Landscaping in Geylang

One mobilisation is cheaper per unit of work — machinery hire, waste logistics, and crew setup get amortised. But phasing spreads cash and lets you live with the garden before committing to later stages. If you phase: do groundworks, drainage, and irrigation conduits first, even for areas finished later. Retro-digging finished areas is the expensive mistake.

Insist every quote itemises: site prep and excavation, materials by type and grade, labour, waste disposal, and planting with plant sizes specified. The classic trap is comparing a quote with 100mm compacted sub-base against one with paving laid on sand — same look for a year, then one fails. Cheapest itemised quote beats cheapest total.

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.

A planting refresh: 1-3 days. A patio or new lawn: 3-7 days. A full garden rebuild: 2-6 weeks depending on size and weather. Add lead time — good landscapers in Geylang book out weeks or months ahead in spring. Weather delays are normal for excavation and paving; a realistic contractor builds buffer into the schedule rather than promising exact dates.

The first year decides whether planting establishes: regular deep watering (especially trees and hedging), mulch top-ups, formative pruning, and quick replacement of failures. Many landscapers offer a 12-month establishment package or plant warranty conditional on documented watering. Budget 5-10% of project cost for year-one care, or the planting investment erodes.

Balcony and small condo green-ups run SGD $800-$3,500; landed-home garden projects commonly SGD $8,000-$50,000, with extensive designs reaching $100,000+. Maintenance-grade gardening labour runs around $60-$120 per hour. Space premium and imported materials keep Singapore pricing high relative to garden size.

HDB: personal planting is limited to your own unit's service yard and approved corridor planters that don't obstruct the 1.2m escape route — common areas belong to the town council. Condos: balcony and PES landscaping is allowed subject to MCST rules on weight, waterproofing, screens, and drainage. Get approvals in writing before contractors start; removals ordered later are at your cost.