Average cost of landscape design

Frequently Asked Questions

What do landscape designers do?

Landscape designers create designs specific to your property, considering your budget, vision, and physical space. Most landscape designers work solely as a designer doing a site visit and creating a landscape plan for a separate contractor who will do the work. Other landscape designers work as consultants who take a more hands-on approach to the entire project.

When should you hire a landscape consultant?

Landscape consultants manage the entire process from start to finish. If you want someone who can survey your land, offer up a detailed plan for a total transformation, find the right materials, hire contractors, and oversee the work, then you should hire a landscape consultant. You may pay up to $200 an hour just for their fee alone, but it can take considerable stress off you and add time back into your day.

Should you hire a freelance consultant or someone from a design service?

If you're on a budget, a freelance landscape designer may be the way to go. A design firm focuses more on every project, ensuring fewer mistakes and a more comprehensive plan. Though a firm is usually more expensive, it also provides more comprehensive services. For instance, the same firm that designs your landscape may be able to handle the labor of the actual installation.

What are some questions to prepare for your designer?

If you get quotes before hiring a landscape designer (and you should), ask them a few questions before you make any final hiring decisions. Some good questions include: 

• Do you bill by the project, area, or hour?

• How long does the design process take?

• What do your services include?

• Can I see your portfolio and talk with previous clients?

What’s the difference between a landscape designer and architect?

A landscape designer has no licensing requirements, but they often have a design, horticulture, or nursery background. A landscape architect is a legally protected title in most states, requiring a college degree and state licensure. When you need a complex job that includes things like a retaining wall, grading land, or restructuring the soil, you should call a landscape architect.

Many also do design work inclusive of the larger project. Architects work on both commercial and complex residential projects. Landscape architects cost up to $150 per hour—or $200 per hour for principal architects.

What is included in a landscape plan?

Landscape plans vary by design firm, so it’s a good idea to ask the designer before moving forward with their services. In general, you should expect the landscape plan to include natural elements, like trees, plants, flowers, and even vegetable gardens. 

Depending on your project’s specifics, the plan may include patios, sheds, decks, fountains, and lawn furniture. More complex designs, like those requiring retaining walls or lawn regarding, require a landscape architect. Retaining wall installation costs from $3,200 to $8,950 while yard leveling costs between $1,000 and $3,225—but design fees for these projects are separate.

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How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Landscape Designer?

Normal range: $1,955 - $7,216

The cost to hire a landscape designer is $4,586 on average,  though you may spend more depending on the design you choose.

Photo: Iriana Shiyan / Adobe Stock

Photo: Iriana Shiyan / Adobe Stock

Are you dreaming up your ideal outdoor space? Maybe you’re picturing lush plants and a rose-covered arbor or a brand-new patio space and stone pathways. Or, maybe you want to do some xeriscaping to help reduce water waste. Whatever your vision is, a professional landscape designer near you can help you achieve it. 

The average cost of hiring a landscape designer is $4,586, though prices go from $1,955 to $7,216. Ultimately,  what you’ll pay will depend on the size of the outdoor space and complexity of your desired design.

See the price range for hiring a landscape designer in

your area

Normal range for U.S.

$1,955 - $7,216

• Average

• $4,586

• Low end

• $500

• high end

• $14,000

LOWHIGH

Some professional landscape designers charge by the hour, and some charge by the project. Hourly rates generally range from $50 to $150, and this usually includes everything from the initial consultation to design plans and revisions. Flat project rates are based on the number of hours the designer expects to spend on the project.

Design plans can range anywhere from $300 to $15,000. Most fall under $6,000. Plans are included in most flat rates. The exact figure will depend on the market, where you live, and the designer’s experience. Contact a top-rated landscaper in your area to get an exact quote.

Landscape Designer Cost Breakdown

The cost to hire a landscape designer will vary depending on how complex the project is and the size of the area involved. Here is a breakdown of the main factors that impact the final cost.

Complexity

The complexity of the project is a big factor in the overall cost. For example, building a vegetable garden (which costs about $0.03 to $0.10 per square foot) obviously costs less than building a pond (which costs anywhere from $1,200 to $5,500).

Landscapers charge about $25 to $50 per shrub and installing a flower garden costs from $300 to $3,000.

