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.
Our guide for garden landscaping in Northern Ireland comes to £5,200–£13,000 with VAT added, and that range applies across County Londonderry, including Derry/Londonderry, Coleraine, Limavady and Magherafelt. Your own price depends on the size of the job, the specification and how easy it is to work on the site. We survey for free, check any consents needed under the rules in Northern Ireland, and then put the price in writing.
- Guide price
- £5,200–£13,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 1–4 weeks on site, depending on scope
- Planning rules
- Northern Ireland
- Price level
- About 14% below the national guide
- Towns listed
- 4
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Garden landscaping prices in County Londonderry
The costs listed here are typical for garden landscaping around County Londonderry and include VAT. They reflect labour and material costs in Northern Ireland, about 14% below the national guide, giving a range of £5,200–£13,000. Exact pricing depends on your home, so we only fix it once a free site survey is done.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in County Londonderry |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
The main things that change the figure:
- Ratio of hard landscaping to lawn and planting
- Levels, slopes, retaining walls and steps
- Drainage, soil quality and ground conditions
- Materials chosen for paving, walls and features
What do you get?
- Survey of size, levels, soil, drainage and access
- Layout plan agreed with you before work starts
- 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
Housing across County Londonderry
Derry has Georgian and Victorian terraces around its walled city, alongside large post-war estates and newer developments. Coleraine, Limavady and Magherafelt mix older town centres with semis and estates, Portstewart has seaside villas, and rural areas have many detached homes and bungalows, often roughcast.
Terraces suit loft conversions and rear extensions, while rural bungalows commonly take extensions, loft rooms and driveways. Roughcast homes often need re-rendering, and coastal houses need roofline and window renewal.
The north coast faces Atlantic wind, rain and salt, and the Sperrins inland are colder and wetter.
Planning and building rules in County Londonderry
Planning law differs across the UK. For a home in County Londonderry, it is the Northern Ireland rules below that count, and we check them with the council ahead of any quote.
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.
From survey to handover
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.
Written quote
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
Preparation matters as much as the build. We agree access, parking and working hours with you, order materials in good time, and confirm any permissions so the job isn't held up once it starts.
The work itself
Our trades complete garden landscaping while your point of contact keeps you updated. When everything is finished, we clear the site, take away waste and go through the result with you before handover.
How we work
Frequently asked questions
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 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.
Who do I deal with during the job?
One point of contact manages your project from survey to handover. They schedule the trades working under our contract, keep you updated on progress, and are the person to call with any question. You don't need to coordinate builders, electricians or decorators separately, because that is part of what we do.
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.
Do I need planning permission in County Londonderry?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. County Londonderry is in Northern Ireland, so Northern Ireland'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.
Towns in County Londonderry
Choose your town from the list to see how we price and plan garden landscaping in your part of County Londonderry, including typical time on site.