Landscaping near you in New Zealand

Softscape is living material — turf, plants, trees, soil. Hardscape is built structure — patios, paths, walls, decks, pergolas. Hardscape typically costs 2-4x more per square metre because it involves excavation, sub-bases, and skilled construction. Shifting your design 20% from hardscape to planting is the single biggest lever for cutting a landscaping quote.

10-30% at signing is typical, often structured as deposit, staged payments at milestones, and a final payment on completion. Be wary of demands for 50%+ upfront — materials for early stages don't cost that. Never make the final payment before snagging is done and you've walked the finished job.

The usual surprises: waste disposal (excavated soil is heavy and expensive to dump), poor access surcharges, drainage problems discovered mid-dig, tree roots, buried services, and irrigation added late. A contractor who surveys properly and asks about underground services before quoting is protecting you from mid-project extras.

Turf is priced per square metre installed, and ground preparation is most of the cost — stripping old grass, levelling, importing topsoil, then laying. Seed costs a fraction of turf but takes a season to establish. Beware quotes that skip soil prep: turf on unprepared ground looks fine for weeks, then fails patchily.

Landscaper rates run NZD $50-$100+ per hour, finished landscaping roughly $90-$280 per m² depending on hardscape share, and whole-garden projects for a standard section typically $8,000-$40,000. Auckland pricing tops the country; skilled labour shortages keep experienced crews booked well ahead.

Over 1.5m high, or any height if the wall supports a surcharge — a driveway, building, or sloped load above it. Consented walls need engineering design, which adds cost but is non-negotiable on NZ's slopes; failed unconsented walls are expensive to remediate and complicate house sales. A landscaper who waves off the consent question is a red flag.