Xeriscaping covers your whole outdoor area and costs $10,000 to $30,000 (the maintenance and water costs are low, though).

Size

The size of your property is another big factor when it comes to cost. For example, artificial grass or turf installation is priced by the square foot (at $5 to $20 per square foot), so you can expect to pay more the bigger your yard is.      

How Much Do Landscape Design Materials and Features Cost?

A designer will help you find materials (brick, crushed stone, paver, etc.) that best fit your design and budget. Keep in mind that material costs are separate from the design costs. The cost of deck, patio, and walkway materials varies based on quality and quantity. 

To give you an idea, though, here are some common landscaping materials and features and their average costs:

Materials

• Crushed stone: $27–$64 per ton

• Brick: $10–$14 per square foot

• Paver: $3–$15 per square foot

• Stone: $8–$15 per square foot

• Pea gravel: $40–$95 per ton

• Sod: $0. 30–$0.80 per square foot

Features

• Pond: $1,300–$5,000

• Fence: $1,500–$4,000

• Deck building: $4,000–$10,000

• Patio: $1,800–$5,000

• Pergola or trellis: $2,000–$5,000

Keep in mind that costs have greatly increased over the years due to supply chain issues and increasing demand and your project may end up costing more because of this.

How to Save Money on Professional Landscape Design

Photo: sturti / Getty Images

Knowing what gets you the most bang for your buck is helpful if you’re on a tight budget. Installing permeable hardscapes (materials like gravel and decomposed granite) is a cost-effective way to cover open spaces. 

Using what you have rather than building new structures will always save you money (and time)—and if you do have to remove structures or hardscapes, consider reusing materials. Being strategic with groundcover plantings (rather than buying a bunch of new plants) can help save money, too.  

And, since planting a single tree costs anywhere from $150 to $300, keeping the trees you have can help cut costs.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Wondering whether you should hire a landscape architect or a landscape designer? Landscape architects and landscape designers may have similar backgrounds and perform some of the same functions, so it’s easy to confuse the two.

The difference is that a landscape architect is required to hold a college degree and a state license (in most states). Architects generally work on commercial and complex residential projects, whereas landscape designers work on small-scale residential projects.

Hiring a professional to design your outdoor space can be much less stressful than trying to design it yourself. It may even end up saving you money and time over the long run—DIY landscaping can result in over-spending before you know it. 

“Professional designers have a lot of insight and experience on what materials and plants work well in their area and can share that information with you, which can result in saving a lot of money and heartache in the future,” says​​ Tara Dudley, Angi Expert Review Board member and owner of Plant Life Designs. “They are also able to help phase out projects, and break them into smaller installments to help with budgets and time.”

Here are some of the main reasons you need landscape design plans: 

• Achieve your vision. You may know exactly what you want your yard to look like but feel unsure about how to achieve that vision. A designer can help you create your ideal landscape.

• Technical knowledge. A designer can give you advice on which plants are native, where to plant trees in relation to your house, and how to create a garden design that makes the most of your property’s features, using their technical knowledge and expertise.  

• Boost curb appeal. An immaculate, professionally designed landscape can help boost curb appeal and increase your property value.

• Environment preservation. A landscape designer will know which plants are considered harmful to the local environment, thanks to their understanding of ecological principles and design practices.   

It’s important to know what to look for in a professional landscape designer. Proof of credibility is at the top of the list. Designers can become certified or accredited through various organizations. Ask about the designer’s credentials, and ask to see their portfolio and a client list. 

A designer with a long career, first-rate portfolio, and good recommendations will certainly cost more, but it’s almost always worth it.

It’s crucial to set your own expectations and needs so you can communicate them to someone else. Be sure you have a good idea of your overall goal and budget before contacting an expert. 

Consider also whether you expect to do some of the work yourself, how long you expect the project to take, and whether you need a professional to manage the entire project or just for the initial planning stage. And, remember to always get a proposal in writing before signing a contract. 

Ready to get a quote for your project?

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which makes up the cost of the project

If you still decide to hire a designer, it would not hurt to navigate the prices.

Anyone who plans to order landscape design is interested in the prices for specialist services. At the same time, most of the potential customers are sure that the registration of the site will cost a substantial amount.

