New Build Landscaping in Melbourne
- 60+ five-star Google reviews
- Family-owned since 2013
- $5M public liability
- Based in Clayton South
Regal Landscaping is a family-owned team based in Clayton South. We landscape new homes, knockdown rebuilds, townhouses and dual occs across south-east Melbourne, with one crew from start to finish and Michael as your contact from the first site visit to the final clean-up.
Where Most New Builds Start
When the builder hands over the keys, the yard is usually the last thing finished. You're left with compacted clay, building rubble and offcuts, rough levels and no lawn, and the first good rain turns it all to mud.
That ground needs more than a lawn rolled over the top. Builder's fill packs down hard, so water sits on it and roots can't get through. We clear out the rubble, set the levels so water runs away from the house, and bring in good soil before anything is planted or laid.
What's underneath changes across the south-east. Sand belt suburbs like Bentleigh East, Cheltenham and Clayton South sit on sandy, fast-draining ground, while around Glen Waverley and Mount Waverley it's often heavy clay. Michael checks what you've got at the site visit, because it changes how the ground is prepared.
A new home deserves a yard that matches it. We take it from bare dirt to finished in one job, so you're not chasing a different trade for the lawn, the paths and the watering.
What a New Build Landscape Includes
Every block is different, but most new builds need some or all of these:
Site Preparation
We clear the builder's rubble, strip and level the ground, and set the fall away from the house so water drains the right way.
Irrigation
A Hunter system with a smart controller goes in before anything is planted, and we test every zone before the turf goes down.
Garden Beds and Planting
We shape the beds, bring in quality soil and choose plants for your aspect and Melbourne's weather, then finish with fresh mulch.
Turf or Artificial Grass
Sir Walter Buffalo laid on a proper soil base, then rolled and watered in the same day. Or artificial grass if you'd rather never mow.
Paths and Paving
Step pavers, pebble paths and paving that link the front door, the side gate, the bins and the clothesline.
Retaining Walls
Where the build has left a slope or a drop, a retaining wall turns it into flat, usable space.
Clean-Up and Handover
We leave the site clean and show you how to water and how to use the irrigation app before we go.
The Order We Build It In
Getting the order right is what makes a new yard last. Do it the other way round and you end up lifting new turf to fix a pipe, or patching paving that went down before the levels were set. Here's how a typical new build runs, start to finish.
Clear and Level
Builder's rubble out, the ground stripped and levelled, and the fall set so water runs away from the house.
Walls, Edges and Paths
Retaining walls, edging and paths go in first, while there's still room to get machines in.
Irrigation
Pipes, valves and zones go in next, and every zone is run and checked before anything covers it.
Soil and Planting
Garden beds get good soil, plants chosen for your aspect, and drip line before the mulch goes on.
Turf Day
Turf arrives the day it's laid. It goes down on a levelled soil base, then gets rolled and watered in straight away.
Clean-Up and Handover
We clean up, show you the watering and the irrigation app, and check in afterwards to see how the lawn is settling in.
Photos from our own jobs.
Timing It Around Your Handover
You don't have to wait for the keys to get started. The sooner we see your plans, the sooner you'll know the cost and the sooner we can book you in.
While It's Being Built
Send us your plans as soon as you have them, and we can quote early so the landscaping is in your budget before handover. It's also the cheapest time to ask your builder for a spare pipe under the driveway and paths, so irrigation can run under them later without cutting concrete.
A Few Weeks Before Handover
Book a site visit. Michael walks the block with you, checks access, levels and drainage, and sends a written quote, so you can lock in a start for once the builder's done.
Already Moved In
No problem. We'll start from wherever the builder left off, rubble and all.
Before the site visit, it helps to have these handy:
- Your landscape plan, or the site plan from your builder
- Your planning permit, if you're building townhouses or a dual occ, and any endorsed landscape plan that came with it
- Your estate's design guidelines and deadlines, if you're in a new estate
- The drainage plan, showing the stormwater pits and where water leaves the block
- Where the taps, outdoor power points and any easements are
- Who's doing the driveway, crossover and fences, and when
- A free Before You Dig Australia enquiry, which maps the pipes and cables near your block
Got a plan? Send it through.
Add a photo of each page to the quote form below, or email the PDF to quote@regallandscaping.com.au. Michael will call you back to talk it through.
Knockdown Rebuilds, Townhouses and Dual Occs
Knockdown Rebuilds
A knockdown rebuild usually leaves the whole block bare, and they're common around Bentleigh East and Glen Waverley. We plan the front and back together, work around any trees you're keeping, and set new levels so water runs away from the new house.
