What Is the Average Cost of Landscaping Around a House?
Who doesn’t love houses with immaculate lawns, gardens, patios, and pools? They’re a fantastic aesthetic option for increasing the curb appeal of a property, but there’s quite a lot of effort that goes into making these look good. These structures are usually planned and groomed to perfection by a professional landscaper.
Landscaping is the art of designing your outdoor space to make it look as lovely as possible. It’s not just about having a well-organized yard or garden—it’s about creating a space that blends in with its surroundings and feels like an extension of your home.
Landscapers use their knowledge of plants and flowers to help create beautiful gardens, trees that can be used for shade or privacy, walkways that provide convenience for guests visiting your home, and more. Keep reading to know more about the average cost of landscaping.
What is landscaping?
Landscaping refers to designing and maintaining outdoor spaces such as gardens, lawns, and walkways. These areas can be designed to create an inviting atmosphere that complements the architecture of a home or business. Many people are drawn to landscaping because it provides them with an opportunity to express their creativity while also improving their property’s curb appeal.
The average cost for landscaping
A good rule of thumb is to spend between $3-$5 per square foot on landscaping, so if your project has a total area of 3,000 square feet, your budget should be somewhere between $9,000-$15,000.
Landscaping is a great way to enhance your home’s curb appeal and increase the value of your property. But with so many different options, it’s hard to know what to do first. So how much does landscaping cost? The average cost for landscaping depends on the project requirements. Here are some of the most common types of projects:
Basic landscape installation
This typically involves clearing out weeds and debris from your yard, installing grass seed or sod, and adding mulch around plants and trees. The cost for this ranges from $1-$2 per square foot.
Low-maintenance landscaping
If you want a backyard that requires little maintenance other than watering once in a while, low-maintenance landscaping may be suitable for you! This type of project costs $1-$3 per square foot.
High-end landscaping
An ultra-luxurious landscape can be extremely expensive but will make your home stand out among others in your neighbourhood! Prices start at $5 per square foot and go up depending on how many amenities you want to be added (pools, fire pits, etc.).
Common landscaping projects
Landscaping is a popular way for people to add value to their property. It can also help improve the aesthetics of your home and make it more enjoyable to live in. There are many common landscaping project examples, such as:
- Adding a water feature, for example, a pond or fountain
- Creating a vegetable garden; adding trees and shrubs to provide shade
- Building a deck or patio
- Adding lighting to illuminate pathways at night
- Installing a fence to protect pets from running away into traffic
- Installing an outdoor kitchen area with barbeque tools for cooking food outdoors.
- Building an outdoor living space with seating areas so that family members can relax together after work or when other activities are finished for the day
Factors associated with the landscaping cost
When planning a landscaping project, several factors can affect the final cost. While the size of your garden is one major factor, it’s not the only one. Here are some others to consider:
Professional design
The first and most vital factor to consider when considering how much landscaping will cost is its design. If you’re planning on hiring a professional, you can expect to spend more.
A professional will be able to develop a plan for your garden that fits your budget and meets all of your requirements. The average landscape design costs around $1,000, but this can vary depending on the size of your real estate property and whether or not permits are required for any part of the work.
Permits
Permits are required by law for specific landscaping projects, especially those involving digging or building anything permanent like patios or retaining walls. The landscaper will generally add the cost of these permits in the final quote that he provides.
Location
Your location will affect the landscaping costs since different parts of the country have varying climates and soil conditions, affecting what materials are available locally at reasonable prices.
For example, if you reside in Toronto, the landscaping materials and labour costs are higher. However, as you move towards the countryside, the costs will reduce.
Features added
Additions like patios and water features can add significant costs to your project. If you’re looking for something custom-made, like a walkway or gazebo, be prepared for an even bigger price tag than usual.
Materials and plants used
The materials used in your landscaping project will also determine how much it costs. For example, wooden structures tend to be more expensive than stone ones. Some plants are more expensive than others due to their rarity or unique characteristics (like fragrant flowers).
Water and irrigation techniques employed
Keeping your plants alive after planting them in your new landscape design will require regular watering and irrigation systems set up by professionals who know how best to do this job safely without damaging anything else (e.g., nearby plants).
Tips to reduce the costs of landscaping
If you are considerate of your budget and don’t want to burn a hole in your pocket, you should try the tips given below that can help you with a reduced cost and good landscaping.
Opt for less expensive materials and plants: With a lot of plants and materials doing rounds, you should pick the ones that fit your budget. For example, you can go for small stones instead of big aesthetic marbles to enhance the beauty.
Do it yourself: There is no job out there that you cannot do. Instead, what can be better than planning and putting the stage as per your choice and needs? After all, you know yourself the best, and it’s the time to get it done in the right way too!
Conclusion
The good news is that there is a multitude of options when it comes to landscaping, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. However, a reasonable budget is around $10 per yard.
Landscaping is also one of the easiest ways to add value to your home without investing considerable money into repairs or renovations. It can help you create an outdoor space that is attractive, functional, and pleasing to look at.