How much, in fact, will have to be paid for landscaping the garden, and what makes up the cost of certain works? Read about it below.

Let's compare the cost of landscape design with the cost of a car

For clarity, let's try to conduct such a small comparative analysis. Suppose you are planning to buy a used car of an inexpensive brand, for example, Tavria or Moskvich. Naturally, you will have to shell out several thousand dollars for the car. Not satisfied with the used Tavria? Want to drive exclusively in a Porsche? No problem, except that you will have to increase the amount of several thousand dollars by 50 times! The situation is similar with landscape design.

Its cost can be very different, it all depends on the wishes and capabilities of the customer.

To give you a better idea of ​​what to start from, let's designate an approximate price per hundred square meters, which will be about $1,000. The price can go down or up, but it all starts with it.

To find out more about landscape design figures, you will need to draw up a project with an estimate for work and materials. In this case, the customer will be able to get acquainted with the prices for each type of work, calculating the costs. But even in this case, one cannot be one hundred percent sure that the cost of the work will be final. In practice, no one is immune from force majeure situations, during which additional work may be required. However, even if this happens, the final figure will not change much, by a maximum of 10-20% of the total initially declared value.

The whole problem is that it is important for the client to find out about the cost of services before starting the project. Then, in order to indicate the exact amount, the landscape designer must draw up a project, and this costs money. In addition, it may turn out that the project for some reason does not satisfy the customer, which means that the money for its preparation will be wasted. Anyone who carefully studies the information in this article with approximate prices for the services of specialists can try to avoid useless expenses.

Stages of creating a landscape design and prices

At the initial stage, a project, estimate, master plan is drawn up, agreed with the customer. After their approval, specialists begin to carry out land work, planting plants, lawns. How much will all this cost? In order about each item.

Design is not the most costly type of work, but the most responsible one. The approximate cost of the project is from 10 to 20 dollars per hundred square meters. It all depends on the complexity of the project, the inclusion of a flower bed plan, irrigation system, etc. in it. If the site is small, it will be possible to achieve certain discounts, while a detailed plan with many flower beds will cost more.
Land works will be valued according to their volume. The most expensive option is building on sand. In this case, clay is imported for the construction of a clay castle and it will cost about 45 dollars per hundred square meters. After that, soil will be brought in with a layer of 20-30 cm - this is another 250 dollars, and work on planning the site will be carried out - another 150-250 dollars. If the land on the site was originally fertile, then the cost of land work will be reduced by an order of magnitude.

Automatic watering system can also cost differently. It all depends on how complex the system will be, on the height differences of the site. The more elaborate the irrigation system, the more expensive it will be. The average price of watering a summer cottage is about $ 250 per hundred square meters.

Landscaping prices also fluctuate and depend on the choice of plants. On average, the cost of planting a 5-6 year old tree will be $ 60, a coniferous shrub - $ 20-30, an ornamental small shrub - $ 10, a perennial - $ 5.

The price of a lawn will be directly related to its type. If it is a rolled lawn, then it will cost several times more. A sowing lawn will cost about $300 per hundred square meters.

Results

Now that you know about the approximate prices for the services of landscape designers when carrying out certain works, you can draw up a rough plan for the site project, based on financial capabilities. You can order landscape design works in a turnkey complex, the price in this case will be slightly higher, but the result will fully meet expectations. And you can divide the work into those that you can do yourself and those that are better to entrust to professionals. In this case, the final figure for the cost of landscape design on the site can be reduced by two or even three times.

Prices for landscape design, landscaping and landscaping, cost of garden and lawn care - Kyiv

Prices for landscape design services from the company "STAFFAGE"

download price in XLS format download price in PDF format landscape design No. Types of work Unit. rev. Price hour UAH 1,999 2 Meeting with a landscape design specialist in the office (acquaintance with the wishes of the customer, existing documentation) hour 980 UAH. 3 Consultation with a specialist on site (recommendations from a landscape architect or plant protection specialist) - consultations, transport hour 2 799 UAH. 4 Soil analysis 1 sample 2 780 UAH. 5 Water analysis 1 sample 2 600 UAH. 6 Inventory of tree plantations pcs. UAH 99

Design work on landscape design

rev.	Price
1	Preliminary design (master plan, dendroplan, layout drawing, specification)	100 m²	6 250 UAH.
2	Plot from 1 to 5 acres (Standard package)	plot	19 990 UAH.
3	Detailed design	100 m²	6 580 UAH
4	Site irrigation system project	100 m²	1 399 UAH.
5	Technological map for plant care	100 m²	2 499 UAH.
6	Authority	dated	0.4%
7	Compensation for transportation costs	km	23-30 GRN.

