Does Landscaping Add Value to Your House?

A well-designed garden can help to sell a property, but no official figure exists for exactly how much value it adds. Estimates vary widely, so you should treat every percentage and pound figure as a rough guide rather than a promise.

Does landscaping add value to a house

When you plan to move or remortgage, you want to know if spending money on your outdoor space is a good investment. Buyers look for usable gardens, but turning that appeal into a hard financial return is difficult. The amount of value you add depends on the current state of the garden, the size of the space and whether the new design suits the property.

Before looking at the figures, you need to understand how the trade divides the work. Hard landscaping is the built part of a garden. This covers patios, paths, walls, steps, decking, fencing and drainage. Soft landscaping is the living part, which includes the soil, turf, planting and trees.

When you hire professionals, they fall into three distinct categories:

• A garden designer produces the plan for the space, detailing the layout and the materials.
• A landscaper or landscape contractor builds it.
• A gardener maintains the space once the work is finished.

If you are paying for professional work to increase the value of your house, you will normally need a designer for the plan and a landscaper for the groundwork.

What the estimates say

Because a garden project is not a single standard product, research on how much value it adds produces very different results. The table below compares three estimates to show how wide the gap can be.

These are estimates from different dates, not 2026 prices, and none of them is a promise. If you get local quotes, check whether they include VAT.

Your own local quotes will differ from the stated average costs. The Yopa analysis puts the net gain at £6,814, but treat this as that analysis's estimate only, not a guaranteed profit.

Why the figures differ so much

The estimates in the table are far apart because they measure different things and use different methods. The Post Office Money research claims landscaping could add as much as 77 per cent to the value of your property. The research is undated, though it appears to date from May 2019. It does not state what the percentage is measured against or give a sample size, and it offers no method for how the £2,750 average cost was calculated.

The 20 per cent figure comes from an article published by a furniture retailer on 13 March 2025. It quotes a single estate agent who says a well-designed garden can increase overall property value by 20 per cent compared to a property that has a blank garden. This is an agent's opinion, and the claim comes with no data, sample or method.

The Yopa analysis from June 2025 is more specific because it applies a 4.5 per cent increase to a stated average UK house price. This gives a clearer picture of what a modest percentage increase looks like in pounds. When you read any estimate, you must remember that different dates and different baselines will completely change the result.

Professional landscaping against other property upgrades

The Yopa analysis compared professional landscaping with other common garden projects. It estimated that a garden room or office adds 7.5 per cent to a property, which is £20,356 on their average house price. With a stated cost of £12,000, this leaves a net gain of £8,356.

A garden shed upgrade was estimated to add £6,786 for a spend of £1,280, leaving a net gain of £5,505. The same analysis reported a net gain of £6,671 for a patio or decking, though the exact value added and the cost were not stated.

The Post Office Money research included estimates for indoor projects to show how they compare. The table below shows their figures for other common home improvements.

No method is given for these figures.

Local quotes will differ. An £80,000 extension is a far bigger project than a garden makeover, so the two are not like-for-like comparisons.

Hot tubs and garden extras that may not pay back

Adding luxury features to a garden does not guarantee a large return when you sell. The Yopa analysis describes a hot tub as the least worthwhile garden addition. It estimates that a hot tub adds about £8,000 to the property value for nearly £7,000 spent, leaving a net gain of just under £1,400.

The Post Office Money research claims a jacuzzi or hot tub costs £6,000 and adds 27 per cent to the property value. Given the lack of a stated method for the Post Office Money figures, you should treat the idea of a 27 per cent increase from a hot tub with extreme caution.

Poor workmanship can cancel out any benefit from the money you spend. Common problems include artificial grass laid straight onto soil, or a thin or missing sub-base under a patio. A sub-base is compacted crushed stone, often called MOT Type 1, which sits under paving and artificial grass to stop it sinking.

Slabs laid on dabs of mortar instead of a full bed will eventually rock and crack. If a patio is built with no fall, which is the slight slope that sheds water, puddles will form on the surface or run towards the house and cause damp problems.

What buyers say they want from a garden

Surveys suggest that a usable outdoor space is a major factor for people looking to move. The furniture retailer's survey reported that 61 per cent of people would only rent or buy a home with a garden. The same survey found that 33 per cent consider a garden a very important part of a property. The survey does not state its sample size or method.

The Post Office Money survey offers slightly different insights, though again no total number of respondents is given. It found that 18 per cent of people had landscaped their garden in the last five years. It also reports that 28 per cent said the sole purpose was to add value and 59 per cent wanted a more relaxing garden, without saying which group of people these figures refer to.

If you install decking, the boards can be softwood, hardwood or composite, and they sit on a frame beneath them. Ask the landscaper what the frame is made of and how it will be built.

Kerb appeal and a garden that suits the house

The front of your house is the first thing a buyer sees. If you plan to pave a front garden, you should check the drainage rules. In England, paving more than 5 square metres of a front garden with an impermeable surface that does not drain to a permeable area needs planning permission. Permeable surfacing, which lets water drain through it naturally, does not need planning permission.

