Read the summary first
Plan the budget in three parts: the design fee, the build cost, and a contingency for items that are still unclear. The design fee alone is never the whole garden budget, and two gardens of the same size can cost very different amounts.
Plan the budget in three parts: the design fee, the build cost, and a contingency for items that are still unclear. The design fee alone is never the whole garden budget, and two gardens of the same size can cost very different amounts.
What clarity does the design fee buy?
Before ordering plants or choosing paving, the team needs to know who uses the garden, when, and what the limits are. Design turns this into a plan, a material direction, planting, and details within the agreed scope. Renderings help you decide, but they are only part of the documents needed to build.
When comparing proposals, look at the level of drawings, the number of images, the quantity list, the revision rounds and the support after the drawings are handed over. A lower price may be a different package altogether, and the same work for less is rarely what it is.
Separate budgets, seen across the whole project
| Budget share | What is it used for? | What to check in a proposal |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Develop the brief, plan, images and details | List of drawings, number of images, and revision rounds |
| Build | Materials, plants, labour, services and site management | Quantities, specs, delivery, and what is not included |
| Contingency | Items still waiting on information, or existing conditions we cannot see yet | Agree the limit and who approves it before spending |
Do not let the contingency automatically become the contractor's income. You should see the items that are genuinely needed and approve them before the work goes ahead.
Reading a total budget: an example
Say the design fee is 60,000 THB and the itemised works are 500,000 THB. The base budget is 560,000 THB before tax and excluded items. If you set aside an owner's contingency of 50,000 THB, the money to prepare is 610,000 THB, but that contingency is not a cost you pay right away.
This example shows how a budget adds up. It does not mean every garden can be done at this price. Earthworks, existing levels, access for equipment and services that need fixing all have to be checked separately.
If the budget is tighter, what should go first?
Start with what you really need, such as the path from the front door and the seating spot you will actually use. Then look at decorative items or elements that can come later. Lay out the service runs and connection points first so you do not have to dig up what you just finished.
If you build in stages, have one overall plan and a clear scope for each stage. Do not cut essentials like ground preparation or drainage just to make the quote look lower.
Checklist before accepting a quote
- Are design and management fees included yet?
- Do the specs and quantities match the picture you agreed on?
- Are travel, demolition or specialists charged separately?
- What work or deliverable is each payment tied to?
- Does extra work need price and time approval before it starts?
