Appendix 9: indicative soil conversion 1.8 tonnes/m³ for excavation estimates. Soil type and moisture vary; actual disposal weight is confirmed by weighbridge.
YOUR CHOICES.
CLEAR PRICES.
Manually set Nanak rates, with 10% GST added to the itemised subtotal.
Rates include the scope described below. Actual measurements, site conditions and the written scope are confirmed before payment. Items marked “Site visit” are excluded from the numeric total.
Affordable landscaping starts with a clear scope
Planning a landscaping budget in Canberra, Queanbeyan or Googong? Compare the installed material price with the preparation your site actually needs. An inexpensive surface can still require excavation, soil disposal, access allowances or drainage. Our calculator separates these items so you can see what drives the total.
For a staged project, start with levels, access and any required retaining work, then plan hard surfaces, lawns and garden finishes. Tell us your budget and priorities at a site visit so we can discuss a practical scope. A staged approach does not remove essential preparation or required approvals.
How to compare landscaping quotes
Check the measured area, product specification, included base or topsoil, removals, GST and any unpriced items. Compare the same scope rather than the headline total alone. The figures below are Nanak’s service rates, not an industry-wide price survey. Use the live quote calculator for your dimensions and selections.
Service base rates
| Service / category | Before GST | Including GST |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial turf30 mm grassm² | $65.00 | $71.50 |
| Artificial turf35 mm grassm² | $70.00 | $77.00 |
| Artificial turf40 mm grassm² | $72.00 | $79.20 |
| Artificial turf45 mm grassm² | $82.00 | $90.20 |
| Artificial turf15 mm putting greenm² | $95.00 | $104.50 |
| Natural grass & seedingCanberra Blendm² | $52.00 | $57.20 |
| Natural grass & seedingSanta Ana couchm² | $55.00 | $60.50 |
| Natural grass & seedingSir Walter Buffalom² | $58.00 | $63.80 |
| Natural grass & seedingSeeding / hydroseedingm² | $28.00 | $30.80 |
| Paving & pathwaysPavers with pebble infillm² | $165.00 | $181.50 |
| Paving & pathwaysConcrete paversm² | $230.00 | $253.00 |
| Paving & pathwaysBrick / clay paversm² | $255.00 | $280.50 |
| Paving & pathwaysTravertinem² | $280.00 | $308.00 |
| Paving & pathwaysBluestone / basaltm² | $350.00 | $385.00 |
| Paving & pathwaysCrazy pavingm² | $450.00 | $495.00 |
| ConcretePlain / broom finishm² · category, size or height rules below | $105.00 | $115.50 |
| ConcreteCharcoal / coloured concretem² · category, size or height rules below | $130.00 | $143.00 |
| ConcreteExposed aggregatem² · category, size or height rules below | $200.00 | $220.00 |
| ConcreteStencil / decorative finishm² · category, size or height rules below | $180.00 | $198.00 |
| ConcreteStandard concrete stepsstep · category, size or height rules below | Site visit | Price pending |
| ConcreteFloating concrete stepsstep · category, size or height rules below | Site visit | Price pending |
| DeckingTreated pinem² | $280.00 | $308.00 |
| DeckingMerbaum² | $325.00 | $357.50 |
| DeckingSpotted gumm² | $380.00 | $418.00 |
| DeckingComposite deckingm² | $425.00 | $467.50 |
| Fencing & gatesColorbondlinear m · category, size or height rules below | $120.00 | $132.00 |
| Fencing & gatesTimber palinglinear m · category, size or height rules below | $170.00 | $187.00 |
| Fencing & gatesHorizontal slat screeninglinear m · category, size or height rules below | $560.00 | $616.00 |
| Fencing & gatesColorbond gatem of gate width · category, size or height rules below | $1,000.00 | $1,100.00 |
| Fencing & gatesTimber gatem of gate width · category, size or height rules below | $1,400.00 | $1,540.00 |
| Fencing & gatesSlat gatem of gate width · category, size or height rules below | $1,550.00 | $1,705.00 |