Townhouses, Units and Dual Occs
Most permits for two or more homes come with a landscape plan that council endorses, and it usually has to be finished before anyone moves in. We quote line by line from the endorsed plan, build it as drawn, and flag anything that won't suit the site early.
Builders and Developers
We also quote for builders and developers, straight from your drawings and itemised by stage, and plan our start around your handover dates.
We work right across Melbourne's south-east, including Bentleigh East, Cheltenham, Oakleigh, Camberwell and Kew. See all the areas we cover.
Why New Home Owners Choose Regal
Michael Checks What Others Miss
At the site visit he looks at the things that cause trouble later: access for the truck and machines, drainage, soil, water pressure and which way the land falls.
A Written Quote, Never a Guess
Michael doesn't price on the spot. You get a proper written quote, usually within a few days, listing every stage and what isn't included.
One Crew, in the Right Order
The team that prepares your site is the team that lays your lawn, so nothing gets missed between trades or dug up twice.
Local and Family-Owned
Family-owned since 2013 and based in Clayton South, with $5M public liability cover and 60+ five-star Google reviews.
What Our Clients Have To Say About Us
“Michael and his team did an excellent job installing our irrigation system, covering both our existing plants and future garden plans. They were friendly, professional, and left everything clean and tidy once the work was complete. …”
“After having our front fence and stormwater piping replaced, we needed a full front yard makeover. Michael and his team were incredibly accommodating , laying Sir Walter buffalo turf in the front yard and backyard, planting box hedges along our new fence, …”
“At the initial planning of our landscaping project, most of the other companies had unclear work descriptions, when it came to Regal Landscaping they were very clear and detailed. Michael was always ready to clarify any doubt we had. …”
60+ five-star Google reviewsRead them on Google
“We recently had Michael install Sir Walter Buffalo lawn in our front yard, and we couldn’t be happier with the result! From start to finish, he was punctual, professional, and extremely helpful. …”
New Build Landscaping FAQs
When should I book landscaping for a new build?
Ideally a few weeks before handover. We can visit, quote and plan the work so we're ready to start once the builder finishes, and you're not living with mud for months. If you're in a new estate or on a townhouse permit, check for a deadline too, because the landscaping often has to be finished by a set date.
Can you work from my landscape plan?
Yes. Send us the plan from your builder, designer or council permit and we'll quote from it, stage by stage. If something on the plan won't suit the site, we'll explain why and suggest an alternative. On an endorsed plan, changes usually need council's OK first, so we raise them early.
We don't have a landscape plan. Can you help?
Yes. Michael will walk the site with you, talk through how you want to use the space, and suggest a layout, plants and materials to suit your home and budget.
Do you remove the builder's rubble?
Yes. Clearing rubble and leftover building waste is part of our site preparation, before we level the ground and bring in fresh soil.
Do I really need irrigation?
For a new lawn and garden beds, we recommend it. New turf and plants need regular water while they establish, and a Hunter system with a smart controller looks after it for you. It's also much easier to put in before the lawn goes down. Under Melbourne's permanent water saving rules, automatic systems on mains water can run between 6pm and 10am.
Real turf or artificial grass for a new build?
Real turf, usually Sir Walter Buffalo, stays cooler underfoot and looks great, but it needs a good water every day for the first two to three weeks while it roots in. Artificial grass needs no watering or mowing, but it gets hot in full summer sun, and most south-east councils don't allow it on nature strips. Some estates don't allow it out the front either, so check your guidelines.
Can we do the front now and the back later?
Yes, lots of new home owners stage it. We'd usually suggest doing the levels, drainage and any pipes that need to run under paths first, so the next stage doesn't mean digging up the last one. We can quote both stages together so you know the full picture.
Do I need a council permit?
Usually not for lawns, garden beds and paths. You generally do for a retaining wall 1 m or taller, a new or changed driveway crossover, and some nature strip work, depending on your council. On a townhouse or dual occ permit, the endorsed landscape plan has to be followed. We'll flag anything that needs a permit at the site visit.
How long does a new build landscape take?
It depends on the size of the block and what's included, and most of the time goes into the preparation. We'll tell you how many days your job needs when we quote, and keep you updated as each stage is finished.
Get a free quote
Tell us where your build is at and what you'd like done. Got a plan? Add a photo of each page below, or email us the PDF. Michael will call you back to book a site visit.