One Square Rate Ltd is a Christchurch landscaping company based at 772 Shands Road in Prebbleton, specialising in hydroseeding, landscape design and construction. Over 16 years in business the team has grown to 36 hard-working people and has sprayed 493,544 square metres of hydroseed — nearly half a million square metres of new lawn — making them one of the leading hydroseeders in Christchurch and a service provider many other landscapers rely on.
Their fully qualified landscape architects prepare landscape and planting plans for new and existing homes, while experienced construction crews build decks, paved courtyards, pergolas, fences, stepping stone paths, raised planters and more. Lawns and planting services give new gardens the best possible start, and commercial soft landscaping — including commercial quantities of hydroseeding — is offered alongside the residential work.
Accredited Site Safe New Zealand SiteWise Gold and an accredited member of Registered Master Landscapers New Zealand, One Square Rate works from free, itemised quotes, guarantees its hydroseeding results, and is happy to build other designers' plans or leave parts of a project for owners to tackle themselves.
One Square Rate is a Christchurch landscaping company with a simple motto: making every metre count. Working from 772 Shands Road in Prebbleton, the team designs and constructs outdoor spaces that add value to local properties and lifestyles — from a fresh lawn sprayed onto a bare new section to a full landscape plan, deck and planting scheme that turn a house into a home.
The numbers behind the business tell their own story. Sixteen years in the trade, 36 hard-working team members, and 493,544 square metres of hydroseed sprayed so far — nearly half a million square metres of new lawn. That volume has made One Square Rate one of the leading hydroseeders in Christchurch, and a crew that many other landscapers call on for their own clients' lawns.
Hydroseeding is the heart of the company. Grass seed, water, paper or wood mulch and fertiliser are mixed into a slurry and sprayed over a prepared lawn area with high-quality equipment. Because the mix retains moisture in the soil, seed germinates faster and more evenly, and it keeps dust to a minimum while the lawn establishes.
Cost is a big part of the appeal: hydroseeding is 60-75% cheaper than roll-out lawn. Instant turf still suits anyone who needs grass in a hurry, but for those with a little time flexibility, spray-on lawn is the value option. In the right conditions, hydroseeded lawns begin germinating in as little as 5-7 days, most grass types fill out in 3-4 weeks, and strong development shows within about 8 weeks.
The company backs the service completely: hydroseeding results are guaranteed, provided the area is properly cared for and is not affected by extreme acts of nature such as torrential rain, hail or snow.
Design is the other pillar. One Square Rate's fully qualified landscape architects prepare landscape and planting plans for new and existing homes alike. Getting a landscaper involved early in a build is the smart move — it lets planning happen around other trades, helps budgets form early, and matters in subdivisions where developers often require a landscape plan to be submitted and approved before construction starts. Because every section and brief is different, plan costs are confirmed after an initial conversation and a look at the building plans.
Construction turns those drawings into gardens. The experienced crew builds almost anything an outdoor space calls for: decks, paved courtyards, pergolas, fences, stepping stone paths, raised planters and more. Lawns and planting complete the picture, giving a new landscape its best start with garden planting plus roll-out lawn or hydroseed. Commercial work is in the mix too, with the team happy to price commercial soft landscaping, including hydroseeding in commercial quantities.
What customers return to, again and again, is the convenience and the honesty. "I liked how you can provide the whole package as I was keen to only get one contractor in," wrote Peter, praising the design and the quality of work and materials. Allie valued the team's "professionalism, and honesty regarding what was achievable," which made returning an easy decision. Amy shopped her hydroseeding quotes around and found these guys "very reasonable," with grass coming up "great and very even." Mary said the finished garden finally let her sit outside with privacy, and that she was "treated as family from quoting through to completion."
The way of working is refreshingly flexible. Quotes are free and itemised, so if you'd rather roll up your sleeves and take on parts of the project yourself, you're welcome to — though the team recommends thinking carefully about access and timing when staging a job. They are happy to build plans from other landscape design companies, too. And if a low-maintenance garden is the goal, they'll say plainly that no garden is zero maintenance, then show you plenty of ways to reduce the workload.
Timing is flexible as well: landscaping can be carried out at any time of year. In summer a good water supply matters, especially for a new lawn; in winter, things can simply take a little longer depending on the weather.
Whether it's a few hundred square metres of spray-on grass or a complete outdoor transformation, One Square Rate brings qualified design, in-house construction and a proven lawn service under one roof — all backed by a grow guarantee and a reputation built one metre at a time.