Gardens & Driveways Costs
Driveways, patios, fencing, lawns and trees
Outside jobs are priced by the square metre or the metre, and much of the cost is what you don't see: digging out, the sub-base, posts, foundations and drainage. Every page here gives our estimates with those included, and says what a cheap quote usually leaves out.
A few rules catch people out. In a front garden, a solid drive or patio over 5m² must drain onto your own land. Fences, walls and gates can be 2m high, but only 1m next to a road. Decking over 30cm high needs planning permission. Our driveway checker covers the drive rules.
| Job | Typical cost | For |
|---|---|---|
| New driveway | £4,000 to £6,500 | 50m² two-car drive, block paving |
| Resin driveway | £3,750 to £6,300 | 50m² resin bound drive, new base |
| Block paving driveway | £4,000 to £6,500 | 50m² block paved drive |
| Tarmac driveway | £3,000 to £5,000 | 50m² new tarmac drive |
| Gravel driveway | £2,250 to £3,750 | 50m² gravel drive with edging |
| Imprinted concrete driveway | £4,750 to £6,500 | 50m² imprinted concrete drive |
| Concrete driveway | £3,750 to £6,000 | 50m² brushed concrete drive |
| Driveway resurfacing | £1,250 to £2,250 | 50m² new tarmac layer over a sound drive |
| Dropped kerb | £1,200 to £3,000 | domestic dropped kerb, about 3m, fees included |
| Driveway cleaning | £150 to £350 | 50m² driveway, pressure washed |
| Patio and paths | £1,800 to £3,000 | 20m² porcelain patio, laid |
| Decking | £1,050 to £1,650 | 15m² softwood deck, fitted |
| Composite decking | £1,350 to £2,250 | 15m² composite deck, fitted |
| Patio cleaning | £100 to £180 | 20m² patio, pressure washed |
| Artificial grass | £2,750 to £4,500 | 50m² artificial lawn, fitted |
| Turfing | £600 to £1,250 | 50m² new turf lawn, laid |
| Landscaping | £2,000 to £8,000 | small back garden makeover |
| Garden design | £1,500 to £5,000 | full garden design with planting plan |
| Gardener / garden maintenance | £18 to £45 an hour | gardener, general maintenance |
| Hedge trimming and removal | £100 to £300 | typical garden hedge, trimmed and cleared |
| Garden clearance | £150 to £600 | overgrown small garden, cleared and waste removed |
| Fencing | £1,350 to £1,950 | 15m closeboard fence, 1.8m, fitted |
| Garden gate | £250 to £450 | softwood side gate with posts, hung |
| Garden wall | £2,400 to £3,850 | 10m x 1.2m double-skin brick wall |
| Retaining wall | £2,250 to £3,600 | 8m x 1m reinforced block retaining wall |
| Railings & decorative metalwork | £600 to £1,300 | 6m of steel railings, fitted |
| Tree surgery and removal | £450 to £1,150 | felling a medium tree, waste removed |
| Stump grinding | £120 to £250 | one medium stump, ground out |
| Shed / playhouse | £850 to £1,400 | 8ft x 6ft shed, with base, built |
| Pond & water feature | £2,000 to £4,000 | medium garden pond (about 4m x 3m), built |
| Garden drainage | £1,500 to £4,000 | lawn drainage system for a typical garden |
| French drain | £1,800 to £3,750 | 15m French drain, installed |
| Swimming pool | £55,000 to £90,000 | 10m x 5m in-ground outdoor pool, built |
| Pool maintenance | £100 to £300 | monthly pool servicing contract |
Driveways
New drives in every surface, resurfacing, dropped kerbs and cleaning, with the build-up the government's paving guidance describes.
New driveway£4,000 to £6,500 · 50m² two-car drive, block paving
Resin driveway£3,750 to £6,300 · 50m² resin bound drive, new base
Block paving driveway£4,000 to £6,500 · 50m² block paved drive
Tarmac driveway£3,000 to £5,000 · 50m² new tarmac drive
Gravel driveway£2,250 to £3,750 · 50m² gravel drive with edging
Imprinted concrete driveway£4,750 to £6,500 · 50m² imprinted concrete drive
Concrete driveway£3,750 to £6,000 · 50m² brushed concrete drive
Driveway resurfacing£1,250 to £2,250 · 50m² new tarmac layer over a sound drive
Dropped kerb£1,200 to £3,000 · domestic dropped kerb, about 3m, fees included
Driveway cleaning£150 to £350 · 50m² driveway, pressure washedPatios, paths & decking
Patios and paths by paving type, timber and composite decks, and patio cleaning.
Lawns & landscaping
Turf, artificial grass, landscaping and design, gardeners, hedges and clearance.
Artificial grass£2,750 to £4,500 · 50m² artificial lawn, fitted
Turfing£600 to £1,250 · 50m² new turf lawn, laid
Landscaping£2,000 to £8,000 · small back garden makeoverGarden design£1,500 to £5,000 · full garden design with planting plan
Gardener / garden maintenance£18 to £45 an hour · gardener, general maintenance
Hedge trimming and removal£100 to £300 · typical garden hedge, trimmed and cleared
Garden clearance£150 to £600 · overgrown small garden, cleared and waste removedFencing & walls
Fences per metre, gates, brick and stone walls, retaining walls and railings, with the height limits.
Fencing£1,350 to £1,950 · 15m closeboard fence, 1.8m, fitted
Garden gate£250 to £450 · softwood side gate with posts, hung
Garden wall£2,400 to £3,850 · 10m x 1.2m double-skin brick wall
Retaining wall£2,250 to £3,600 · 8m x 1m reinforced block retaining wall
Railings & decorative metalwork£600 to £1,300 · 6m of steel railings, fittedTrees
Felling, pruning and stump grinding, and the rules for protected trees.
Sheds, ponds & pools
Sheds, ponds, drainage and French drains, swimming pools and their upkeep.
Shed / playhouse£850 to £1,400 · 8ft x 6ft shed, with base, built
Pond & water feature£2,000 to £4,000 · medium garden pond (about 4m x 3m), built
Garden drainage£1,500 to £4,000 · lawn drainage system for a typical garden
French drain£1,800 to £3,750 · 15m French drain, installed
Swimming pool£55,000 to £90,000 · 10m x 5m in-ground outdoor pool, built
Pool maintenance£100 to £300 · monthly pool servicing contractQuestions people ask
How much does a new driveway cost?
On our estimates, about £4,000 to £6,500 for a two-car block paved drive on a new base. Gravel is the cheapest surface.
How much does a patio cost?
On our estimates, about £1,800 to £3,000 for a 20m² porcelain patio, laid on a new base.
How much does fencing cost?
On our estimates, about £1,350 to £1,950 for 15m of 1.8m closeboard fence, fitted with posts and gravel boards.
Do I need planning permission for a driveway?
Not if it's porous or drains onto your own land. In a front garden, a solid drive over 5m² that drains to the road needs permission, and so does a new access onto a classified road.
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