Our bodies crave the great outdoors — to soak in the relaxing sounds and sights of Mother nature. There’s just something about green grass, pretty flowers, and sunshine that make the outdoors so relaxing and rejuvenating.
If you have a nice outdoor space to retreat to, you’re in luck.
You may consider having outdoor landscaping like a garden. You might be wondering how much does it cost to create a beautifully landscaped lawn and transform your garden into a relaxing haven?
Landscaping costs will vary depending on a variety of things. This article reveals the estimated cost of landscaping and factors that affect the pricing.
According to Home Guide and Forbes, estimated costs of landscaping are as follows:
Landscaping Cost Per Hour
Labor is the biggest expense in any landscaping project, taking up to 80% of the total cost.
Landscapers often charge on an hourly basis, ranging from IUS$25 – US$50 per hour per laborer. As more manpower is required, so will the cost. Simple lawn care can take two laborers to cut your lawn in 30 minutes, which comes out to at least US$100 per hour.
Take note that landscape designers are more advanced than regular landscapers and often charge more for about US$200 per hour for planning and designing your landscape. You don’t need to work with a designer for routine landscaping work. However, if you’re looking to install new landscaping from scratch, then you definitely need to hire one for a good landscape design.
Landscaping Cost Per Square Foot
For basic to intermediate projects, landscaping has an estimated cost of US$4 – US$12 per square foot. These services may include planting flowers or grass, thatching, and basic lawn care.
However, for a full makeover including landscape remodeling and designing, you can expect to pay about US$40 per square foot.
Landscaping Cost Per Project
A landscaping project cost can be as low as US$50 for small projects such as lawn mowing and can reach up to US$16,000 for landscape installation from scratch.
Popular landscaping projects include lawn mowing, curbing or grading, tree trimming, landscape curbing, and lawn seeding which ranges in cost of US$50 – US$3,000.
If you’re thinking of more complex projects such as the installation of a pond, water fountain, artificial turf, sprinkler system, or new landscaping, then you can expect to pay from US$1,000 to over US$15,000.
Landscaping Cost By Type
In general, there are three types of landscaping:
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Hardscaping
This type refers to any man-made structure within your landscaping design that’s made of inanimate materials such as stone pavers, wood, brick, or gravel. Any solid structure in your landscaping that isn’t a plant life is considered a hardscape. Depending on the materials and design, hardscaping can be cheap or expensive depending on the element in your landscaping, costing about US$2,000 – US$30,000.
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Softscaping
This type refers to the plant elements of a landscape and involves shrubs, flowers, and trees. Services may include gardening projects such as planting, mowing, and weed management. In general, you can expect to pay US$900 – US$3,000 for soft scaping.
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Xeriscaping
This is a landscaping process that helps conserve water and eliminates the need for irrigation. The principle of xeriscaping is to plant slow-growing and drought-tolerant plants to reduce yard trimmings and conserve water.
Xeriscaping tends to be expensive upfront, costing you $US15,000 – US$20,000 since it involves installing specialized turf, ground covers, and water conservation features. That said, the most expensive part of xeriscaping is a specialized laborer, charging you about US$500 – US$1,000 per hour.
Landscape Material Cost
The material used also has a huge impact on the total cost of your landscaping project. Some landscaping materials will cost more than others. For instance, a lawn turf costs less at US$5 – US$20 per square foot than landscaping gravel costing at US$20 – $US30 per square foot.
Meanwhile, rocks are a more common landscaping material. The cost will depend on the type of rock you use; however, you can expect to pay US$3 – US$6 per square foot.
Take note, some materials may require more labor to install or be difficult to source, making them more expensive.
Landscape Maintenance
You’ve paid a large amount for your landscaping, so it only makes sense that you want it maintained.
In terms of general landscaping maintenance and upkeep, the average homeowner can expect to pay US$50 – US$200 per month, depending on the size of the yard and the work needed to be done.
For instance, hiring a landscaper to simply maintain and mow your yard will cost you about US$25 – US$50 per visit. Expect to pay more for a service provider with a few employees than an individual due to the overhead cost.
Conclusion
As you can see, landscaping can cost you as little as US$25 or over a few tens of thousands of dollars, depending on what you envisioned for your garden. That said, if you want a more accurate estimate for your landscaping project, make sure to ask the professional landscapers near you.
