How Much Does Landscaping Cost? A Guide to Average Costs

How much does landscaping cost? As you might expect, this is a popular question we are asked often. And naturally, the answer is different for every property. Of course, there’s no way to know how much landscaping Lake of the Ozarks properties will cost until the contractor views the property, performs cost analysis, and prepares a bid.

However, we can give you some averages to help you plan a general budget for updating your backyard or sprucing up your front yard. This will give you an excellent starting point when hiring a landscaper.

National Averages and Median Costs

The cost of landscaping a yard depends on the size of the yard and the features it includes. Based on national averages, your specific installation will likely cost between $4,000 and $20,317 for a professionally designed new landscape installation.

The national median cost for landscaping across all sizes and projects is $12,825. Landscaping is an inclusive “umbrella” term for various home improvement activities outside your house. Many homeowners employ a specialist to keep up their existing landscape for $133 to $370 monthly, for a national average of $252.

Creating an exciting front yard/backyard design with custom water features, exotic plants, impressive hardscapes, and other unusual features will, as you would expect, increase your landscaping cost significantly.

Conversely, the costs for smaller and simpler projects, such as planting a few trees or flower beds, may range from a few hundred dollars to $2,000, including materials and professional labor.

Landscape Price Estimates by Size

The amount of yard you have determines how much landscaping activity can take place. If you have a large yard, you can include more softscaping (shrubs and flowers, for example) or hardscaping (such as retaining walls, patios, or paved walkways).

You can expect to pay approximately $5 to $24 per square foot for landscaping services, depending on what you want to be done. You can create a rough starting estimate for your budget using these numbers.

A basic softscaping project can be estimated using the following formula: $5 multiplied by the project’s square footage, representing the lower bound of what most people choose to spend. For more involved projects, such as a man-made pond or an outdoor kitchen, estimate using the upper bound of $24.

In most cases, homeowners’ landscaping needs fall somewhere in the middle, so you may want to use the average cost of $15 per square foot. Remember that when estimating your budget, you don’t have to consider the entire yard; you only need to consider the areas where you want new landscaping.

Professional landscapers don’t charge by square foot, but your bill will reflect your design choices and the issues your yard presents. However, approximating your budget using square feet can be a helpful strategy.

Landscape Cost Estimates by Percentages

It’s essential to get a firm handle on what you want to spend and talk finances prior to working with a landscape professional. If you’re still unsure where to begin with your budget, the American Society of Landscape Architects recommends putting aside 5% to 10% of your house’s value. The good news is that a fantastic landscape design may increase the value of your house by as much as 15% more than comparable houses on your street.

Thinking of updating your backyard or front yard landscape?

Now that you have a rough idea of the cost of landscaping Lake of the Ozarks properties, we would love to visit with you and give you a detailed estimate. Contact Heartland Landscape Group today to learn more and schedule a free consultation!