How Much Does Landscaping Cost? [2025 Data]

Landscaping Cost Factors

Since there are so many landscaping options, there are a lot of cost factors to consider. Details such as your yard size, the type of landscaping, and the landscaper's labor prices all affect the overall cost of this project. Let’s take a closer look at what’s involved in the bottom line.

Landscaping Cost Per Square Foot

Depending on the extent of the work, landscaping costs range between $4.50 and $12 per square foot. However, if you’re tackling a tear-out and major remodel, you could have to budget up to $40 per square foot.

Front Yard vs. Back Yard

As a rule, backyard landscaping costs are steeper than those for fixing up your front yard. A full backyard renovation averages between $15,000 and $50,000 compared to between $1,500 and $5,000 for the cost of landscaping a front yard. Of course, installing a driveway, well-appointed walkways, or other high-price hardscaping means you’ll need to bump up your budget for landscaping.

New Homes

If you’re landscaping a new home, expect to boost your budget even more. Typically, you’ll pay around 10% of your property value for new landscaping or more if you add expensive fixtures like a pool. For example, if you purchase a $400,000 home, you might pay around $40,000 for hardscaping and softscaping across your front and back yards.

Project Complexity

Beyond the size of your yard, the size and complexity of the project is a significant cost factor when it comes to landscaping. For example, if you’re only looking to remove a tree or add some flowers to your flower bed, you’ll be paying a lot less than if you were to add a deck or pool to your backyard. 

Labor

For small jobs, like reseeding a lawn or laying sod, your landscaper might charge an hourly rate. When it comes to major makeovers, contractor landscaping prices are often set by project. Your final landscaper costs could be anywhere from $1,000 to $40,000. 

You may bring in a landscape designer for more complex projects and full remodels. If your project includes hardscaping or major structural changes, a landscape architect will plan the project and ensure it’s executed correctly. 

• Landscaper: $50 to $100 per hour

• Landscape designer: $50 to $150 per hour

• Landscape architect: $70 to $100 per hour

Materials

Beyond the landscaper’s labor expenses, it’s also important to consider the cost of materials for your project. For example, if your landscaping project only involves plants or concrete, you’ll spend less overall than if you were to need materials like lumber. It’s important to note that if the landscaper needs to ship in materials or tools from another location, you could end up paying a premium price.

Type of Landscaping

Believe it or not, there are a few different types of landscaping. Each type is specific to the type of project, and each has its own cost range to consider when planning for this project. 

Xeriscaping uses drought-resistant plants and eliminates water-hungry lawns, so it’s often found in hot, arid regions. Xeriscaping can be pricier than traditional softscaping, which uses plants and grasses to provide a lush green landscape. Adding hardscaping to your project can increase the cost—features like patios, fire pits, pergolas, and retaining walls come with a higher price tag.

Land Prepping

Before your landscaper can build the yard of your dreams, they may have to prep it. This process can include clearing out old brush, testing the soil for planting flowers, or removing existing trees. Not every project will need serious land prepping, but it’s a good idea to factor in these costs when determining how much your landscaping project will cost. Some common costs for land preparation include the following:

Permits

Depending on the project and local authority regulations, you may need a permit for landscaping projects. The cost for a building permit ranges from $500 to $2,750. When you’re tackling structural landscaping projects like installing an in-ground pool, building a high retaining wall, or removing large trees, you’ll likely need prior permission in the form of permits.

Landscaping Cost by Project

The type of landscaping project you choose will affect how much you pay. Smaller projects like mulching and general landscape design will cost less than more complex projects like hardscaping and xeriscaping. 

General Landscaping Services

General landscaping projects can vary widely in price depending on their scope. Here are some common landscaping services and their average cost range.

Hardscaping Services

Adding non-living features like walkways, patios, and retaining walls to your landscaping can add value and aesthetic appeal to your yard—but these projects have a higher up-front cost than general landscaping projects.

Xeriscaping Services

Landscaping with drought-tolerant materials is a popular way to keep yards in drought-prone areas looking great. With xeriscaping, you’ll pay more in materials but will often have lower maintenance costs over time.

Ongoing Landscaping Costs to Consider

Don’t overlook ongoing maintenance costs when earmarking funds for your landscaping project.

Maintenance

After spending a pretty penny to get your dream backyard, it would be a shame to let it get run down and overgrown. Whether you take care of it yourself or pay a pro, don’t forget to factor in ongoing maintenance fees.

Operating Costs

Most water elements in your backyard will require ongoing operation costs as well. For example, the electricity required to run the motor for a pond in your backyard costs about $5 to $36 per month. Pool maintenance costs are a whole other kettle of fish, adding an average of $230 per month. 

Repairs

Hardscape elements in your backyard will often come with more ongoing repair costs than the softer ones. Remember these ongoing costs when envisioning your landscape design, as they can add up quickly. For example, deck repair costs average just over $2,000, while standard pool repairs prices range between $85 and $3,200.

DIY Landscaping vs. Hiring a Pro

Depending on the size and complexity of your project, you can save a lot by DIYing your landscaping. Projects like adding plants to an existing landscape, laying sod, or building a fire pit are easy to tackle on your own. For projects that involve excavation, electrical work, tree removal, structural work, or work that needs a permit, hire a local landscaper or other pro to ensure the job is done safely and meets any local regulations or codes. 

Cost of Common Landscaping Add-Ons

Large landscaping projects often come with added costs you may not have considered. Some common landscaping add-ons include:

• Junk or debris removal: $130–$375

• Lawn aeration: $75–$200

• Wildlife removal and relocation: $190–$600

• Lawn pest control: $100–$260

Tips to Reduce Landscaping Prices

If you’re savvy, there are many ways to landscape your backyard on a budget. Some ideas include the following:

• Have a realistic wish list: It’s easy to get carried away when you see all those pretty plants and fancy pavers at your local garden center. Carefully evaluate an affordable budget and try to stick to it to avoid disappointment.

• DIY when possible: As mentioned above, you can save money by completing low-lift tasks yourself, such as planting trees and flowers.

• Repurpose existing features: Recycling functional pavers and healthy plants saves money and is more sustainable.

• Softscape, not hardscape: Start a lawn from seed and plant perennial borders rather than using more expensive pavers.

• Change materials: If you’re opting for low-maintenance hardscaping, select a less expensive ground cover like pea gravel over more pricey and tricky-to-install pavers.

• Buy young rather than mature plants: Young plants cost less. They might not make the same immediate statement, but with care and patience, they’ll grow with time.

How Angi Gets Its Cost Data

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’ve surveyed over 30,000 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.