HOW MUCH DOES LANDSCAPING COST?

Landscaping encompasses a wide range of services, and each one can vary greatly. Materials can have a wide range in cost, and the cost of the installation may vary depending on the expertise of the crew installing the landscape. Expect to pay at least $2,000 for a basic landscape installation, and $30,000+ for extensive landscaping with large specimens.

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HOW MUCH DOES LANDSCAPING COST?

This depends a lot on the designer; it can be as little as free and as much as $10,000! Many nurseries will offer a landscape design for free or low cost if you purchase the plants from them. However, they may not know the long term performance and growth habits of the plants they sell; a landscaper who offers landscape maintenance services should have better knowledge of how a given plant will perform in your area.

Some designers will charge $1,000+ for a design. Variables include the lot size, how many existing structures, walkways, or driveways need to be added. If stormwater management or hardscape components are included, designing these features will generally increase cost. Some designers will refund part or all of the design fee if they are hired to also construct the project.

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Most of our designs range from $200-1,000. It depends on the complexity and whether we are being hired to construct the project, or only to design it.

What does landscaping materials cost?

Materials are certainly a huge variable… They can be as little as $20 for a box of bulbs, or $1,000+ for a large specimen tree! Purchasing a tree that is a small sapling in a pot is definitely less expensive than a balled & bur-lapped tree with a 5” caliper trunk and is already 15-20’ tall.

Certain shrubs are slow growing, and are more desirable since they require less maintenance. However, because they do grow slowly, expect to pay more for a large specimen. Potted plants may be listed by pot size; in general, 3 gallon pots are a standard trade size and these plants typically cost $20-40 each.

How much does landscaping the front of my home cost?

For a basic, 1 story rancher with small foundation beds, a typical cost might be $1,000-3,000. For a larger home, expect to pay a bit more. A large home requires bigger beds to remain in scale.

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How much should I allow in my budget to landscape my new home?

It’s a good idea to understand what “landscaping” will include for your home. For an average new home with plantings around the entire house, expect to pay $4,000-8,000. If it’s a new home, certainly the lawn will need to be seeded or sodded.

This is often something the builder will include in the cost of building the home; however, they often don’t include extensive landscaping. It’s always a good idea to verify with your new home builder whether landscaping, lighting, or lawn seeding is included.

Many homeowners will also add “islands”, or landscaped areas that are surrounded by turf. These islands may serve various purposes. Certainly they add beauty! They can add additional habitat for wildlife, even in urban environments. They may also be strategically placed to block certain undesirable views, mask road noise, or provide privacy for a back yard.

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How much does a tree cost?

This depends on the type and size of the tree, and whether it is being installed as part of other landscaping. For example, if a tree costs $125, it will likely cost $300 or more after labor, soil amendments, staking, and mulching are included. If planting just one tree in established lawn, it is certainly less efficient than planting multiple trees in a rough graded lot!

A potted tree may have a 1” caliper trunk and be 6-8’ tall; these trees are much less expensive than a balled & burlapped tree that is 4-5” caliper and weighs over 1,000 pounds! Including installation, expect to pay $700-1,000 for large specimen trees. A warranty may or may not be included, and it’s always wise to verify with your landscaper!

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Did you know that Willow Gates Landscaping includes a two year warranty on ALL their installations? Occasionally a client will request that we omit it, but most clients appreciate the peace of mind knowing that their investment in a new landscape is guaranteed to thrive.

How much does landscaping cost per square foot?

Requesting a square foot estimate for landscaping isn’t a great idea. How would you know what is included? Certainly seeding a new lawn is less expensive than installing sod; likewise, installing sod is a fraction of the cost of hardscaping such as walkways or patios.

The most accurate way to determine the cost of your project is to have a designer visit your home and determine what features you would like to include.

We strongly believe that square foot pricing is bad for our industry, both for the landscape contractor and for the consumer. It is much too easy for a contractor to overlook some of his cost variables, or for the client to misunderstand what is actually included in the square foot price. A design and detailed proposal leaves the client with no doubt about what is being included.

How much does a water feature cost?

There is a wide range of water features available, from a simple bubbling rock, to a waterfall spilling into a pool, to a pond suitable for fish habitat or even for swimming! Expect to pay at least $2,000 for a small water feature, and $30,000 or more for large complex projects.

how much does landscaping cost with a water feature

How much does landscape lighting cost?

Landscape lighting serves various purposes, including security and aesthetics. While a basic lighting package will usually cost $1,500, expect to pay more if planning to do uplighting, multiple zones, or remote control capabilities.

A basic lighting package will include a transformer, some means of controlling the hours of operation (typically a timer, photocell, or combination of the two), and path lighting. This will ensure guests will feel welcomed to your home, and will not trip in the dark!

Many homes benefit from additional lighting. Uplighting is done with spotlights or well lights; well lights are perfect for grazing the wall of your home. Use uplighting to highlight stone walls, corners, columns, or other architectural details. If you wish to light the entire front of your home, a wide angle spotlight will provide more even illumination than a well light.

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Downlighting may also be used to light a walkway. Downlights may be placed on porch posts or mounted on the columns of a pergola or pavilion. Downlights can also be placed in a tree canopy to provide an effect called moonlighting; it provides illumination but resembles soft moonlight rather than direct lighting.

Adding uplighting on trees allows you to enjoy your landscape long after dark. Some trees cast interesting shadows with their twisting branches. A variegated shrub seems to glow after dark with their white leaves! Trees with dark foliage, such as a red Japanese maple, add some color when lit at night.

How much does landscape maintenance cost?

This will depend on many variables. Landscape maintenance can cost as little as <$1,000 for a basic front flowerbed, or more than $10,000 for a large estate with extensive plantings. For example, a young landscape will require minimal to no trimming.

The beds are relatively empty, and while these beds will require more mulch it can be placed and spread smoothly very easily. A mature landscape will require much more trimming, and while the beds may not require as much mulch, it does take more time to spread it!

Trimming costs will vary by technique as well. If only shearing is done, this doesn’t require as much time as hand pruning. Certain shrubs should never be sheared, such as Japanese maples. Many broadleaf evergreens also benefit from hand pruning.

how much does landscaping cost with maintenance

We always do thinning cuts after shearing a shrub for size and shape. Thinning cuts increase air circulation, reduce disease, and maintain the size much longer. They also improve aesthetics by removing thick, knotty branches.

What is included with landscape maintenance? Typically shrubs are trimmed and perennials are cut back as needed. Beds are edged and remulched. We also include pre-emergent herbicides to reduce weeds, and fertilize as needed with organics.

What does it cost to include hardscaping?

Hardscaping refers to installing walkways, patios, or other “hard” materials. Cost varies depending on the design and materials used. Expect to pay at least $4,000 for any hardscaping project; complex projects that include poolside patios, fire features, structures such as pergolas and pavilions, or special paver patterns may cost over $100,000.

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What does it cost to landscape around a pool?

Landscaping around a pool requires some special considerations. Certain types of flowers tend to blow in the wind, and may clog pool filtration systems. Evergreens with short needles may also do this. Some flowering plants are known to attract a lot of pollinators; these should be avoided to reduce the possibility of being stung while enjoying your pool.

You may opt to use gravel mulch for some areas rather than an organic material like bark mulch. Gravel mulch won’t blow into the pool, but it is much more expensive! While a quality bark mulch may cost $30-40 per yard, decorative gravel may cost $80-300 per yard depending on the source.

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Remember, though, that it will not need to be replaced each year as bark mulch does, so will reduce maintenance costs. Expect to pay $2,000-10,000 for typical pool landscaping.

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