Last updated on March 31st, 2022
Living wall cost guide
A living wall is a fantastic way to bring the outside in, and enjoy greenery inside your home or workplace whatever the weather. Living walls are a hot interior design trend right now, and can really enhance the style and beauty of a contemporary home. You can also have living walls outdoors. Here, we’ll look at how much a living wall costs in the UK on average, so you can start planning your project.
A living wall is a fantastic way to bring the outside in, and enjoy greenery inside your home or workplace whatever the weather. Living walls are a hot interior design trend right now, and can really enhance the style and beauty of a contemporary home.
The plants in a living wall are also good for air quality, and you can even grow edible plants such as herbs.
You can also have living walls outdoors. They offer a whole heap of benefits, for your neighbours as well as your family and your home. For example, living walls can help to improve biodiversity in urban areas and provide a beautiful focal point for the exterior of the building. And at the same time, they can even insulate your home.
Here, we’ll look at how much a living wall costs in the UK on average, so you can start planning your project.
How much do living walls cost?
| Cost provided item | Low cost | High cost | Average cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plants (per m2) | £75 | £112 | £93 |
| Planter/trough system | £200 | £9,375 | £4,787 |
| Irrigation system | £175 | £380 | £277 |
| Outdoor living wall - total cost for 5m x 5m | £12,880 | £19,487 | £16,183 |
Our costs are ballpark averages – get a local tradesperson to quote now
The cost of a living wall depends on whether you’re planning an indoor or outdoor installation. Whichever you choose, you’ll need to think about how you’ll keep the plants properly watered. You can do this through an irrigation system, or for indoor walls – water the plants yourself. The size and specification of the living wall will also affect the price, as will the plants you choose.
But how much does a living wall cost in the UK on average? You could be looking at around £93 for plants and anywhere between £200 and £9,375 for a planter system. An irrigation system will set you back around £277.
DIY living wall cost
If you want to, you can pay a professional horticulturist or specialist company to design and install a green wall system for you. But for small-scale projects, you can potentially do it yourself.
You can buy planter troughs for just £200, and plant prices start at around £75 per square metre.
Outdoor living walls cost
An outdoor green wall is likely to require a little more planning than an interior one. It may also need specialist equipment, such as an irrigation system. You’ll need to think carefully about the best plants to choose and how to keep maintenance costs to a minimum.
On average, a 5m x 5m outdoor living wall costs just over £16,000 in total. This includes the cost of plants, system, soil and an irrigation system, plus one year of maintenance.
FAQs
Do I need planning permission for a living wall?
Whether you need planning permission for your living wall depends on the specifics of your site. You’re unlikely to need any permissions for indoor living walls.
For outdoor living walls, it’s recommended to check with your local planning authority whether or not you need planning consent. You may actually find that your local authority is very supportive of the idea. In some areas, green walls are actually specified as a planning condition.
What maintenance does a living wall need?
Indoor living walls should only need basic watering and maintenance, depending on the complexity of the system.
The list of maintenance jobs for outdoor living walls is reasonably long. It should include regular inspections to make sure the irrigation system is distributing water correctly, plus visual checks for signs of disease or pests on your plants. You’ll also need to prune your plants and replace old or failed plants when necessary.
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