How Much To Landscape Backyard

Solutions And Ideas For Any Budget

While major projects involving a lot of hardscaping or in-ground pool installation may be more costly, there are a lot of landscaping projects that can be completed within just about any budget. The key is getting expert guidance from planning through execution. For many people, that expert guidance comes in the form of a professional landscaper hired to undertake the entire job.

Think about it: designing and installing landscape projects is all these contractors do. That means they can do the job right the first time, and they know all the tips and tricks that will help you get the look you want while also saving money.

They also know which plants will work in specific areas of your yard based on light and water requirements and can steer you away from plants that have picky maintenance demands.

The other option, of course, is to do it yourself. While that’s a tempting option for many homeowners, the amount of time required to plan and then implement a landscaping project can be daunting, especially if you’re doing it on weekends.

Even if you devote your vacation to your project , the time required can still be exorbitant.

The other risk for do-it-yourselfers: Doing the job wrong and having to start all over again from scratch. Not only does that waste potentially hundreds of hours of your time, but it can also waste hundreds or thousands of dollars of your hard-earned money.

Can You Landscape Around A Pool

Aside from fencing, there are more creative and natural ways to create a private swimming pool environment, as well. You could plant boxwood shrubs around your pool or set up a trellis with vines growing through it. If you live in a tropical climate, you can grow a grove of palm trees around your property.

How Much Are Garden Landscaping Costs

The cost to landscape a garden will vary, depending on what you want to achieve from the space. Experienced landscapers typically charge about £150 to £200 per day, according to the experts at MyJobQuote . If you have a firm budget in place and know exactly what you want, you can tailor the garden to suit spending limitations.

Your budget will determine what you can achieve in your garden here’s an overview on what you can create with the finances you have available.

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Consider How Your Site Will Add To Landscaping Costs

Backyard landscaping costs will be higher if your space is difficult to access, needs extensive clearing or has awkwardly sited drains. Sloping garden ideas can also be more expensive to landscape.

Additionally, city dwellers are likely to pay a premium that those outside of urban areas can largely avoid.

What Does Landscaping Cost

Impossible to say, right? There are so many variables and each landscape project is unique. Ross NW Watergardens has done landscape renovations that were just a couple thousand dollars and residential landscapes that were over $900,000. I can pretty much guarantee that your project falls somewhere between those two extremes…

But I can do better than that.

In this post I will try to give an overview of a typical landscape renovation with some ballpark prices. Further down is pricing specific to Portland, OR.

This patio and retaining wall was around $8000.00

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How Much Does Backyard Landscaping Cost

Landscaping cost is usually the first thing that comes to the mind of many homeowners when thinking about remodeling their yards. With the summer season approaching, this is when many of us spend a lot of our time outdoors and start working on many of our yard projects that were put on hold during the winter time.

Landscaping prices start at $300 to $800 for small projects, with most homeowners spending an average of $3,000 to $15,000 for more complex projects like new lawn. This is with the highest cost usually averaging to $20,000.

Depending on the kind of project, you have in mind youll notice your average cost will vary. Continue reading below as we go into detail about the average cost for landscaping according to specific projects.

• The Bottom Line

Pricing Guide: How Much Does Landscaping Cost

Depending on the size and scope of your landscaping project, you can expect to spend between $4,000 and $20,317 for a professionally designed and installed landscape. The national average cost of landscaping across large and small projects is about $12,825.

Landscaping is a huge umbrella term that covers many services you may need for outside your home, including installing new features.

New installations arent the only element of landscaping. You can also hire a pro to maintain your existing landscape for about $133 to $370 per month, for a national average of $252 per month. That cost fluctuates based on the size and complexity of your yard and the specific services you need, such as lawn mowing, garden care, and bush trimming.

As a standard rule of thumb, you should spend about 10% the value of your home on landscaping. So, if you live in a $250,000 house, a reasonable landscaping budget for you would be around $25,000 .

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What Does Lawn Mowing Cost

In the Portland metro area most people have small lawns, between 1000 and 2000 square feet. What should you expect to pay to have your lawn mowed and edged? There are guys that will come when you want for around $25 per visit. Notice, I said “guys”- not landscapers. Most at this price point are really just guys with lawn mowers. They are not a licensed business, may or may not pay taxes , and are probably not insured. Some of them will become legitimate businesses, and I don’t look down on these guys. If you need a mow as cheaply as possible, this is where you go.

