Landscaping a new build: the order that saves you money

1. Read your estate's design guidelines

Lakelands, Meadow Springs, Madora Bay, Baldivis, Golden Bay, Secret Harbour, Ravenswood and Byford estates all have landscaping covenants. Typically: front yard landscaped within 6–12 months of handover, minimum lawn or turf, planting, often a tree, sometimes rules on fencing, retaining materials and verge treatments. We design to the guidelines so you pass first time.

2. Earthworks and levels

Get the builder's excess sand off the block and the levels right before anything else. Set falls away from the house. Decide where retaining is needed and whether any wall goes over 500 mm (permit and engineer).

Earthworks Mandurah — excavator and bobcat cutting levels on a sand block

3. Retaining walls

Concrete sleeper for boundaries, limestone for anything visible. Drainage behind every wall. This is also when fence posts get planned if they're going on top.

4. Services

Retic mains and valves, drainage, sleeves under paths and driveways for future pipes and cables, conduit for garden lighting. Cheap now, expensive after the concrete is down.

5. Hard surfaces

Exposed aggregate or paving for the alfresco, paths and driveway. Edging for lawns and beds. Shed pad if you're getting one.

6. Soil and lawn

Amend the sand (clay, compost, wetting agent) through the top 100 mm, then lay roll-on lawn or install artificial turf. Time natural lawn for autumn or spring if you can; otherwise we help with a watering exemption.

7. Gardens, mulch and planting

Waterwise and coastal plants on drip, 5–10 cm of coarse mulch, screening along fences, a feature tree if the covenant asks for one. Program the controller to your watering days and the winter switch-off.

8. Verge

Mandurah and Rockingham cap hardstand and synthetic turf at 50% of the verge; loose gravel isn't allowed in Mandurah; keep a mulched bed around any street tree. A waterwise native verge is cheap, compliant and never needs the sprinklers.

Related services

Price ranges are Perth–Mandurah market guides at the time of writing, not quotes. Rules summarised from Water Corporation, WA Building Regulations 2012 and council guidance — confirm with your council.