Site preparation for landscaping

No.	Types of work	Unit. rev.	Price
1	Cleaning the site from garbage (without removal)	m²	30 UAH.
2	Loading garbage manually	tons	720 UAH.
3	Garbage removal (without loading)	10 tons, 8 m³	3 360-4 800
4	Plot breakdown	m²	55 UAH.
5	Manual sod removal	m²	60 UAH
6	Transportation of vegetable soil to the site manually by wheelbarrows (up to 50 m)	m³	720 UAH.
7	Transportation of vegetable soil to the site by hand in wheelbarrows (over 50 m)		smart. coefficient 1.3
8	Rough planning (excavation to a depth of 10 cm) 1/2/3 category	m²	48/72/120 UAH.
9	Rough planning with soil change	m²	48 UAH.
10	Cultivation to a depth of 10 cm	m²	60 UAH.
11	Rolling	m²	24 UAH
12	Planning a final site with a device for water drainage slopes	m²	48 UAH.
13	Manual soil mixing (peat, sand, black soil)	m²	840 UAH

Landing preparations, landing

Ref. rev.	Price
1	Selection and purchase of plants (from the cost of selected plants)
Plant Delivery (Gazelle or Daf-Kran)		500 UAH
3	Digging planting holes 1/2/3 categories	pcs.	600/840/1 UAH 199 No.	Height	Girth of the trunk rev.	Price
1	3-3.5 m	8-10-12-14 cm	pcs	UAH 1 440
2	3.5-4.5 m	16-18 cm	pcs.	UAH 1,999
3	5-6 m	20-25 cm	pcs.	UAH 3,000
4	6-7 m	25-30 cm	pcs.	UAH 5 400
5	7 m	35-40 cm	pcs.	UAH 12,600

When planting deciduous trees in winter, a coefficient of 1.4 is applied

Planting coniferous trees

No.	Height	Unit rev.	Price
1	1 m	pcs.	550 UAH
2	1-1.5 m	pcs.	UAH 900
3	1.5-2 m	pcs.	UAH 1,999
4	2-2. 5 m	pcs.	UAH 2 800
5	2.5-3 m	pcs.	UAH 5 400
6	3-3.5 m	pcs.	UAH 10 800
7	3.5-4 m	pcs.	UAH 18,000

When planting coniferous trees in winter, a coefficient of 1.4 is applied

Planting shrubs

rev.	Price
1	0.5 m	pcs.	120 UAH
2	1 m	pcs.	240 UAH
3	1-1.5 m	pcs.	UAH 360
4	1.5-2 m	pcs.	720 UAH
5	2-2. 5 m	pcs.	UAH 960
6	2.5-4 m	pcs.	UAH 1,920

When landing in the winter, a coefficient of 1.4

is used when planting spiky bushes (juniper, barberry), a coefficient of 1.3

Work on the device of the lawn

No.	of the types of work		PRS. rev.	Price
1	Unloading the machine	tons	600 UAH.
2	Distribution of rolls around the site (up to 25 m)	m²	16 UAH
3	Laying turf (without the cost of materials), rolling, spillage	m²	54 UAH.
4	Lawn construction on slopes using geogrids (without the cost of materials)	m²	199 UAH.
5	Sowing a lawn (without the cost of seeds)	m²	42 UAH.

