What should I do first in a new backyard?

Drainage and levels. Get water running away from the house and fix any pooling before you lay turf, paving or beds, because fixing drainage afterwards means tearing up finished landscaping.

Should I fence before or after landscaping?

Before. Fencing is far easier while machinery and materials can still reach the boundary, and it gives you privacy and a safe, contained yard while you work on the lawn and gardens.

What tools does a new backyard actually need?

For most suburban blocks, a mower sized to your lawn, a line trimmer for edges, a leaf blower and a pressure washer for paths cover the ongoing jobs. Buy for your yard size rather than the biggest model.

Setting Up Your Backyard

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Setting Up Your Backyard After Moving In

Your guide to setting up your backyard after moving in - building guidance for Adelaide and South Australia.

BPBuildPilot Editorial4 min readLast updated Feb 2026

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Content scope

This guide has been reviewed for South Australia (Adelaide metro + regional SA). Building licensing, warranty, stamp duty and approval rules differ in other Australian states — verify against your local authority before acting.

Handover usually leaves you with a bare, graded backyard and a long list of things it needs. Tackled in the wrong order, you end up digging up new turf to run a drain, or paving before the levels are right. Tackled in the right order, each job sets up the next. This guide walks through setting up a new Australian backyard from scratch: what to do first, what can wait, and the practical gear that makes the work manageable. Costs are 2025 and 2026 Australian pricing for common suburban blocks.

At a glance

Lawn mower (push or…

$250 to $900

Any home with a lawn

Line trimmer / whipper…

$80 to $350

Tidying edges and borders

Pressure washer

$120 to $600

Keeping paths and driveways clean

Read time

4 min

Including FAQ and supplier shortlist.

Key takeaways

Do drainage and levels first, then fencing, then lawn, then paths and storage
Lay paving on a properly compacted base so it does not sink or crack
Mulch garden beds from the start to cut weeds and summer watering
Buy maintenance gear sized to your yard, not the biggest model

Things to consider before you choose

Plain practical advice for Australian builds. No fluff.

Sort drainage and levels first

Before any turf, paving or beds go in, get the water moving away from the house. Check the fall across the yard, add surface drains or a soakwell where water pools, and confirm the builder's stormwater connections. Fixing drainage after you have landscaped means tearing up finished work.

Fencing and boundaries early

Fencing is easier before the yard is landscaped, while machinery and materials can still get through. Confirm boundaries and share the cost with neighbours under your state's dividing-fences rules. Doing it first also gives you privacy and keeps kids and pets contained while you work on the rest.

Lawn and soft landscaping

Once levels, drainage and fences are done, establish the lawn and garden beds. Prepare the soil properly, pick grass that suits your sun and shade, and group plants by water needs. Mulching beds from the start cuts weeds and watering dramatically in an Australian summer.

Paths, paving and access

Plan hard surfaces around how you actually move through the yard: bin access, the clothesline, the shed, the back door to the car. Lay paving and paths on a properly compacted base so they do not sink or crack. A clear mowing edge between lawn and beds saves hours of trimming later.

Storage and the shed

A new home quickly fills the garage, so a garden shed or outdoor storage for the mower, tools and outdoor gear is worth planning early. Put it on a level, well-drained pad and position it for easy access without dominating the yard. Lockable storage also keeps tools safe.

The gear you will actually use

A new backyard needs ongoing upkeep from day one. A reliable mower sized to your lawn, a line trimmer for edges, a leaf blower and a pressure washer for paths and the driveway cover most jobs. Buy for the area you have rather than the biggest model, and store it dry to make it last.

Types of setting up your backyard after moving in

Quick compare

	Lawn mower (push or self-propelled)	Line trimmer / whipper snipper	Pressure washer
Typical cost	$250 to $900	$80 to $350	$120 to $600
Best for	Any home with a lawn	Tidying edges and borders	Keeping paths and driveways clean

Lawn mower (push or self-propelled)

The core tool for keeping a new lawn in shape.

Typical cost: $250 to $900

Pros

• Essential weekly upkeep
• Self-propelled models ease big or sloped yards

Cons

• Needs dry storage
• Petrol models need servicing

Best for: Any home with a lawn

Line trimmer / whipper snipper

Trims edges, fence lines and spots the mower cannot reach.

Typical cost: $80 to $350

Pros

• Sharp finished edges
• Battery models are quiet and easy

Cons

• Line needs replacing
• Eye protection essential

Best for: Tidying edges and borders

View a Baumr-AG line trimmer· from $89Ad

Pressure washer

Blasts grime off paths, paving, the driveway and the fence.

Typical cost: $120 to $600

Pros

• Transforms hard surfaces fast
• Useful for cars and outdoor furniture

Cons

• Can damage soft timber if too close
• Uses water

Best for: Keeping paths and driveways clean

View a JET-USA pressure washer· from $409Ad

Garden shed

Lockable outdoor storage for tools, the mower and outdoor gear.

Typical cost: $300 to $2,500

Pros

• Frees up the garage
• Keeps gear dry and secure

Cons

• Needs a level pad
• Takes up yard space

Best for: Homes short on garage space

View a PLANTCRAFT garden shed· from $309Ad

How much does it cost in Australia?

Setting up a bare suburban backyard adds up quickly, so stage it. Fencing runs roughly $90 to $180 per metre installed depending on material, a lawn is around $14 to $25 per m2 established, garden beds with soil, plants and mulch are $40 to $120 per m2, and paving or paths land at $80 to $160 per m2 laid. A basic tool kit to maintain it, a mower, line trimmer, blower and pressure washer, is around $600 to $1,800 bought sensibly for the size of your yard, and a garden shed adds $300 to $2,500. A realistic order is drainage and levels, then fencing, then lawn and beds, then paths and a shed as budget allows, which lets you spread the spend over the first year without redoing finished work.

Common mistakes to avoid

Landscaping before fixing drainage, then digging it all up to run a drain
Paving on an uncompacted base so it sinks and cracks within a year
Planting thirsty gardens with no mulch, then fighting weeds and water bills
Buying oversized tools you do not need for a small suburban lawn
Leaving no clear mowing edge between lawn and beds, creating endless trimming

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Outdoor entertaining setup

Shade, weatherproof furniture, heating and cooling for an alfresco you use year round.

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Products we've matched for this project

If you're tackling parts of this yourself, here's the practical gear owners reach for. You buy direct from the supplier at their price.

Suggested by BuildPilot suppliers

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Tiller / Cultivator

Baumr-AG 150cc 4-Stroke Petrol Tiller Cultivator Garden Rototiller

Setting Up Your Backyard

Setting Up Your Backyard After Moving In

Things to consider before you choose

Sort drainage and levels first

Fencing and boundaries early

Lawn and soft landscaping

Paths, paving and access

Storage and the shed

The gear you will actually use

Types of setting up your backyard after moving in

Lawn mower (push or self-propelled)

Line trimmer / whipper snipper

Pressure washer

Garden shed

How much does it cost in Australia?

Common mistakes to avoid

More on outdoor & yard

Trades who work with setting up your backyard after moving in

Popular questions

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