| Fencing & gatesPicket fencinglinear m · category, size or height rules below | Site visit | Price pending |
| Fencing & gatesAluminium garden fencinglinear m · category, size or height rules below | Site visit | Price pending |
| Fencing & gatesLaser-cut screenslinear m · category, size or height rules below | Site visit | Price pending |
| Retaining wallsTreated pine sleepersface m² | $320.00 | $352.00 |
| Retaining wallsConcrete sleepers — standardface m² | $470.00 | $517.00 |
| Retaining wallsConcrete sleepers — designerface m² | $500.00 | $550.00 |
| Retaining wallsFetta sleepersface m² | $500.00 | $550.00 |
| Retaining wallsConcrete block wallface m² | $560.00 | $616.00 |
| Retaining wallsSandstone / feature walllinear m | $325.00 | $357.50 |
| Retaining wallsBluestone / Jasperlinear m | $430.00 | $473.00 |
| Garden beds & edgingTimber edginglinear m · category, size or height rules below | $15.00 | $16.50 |
| Garden beds & edgingSteel / Corten edginglinear m · category, size or height rules below | $48.00 | $52.80 |
| Garden beds & edgingTreated pine raised garden bedlinear m · category, size or height rules below | $160.00 | $176.00 |
| Garden beds & edgingGarden soil supply & spreadingm³ · category, size or height rules below | $140.00 | $154.00 |
| Garden beds & edgingMulch supply & spreadingm² · category, size or height rules below | $35.00 | $38.50 |
| Garden beds & edgingPlanting labour — plants supplied by customerplant · category, size or height rules below | $10.00 | $11.00 |
Concrete volume rates
Combine areas of the same finish, including different locations. Different finishes earn discounts separately. Base specification is 100 mm, 25 MPa; mesh, formwork and compacted base included. Thickness options 125, 150, 175 and 200 mm scale the applicable base rate by thickness ÷ 100. Sealer is optional at $8/m² before GST. Choose 25 MPa standard strength or 32 MPa higher compressive strength at $10/m² extra before GST. Standard and floating concrete steps require a site visit; their construction price remains pending. A $1,550 pump charge applies once per concrete job when access is restricted, access has steps, or concrete steps are selected.
| Finish | Same-finish area | Before GST/m² |
|---|---|---|
| Plain / broom | Up to 25 m² | $105 |
| Plain / broom | Above 25 to 70 m² | $95 |
| Plain / broom | Above 70 m² | $90 |
| Charcoal / coloured | Up to 25 m² | $130 |
| Charcoal / coloured | Above 25 m² | $120 |
| Exposed aggregate | Up to 40 m² | $200 |
| Exposed aggregate | Above 40 m² | $185 |
| Stencil / decorative | Up to 40 m² | $180 |
| Stencil / decorative | Above 40 m² | $170 |
Lawns & paving
Artificial grass includes supply, an 80 mm compacted base, laying, cutting and joining. Silica sand is optional at $8/m² before GST. Natural grass and seeding include supply, laying/application and 30 mm topsoil supplied and spread. Sir Walter Buffalo replaces Penturf. Paving includes supply, installation, a 50 mm compacted base, jointing and edge restraints. Optional paving sealer adds $8/m² before GST.
Decking & steps
Deck rates include boards, standard frame and installation up to 200 mm above ground. Higher decks require a site visit. Merbau oiling is included. Pine and spotted gum oiling is optional at $6/m². Steps are $300 for pine/Merbau and $400 for composite/spotted gum, before GST, at 1,000 mm width, 360 mm tread and 180 mm rise. Price scales with width; custom tread or rise requires assessment.
Fences, sleepers & gates
Colorbond at 1.8 m: straight $120/m, raked $135/m, stepped $125/m before GST. The 1.5 m and 2.1 m options scale by height ÷ 1.8. Timber paling is $170/m at 1.8 m. Slat screening is $420/m at 1.2 m, $500/m at 1.5 m, $560/m at 1.8 m; 65 mm and 90 mm slats share rates. Posts and footings are included.