If you want to hire a landscaping professional, you will usually pay more. Many have a minimum for stopping the truck and unloading their commercial lawnmowers. This is usually $35 to $45 a visit.

Cost Of Landscaping Front Yard

Landscaping a front yard costs $1,500 to $5,000 on average. Theyre both much smaller than your backyard and dont usually have large structures like patios or kitchens. At most, youre looking at a basic job of sod, trees, bushes, and plants. However, if you need to reslope and add any hardscaping, like walkways, you might push that number to $10,000 or a little more.

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Landscaping Prices By Location

Your landscaping cost will vary according to location, this means it will vary depnding on whether youll be working on your front yard, backyard, or garden. Since these vary in size, youll find that the lower cost will be for your front yard.

The average cost of landscaping a front yard tends to be between $4,000 to $6,000. Front yards are usualy smaller than backyards and do not include as many features like these. On the other hand, the average cost of landscaping your backyard is between ,000 to ,000 and this is usually the area homeowners improve the most.

Common Landscape Maintenance Services

After installation, your landscape needs regular attention to stay well-manicured. While some homeowners might enjoy yard work, others will hire landscapers and lawn care services to handle maintenance of the lawn and other features.

These are some of the services that typical homes require on a regular basis. The prices used here represent the cost of a one-time job. Signing up for a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly plan can result in savings per visit.

Mowing the grass is one of the most essential tasks to keep a yard neat and tidy. Its also one of the most common services that lawn care services offer.

How much you pay for a lawn care pro or crew to mow your lawn will depend on the size of your yard and how difficult your grass is to cut.

Depending on your specific contractor, you may pay per work hour, per square foot, or a flat rate. Whichever pricing method you use, the overall cost to have your lawn mowed should be about $29 to $65.

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Average Cost Of Landscaping Maintenance

Of course, average landscaping costs do not end once the installation is complete. Landscaping requires maintenance, the costs of which well look at now.

As we did with the installation costs, lets analyze each item more closely on their own.

Professional Lawn Care

Many people prefer leaving landscaping maintenance to the professionals, which in the case of lawns costs between $25 and $50 per visit, on average. During these visits, professionals will trim the grass as needed and tend to any issues they identify.

Tree and Hedge Trimming

When it comes to the average cost of landscaping maintenance, tree and hedge trimming can push the figures higher. This service typically costs $250 to $500 per tree depending on its size and the amount of trimming required. Typically, you dont need to have your trees or hedges trimmed very often a few times per year will suffice.

In between these sporadic appointments, you should be able to maintain the trees and hedges on your own.

Mulching

Mulching, as mentioned in the installation section, is something you can do yourself for relatively little money. However, if youve determined that purchasing a landscaping maintenance package is worth your time, the cost of mulching at $200 to $500 per application may be worth it to you.

Backyard Irrigation Systems Cost

If you have plants or grass in your yard, you may want to add a water system. Irrigation, misting, and sprinkler systems can keep your plants healthy and cut down on daily maintenance. Each system ranges in cost and consumption. The system size and installation style impact your total costs.

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How Much Do Trees Cost To Plant

It costs between $100 and $300 to plant a tree, with most homeowners spending an average of $200 per tree. Its cheaper to plant multiple trees at once five small trees range from $300 to $700 or $60 to $140 per tree. About 30% of the cost is labor.

Most trees you purchase are small to plant, ranging from five to 15 feet tall. It makes it easier to transport and install. If you want to DIY this project, youll need a truck or trailer for transport, with other simple tools being a shovel and a garden hose.

Landscaping budgets go much further than the initial tree planting cost, however. Over the years, youll also need to budget for:

• The cost of tree pruning: $400$800

• Tree removal prices: $200$2,000

Cost to Plant a Large Tree

Planting a mature treeone past the sapling stage and usually more than 15 feet tallcosts $1,500 to $3,000 per tree. They require large machinery to dig, transport, and lift into place. The process not only requires larger machines, but more space, time, and crew members.

Get Quotes From Local Landscape Installers

How Much To Spend On Backyard Landscaping

According to real estate studies, you can increase the value of your home by up to 15 percent. For example, if your house is valued at $200,000, you could increase your value by $10,500 by adding a new deck, patio, or decking to your property.

The best way to increase property value is to make improvements to the property, such as installing new roofing, replacing a leaky faucet, repairing a broken window or door, installing a security system, and so on. You can also improve the quality of life for your family and friends by investing in a home improvement project.

• What brings down property value?

