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.
Anyone planning garden landscaping in Shirley wants three things: a clear price, a realistic timetable and a tidy job. We publish a guide of £5,900–£14,500 including VAT for the West Midlands up front, explain that work normally takes 1–4 weeks on site, depending on scope, and confirm both in writing after a free survey of your property.
- Guide price
- £5,900–£14,500 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 1–4 weeks on site, depending on scope
- Postcodes
- B27, B28, B90 and B91
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Solihull
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Garden landscaping prices in Shirley
Prices for garden landscaping vary from house to house, but in Shirley most projects fall within £5,900–£14,500 including VAT. That reflects costs in the West Midlands, about 2% below the national guide. Treat the table as a budgeting aid; the written figure follows a survey we carry out for free.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Shirley |
|---|---|---|
| Garden refresh | Clearance, new turf, edging, bark or gravel and some planting. | £1,450–£4,900 |
| Typical garden makeover | A new patio, lawn, borders, paths and planting in a typical rear garden. | £5,900–£14,500 |
| Full redesign | Levels, retaining walls, large patios, lighting and drainage for larger or sloping gardens. | £14,500–£34,500 |
The main things that change the figure:
- 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’s included?
- 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
- Raised beds, low walls or sleepers built to the agreed design
- Planting, bark or gravel finishing and outdoor lighting where included
Building in Shirley
Red-brick Victorian and Edwardian terraces are common in the inner areas of Birmingham, Wolverhampton and the Black Country, ringed by large swathes of 1930s semis with bay windows and hipped roofs. You'll also find post-war council estates, some system-built blocks, Coventry's rebuilt centre and larger detached homes in Solihull and Sutton Coldfield.
1930s semis often suit side and rear extensions, hip-to-gable loft conversions and garage conversions. Victorian terraces tend to need repointing, roof work and replacement windows, and many have room for a side-return extension.
Building traditions across West Midlands also raise conservation and planning questions, so we check those for garden landscaping in Shirley at the survey stage.
Planning and building rules in Shirley
Planning law differs across the UK. For a home in Shirley, it is the England rules below that count, and we check them with the council ahead of any quote.
Most garden landscaping in England needs no planning permission. Trees protected by a Tree Preservation Order, or trees in a conservation area, need the council’s consent or notice before work; outbuildings and raised platforms have their own limits.
Building Regulations rarely apply to landscaping, though new drainage and garden electrics must comply.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
The four stages
Survey and measure
A free survey comes first. It gives us what we need to price garden landscaping properly, including dimensions, existing materials and access for deliveries, and gives you the chance to ask anything you like.
Price and scope agreed
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.
Plan and prepare
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
Work goes ahead as scheduled and you deal with one contact throughout. When the last trade leaves, we clear and clean the site, talk you through what has been done and pass on any certificates and care instructions.
What you can expect from us
Common 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.
Can you combine garden landscaping with other work?
Yes. Because we manage several trades under one contract, we can plan garden landscaping alongside other work on your Shirley home, such as new windows with rendering, or a kitchen refit with an extension. Combining jobs can reduce repeat set-up such as scaffolding, skips and access, and every element is listed and priced in the same written 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.
Do I need planning permission in Shirley?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Shirley is in England, so England'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.
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.
Near Shirley
Live in Shirley? Our coverage takes in the B27, B28, B90 and B91 postcode areas and reaches out to Solihull, Acocks Green and Birmingham, so homes on the outskirts and in the next town along are included.