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How a landscaper works out the price
A landscaper usually prices a job in one of two ways. Small tasks are charged by the hour, with materials on top. Larger projects are quoted by the job, built from a price per square metre for each element, such as turf, garden beds, paving or a retaining wall. Design, excavation, soil, mulch and waste removal are often separate lines. LocalAgentFinder notes that quotes for the same job can differ by 50 per cent or more.
- Site visit, and a plan or sketch for larger jobs
- Site preparation, such as clearing, levelling and excavation
- Materials, such as turf, soil, mulch, pavers or sleepers
- Labour, by the hour or built into a price per square metre
- Green waste and spoil removal
- GST on the total, if the quote does not already include it
Worked example: Small front yard refresh: new lawn, one garden bed and a green waste load (illustrative, not a quote)
- Natural turf, 20 m² supplied and laid at $28 a m²
- $560
- New garden bed, 6 m² at $100 a m² (soil prep, edging, plants, mulch)
- $600
- Green waste removal, one trailer or ute load
- $190
- Total
- $1,350 total (illustrative)
What it costs, by scenario
Low, typical and high prices. Built on 19 October 2026 from an Airtasker page and a LocalAgentFinder guide (both marketplace-style sources), a turf supplier's published price per square metre, and one compiled Brisbane guide (labelled as such), with licensing and retaining wall rules from Queensland, Victorian and NSW government and council pages. Most per-square-metre scenarios rest on the Brisbane guide alone, as flagged in their notes. The sources do not agree on a GST basis, so it is unconfirmed.
Landscaper labour, per hour (per hour)
Airtasker gives $50 to $75 an hour for labour only and the Brisbane guide $55 to $110, so we use $55 to $75 where they overlap. The typical figure is the middle of that range. LocalAgentFinder lists $40 to $80 for minor projects.
- Low
- $55
- Typical
- $65
- High
- $75
Small yard job, maintenance level (per job)
Airtasker's headline range for general landscaping and small yard maintenance, with a median of $650. One source only, and the page dates from 2024.
- Low
- $500
- Typical
- $650
- High
- $800
Natural turf, supplied and laid (per m²)
The Brisbane guide gives $15 to $40 and LocalAgentFinder gives about $25 for instant turf. A turf supplier lists the grass alone at $8 to $27 a square metre, which shows how much of the price is labour and soil preparation.
- Low
- $15
- Typical
- $25
- High
- $40
Mulch, supplied and spread about 75 mm deep (per m²)
From the Brisbane guide. LocalAgentFinder lists mulch material alone at $60 to $100 a cubic metre. One source for the spread price.
- Low
- $8
- Typical
- $14
- High
- $24
New garden bed with soil prep, edging, plants and mulch (per m²)
From the Brisbane guide. Plant size and number set most of the range. One source only.
- Low
- $50
- Typical
- $100
- High
- $180
Paving with pavers (per m²)
From the Brisbane guide. LocalAgentFinder lists pavers alone at $40 to $65 a square metre and a concrete base at $1,500 to $3,000 on top, and Airtasker lists patios and decks at $150 to $250. One source for this installed range.
- Low
- $60
- Typical
- $100
- High
- $160
Retaining wall, timber sleeper (per m² of wall face)
From the Brisbane guide. Wall height, drainage and access drive the price, and taller walls add engineering and approval costs. One source only.
- Low
- $150
- Typical
- $300
- High
- $500
Retaining wall, concrete sleeper (per m² of wall face)
From the Brisbane guide. LocalAgentFinder lists retaining wall blocks at $130 to $250 a square metre, which looks like materials only. One source for the installed range.
- Low
- $250
- Typical
- $450
- High
- $700
Garden design plan (per plan)
The Brisbane guide gives $800 to $5,000. LocalAgentFinder gives about $800 for a simple design, about $3,000 for a standard one and up to $6,000 or more for a complex design with 3D renderings.
- Low
- $800
- Typical
- $2,000
- High
- $5,000
Basic backyard makeover (per job)
From the Brisbane guide. LocalAgentFinder puts a full transformation at $5,000 to $30,000 or more and a backyard refresh under $2,000. Scope varies widely.
