Hardscape elements include gazebo, patio, pergola, pathways, walkways, or water features, which increase the aesthetics and usage of your home landscape.
But, How much does hardscaping cost? This question comes to mind when you start planning your landscape.
This article will help you plan how to design your outdoor living space by adding hard elements and keeping things in your budget.
5 Factors That Impact Hardscaping Cost
It’s not just about investing in a patio or a walkway; several factors let you think about how much hardscaping costs.
i. Material Selection
The material you choose for the hard features impacts hardscaping costs. Whether it’s about renovation or starting from scratch, materials like concrete, pavers, natural stone, or brick come with high pricing but offer long-term durability.
ii. Set Your Purpose
When you decide to add hardscaping to your yard, it’s important to define your purpose for how you want to see your space. It helps you strategically plan which hard features should be added to create an inviting outdoor living space.
iii. Site Preparation
From adding a patio to water features, every feature should require significant reshaping of the landscape to avoid hurdles during construction or installation. It increases the cost of hardscaping due to the expenses of machinery usage, labor, and waste handling.
iv. Labor Costs
A beautiful hardscape shows the efforts and hard work of skilled laborers. But the hardscape pricing is significantly impacted by the professional installation, especially if the features are customized.
v. Consider Maintenance
How much does hardscaping cost? It’s a question that arises when you start aligning the features you want to add to your landscape. But it’s important to consider the long-term maintenance costs of these features too.

How Much Does Hardscaping Cost? Let’s Discuss Costing
Here is a detailed overview of the cost of hardscape based on hard elements:
Patios And Decks
- Average Cost of Patio: AED100-AED1000 per sqm
- Average Cost of Deck: AED300-AED750 per sqm
Patios and decks are seating features that give opportunities to spend quality time in your outdoor living space. These hardscape features impact the overall cost of hardscaping, especially the hardscape patio cost can be increased if designed with natural stone or premium paver and a deck with high-quality composite and aluminium.
Walkways And Pathways
- Average Cost of Walkways: AED100 per sqm-AED 250 per sqm
- Average Cost of Pathways: AED150 per sqm-AED300 per sqm
Walkways are wider paths made of durable materials like pavers or concrete for heavy foot traffic. On the other hand, pathways are narrower ways that create a soft appearance with natural materials like bricks and flagstones. These features impact hardscaping costs due to several factors, like the usage of materials, width, size, and design complexity.
Retaining Walls And Fences
- Average Cost of Retaining Walls: AED100 per sqm
- Average Cost of Fences: AED 100-AED350 per sqm
Retaining walls and fences are hardscape elements that increase the aesthetic value of a landscape while setting the boundaries. Retaining walls help to prevent soil runoff or erosion, and costs vary according to their height and length. On the other hand, fences provides structure, privacy, and costs depend on total length, chosen material, and additional features.
Pergola And Gazebos
- Average Cost of Pergola: AED3000-AED7000
- Average Cost of Gazebo: AED1000-AED22000
These two architectural hardscape elements bring a luxurious appeal to your landscape. A pergola is an open-roof structure that provides partial shading, while a gazebo is a free-standing structure that gives full roof coverage. Both impact the hardscape pricing varies according different materials, design complexity, and construction efforts.
Pool And Water Features
- Average cost of Swimming Pool: AED60000-AED80000
- Average Cost of Water Features: AED3000-AED15000
From small fountains and bubblers to large-scale swimming pools, every water feature adds value to your yard and increases the costs of hardscaping. These features not only add aesthetics but also increase the functionality of your backyard. There cost of a pool can be fluctuate according to its size and features, while the costs of water features depend on which one you choose.
Wrapping Up!
Want to make your backyard appealing with hardscape? Then it’s a great idea as it provides more functionality.
But before moving forward, you should consider the costing of hardscaping and plan your budget accordingly. Because it would help you choose the right elements while staying in your budget.
For all of this, must consult professional landscaping company in Dubai like Kahoot (KLG) because you can focus on keeping things in your budget with their hardscaping services.
FAQs
How much to hardscape a backyard?
Hardscaping in Dubai usually costs approximately AED 150–400 per square meter, and this range can fluctuate due to factors like materials, sizes, length, and complex design.
Which element can be expensive in hardscaping?
Water features, pergolas, and gazebos are some expensive elements that might increase the hardscape pricing.
Does excessive hardscaping increase the aesthetics of the yard?
Too much hardscaping can reduce the aesthetics of your yard and create a harsh, uninviting look.
How long does hardscaping take?
Hardscaping timeline varies according to the project size and complexity, usually ranging from a few days to several weeks.
What are the benefits of estimating hardscape pricing?
It ensures accurate budgeting, prevents unexpected expenses, helps in the selection of materials, and ensures clear communication with the contractor.