Hiring a landscape architect costs around $2,115 on average, and most jobs fall between $724 and $3,545, depending on scope and lot size.
Hiring a landscape architect costs an average of $2,115, but your total can fall anywhere between $150 and $8,088, depending on the size of your property, the complexity of your project, and more. Let’s take a look at what can affect the cost of a landscape architect and what to know before hiring one.
The biggest factors that will affect your landscape design costs are the scope of the project and the size of your property, but there are some other things to consider, as well.
The scope of your project will have the most significant impact on your landscape architect costs. If you’re just having your architect plan out flower beds and walkways to create a cohesive appearance across your property, you’ll pay significantly less than having them plan flower beds, walkways, fire pits, outdoor kitchens, exterior lighting, and water features.
In most cases, your landscape architect will charge a percentage of the total project cost—often between 5% and 15% with an average of around 10%—which means their fee will increase with the project scope. The table below includes a rough estimate of how much you can expect to add to your total for different projects. Keep in mind that costs can vary widely.
| Feature | Landscape Architect Cost |
|---|---|
| Fire pit area | $150 |
| Flower beds | $150 |
| Outdoor kitchen | $1,600 |
| Outdoor lighting | $400 |
| Patio/deck | $400 |
| Pond | $350 |
| Walkways | $250 |
The size of your property won’t directly affect the cost of hiring a landscape architect, but it will play an important role in determining your total. Larger properties tend to require more design services, which will drive up your total outdoor renovation cost and, in turn, increase your landscape architect’s fee.
Some landscape architects even charge by the square foot, with average costs sitting between $70 and $140 per square foot and even reaching as high as $230 in some cases. The table below includes some standard price ranges based on property size.
| Project Size (sq. ft.) | Avg Architect Cost |
|---|---|
| 100 | $700–$1,400 |
| 200 | $1,400–$2,800 |
| 300 | $2,100–$4,200 |
| 400 | $2,800–$5,600 |
| 500 | $3,500–$7,000 |
Your location can affect the cost of hiring a landscape architect, as labor charges scale based on the cost of living in your area. Labor costs will tend to be highest in and around metropolitan areas, where the cost of living is above average.
| State | Landscape Architect Cost |
|---|---|
| California | $3,020 |
| Florida | $2,170 |
| Georgia | $1,920 |
| Illinois | $2,000 |
| Michigan | $1,920 |
| New York | $2,610 |
| North Carolina | $2,060 |
| Ohio | $1,990 |
| Pennsylvania | $2,010 |
| Texas | $1,940 |
In some cases, landscape architects will solely provide design services, while in others, they may act as project managers to coordinate with other contractors and see your project through to completion. You’ll pay far less if you’re just looking for design services than you would for a more hands-on approach to getting the work done.
Some landscape architects don’t provide project management services, so be sure to ask about this option when hiring a local architect.
Some landscaping projects will require permits which can cost anywhere from $50 to $450, depending on the type of project and your town and state’s laws. Ask your landscape architect ahead of time what permits you’ll need for your project, whether they can pull them or if you need to, and how much they’ll cost.
Landscape design is easy enough in theory for anyone to do, which means you can DIY the work to save an average of $2,115 over hiring a professional. However, there are nuances to the job that DIYers may not understand, so you’ll almost always get a more cohesive and appealing property if you hire a professional landscape designer.
Paying thousands of dollars just for the design of your landscaping features may seem unnecessary, but consider that professional design services can significantly boost your home value. Your home’s curb appeal is what gives a buyer their first impression and what guides their opinion of your house as a whole. As such, you could easily recuperate the cost of hiring a pro when you go to sell your home.
While you’re in the process of hiring a landscape architect, it’s a good idea to budget for the actual work, too, since hiring an architect will often only include design services and project management. Below are some common costs of actually carrying out the projects a landscape architect may plan.
Cost to install outdoor walkways: $1,600–$2,400
Cost to install flower beds: $800–$3,000
Cost to install a concrete patio: $1,900–$5,200
Cost to install a paver patio: $2,400–$7,000
Cost to install a deck: $4,300–$12,500
Cost to install a gazebo: $2,500–$9,400
Cost to install an outdoor water feature: $1,000–$5,000
Cost to install outdoor lighting: $2,000–$6,000
Cost to install a fire pit area: $200–$3,000
Cost to install an outdoor kitchen: $6,300–$26,700
Hiring a landscape architect can cost as much as $8,088, so many homeowners will understandably look for ways to keep costs down. Here are a few things you can do to save money in the process:
Decide what you can plan yourself. Hiring a professional can make an enormous difference when you’re planning outdoor kitchens or looking for cohesive hardscaping materials, but you can save some money by planning the smaller projects yourself. Consider DIY landscape planning for small flower beds, outdoor lighting, and functional walkways.
Consider acting as your own project manager. Many landscape architects will also offer to act as project managers after the design phase is over to see your project through to completion. While this is convenient and often leads to the best results, it does come with an extra charge. Consider managing the actual process of landscaping around your house to save.
Ask your architect if they can help secure deals. Some landscape architects may have relationships with local contractors or supply companies and could get you deals on hardscaping materials or labor. This can bring down your landscaping costs significantly.
Get multiple quotes. Shop around and get estimates for your project from at least three local landscape architects to make sure you get the most value for the best price. Compare based on cost and project scope, but also be sure to choose based on the expert’s portfolio.
Focus on the impact. If you’re hiring a professional landscape architect, it’s a good idea to focus their efforts on the big landscaping items, like outdoor kitchens, pergola designs, water features, and more. If you have a $5,000 landscaping budget, for example, put it toward the big-impact items and DIY the less impactful work, like choosing a substrate for flower beds or designing flower arrangements.
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We survey real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to costquotes@angi.com. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
Hiring a landscape architect is almost always worth it, as they can often make your property look more cohesive and aesthetically pleasing than you’ll be able to achieve on your own. Landscape architects will absolutely drive up the cost of your outdoor renovation, but they can sometimes get you deals on labor and materials, and professional design services will often lead to a nicer curb appeal, which adds more to your property value.
A landscape architect will have a bachelor’s degree, while landscape designers often won’t. While this is the primary difference between a landscape architect and a designer, the disparity in targeted education leads to other differences, too. Landscape architects take a more technical approach to designing spaces. They are qualified to deal with everything from outdoor structures and design elements for residential spaces to larger projects, like public parks and commercial landscape design. A landscape architect costs more, but you’re getting a higher level of expertise for the added cost.
The core responsibility of a landscape architect is to design outdoor spaces, which can include everything from flower beds and walkways to multi-level decks, pergolas, water features, and more. Many landscape architects will also be able to source materials and contractors to carry out your project, sometimes at lower prices than you’d find yourself. Some will even act as project managers to ensure the final product is in line with the original design and meets your expectations. Landscape architects can also help get permits and ensure your project is up to building code.
