ᐅ Garden, Wooden Deck & Driveway Cost Estimate?

Hello everyone,

I’m currently gathering quotes for a basic garden layout. For the first phase, only the essentials should be done. Specifically: (wooden) terrace, turf lawn in the garden, and gravel in front of the house and driveway.

The first offer from the landscape gardener arrived over the weekend and it really took me by surprise.

I would like an assessment of whether the following quote is realistic and justified:

Item 01 - Wooden Terrace - €9,500 incl. VAT
Construct a 35 m² (376 sq ft) wood deck from locally sourced larch boards screwed onto a substructure. The substructure will be founded on pier foundations. Fill gaps with geotextile fabric and cover with gravel. Attach double-sided fascia boards.

Item 02 - Lawn - €3,200 incl. VAT

• Level 125 m² (1,345 sq ft) of construction ground with an excavator, remove and dispose of turf and vegetation, deliver, apply, and rototill 4 m³ (141 cu ft) of topsoil, create a rough grade.
• Create and roll a fine grade over 125 m² (1,345 sq ft), fertilize area, deliver and install turf rolls, water and roll.

Total: €12,700 incl. VAT.

The quote does not include filling the driveway with gravel, which is about 50 m² (538 sq ft). The ground preparation in front of the house was done during the foundation slab work. I would expect that the gravel layer could simply be placed on the existing ground. However, I don’t know the amount needed for 50 m² (538 sq ft). Could you still provide a rough estimate of the costs for this?

Best regards,
ConnyJash

If this includes materials as well, I don’t find it that expensive; it depends on the region.
What budget did you set?

If you want to pay less, you probably need to plan for doing some work yourself.
Or wait. There is an expectation that the effects of last year’s crisis will start to affect new construction projects over the course of this year, meaning there will be much fewer projects. This could lead to follow-up work for painters and landscaping contractors, as those few projects still underway might switch to more self-performed work. Maybe something will change then.

ConnyJash schrieb:

Hello everyone,

I’m currently gathering quotes for our basic garden landscaping. The first step will only include the essentials: a (wooden) terrace, roll-out lawn in the garden, and gravel in front of the house and driveway.

The first offer from the landscape gardener arrived over the weekend and honestly took me by surprise.

I would appreciate an assessment of whether the following offer is realistic or justified:

Item 01 – Wooden Terrace – €9,500 including VAT
Construct a 35 m² (380 sq ft) wooden deck from locally sourced larch boards, screwed onto a substructure. Substructure to be supported on isolated concrete footings. Fill gaps with geotextile and cover with gravel. Attach double-sided fascia boards.

Item 02 – Lawn – €3,200 including VAT

• Level 125 m² (1,345 sq ft) of soil with an excavator, remove and dispose of sod and vegetation, deliver and incorporate 4 m³ (140 cubic feet) of lawn substrate, create a rough base layer.
• Prepare and roll a 125 m² (1,345 sq ft) fine base layer, fertilize area, deliver and lay roll-out lawn, water and roll.

Total: €12,700 including VAT.

The driveway with gravel filling (around 50 m² / 540 sq ft) is not included in the offer. The base in front of the house was completed during the foundation slab preparation. I would expect that a layer of gravel can be applied directly onto the existing base. However, I don’t know how much gravel is needed for the 50 m² (540 sq ft). Could you give me a rough estimate for the cost?

Best regards,
ConnyJash

I find the price for the terrace reasonable depending on the chosen quality of the boards and workmanship. I paid almost €2,000 just for materials for a similar 16 m² (170 sq ft) terrace built DIY with a comparable construction (without geotextile and gravel), although I used slightly more expensive tropical wood with Bangkirai substructure.
I believe you could easily manage it yourself for €3,000–4,000. Such a project is perfect for a spring DIY job, isn’t it?
Regarding the lawn, I don’t see any excessive overcharging (but no bargain either). In this area, many outdoor areas are completed by landscape gardeners for around €30,000–€60,000 or more.

ConnyJash schrieb:

Item 01 - Wooden Terrace - €9,500 incl. VAT
Build a 35 m² (375 sq ft) wooden deck using local larch boards fastened on a substructure. The substructure should be supported on individual concrete footings. Lay geotextile fabric in the gaps and cover with gravel. Install double-sided fascia boards.

i_b_n_a_n schrieb:

I think you can easily do this yourself for $3,000–4,000. Plus, these kinds of projects are perfect for early spring, right?

Larch directly from the sawmill (SH), planed and chamfered on all sides, under €700 per linear meter (≈3.3 feet). For 30 mm thickness and 35 m² (375 sq ft), including waste, that equals approximately 1.2 linear meters: under €900.
Substructure made from 60 x 80 mm (2.4 x 3.1 inch) timber costs €600 per linear meter. About 100 linear meters (330 feet) should be sufficient. That’s 0.5 m³ (18 cubic feet), so about €300.
1,000 stainless steel V2A screws 5 x 60 mm (0.2 x 2.4 inch) cost €150.
Gravel, 3 tons, €150 plus delivery.
Concrete footings made from screed concrete in plastic bags (alternatively, plant pots can be used as formwork to make them yourself), 100 pieces, €50.
Good, thick weed barrier fabric €50.
Small materials like spacers, glass foam pads for height adjustment, and some tools €100.

In any case, under €2,000 🙂 even with concealed fastening. Time required for experienced builders: about 1 hour per m² (11 sq ft).

You can also order boards from a timber merchant, but they will be more expensive. So far, I have ordered directly from two sawmills for two projects. Much cheaper and certainly not worse quality.

Tolentino schrieb:

If that includes materials as well, I don’t find it too expensive; it depends on the region. What budget had you planned?

We originally planned 20,000 for the entire outdoor area. However, about 7,000 of that has already gone toward excavation for the foundation slab. According to the plan, around 13,000 is still available.

Maybe I’ll dig up the garden myself with some friends using a rented mini excavator, then lay down the turf. I would definitely have the terrace installed professionally. The price seems reasonable if I understood you correctly. I’ll wait for the other quotes first.

One more question about the wood. What would you recommend here? I’ve read that tropical hardwoods or treated woods like thermally modified ash are better suited. Ideally, we want to enjoy the terrace for the next 15 to 20 years. Does it make sense to pay the extra cost for that?

As far as I know (this is only information I have read about), the main focus is on effective structural wood protection. The wood (UK: timber; US: lumber) should not have prolonged or permanent contact with soil, water, or general moisture. If you also have a sufficiently large roof overhang, untreated larch or Douglas fir will most likely last for 20 years.

The real issue is always standing water, as even bank girai will rot under such conditions.