Plan your outdoor project with real New Zealand numbers.
Straight-talking costs for decks, driveways, retaining walls and landscaping across New Zealand — plus the consent rules that actually apply and how to read a quote.
What New Zealand homeowners are pricing now
Real ranges from our own guides — with the assumptions that move them.
Guides by topic
8 topics · 50 guides in total.
Local notes by suburb
Pricing and conditions vary across New Zealand — start with your area.
If you’re new, read these first
A short path through the guides most people need.
- 01Autumn Garden Prep for Southern New ZealandLandscaping
- 02Concrete Driveway Costs in Palmerston North (2026)Driveways
- 03Cyclone Season in the Bay of Plenty: Storm-Damaged TreesTrees
- 04Do You Need a Geotech Report for a Hill Section?Retaining
- 05A Homeowner’s Guide to Petone’s Flat, Reclaimed LandRegional Guides
Where the numbers come from
Ranges, not guesses
Every figure is a range with the reasons behind it — access, ground, finish — because that’s what moves a real New Zealand quote.
Local rules checked
We confirm what needs building or resource consent against your local council before we call a job straightforward.
Kept current for 2026
Costs move. Guides are set for 2026 pricing and revised as materials and labour shift.
Before you dig in
What is the most wind-hardy plant for a Wellington section?
Griselinia (broadleaf) is the go-to for a fast, dense shelter hedge, with flax and hebe close behind. They all handle salt-laden southerlies and won’t shred in a nor’wester.
Should I use a solid fence or a slatted one for wind?
Use a slatted or permeable screen. A solid fence makes the wind roll over the top and slam down behind it, causing turbulence rather than shelter, so filtering the wind protects plants better than blocking it.
How much does it cost to landscape a windy hill section in Wellington?
Expect roughly $150 to $250 per square metre including GST for a properly prepared and planted bed, and $350 to $550 per metre including GST for shelter fencing installed on a slope, with drainage work extra if needed.
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Palmerston North in 2026?
Plain broom-finish concrete runs about $120 to $170 per square metre including GST, so a typical 40 square metre double driveway costs roughly $5,000 to $7,000 including GST. Exposed aggregate or coloured finishes run $170 to $240 per square metre including GST.
Do I need a consent for a concrete driveway in Palmerston North?
The slab inside your boundary generally doesn’t need a building consent, but forming or widening the vehicle crossing between your boundary and the road needs Palmerston North City Council approval, and that’s a separate cost.
Why are my driveway quotes so different?
The difference is almost always in the base preparation, excavation, slab thickness and drainage, not the concrete itself. A cheap quote usually means a thinner base or less reinforcing, which is exactly where a driveway fails first.