Landscapers

Soft landscaping such as planting, turfing and garden maintenance needs no licence anywhere in Australia. Structural landscaping is different: NSW requires a structural landscaping licence for work over $5,000, and Queensland requires a QBCC licence above $3,300 for building work like retaining walls and decks. Other states rely on general building registration rules, so ask what applies.

Usually once they pass a height threshold, commonly between 600 millimetres and one metre depending on your state and council, or when they hold back a driveway or sit near a boundary. Taller walls also need engineering design. A landscaper who shrugs off approvals on a big wall is a warning sign, because failed walls are expensive.

Autumn is ideal for planting in most of Australia, giving roots time to establish before summer heat, and spring works well in cooler southern regions. Hard landscaping like paving and walls can run year round, though wet season rain disrupts work across the north. Booking design work in winter often means construction starts sooner.

Small refreshes with plants, mulch and edging often land between $2,000 and $8,000. A typical suburban backyard redesign with paving, turf, garden beds and lighting commonly runs $15,000 to $40,000, and projects with pools, decks and outdoor kitchens go well beyond that. Fixed quotes against a clear plan protect both sides; allow roughly 10 per cent contingency.

For anything beyond simple planting, yes. A design costing a few hundred to a few thousand dollars lets multiple landscapers quote on identical scope, which makes prices comparable and avoids mid-job changes. Some design-and-construct businesses credit part of the design fee if they build the job. Ask for plant schedules, not just attractive drawings.