area involved, take measurements and check access, condition and any services that might be affected. We talk through what you want from garden landscaping, explain the options and answer questions. There is no charge and no obligation; afterwards we send a written quote.
Nearby towns
From BT36 and BT37 to the edges of Newtownabbey and on into Belfast, Carrickfergus and Castlereagh, we can arrange a site visit and a written quote for your project, planned around dates that work for you.