A garden designer can save you money by avoiding costly mistakes, but it helps to understand what you are paying for.
Fees vary by region, experience, and garden size, so get written quotes.
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Typical services
- ✿Initial consultation — a visit and ideas, often a flat fee
- ✿Concept design — a layout plan and mood boards
- ✿Full design — detailed scale drawings, materials, and construction notes
- ✿Planting plan — specific plants, numbers, and positions
- ✿Project management — overseeing contractors on site
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How fees are charged
Some designers charge a fixed fee per stage, others charge a percentage of the build cost, and others charge hourly. Ask what is included, how many revisions you get, and whether site surveys are extra.
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Design vs build costs
Design fees are usually a small fraction of total project cost. Hard landscaping — paving, walls, decking — tends to be the biggest expense, followed by labour and plants. A good design should come with an estimated build budget.
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Saving money
Pay for a design and planting plan, then phase the build over a few years, or do some planting yourself. Even one consultation can give you a clear plan to follow.
This is general landscaping and garden information, not professional advice. Costs, regulations, and plant suitability vary by location. Call before you dig to locate buried utilities, and consult a licensed landscaper or engineer for retaining walls, drainage, and structural work.