How much does a gardener cost in 2026?
Having a garden fully designed costs €50 to €100 per square metre in 2026. Paving alone is often cheaper: from €10 per m² for gravel to €75 per m² for natural stone. A gardener also charges €35 to €80 per hour. These are guide prices: the size and the chosen materials strongly determine what you pay, and that follows from the quote.
How much does a landscape gardener cost per hour in 2026?
A landscape gardener charges by the hour for maintenance and by the square metre for construction. The hourly rate usually excludes materials, and with paving and planting the materials are exactly what makes the biggest difference. Both are below, along with the items people tend to forget.
| Garden work | Guide price 2026 | What drives the difference |
|---|---|---|
| Gardener hourly rate | 35 to 75 euros per hour | Pruning and mowing sit at the bottom, machine groundwork and construction at the top |
| Garden maintenance on a contract | 75 to 180 euros per visit | Garden size and how often they come; more often means less work each time |
| One-off maintenance visit | 150 to 500 euros | A neglected garden takes a day, a kept garden a few hours |
| Full garden construction | 50 to 120 euros per m² | Material choice and whether groundwork is needed first |
| Laying paving, labour only | 10 to 20 euros per m² | A straight patio slab goes fast, a pattern with lots of cutting does not |
| Paving complete, including materials | 45 to 115 euros per m² | The stone itself: gravel is 10 euros per m², ceramic runs to 80 euros per m² |
| Concrete slabs, materials only | 15 to 35 euros per m² | Size and thickness; thicker slabs are needed if cars will drive on them |
| Natural stone, materials only | 30 to 65 euros per m² | Type of stone and whether it is supplied calibrated |
| Laying a lawn with turf | 8 to 16 euros per m² | Seeding is cheaper but takes a season; turf looks right immediately |
| Removing and disposing of old paving | 10 to 25 euros per m² | Access, and whether a skip can stand at the door |
| Wooden fence including materials | 50 to 150 euros per linear metre | Treated timber with concrete posts; fitting alone costs 15 to 25 euros per metre |
| Hardwood or composite fence | 100 to 220 euros per linear metre | Lasts considerably longer, but the extra cost is almost entirely material |
| Building a garden pond | 1,000 to 40,000 euros per project | A small ornamental pond is the low end, a large pond with edging, pump and filter system the high end |
| Felling a tree | 400 to 800 euros | Height and accessibility of the tree; check beforehand whether your municipality requires a felling permit |
Guide prices for the Netherlands in 2026, collected on 15 August 2026. Klussendirect quotes its amounts excluding VAT and excluding materials unless stated otherwise; Homedeal leaves the VAT status open. Garden work carries 21% VAT, including maintenance such as pruning.
Hourly rate
€35 - €80per hour
Call-out charge
€25 - €60
some gardeners charge per kilometre, others a fixed amount
What makes up the price?
Labour
hourly rate of €35 to €80, plus groundwork where needed
Materials
tiles, plants, soil and lawn, strongly dependent on your choices
Call-out charge
usually €25 to €60 per visit
This falls under the standard VAT rate of 21%, on both labour and materials. The reduced rate of 9% only applies to painting, plastering, wallpapering and the insulation of floors, walls and roofs in a home older than 2 years, plus cleaning work inside the home. If that kind of work is part of the same job, only that part is charged at 9%. The Dutch tax authority publishes the conditions that apply.
What determines the price?
- Type of paving or material: gravel is much cheaper than natural stone
- Surface area and shape of the garden
- Groundwork in advance: raising, levelling or removing old paving costs extra
- Planting and type of lawn: artificial grass, turf or sowing differ greatly in price
- Accessibility of the garden, for example a narrow side passage
- Season: in spring and summer it is busier and often more expensive
- Accreditation: a gardener affiliated with trade association VHG works to a set professional standard, which is worth asking about for a larger garden design
What will your job cost exactly?
These are indicative market prices, not a quote. Post your job for free and get replies from gardeners near you, so you know exactly where you stand.
Post your job for freeFrequently asked questions
How much does a gardener charge per hour?
Expect €35 to €80 per hour excluding materials. For regular garden maintenance you are often at the bottom, for specialist work at the top.
How much does garden paving cost per m²?
That differs greatly per material: gravel or chippings €10 to €13 per m², concrete tiles €15 to €35, baked clinkers €45 to €60, and natural stone €45 to €75 per m².
How much does a complete garden design cost?
Usually €50 to €100 per m², which comes down to a total price of €500 to €10,000, depending on the size and scope of the work.
How much does installing a fence cost?
A wooden fence starts from €50 per linear metre; hardwood or composite goes up to €150 to €250 per linear metre.
How much does laying a lawn cost?
Expect €5 to €10 per m², depending on whether you choose sowing, turf or artificial grass.
What are a gardener's travel costs?
Usually €25 to €60; some gardeners charge per kilometre, others a fixed amount per visit.
Is spring the best time to design a garden?
Spring is popular, but also busier and sometimes more expensive. In autumn or winter, gardeners are often available sooner and sometimes slightly cheaper.
Does the reduced 9% VAT rate apply to garden work?
No, you pay 21% VAT on this, on labour as well as materials. The reduced 9% rate is limited to painting, plastering, wallpapering and the insulation of floors, walls and roofs in a home older than 2 years, plus cleaning work inside the home. If the same professional also does that kind of work as part of your job, that part may be charged at 9%. Ask for a quote that lists the parts separately, so you can see which rate applies to what.
Where these amounts come from
The amounts on this page come from the Dutch price guides below and from the Belastingdienst, accessed on 5 August 2026. Prices go up, so check at the source before you decide anything. Spotted something that is out of date? Email info@jouwpro.nl and we will fix it.
- Werkspot: garden design costs in 2026
- Homedeal: paving costs per m², price overview 2026
- Klussendirect: paving costs 2026, price per m²
- Homedeal: fence installation costs, prices 2026
- OfferteAdviseur: fence installation costs 2026
- VHG: trade association for gardeners and green professionals
- Belastingdienst (Dutch tax authority): btw rate for work on homes older than 2 years
Do you work as a gardener yourself?
Anyone can look at the open job requests on JouwPro. Replying costs nothing and you only pay once you win a job and finish it.
See the open jobs for gardenersDo you need a permit for this?
Enter your address and see whether your plan is likely to be permit free. We look up the building details ourselves, so all you fill in is your address. It stays an indication, so check with your municipality afterwards.
Run the permit check by addressGuides that go with this one
Work that tends to come up in the same project.