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 Livingston 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 Broxburn, Bathgate and Grangemouth, and the same steps apply wherever you are in Edinburgh and the Lothians.
- Guide price
- £5,800–£14,500 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 1–4 weeks on site, depending on scope
- Postcodes
- EH53 and EH54
- Planning rules
- Scotland
- Local area
- West Lothian
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does garden landscaping cost in Livingston?
Use the table to gauge the cost of garden landscaping in Livingston before we visit. Figures include VAT and are scaled for Scotland, coming out about 4% below the national guide, which gives £5,800–£14,500 overall. After a free survey, you receive a fixed written price.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Livingston |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Your price depends mostly on:
- Garden size, access and the amount of clearance needed
- Levels, slopes, retaining walls and steps
- Drainage, soil quality and ground conditions
- Materials chosen for paving, walls and features
Scope of the work
- Survey of size, levels, soil, drainage and access
- Layout plan agreed with you before work starts
- Site clearance and removal of old features and waste
- Groundworks, levelling and drainage
- Turf or artificial grass laid on a prepared base
- Planting, bark or gravel finishing and outdoor lighting where included
Building in Livingston
Edinburgh's New Town is a planned Georgian sandstone townscape within a World Heritage Site, and districts such as Marchmont and Leith have Victorian tenements. Bungalows and villas fill the suburbs, Midlothian has former mining villages, Livingston was built as a new town, and East Lothian villages often have red pantile roofs.
Listed and conservation-area homes need careful window and stone repairs. Bungalows commonly suit loft conversions and dormers, and suburban semis take extensions and garage conversions.
If your house in Livingston fits one of these patterns, it helps us anticipate what garden landscaping will involve, though we always confirm the details on site.
Planning and building rules in Livingston
Because Livingston falls under Scotland's rules, the guidance below is the version relevant to you. Before sending a price, we check your property's position with the council.
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.
What happens after you get in touch?
Free site survey
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.
Your fixed price
Next you receive a written quote with a fixed price for the agreed specification. It lists what is included, what is not, and how payments are staged, so you can compare it properly.
Dates and permissions
We handle the paperwork side: checking whether planning permission or building control approval is needed, submitting applications where they are, and scheduling the trades and materials around your dates.
The work itself
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.
Why homeowners choose us
Frequently asked questions
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 in Livingston?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Livingston 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.
What can be done about a waterlogged garden?
A waterlogged garden is usually caused by heavy clay soil, compacted ground or water running off from hard surfaces. Solutions include French drains, soakaways, improving soil with organic matter, and making new paving permeable or directing its run-off to drains. Raised beds help plants in wet areas. We look at the cause during the survey and include drainage in the design.
How much does garden landscaping cost?
Landscaping a typical 50–60m² rear garden with a patio, lawn, borders and planting costs £5,800–£14,500. 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.
Can I stay at home during the work?
In most cases, yes. Most people can live at home throughout, and we plan the work to keep disruption down by protecting floors, agreeing working hours and keeping access routes clear. Bigger jobs affecting kitchens, bathrooms or heating may mean a short spell with reduced facilities, and we talk this through with you at the survey.
Also covering areas around Livingston
Our coverage in Livingston includes EH53 and EH54. We also travel to Broxburn, Bathgate and Grangemouth, so neighbouring addresses are looked after on exactly the same terms as those in town.