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How Much Does Landscaping Cost (Front or Back Yard)

Asking how much does landscaping cost is a bit like asking how much a new home costs in Frisco, TX. The cost of landscaping a front or back yard will depend greatly on the type, size and quality of project you are looking to install as well as the landscaping company you hire to complete the work for you. Given the variables that go into providing an accurate estimate, we have broken down some general landscaped areas and provided some ballpark costs to help you plan for your next project.

Pruning & Clean-Up

One of the most common landscaping calls we get will be for shrub pruning and bed clean up or plant/debris removal. The cost of this service will likely be an hourly labor rate and if there is substantial plant removal, possibly a disposal fee. Labor rates will vary depending on the size of the landscaping crew doing the work. A qualified and efficient 2-person crew may charge between $80-$100/hr. Removal fees may range between $50-$200 depending on the size of the load. Oftentimes, if a crew is simply pruning some shrubs and cleaning up a small garden bed, they will bag up the trimmings for you and leave them curbside for the city to remove. However, if the landscaping company will have to take your debris to a waste station, you can expect to be charged for the time and fees the company will encounter in order to dispose of it. One exception to this would be if the load requires a large dumpster, which cost an average of $500-$600/per load to rent. A lot of customers are surprised by the removal fees and aren’t familiar with what is involved in trying to properly (and legally) dispose of debris. Plant materials (except for sod) can be disposed of at various local waste stations and the landscaping company will be charged a commercial rate flat fee to dispose of an amount. Dirt, mulch, stones, sod and everything else can only be disposed of at the Melissa, TX landfill and the landscaping company will be charged a commercial rate determined by weight.

Example: to clean up and prune 2 garden beds, you could expect something close to the following estimate: Labor (2 hours total @ $90/hr = $180). An estimate for a job like this would be: $180* plus tax.

Example: to remove 6 mature shrubs from a garden bed, you could expect something close to the following estimate: Labor (3 hours total @ $90/hr = $270), Disposal Fees ($100). An estimate for a job like this would be: $370* plus tax.

New Plant Installation

Costs associated with installing new landscaping plants are delivery, plant cost, soil & amendments and installation labor.

Delivery

The delivery costs for nurseries will range between $80-$150 and your landscaper will simply pass the cost on to you.

Plants

The cost of plants will obviously depend on the type, size and quality. Most professional landscaping companies work with wholesale nurseries who offer high-quality plants and a vast selection. The landscaping company will purchase the plants for you and you get a nursery quality plant for close to or a bit less than the retail price of those at your local home improvement store. To give you an idea of average plant prices: a common 5g evergreen shrub may cost around $26 and a common 15g tree may cost around $158.

Soil & Amendments

Installing new plants may require additional soil, fertilizer or root stimulator. These costs may range from $5 to $50 depending on how size of the project.

Installation Labor

A professional landscaping crew should be able to install a new 5g plant in about 15 minutes and a small 15g tree in about 30 minutes. Some of these times will obviously vary depending on the planting conditions. Using the average labor estimates above ($80-100/hr), you can expect to pay about $22.50 for the labor to install a 5g shrub and about $45 to install a 15g small tree.

Example: to install a total of 10 new plants (2 small tree, 15g and 8 small shrubs, 5g), you could expect something close to the following estimate: Delivery ($100), Materials ($316-trees, $208-shrubs, $20-soil for planting, total = $544) and Labor (3 hours total @ $90/hr = $270). An estimate for a job like this would be: $914* plus tax.

Garden Bed Creation

Another very common estimate request for landscaping companies would be to create a new garden bed for planting. Creating a new garden bed involves several steps: 1) Removing existing sod in new garden bed location and disposing of it; 2) Rerouting any existing irrigation in the new garden bed location (usally billed by the hour plus parts); 3) Adding new soil for the garden bed and tilling it into the existing soil; 4) Installing new plants and mulch. Sometimes, but not always, if a customer is doing a lot of planting, they might request that drip line irrigation be installed in the new bed as well.

Example: to create a small garden bed in an existing grassy area, you could expect the following estimate: Delivery ($100), Materials ($340-plants, $50-soil, $80-mulch, total = $435), Labor (6 hours total @$90/hr = $540), Irrigation (2 hours @ $90/hr + $60 parts = $240) and Disposal Fees ($100). An estimate for a job like this would be: $1,450* plus tax.

Each landscaping project is very different and often involves some or all of the areas mentioned above. Before hiring a landscaping company, make sure they visit your home and take detailed measurements to ensure accurate material estimating before the project begins.

*Most professional landscaping companies will have additional overhead fees that are not broken down on an estimate but will be factored in when providing you with an estimated price. These overhead charges will vary depending on the size of the business but may include things like: credit card processing fees or administrative fees.