Fence installation: inground has no extra charge. Installation on a concrete slab, sandstone retaining wall or concrete sleeper retaining wall adds a fixed $300 per fence section before GST ($330 including GST), regardless of length. Categories requiring a site visit remain pending until assessed. Removal & clearing options are not shown for fencing-only quotes.
Each sleeper layer adds $18/m for treated pine, or $54/m for standard/charcoal concrete and Fetta. Gates at 1.8 m high are $1,000 for Colorbond, $1,400 for timber and $1,550 for slats per 1,000 mm of width. Double gates use both leaf widths combined. Fence length excludes gate openings. Other gate heights, pickets, aluminium garden fences and laser-cut screens need a site quote.
Retaining walls
Sleeper and block rates use length × exposed height. Sandstone and Bluestone/Jasper use linear metres up to 1 m high. Posts and soil backfill are included. Footings add $100/m² of footprint only for sandstone, concrete block and Bluestone/Jasper walls at least 700 mm high, using length × 0.4 m width with 300 mm depth included. Sleeper walls have no separate footing charge. Designer concrete sleepers replace charcoal sleepers at $500/face m² before GST. Drainage pipe and gravel add $450 per separate wall. Walls above 1 m require a site visit and are excluded until priced.
Garden beds & edging
| Height | Timber /m before GST | Steel / Corten /m before GST |
|---|---|---|
| 50 mm | — | $48.00 |
| 70 mm | $15.00 | — |
| 75 mm | — | $48.00 |
| 90 mm | $17.00 | — |
| 100 mm | — | $52.00 |
| 135 mm | — | $70.00 |
| 150 mm | $20.00 | $80.00 |
| 200 mm | $24.00 | — |
Treated pine raised beds cost $160 per 1 m length × 0.5 m width × 0.2 m height, scaling by all three dimensions. Garden soil is separate at $140/m³ supplied and spread. Raised beds can include veggie mix filling at $150/m³, using bed length × width × height to calculate the fill volume. Mulch is $35/m² supplied and spread at 50 mm depth. Planting is $10 per plant for labour only; customers supply plants.
Preparation & access
Excavation at 80 mm: up to 50 m² $720; above 50 to 150 m² $1,350; above 150 m² $1,800. Selected depths up to 300 mm scale proportionally. Excavation rates have been reduced by 10%. Selecting excavation disables separate natural-grass removal to avoid double charging. Rock ground automatically requires excavation; specialist rock breaking remains subject to assessment. Minor grass and weed removal can be selected at no extra charge. Restricted access below 1.3 m or with steps adds $15/m² only to the affected area, entered once across overlapping services. Alternatively, request a site visit and leave access pricing pending.
| Item | Before GST |
|---|---|
| Soil loading, transport & disposal | $156.00 / tonne |
| Artificial grass removal & disposal | $20.00 / m² |
| Natural grass removal & disposal | $24.00 / m² |
| Paver removal & disposal | $50.00 / m² |
| Concrete removal at 100 mm | $45.00 / m² |
| Old fence removal & disposal | $30.00 / m |
Concrete removal scales from the 100 mm rate by selected thickness ÷ 100. Grass, paver, fence and concrete removal include disposal. Do not count the same waste again as soil disposal.
There is no assumed minimum job charge.
Soil weight calculations
Estimated tonnes = excavated area × depth in metres × 1.8, plus separately measured loose stockpile m³ × 1.3. Soil kept on site is excluded. Customer-entered total tonnes replaces the entire estimate. Loading, transport and disposal cost $156/tonne before GST; final charge is subject to weighbridge weight. No bulking factor is added to soil mass.
Government guidance uses 1.3 tonnes/m³ for stockpiled soil, sand and clean fill. Used only for separately measured loose stockpiles.
Rock breaking, object/stump removal, additional green waste and hazardous material need separate assessment. Colours, product availability, structural specifications and required approvals are confirmed in the written scope.
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