Garden maintenance

No.	Types of work	Unit. rev.	Price
1	Comprehensive maintenance of the site up to 5 acres (without the cost of materials, 4 times a month)		from 18 999 UAH.
2	Comprehensive maintenance of a plot from 5 to 10 acres (without the cost of materials, 4 times a month)		from 28 999 UAH.
3	Comprehensive site maintenance over 10 (excluding cost of materials, 4 times a month)		from 30 000 UAH
4	Manual weeding of decorative compositions	m²	35 UAH.
5	Bark mulching (without the cost of material)	m²	30 UAH.
6	Stone mulching (without material cost)	m²	120 UAH
7	Application of mineral fertilizers (without the cost of fertilizers)	pcs.	18 UAH
8	Treatment of trees and shrubs	10 l	720 UAH
9	Formative pruning of crowns of young fruit trees: up to 3 years / 3-5 years	pcs.	UAH 120/180
10	Pruning crowns of fruit trees to regulate fruiting and growth 3-4 m high, 5-7 years old	pcs.	UAH 360
11	Pruning crowns of fruit trees to regulate fruiting and growth 4-5 m high, 7-10 years old	pcs.	540 UAH
12	Pruning crowns of fruit trees to regulate fruiting and growth over 5 m high, over 11 years old	pcs.	UAH 810
13	Pruning fruit trees to regulate fruiting and growth over 15 years old	pcs.	negotiable
14	Formative pruning of deciduous trees (girth, 10-14 cm)	pcs.	420 UAH
15	Formative pruning of deciduous trees (girth, 14-18 cm)	pcs.	UAH 630
16	Formative pruning of deciduous trees (girth, 18-25 cm)	pcs.	UAH 945
17	Formative pruning of deciduous trees (girth, 25-35 cm)	pcs.	negotiable
18	Pruning of columnar crowns of fruit trees	pcs.	240 UAH
19	Anti-aging fruit tree pruning light/strong	pcs.	960/1 485 UAH
20	Sanitary pruning of berry bushes to regulate fruiting and growth up to 1 m/more than 1 m	pcs.	UAH 90/120
21	Pruning vines up to 3 years old/over 3 years old	pcs.	UAH 90/120
22	Pruning raspberries with undergrowth removal	linear m	UAH 96
23	Shrub trimming up to 1 m	rm. m	UAH 99
24	Shrub trimming 1 to 2 m	rm. m	UAH 120
25	Shrub and hedge trimming 2 to 3 m	rm. m	UAH 180
26	Hedge cutting 3 to 4 m	lin. m	480 UAH
27	Pruning roses: bush/park/ground cover	pcs.	UAH 24/300/48
28	Shelter for the winter heat-loving shrubs (without the cost of materials)	pcs.	250 UAH
29	Trunk circle device	pcs.	for 50 UAH
30	Laying geotextile with fixation	m²	54 UAH.
31	Laying the net against moles (without the cost of materials)	m²

Lawn care

No.	Jobs	Unit rev.	Price
1	Lawn mowing up to 200 m²	m²	UAH 5.9
2	Mowing the lawn with a lawn mower from 200 to 400 m²	m²	4.9 UAH.
3	Mowing the lawn with a lawn mower from 400 to 1000 m²	m²	4.2 UAH.
4	Lawn mowing from 1001 m²	m²	UAH 3.6
5	Lawn mowing on a slope	m²	8.4 UAH
6	Curb tape installation (material not included)	lin. m	60 UAH
7	Aeration, lawn scarification from 400 m²	m²	9.6 UAH.
8	Lawn mopping	m²	5 UAH.
9	Fertilizing the lawn (without the cost of fertilizers)	m²	8 UAH.
10	Destruction of weeds on the lawn: treatment with a selective herbicide (with the cost of the drug)	10 l	720 UAH.
11	Destruction of weeds on the lawn manually	m²	140 UAH.
12	Lawn treatment with fungicide against diseases and pests (including the cost of the drug)	10 l	UAH 720
13	Sanding the lawn (excluding the cost of sand)	m²	per 25 UAH.
14	Lawn edge trimming	lin. m	UAH 30
15	Overseeding, lawn repair (without the cost of material)	m²	150 UAH. Learn more Refurbishing leather furniture Garden fountain design When gladiolus bloom Stand alone kitchens What are the elements of interior design Composite door prices 1950S style houses Grow cucumber at home Gnat repellent indoors South facing garden design ideas What can i use an air fryer for Home About Residential Commercial Unique & Historical News & Tidbits Blog Video Gallery