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 type of house you own in Cardiff, we start by looking at how garden landscaping would fit it rather than offering a standard package. We cover CF10, CF11 and CF24 and neighbouring places such as Penarth, Caerphilly and Barry. One named person looks after you from survey to handover, and nothing is booked until you hold our figure in writing, fixed for the work described.
- Guide price
- £5,500–£14,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 1–4 weeks on site, depending on scope
- Postcodes
- CF10, CF11 and CF24
- Planning rules
- Wales
- Local area
- South Glamorgan
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Garden landscaping prices in Cardiff
Below is a breakdown of typical costs for garden landscaping in Cardiff. Because rates in Wales are about 8% below the national guide, the overall guide comes to £5,500–£14,000, including VAT. Size, materials and access move the figure, and a free-of-charge survey settles it.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Cardiff |
|---|---|---|
| Garden refresh | Clearance, new turf, edging, bark or gravel and some planting. | £1,400–£4,600 |
| Typical garden makeover | A new patio, lawn, borders, paths and planting in a typical rear garden. | £5,500–£14,000 |
| Full redesign | Levels, retaining walls, large patios, lighting and drainage for larger or sloping gardens. | £14,000–£32,000 |
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
What does the job include in Cardiff?
- 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
Homes in South Glamorgan
Cardiff has large areas of bay-fronted Victorian and Edwardian terraces in districts such as Roath, Canton and Cathays, plus interwar suburbs, post-war estates and modern flats around Cardiff Bay. Penarth has Victorian villas, Barry mixes terraces with newer estates, and Vale of Glamorgan villages are often built of local limestone.
Terraces commonly suit loft conversions, side-return and rear extensions, and bay window renewal. Suburban semis take side extensions and driveways, and stone village homes need lime-based repairs.
That variety is why a guide price for garden landscaping in Cardiff is only a starting point; the survey shows what your particular property needs.
Permissions for garden landscaping in Cardiff
The notes below cover Wales, which is where Cardiff sits. Rules change and every property is different, so we speak to the council before pricing your job.
Most garden landscaping in Wales needs no planning permission; protected trees and conservation areas need the council’s consent or notice.
Building Regulations rarely apply, apart from drainage and outdoor electrics.
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
You get the price in writing, itemised so you can see where the money goes. As long as the specification stays the same, that is the price you pay for garden landscaping.
Booking the work
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.
Finish and handover
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
Questions about garden landscaping in Cardiff
Which postcodes in Cardiff do you cover?
We cover CF10, CF11 and CF24, along with the rest of South Glamorgan. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Also covering areas around Cardiff
Addresses in CF10, CF11 and CF24 are all covered for Cardiff, along with Penarth, Caerphilly and Barry close by. Give us your postcode when you get in touch and we will confirm the details.