- Low
- $5,000
- Typical
- $10,000
- High
- $15,000
| Scenario | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaper labour, per hour (per hour)Airtasker gives $50 to $75 an hour for labour only and the Brisbane guide $55 to $110, so we use $55 to $75 where they overlap. The typical figure is the middle of that range. LocalAgentFinder lists $40 to $80 for minor projects. | $55 | $65 | $75 |
| Small yard job, maintenance level (per job)Airtasker's headline range for general landscaping and small yard maintenance, with a median of $650. One source only, and the page dates from 2024. | $500 | $650 | $800 |
| Natural turf, supplied and laid (per m²)The Brisbane guide gives $15 to $40 and LocalAgentFinder gives about $25 for instant turf. A turf supplier lists the grass alone at $8 to $27 a square metre, which shows how much of the price is labour and soil preparation. | $15 | $25 | $40 |
| Mulch, supplied and spread about 75 mm deep (per m²)From the Brisbane guide. LocalAgentFinder lists mulch material alone at $60 to $100 a cubic metre. One source for the spread price. | $8 | $14 | $24 |
| New garden bed with soil prep, edging, plants and mulch (per m²)From the Brisbane guide. Plant size and number set most of the range. One source only. | $50 | $100 | $180 |
| Paving with pavers (per m²)From the Brisbane guide. LocalAgentFinder lists pavers alone at $40 to $65 a square metre and a concrete base at $1,500 to $3,000 on top, and Airtasker lists patios and decks at $150 to $250. One source for this installed range. | $60 | $100 | $160 |
| Retaining wall, timber sleeper (per m² of wall face)From the Brisbane guide. Wall height, drainage and access drive the price, and taller walls add engineering and approval costs. One source only. | $150 | $300 | $500 |
| Retaining wall, concrete sleeper (per m² of wall face)From the Brisbane guide. LocalAgentFinder lists retaining wall blocks at $130 to $250 a square metre, which looks like materials only. One source for the installed range. | $250 | $450 | $700 |
| Garden design plan (per plan)The Brisbane guide gives $800 to $5,000. LocalAgentFinder gives about $800 for a simple design, about $3,000 for a standard one and up to $6,000 or more for a complex design with 3D renderings. | $800 | $2,000 | $5,000 |
| Basic backyard makeover (per job)From the Brisbane guide. LocalAgentFinder puts a full transformation at $5,000 to $30,000 or more and a backyard refresh under $2,000. Scope varies widely. | $5,000 | $10,000 | $15,000 |
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Find a providerWhat changes the price
- Size of the area. Most elements are priced per square metre, so a larger yard costs more, though a very small job can carry a minimum charge.
- Materials. Natural stone, timber and concrete sleepers cost far more than pavers, treated pine or mulch.
- Access and slope. A steep or tight site, or no machine access, means more hand labour and slower work.
- Site preparation. Clearing, levelling, drainage and removing soil or old paving can be a large part of the budget.
- Walls and structures. Retaining walls over a set height need engineering and building approval, which adds time and cost.
- Design. A drawn plan, 3D renderings and a landscape architect add design fees on top of the build.
What's usually included, and what isn't
Usually included
- Preparing the area for the work quoted
- Labour for the work listed
- The materials named on the quote, such as turf, soil, mulch or pavers
- Basic clean-up on site
Often extra
- Design fees, unless the quote lists them
- Removal of old paving, soil or green waste, unless quoted
- Approvals and engineering for walls that need them
- Irrigation, lighting and fencing, which are usually separate quotes
- GST, if the quote does not say it is included
Metro and regional differences
Metro: Most of the per-square-metre data we found is for Brisbane. In cities, landscapers face higher wages, disposal fees and site access limits, but also more competition for small jobs.
Regional: We found no separate regional prices for landscaping. Outside the cities, materials such as sleepers, pavers and soil may travel further and cost more to deliver, and a longer drive adds time. Treat the ranges as a guide, and note that LocalAgentFinder says the same job can be quoted 50 per cent or more apart.
Licensing and compliance
Routine garden work such as planting and turf is not something we found a licence for on the pages we read, but structural landscaping and building work often is regulated, and we confirmed only some jurisdictions.
Queensland: the QBCC requires a licence for building work valued over $3,300, and its structural landscaping trade licence covers retaining walls that do not need engineering certification under a local law, paving that will not carry vehicle traffic, and landscaping drainage, again for work valued at more than $3,300.
