UK garden reality check
Two gardens with the same lawn size can behave very differently. Clay-heavy lawns (common in areas like Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire) are more prone to wheelspin and turf marking in wet spells. Free‑draining soils seen in parts of Surrey and Kent can be more forgiving. If you’re unsure, an installer can confirm what matters in your specific garden.
The straight answer
Robot mower installation cost in the UK varies mainly by garden complexity and the time needed to design, fit and tune the system — not just by lawn size.
A simple, open lawn can be fitted quickly. Add steep sections, multiple zones, narrow passages, awkward edging, or signal planning for wire‑free systems, and installation becomes more like a small ‘garden project’.
Treat online price ranges as guidance only. The best way to budget is to get a garden‑specific quote that spells out what’s included.
Want a realistic price for your garden?
Online prices are only a guide. Installation time and layout complexity change everything.
Get a personalised quoteFree • No obligation
What a good installation includes (and what it shouldn’t skip)
Good installation isn’t ‘just laying cable’. You’re paying for planning, correct boundary offsets, safe charging station placement, routing around obstacles, setting up zones, and testing until the mower behaves reliably.
A professional handover should include app setup, schedule tuning, theft protection settings, and advice for the first month while the lawn adjusts to frequent cutting.
Red flag: anyone quoting confidently without asking about slopes, zones, tree cover, and where power is available.
The cost drivers that surprise homeowners
These are the factors that most often add hours to an install:
• Multiple zones (front/back lawns) and awkward connections between them.
• Lots of edges and islands (flowerbeds, trees, ponds) that need careful clearance.
• Steep slopes where boundary placement has to be conservative to avoid sliding and scalp marks.
• Poor lawn condition: dips, ruts, molehills, muddy corners.
• Long distance from power supply to a sensible charging station location.
Boundary wire installs: what changes the price
For wired systems, price is linked to cable length and how fiddly the route is. A clean perimeter is quick. Lots of islands and tight corners take longer and need careful spacing.
Installers typically test the loop signal, bury or peg the cable, and verify the mower returns to charge reliably from different parts of the lawn.
If you have future landscaping planned, tell the installer. Moving borders later can mean re‑routing cable.
Wire‑free installs: what you pay for instead
Wire‑free doesn’t mean ‘no installation’. You’re swapping cable work for signal planning, mapping, and calibration. Base station/antenna location matters, as does line of sight to the sky and avoiding weak‑coverage corners.
In tree‑heavy gardens or tight urban plots, the installer’s job is to confirm feasibility and set realistic expectations. Sometimes the right recommendation is: choose wired for reliability.
Expect a good installer to do a proper walk‑through and explain where the system may struggle before you spend money.
Add‑ons and extras you should expect to discuss
Not every garden needs extras, but these come up often: extra zones, additional stay‑out areas around ponds, extra boundary work around delicate planting, minor lawn prep, and theft‑prevention anchoring for the charging station.
Some installers also offer aftercare (seasonal checks, blade replacement, winter storage). These aren’t mandatory, but they can be useful if you want ‘hands‑off’ ownership.
How to compare quotes without getting misled
Use the same questions for every quote so you can compare like‑for‑like:
1) What’s included in the install price (planning, testing, tuning, handover)?
2) How do you handle narrow passages and tight edges?
3) What happens if it gets stuck regularly in the first two weeks?
4) What warranty/support applies to the installation work?
5) Are there extra charges for additional wire, zones, or mapping time?
Ask for the answers in writing. If it’s vague now, it will be vague later.
DIY vs professional: when DIY is a false economy
DIY can work if your lawn is simple, flat and you’re comfortable testing boundary offsets. But if you have multiple zones, steep sections, or you’re choosing wire‑free and you’re not confident about signal feasibility, professional installation often ends up cheaper than repeated fixes and frustration.
If you do DIY, plan time for the first week. The ‘learning’ period is normal: you’ll adjust boundaries, tweak schedules, and find the one corner that needs a small change.
Budgeting examples: three common UK garden types
Simple: single lawn, clear perimeter, easy power. Install work is mainly boundary routing and basic tuning.
Typical: borders, mild slope, a narrow passage, one or two obstacles. Install needs more testing and zone planning.
Complex: multiple zones, steep areas, lots of islands, heavy canopy, awkward edges. Install becomes a design task: signal feasibility, safe routes, and clear stay‑out zones matter.
Complexity drives time — and time drives cost.
What to watch for in ‘too cheap’ quotes
A cheap quote isn’t automatically bad — but it often means something is missing. The most common omissions are: proper testing, edge tuning, follow-up support, and clear documentation of what’s included.
If the quote is far lower than others, ask what they’re not doing. Are they skipping islands/stay‑out zones? Are they pegging wire on the surface with no protection? Are they excluding app setup and schedule tuning?
