Pricing Transparency
How much do landscape projects cost?
This is a common question I receive when fielding inquiries. The answer is not so much complicated, rather is heavily dependent on the scope of work. Let’s break it down using three different scenarios:
· Client A just bought a house, the yard is a quarter of an acre and has never been landscaped. There are no garden beds, little overgrowth and just needs a vision to get started.
· Client B has lived on their property for years and is finally ready to invest in the green space that is their garden. The home used to belong to someone who clearly loved to garden but hasn’t been kept up. The space will need to be cleaned up and freshened with new life.
· Client C has an established garden; it’s a living work of art. They want to add a garden path with natural stone and lighting to highlight the current plantings.
With any project, it is good to have an idea of your budget. Let’s say Client A has set aside $1500 to get their garden started. This would involve clearing a space for new beds, possibly amending soil, procuring and installing plants and mulching to protect the new space. I estimate based on cost of goods and projected labor. Typically, I spend half of an install budget on plants/soil which leaves the other half for labor and time. For Client A, this would mean approximately 90 new perennial plants for the new garden.
Client B is more interested in cleanup and reset, as their yard has good bones but is just overgrown. For this type of project, I charge day rates. My full day rate is $700 with a 3-person team. A half day rate is $400. Included in that rate is a landfill haul for any debris. Not included in the day rate is specialized work such as tree trimming, gutter cleaning, or hardscape work.
Client C knows exactly what they want: a 30-foot flagstone path with path lights lining the way. They also want up-lights under the established trees and hedges. Flagstone prices greatly vary from type to type. Cost is estimated by linear foot which includes excavation, sub-base layers, and any joint filler (mulch, rock, stone dust). Lighting also varies based on style, manufacturer, and finish. Typically, $100-$200 per fixture with the addition of transformer, wiring, and wire nuts. If the lighting package for this client was for approximately 20 lights, the path required one pallet of stone, the estimate would run about $5000.
To sum things up, each job is different because no two yards are alike. It is best to have an idea of what you would like to spend and a vision of what you would like your garden to look like. We are a small landscape company and do not pressure to get a job done all at once. We can break up the scope of work into phases and accomplish them in your time. One of my favorite parts of gardening is seeing the transformation, regardless of how long it takes.