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How Much Should I Budget For Backyard Landscaping

Knowing how much to budget for backyard landscaping comes with an acceptance that costs vary wildly depending on what garden ideas you want to implement at home.

‘Landscaping costs vary significantly,’ says Jeremy Yamaguchi, CEO of Lawn Love , a company that delivers high-tech solutions to the lawn care industry. ‘The main factors that will impact the overall cost include the size of your yard, the features you choose to have installed, the company you hire , the level of service you want , and how long it takes to complete.’

According to Yamaguchi, you can expect pay anywhere from a few hundred dollars for basic service like lawn moving and plant care to tens of thousands of dollars for things like developing new garden beds, laying a new lawn, or installing hardscaping features.

‘For average yards and average landscaping, it usually ends up being somewhere between $2,500 and $10,000,’ he says. For elaborate designs or large yards, costs can quickly go up from there.

Simple, small back yard landscaping ideas are always going to be more budget friendly than large or complex designs.

However, spend up to 10 per cent of your home’s value on landscaping and you will be getting the cost-to-value ratio about right.

But how does that landscaping cost breaks down, and what do you need to consider when budgeting for your backyard landscaping?

Typical Landscape Project Costs:

For this discussion a “typical” landscape is on a residence, perhaps one that has recently been remodeled. The house is not brand new and the landscape is not a blank slate. There is some lawn and a small number of mature plants. Let’s assume a typical lot size as well- 5,000 to 10,000 square feet. And you do not live on a slope or with really poor access for trucks and equipment.

This sort of project starts with a landscape consultation. If you need a landscape design it will cost $1500-$3500. However, many landscape projects can proceed with a detailed description and simple sketch- which probably won’t cost you anything.

Let’s assume that you are doing just the front yard . The lawn will be smaller, but new grass is needed. A few of shrubs will be pruned and/or transplanted. 10-15 new plants and a couple trees will be installed. A few boulders are set too. The beds get finished with bark dust and everything is left clean. What does this cost? This would usually be between $6,000 and $8,000.

If you need an irrigation system, drainage, substantial grading, retaining, or low voltage landscape lighting then the price would obviously be higher.

Now let’s consider the backyard. The back will be landscaped in a style similar to the front. Usually the backyard is larger than the front, and access is a little more difficult. So, a back yard landscaped similar to the description above would be $7,000-$10,000.

What if you need more?

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How Much Does Lawn Care Cost In Portland

Over at lawnsite.com, a forum mainly frequented by landscape professionals, there was once a busy thread that posts an interesting question. The poster asks, “Should I put prices for landscape maintenance, lawn care, lawn mowing, etc. on my website?”

The consensus is “No”. Many of the respondents feel that you are locking yourself into your lowest price and maybe giving the competition an advantage. I disagree. Rather than argue with strangers, I decided to post everything I know about landscape maintenance program pricing in the Portland area.

Which Types Of Grass Should I Plant

Planting new grass or laying sod is always a major part of landscaping. It is essential to know what the differences are and how they will direct your choice in the matter.

Of all the different types of grass that are suitable for a lawn, they generally fall into one of two categories: creeping and bunch.

• Creeping – An example of creeping grass is Bermuda, which has a high tolerance for higher temperatures and is typically found in lawns all across the south. It grows along runners either above or below ground.
• Bunch – Bunch grows in a manner more consistent with the majority of plant life: it spreads out from the center in bunches. Mowing it higher will protect the center.

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The Cost Of Building Patios And Walkways

Some of the most inspiring Canadian backyard escapes feature gorgeous patios and walkways. Building these involve much more than you might think: after the area has been cleared of the existing base material, the contractor needs to construct and compact a granular base. Only then can the actual patio or walkway stones be added. The cost of adding patios and walkways can range from $15 to over $40 per square foot according to OutdoorSpace.

Common Landscape Installation Services

There are as many different options for designing a landscape as there are people to come up with them. You can combine countless elements and features to create an outdoor space that truly suits you and your home.

The following are some of the most common features of pro landscape projects. Weve estimated how much you would pay to add each one to your project, including the cost of materials and a pro landscapers fees.

Landscape design is the piece of the puzzle that brings all of these features together. Your landscape pro may be able to create a design for you, or you may decide to hire a separate designer or landscape architect who specializes in planning.

The exact cost of your landscape design depends on the size of your property, the complexity of the design, and how long it takes to finalize the plans. On average, the typical homeowner will pay about $2,204 to $6,182 for a professional landscape design.

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