Landscaping Costs

Landscaping refers to any improvements to the grounds of a property, such as a home or a business. Improving the grounds can mean adding shrubs or flowers, cleaning up the lawn area, or even adding what is known as “hardscaping”.

There are a number of things that will affect how much you pay for landscaping. For starters, if you are doing the first landscaping on new construction, it will cost a lot more than routine maintenance or redoing some of your existing spaces. This is also something that you should leave to professionals because it involves leveling the land, planting grass, planning the landscape, and more. It’s a big task and one best left to a landscaping crew.

Your yard size or the size of the landscaping that you want to be done will also impact the price. Everyone pays a slightly different price because of their personal preferences, but the most basic way to estimate landscape jobs is to consider the labor costs involved. Materials are going to be in the budget, but they are typically minimal.

Common landscaping projects: new construction landscaping will cost $10,000 to $15,000 for a 1,200 square foot space.

Other considerations and costs

• If you are installing any appliances outside, including a gas-powered fire pit, you will need to hire contractors to run the gas lines, electrical wires, and other systems for you. This will incur an hourly rate per service.
• Make sure that you don’t need a permit for larger landscaping projects. This isn’t usually required for most jobs, but the fine is higher than the permit cost so you should find out.
• Hiring a landscape designer is a great way to create the perfect outdoor space. However, it is also going to add an additional expense to your landscaping job. Designers could charge as much as $2,000-$6,000 for plans along with hourly rates of $80-$120 per hour.

Check out our guide if you need a loan for your home improvement project.

DIY considerations

• Compare the costs of renting a truck with having larger items delivered. In many cases, it might be cheaper to pick up the mulch in your own truck if you are trying to save money.
• Make sure that you know how to dispose of old landscaping and unused materials properly. Your trash company may not take them and it may require a trip to the landfill or a compost pile.

References

• Craftsman Estimator Costbook, complete series year 2019.
• Latest prices found on Home Depot and other vendor Web sites.
• Literature review of DIY and arborist Web sites.