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.
If you have garden landscaping on your list for a property in Derry/Londonderry, we can help from the first measurements to the final clean-up. For a typical home, plan for 1–4 weeks on site, depending on scope, though larger or more complex jobs take longer. We cover postcodes BT48 and nearby Strabane, Limavady and Coleraine, and every quote we send is fixed for the scope described in it.
- Guide price
- £5,200–£13,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 1–4 weeks on site, depending on scope
- Postcodes
- BT48
- Planning rules
- Northern Ireland
- Local area
- Derry
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does garden landscaping cost in Derry/Londonderry?
In Derry/Londonderry, 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 Derry/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:
- 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 do you get?
- Layout plan agreed with you before work starts
- Site clearance and removal of old features and waste
- 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
What are homes like around Derry/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.
None of this holds for every street in Derry/Londonderry, which is why we look at your actual house before pricing garden landscaping rather than assuming from its age alone.
Planning and building rules in Derry/Londonderry
Which rules apply depends on where you live. For Derry/Londonderry, the answer is Northern Ireland, and the points below reflect that; we verify them with the council before quoting.
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?
Survey and measure
Book a visit and we'll come to you. The survey covers measurements, the state of what's there now and any obvious constraints, so the price that follows is based on your actual home, not an average.
Your fixed price
We turn the survey notes into a written quote. The price is fixed for the specification we agree, and the document sets out materials, scope and payment stages in plain language.
Getting ready
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.
On site to finish
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.
Working with SK Home Improvements
Frequently asked questions
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.
Which postcodes in Derry/Londonderry do you cover?
We cover BT48, along with the rest of County Londonderry. If your postcode is not listed, get in touch anyway: our coverage is UK-wide, and we can usually arrange a survey wherever you live. Enter your postcode in the guide-price tool or contact form and we will confirm.
Can you work around existing trees and plants?
We can design around trees and plants you want to keep, protecting their roots from digging and machinery and keeping levels unchanged near trunks. Some trees are protected by tree preservation orders or conservation area rules, which require permission before cutting or significant root work. We note any trees and plants you want to keep at the survey.
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.
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.
Near Derry/Londonderry
We welcome enquiries from all BT48 postcodes in Derry/Londonderry, plus Strabane, Limavady and Coleraine. Each one gets the same survey at no charge and a written price fixed for the work described.