A good operator will explain the trade-offs. A bad one will just say, ‘It’ll be fine.’ In robot mower installs, ‘fine’ usually means future call‑outs.
What information to provide to get accurate quotes (without a site visit)
If you want useful quotes remotely, provide three things: (1) a rough lawn area in m², (2) 6–10 photos of the lawn edges, slopes, and narrow passages, and (3) your biggest concern (edges, slope reliability, wet ground, multiple zones).
Include where power is available and whether you have any ‘no-go’ areas like ponds, steps, or newly planted borders.
This allows installers to quote like adults: with assumptions stated, and with a clear list of what might change after a site survey.
Next step: get a garden‑specific quote
If you want a realistic number, get quotes based on your exact layout. Share your rough lawn size, whether you have slopes, and whether you’re considering wire‑free.
The best quotes explain what’s included and why. Cheap installs that skip planning often cost more in the long run.
Most common installation issues in UK gardens
- Wheelspin on damp clay (especially where the mower turns tightly on slopes or soft patches).
- Docking failures caused by a charging station placed on a slope, in a tight corner, or on ground that turns muddy.
- Boundary problems after landscaping (wire cuts, loose joins, or boundaries set too tight to edges).
- Narrow passages where the mower wastes time turning or repeatedly “chooses” the same route.
- Unrealistic edge expectations in raised-border gardens (many still need occasional trimming).
What installers assess on a site visit
A good installer will measure the steepest slope, check drainage and soil softness, identify choke points (narrow passages, tight corners), and confirm the safest charging station location. If you’re comparing installers, use the dealer directory and ask each one to explain their plan for your trickiest area in plain English.
Manufacturer and model reality (neutral)
Different manufacturers optimise for different constraints (traction, navigation, boundary behaviour). For example, some models from Husqvarna are well known for handling more demanding gardens — but suitability still comes down to your layout, soil, and installation quality.
Fast decision shortcut
If you want to avoid a mis-buy, get a feasibility check and quotes for your garden first. Use RobotMowerQuotes to request up to 3 installer quotes and compare the reasoning, not just the number.
FAQ
Can an installer quote accurately without visiting?
They can give a rough range if you provide photos and basics (m², slopes, zones). For complex gardens, a site visit is often needed to confirm feasibility and what’s included.
What should be included in ‘installation’?
At minimum: planning, boundary/virtual setup, charging station placement, testing docking, tuning edges/zones, app setup, and a handover that shows you how to run and adjust the system.
Is wire‑free always more expensive to install?
Not always. It can reduce cable work, but it may increase time spent on signal planning and mapping. Your garden conditions determine which is quicker.
Do I need Wi‑Fi for a robot mower?
Not necessarily. Many use Bluetooth for setup and work independently day-to-day. Some features (app control, alerts, updates) may work better with Wi‑Fi or mobile coverage, depending on model.
Will it replace edging completely?
Usually not. Many gardens still need occasional edge trimming, especially with raised borders, brick edging, or narrow strips the mower can’t reach safely.
Is professional installation worth it?
If you have slopes, multiple zones, narrow passages, or you want wire-free, professional installation usually reduces call-outs and improves reliability.
Does installation cost include the mower?
Sometimes, but often installation is priced separately from the mower. Always confirm whether the quote includes hardware, installation labour, and setup/tuning.
Is burying the boundary wire always included?
Not always. Some installs peg wire to the surface initially. Burying can be included or optional depending on soil, timing, and preference.
What’s a reasonable support period after install?
It varies, but some follow-up support for early tuning is a sign of a professional approach—especially for complex gardens.
Related guides
Reality check: design for your worst week
A practical way to sanity-check a robot mower plan is to think about your worst week, not your best. If your lawn gets soggy after a few days of rain, or you have a narrow choke point that’s hard even for a push mower, that’s where a robot will struggle unless the installation is designed around it. In the UK, the ‘boring’ details—drainage, edging, and where the mower turns—often matter more than headline features.
A practical way to sanity-check a robot mower plan is to think about your worst week, not your best. If your lawn gets soggy after a few days of rain, or you have a narrow choke point that’s hard even for a push mower, that’s where a robot will struggle unless the installation is designed around it. In the UK, the ‘boring’ details—drainage, edging, and where the mower turns—often matter more than headline features.
Ready to see what would work in your garden?
Share a few details and we’ll match you with up to 3 installers who can recommend the right setup and provide quotes.
Get my 3 quotesFree • No obligation • UK-wide coverage
Sources & further reading
- RobotMowerQuotes: robot mower installation UK guide
- TheRobotMower.co.uk: installation overview
- Husqvarna: wire‑free installation concepts (NERA)
Note: Specs vary by model and conditions. Confirm suitability on-site before purchase.
