How Much Does Landscaping Cost in Sydney? A Complete Homeowner's Guide

"How much will it cost?" is the first question every homeowner asks and the one most landscapers dodge. Fair enough — no two sites are the same. But after hundreds of projects across Sydney, the Sutherland Shire and Eastern Suburbs, the ranges are predictable enough to share honestly. Here they are, current as of early 2026.

All figures include labour and materials, exclude GST surprises (they include GST), and assume reasonable site access. Difficult access — tight side passages, no machine entry, steep slopes — can add 15–30 per cent to almost any line below.

A complete redesign and rebuild of a typical Sydney backyard — levels, drainage, lawn, planting, some paving and a modest deck — generally lands between $40,000 and $90,000. Compact courtyard projects can come in from $25,000; large sloping blocks with significant retaining and premium materials regularly pass $120,000.

As a planning rule of thumb, allocate 5–15 per cent of your property's value to a full landscape. It's consistently one of the strongest-returning improvements at sale time, and unlike an interior renovation, it improves with age.

Hardwood decking in spotted gum or blackbutt runs $450–$700 per square metre installed, depending on height, sub-frame requirements and detailing. A typical 25m² entertaining deck therefore lands between $11,000 and $17,500. Elevated decks needing engineering, balustrades or stairs go higher — budget $800+ per square metre for complex elevated work.

Composite decking prices similarly to mid-range hardwood once the sub-frame is done properly; the saving is in maintenance, not installation.

Timber sleeper walls: $350–$550 per square metre of wall face. Engineered block systems: $500–$800. Natural sandstone: $700–$1,200 and worth it where the wall is a feature. Anything retaining over 600mm needs engineering and usually council involvement — factor $2,000–$5,000 for design and approvals on larger walls.

Drainage behind the wall is non-negotiable. If a quote doesn't mention aggregate backfill and agricultural pipe, the wall is being built to fail slowly.

Natural turf supplied and laid with proper soil preparation: $35–$55 per square metre for Sir Walter buffalo, less for couch and kikuyu. Artificial turf professionally installed over an engineered base: $110–$180 per square metre — the base preparation is most of that cost, and it's the part that determines whether the lawn still looks right in five years.

Garden bed planting including soil improvement, plants and mulch typically runs $80–$150 per square metre depending on plant maturity. Advanced trees ($300–$1,500 each planted) are the fastest way to make a new garden feel established.

Professional landscape design for a residential project costs $2,500–$8,000 depending on scope and documentation. On any project over $50,000 it reliably pays for itself — in builder-ready clarity, in avoided variations, and in a result that hangs together as one idea rather than a series of purchases.

Where not to save: drainage, sub-bases, and soil. They're invisible on day one and decisive by year three. Where you can save: staging the project across two seasons, simplifying the materials palette, and choosing smaller plant stock everywhere except the key structural trees.

Ranges are useful; a fixed quote for your actual block is better. We provide detailed, itemised quotes for projects across Sydney, the Sutherland Shire and Eastern Suburbs — and we'll tell you honestly if a cheaper approach will get you 90 per cent of the result.