New South Wales: NSW Government says a licence is needed for residential building work valued at more than $5,000 including GST in labour and materials, and for all specialist work regardless of cost.
The page we read did not mention landscaping, so ask which licence covers the work.
Victoria: Consumer Affairs Victoria says practitioners must be registered with the Building and Plumbing Commission for work worth more than $10,000, with an exemption for single-trade jobs from a short list.
We did not confirm that landscaping is on that list.
We could not confirm the position for Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, the ACT or the Northern Territory.
Retaining walls also need approval in some cases.
In Queensland the accepted development rules in Schedule 1 of the Building Regulation 2006, as set out in a Rockhampton Region Council fact sheet, mean no permit is needed if there is no surcharge loading such as a driveway, the wall and the soil it holds back total no more than 1 m high, and the wall is at least 1.5 m from a building or another retaining wall.
In Victoria, Moorabool Shire Council says a building permit is needed for any retaining wall 1 m or taller, applied for through a private building surveyor, and shorter walls near boundaries or supporting other work may also need one.
In New South Wales, Newcastle City Council says some retaining walls are exempt development if they meet the standards in the State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008, and otherwise development consent is needed.
Ask your landscaper who is responsible for approvals before work starts, and check the licence on your regulator's register.
Before you accept a quote, check
- Is the price per square metre, per hour or a fixed total?
- Does it include site preparation, soil and removal of waste?
- Which materials and plant sizes are quoted, and by what brand or grade?
- Does the wall or structure need approval, and who applies?
- What is the licence number, and which licence covers this work?
- Does the quote say whether GST is included?
Frequently asked questions
How much does a landscaper charge per hour?
About $55 to $75 an hour where Airtasker and the Brisbane guide overlap, with the Brisbane guide going up to $110. Larger jobs are usually quoted as a fixed price.
How much does it cost to lay turf?
The Brisbane guide gives $15 to $40 a square metre supplied and laid, and LocalAgentFinder about $25. A supplier lists the grass alone at $8 to $27, so the rest is labour and preparation.
How much does a retaining wall cost?
In the Brisbane guide a timber sleeper wall is $150 to $500 per square metre of wall and a concrete sleeper wall $250 to $700. Taller walls add engineering and approval costs.
Do I need a permit for a retaining wall?
Sometimes. In Queensland a wall of 1 m or less with no surcharge and 1.5 m clear of buildings can be accepted development. In Victoria a wall of 1 m or taller needs a building permit. Check your council.
How much does a garden design cost?
The Brisbane guide gives $800 to $5,000 a plan. LocalAgentFinder says about $800 for a simple design and up to $6,000 or more with 3D renderings.
How much should I budget for a whole backyard?
The Brisbane guide gives $5,000 to $15,000 for a basic makeover, and LocalAgentFinder $5,000 to $30,000 or more for a full transformation. Get at least three itemised quotes.
Sources and method
Built on 19 October 2026 from an Airtasker page and a LocalAgentFinder guide (both marketplace-style sources), a turf supplier's published price per square metre, and one compiled Brisbane guide (labelled as such), with licensing and retaining wall rules from Queensland, Victorian and NSW government and council pages. Most per-square-metre scenarios rest on the Brisbane guide alone, as flagged in their notes. The sources do not agree on a GST basis, so it is unconfirmed. How we calculate our guides.
- Airtasker: how much does landscaping cost? (marketplace, 6 June 2024)
- LocalAgentFinder: landscaping and gardening costs guide (comparison service, no sources cited) (marketplace, 8 July 2026)
- myhomeTURF: how much does turf cost? (supplier, 26 October 2021)
- What's The Damage: landscaping cost in Brisbane (compiled guide, not a primary source) (survey, 19 October 2026)
- QBCC: when you need a licence (regulator, 18 August 2021)
- business.gov.au ABLIS: structural landscaping (trade) licence, Queensland (regulator, 19 October 2026)
- NSW Government: checking your contractor is qualified (regulator, 19 October 2026)
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: about builders and other building practitioners (regulator, 12 December 2025)
- Rockhampton Region Council: retaining walls fact sheet (Queensland) (regulator, 19 October 2026)
- Moorabool Shire Council: build a retaining wall on private property (Victoria) (regulator, 19 October 2026)
- Newcastle City Council: retaining walls (NSW) (regulator, 19 October 2026)
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