The estate agent quoted by the furniture retailer noted that value depends on size and how well-kept the garden is. They pointed out that the garden should be coherent with the overall property. A large, expensive formal design might look out of place behind a small terrace, while a basic square of turf might disappoint buyers viewing a large detached house.

Fencing also affects kerb appeal and privacy. Under planning rules in England, fences and walls can be up to 1 metre high next to a road or its footpath and 2 metres elsewhere. If you live elsewhere in the UK or are unsure, you should check with your council. For significant work on listed buildings, you will always need formal consent.

If your plans involve mature trees, proceed carefully. A Tree Preservation Order makes it an offence to cut down, lop, uproot or damage a protected tree without the council's consent. Work on trees in a conservation area normally needs six weeks' notice to the council. Never carry out work on protected trees yourself.

Spending sensibly if you plan to sell

Before you hire anyone, you should ask a local estate agent what buyers in your street actually pay for. Agents know local demand better than national surveys. Once you know what to build, you can ask for quotes.

Landscapers price per project after a site visit. The main cost drivers are the area, the groundwork, the levels and the access. Everything carried through the house costs more in time and labour. Waste removal, drainage and materials also push the final bill up. Design fees are usually separate from the main build cost, and larger jobs are paid in stages as the work progresses.

London and the South East cost more for labour and materials than the rest of the UK. You can read more about typical prices in our garden landscaping cost guide.

The groundwork nobody sees is where corners get cut, so a good quote should clearly state:

• The exact excavation depth for the area being cleared.
• The depth and type of the sub-base being installed.
• The named materials being used for the surface.
• The drainage plan to ensure water runs away from the house.
• The arrangements and costs for waste removal.

A trader who carries waste must be a registered waste carrier, and the register is public.

Landscaping is not a licensed trade, so vetted membership and evidence of past work matter. The British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) says its Accredited members are vetted on workmanship, skill and health and safety. The Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) says its members are assessed, regularly inspected and TrustMark accredited. TrustMark is the government-endorsed quality scheme.

The professional body for designers is the Society of Garden and Landscape Designers (SGLD, formerly the Society of Garden Designers). Membership of these bodies is a good sign, but it is not a guarantee. You can find out more about professional fees in our garden designer cost guide.

You should avoid doorstep callers offering cheap paving or leftover materials, and never accept cash deals with no written specification. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, work must be done with reasonable care and skill. If it is not, the customer can ask for it to be put right or seek a partial or full refund.

Citizens Advice suggests getting three written quotes, signing a written contract, paying deposits of no more than 25 per cent and paying by card. A quote is a fixed price, whereas an estimate is a rough guess. You might also be able to cancel within 14 days of agreeing a contract. If you end up in a dispute, Citizens Advice is the place to start.

Before you make the final payment to your landscaper, you should check the work carefully. Pour a bucket of water on a new patio to ensure the fall is correct and the water runs away to the drainage area. Check that all paving slabs are solid and do not rock. For decking, ensure the gaps between the boards are even and the edges are neatly finished. If you spot any problems, point them out immediately. Never pay the final balance until you are completely satisfied that the written specification has been met and the site has been cleared of all waste.

Common questions

Do you need planning permission to build garden decking?

In England, according to the Planning Portal, decking is permitted development if it is no more than 30cm above the ground. Together with extensions and outbuildings, it must cover no more than 50 per cent of the garden. These permitted development rights apply to houses, not flats or maisonettes.

Does a new driveway increase property value?

The Post Office Money research estimated that a new driveway costs £25,000 on average and adds 9 per cent to the value of a property. As with all such estimates, you should treat this as a guide rather than a certainty.

Will a garden extension or conservatory pay off?

The Post Office Money page estimated that an extension costs £80,000 and adds 37 per cent to the property value. The same page suggested a conservatory costs £9,000 and adds 10 per cent to the value.

How do you know if a landscaper is reliable?

A reliable landscaper will provide a fixed written quote that details the excavation depth, the sub-base materials and the waste removal plan. Citizens Advice suggests deposits of no more than 25 per cent, and you should be wary of anyone who knocks on your door offering leftover materials from another job.

Next steps for your garden project

Before you start tearing up the lawn to add value to your house, make sure you have a clear plan.

• Ask a local estate agent what buyers in your area actually look for in a garden.
• Decide whether you need a garden designer for a full plan or just a landscaper for a simple patio.
• Check the planning rules for front garden paving, high decking and protected trees.
• Ask three different companies to visit your garden and provide a detailed written quote.
• Check that your chosen landscaper is a registered waste carrier and look for vetted trade memberships.
• Check the finished work for solid paving beds and correct water drainage before you pay the final balance.

Every garden is different, and the best way to understand what is possible is to speak to professionals who know the local soil, suppliers and planning rules. When you are ready to get quotes and start your project, you can find a landscaper near you to discuss your ideas.