Landscaping Cost Calculators

The cost of landscaping depends on how you envision your new garden space. Landscaping is the umbrella term used to describe the process of making your garden more aesthetically appealing.

How Much Does Landscaping Cost?

The cost of landscaping is dependent on the elements you intend to introduce. Do you want a garden that is covered in concrete and adorned with a few potted plants? Are you a keen gardener who would like lots of flowerbeds and a rustic feel?

The cost of a landscaping project could range from a few hundred dollars to over $40,000 for a sophisticated design. People usually spend around $10.75 per square foot on landscaping projects, with $3,000 to $15,000 being common ranges for new landscaping projects, although that largely depends on what the project is.

There are limitless options available with regard to how you approach landscaping. Let’s examine the cost implications of some of them:

Create a Design

The first step in a landscaping project is to come up with a design for the project. It’s important to consult a professional with expertise in landscape architecture and design to create a plan that is not only beautiful, but also accounts for things like irrigation, drainage, and soil composition.

A comprehensive design plan can cost anywhere from $300 to $2,500

Hardscaping vs. Softscaping

Hardscaping refers to all of the ‘hard’ elements you wish to introduce into your garden project: patios, gazebos, decorative rocks, fountains, and pathways. These elements are going to be more expensive than what’s known as softscaping.

While the costs for hardscape projects vary, most spend $15 to $50 per square foot.

Softscaping is anything that is living or natural, from plants to trees to bushes. Thus, the proportion of hard to soft that makes up your vision for your yard will impact the overall cost. As a general rule, the more hardscaping you have, the more expensive it will be.

However, you might want to consider the fact that softscaping elements will require more care and maintenance than hardscaping ones, so long-term costs can tip the scales a bit.

It’s also important to balance hardscapes and softscapes in a landscaping project. A good balance will create an inviting atmosphere and increase curb appeal.

Installing a Patio

Installing a patio is a popular landscaping project as it creates an outdoor living space capable of fulfilling a number of purposes. You might have a dog that you want to keep in a concrete space so that it is easier to keep their area clean. Alternatively, you might be a person or family who enjoys entertaining with barbecues. Patios provide an excellent space for all sorts of outdoor entertaining.

A typical patio often costs $2,500 to $6,600 to install. The cost of a patio starts with measuring the space to find the square footage, selecting a material, and finally multiplying the square footage by the cost per square foot for the chosen material.

Buying Soil, Mulch, or Rock

Many landscaping projects involve buying soil, mulch, rock, or stone. These include adding flowerbeds, ordering fill dirt for a site that needs leveling, buying mulch for gardening requirements, or buying gravel or crushed stone for aesthetic or practical purposes.

These materials are commonly measured by the cubic yard. To find the cubic yardage and estimate the cost, you need to know three types of measurements for the material in question: the length, the width, and the height of the area you will be filling. These three measurements are necessary components of calculating the cubic yard required for your landscaping project.

Extent of Work

The cost of your landscaping project depends on how much work needs to be done. You might be a homeowner who has been living in the same house for years who wants a bit of life brought back to your garden.

This kind of project, which could include the introduction of a flower bed or restoring patchy areas of grass, will cost a lot less than someone who has moved into a new property that pretty much has a square of mud calling itself a yard.

Alternatively, you may have just bought a new home that already has a landscaped garden that needs a personal touch or two. All of these examples create very different scenarios in terms of what the overall landscaping cost will be.